Sign of the Times

So, why is it that most companies spend all of their time telling you what they will not do versus what they will do? Do you ever see a sign when you enter a restaurant that says we happily take any form of payment that works best for you? Nope. We see the hand-written, scotch-taped, yellowed from the sun sign taped the door or on the counter next to the cash register.

As the times get tougher, watch closely. You will see companies spend more money on signs that tell you what they will not do than what they will (or do) do. You will see companies change their return polices to make them more restrictive. You will see the local car wash say, sorry we can no longer accept coupons from our competitors.

Are these the right decisions we should be making right now? Of course not. But the behaviors you see now will be a direct result of the culture they have cultivated throughout the years. Th's is the time when identity and image become apparent. What do I mean by that? Well, remember identity who is you are and image is how others see you. We spend billions on image and alarmingly less on identity.

so when the times get tough, our true identity shows. Stores that say customer service is the number one priority will change their return policy. Companies that say that employees are our most important asset will notify them they have been laid off via email.

Now, we are not trying to be soothsayers or psychics here. We just have spent so many years studying corporate cultures, that we know - when the times get tough, the real culture (identity) comes out. Often times, the culture the company has been trying to hide from the public.

Employees will start to make decisions not based on service, but based on expense control. And no email or memo will keep it from happening. Why? Because of the culture cycle. (to learn more about that you have to hire us) But suffice it to say, that to truly change your corporate culture, it requires commitment and effort at the right points of contact. But that is for another posting.

For now, watch for the "signs" and see if we are right!