Entrepreneurs: First Impressions
by Miki Saxon
Back in the 1980s and before and maybe after recruiter was the entry point for a career in HR.
As you may imagine, this contributed little-to-nothing to that all-important first impression on candidates.
What was ignored so often back then (and still is) is that whoever is the first direct contact with the outside world, whether customers, vendors or candidates, IS the company.
Internal recruiters, customer service, tech support, receptionists, etc., create that all-important first impression—think Zappos—the impression that lives forever in the back of the mind no matter what happens after.
Computers and mobile haven’t changed this, only now it is often your UI that creates that oh-so-important first impression.
The thing that entrepreneurs, especially young ones, need to understand is that unless their target audience is limited to the tech-savvy or nerds who rate learning new programs right up there with chocolate and visits to the amusement park a UI that doesn’t provide obvious labels and simple instructions is going to turn off a large number of prospective customers.
No matter how sophisticated your app, website or program that sophistication needs to be totally transparent.
People are creatures of habit; many hate change most have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the new whatever.
Simplicity, honesty and transparency go a long way to eliminating that resistance as well as to creating a great first impression.
That’s why first contact points aren’t always the best place to have a newbie learning—not so much the job, but the importance of external players and first impressions.
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Flickr image credit: Geek and Poke
