“When he emerged from the elevator and walked up the aisle it took me about 2 seconds to decide whether to let him enter or not…”
Ok you asked, and here is why I frequent a barber shop in downtown Toronto.
In Sept of 2020 my son Jamie was born. Out of the gate, something seemed to be wrong, and after spending about a month in the hospital we learned he had a rare condition called Mevalonic Aciduria. I know that fancy word doesn’t mean anything to you, but to make a long story short, Jamie needed a bone marrow transplant to survive. This meant a 3 ½ month stay in down-town Toronto. About a month caged in a small hospital cell undergoing chemo treatments etc.… with an additional 2.5 months in temporary residence close to the hospital while his immune system hovered in danger zone.
We rented a condo on the 43rd floor of a tower a couple blocks from the hospital. I spent many a day caring for Jamie, while toiling away at remote work as I could.
My hair will grow to a certain length until it feels like its roots are encroaching on my brain, and I just can’t take it anymore. One day it reached that point.
If you remember anything at all about the first few months of 2021, everything was shuttered. Restaurants, barber shops, you name it, it was closed to in-store service. Even the grocery stores had restricted hours, like that would possibly reduce the traffic in the aisles. Kijiji was open though and in 2021 barbers were selling haircuts on Kijiji.
I bet you have never bought a haircut on Kijiji. I have, but I didn’t know how. I finally picked the most expensive ad because I thought that might indicate some authenticity. Not just some thug going around snipping scalps and collecting cash. We arranged a time at my apartment. I wanted the appointment between Jamie’s feedings and medicine and all the other fun stuff, and preferably while he was sleeping.
The appointment time came and went, and the dude didn’t show up. I waited longer. I started getting imagining all sorts of ignorant things about him. I supposed him to be some imbecile who wasn’t worthy of entering my apartment and messing with my hair. The longer I waited the more I started envisioning some kind of revenge. I thought when he finally comes to the door I would not open it. I would pretend I never called him .
Finally, when Jamie was just about to need a bottle again, he texted and confirmed he was at the front desk getting permission to ascend to my floor. I glued my eyes to the peep hole and watched for the barber, ready to judge him for good or bad. When he emerged from the elevator and walked up the aisle it took me about 2 seconds to decide whether to let him enter or not.
He was a most friendly and pleasant looking gentleman. He was dressed nice and carried a beautiful brown leather bag containing his hair cutting arsenal. I swung the door open and welcomed him in. I told him he needs to wait while I feed the little guy. He had no problem with that and we had a great chat while the kiddo had his 4 o’clock ration.
I finally sat to be gowned up and he asked how I wanted my hair cut. I looked at his and said, “you know what, much like yours”.
The rest is history. Now when I need a haircut I make it a few hours off for thinking and reflection. I go downtown and walk the crowded streets, behold the endless clamor of Dundas/Yonge and the quiet desperation of tent cities and ratty neighborhoods. I get my haircut, indulge in all-you-can-eat sushi or Asian hand pulled noodles and remember I am blessed beyond measure.
That’s the story, but here is the lesson for you.
First impressions matter. It took me mere seconds to decide I liked that barber.
There’s a host of opinions on the average time it takes to establish a first impression. Some say 7 seconds. The latest article I read claimed its done in a 10th of a second.
I once walked up to the door of a client we were preparing to pour a sidewalk and porch for. The first thing he said was “ I like your face!” I have no idea what it was, I’m not terribly good looking and don’t smile easily, maybe it was just my lucky day.
What are you doing that forms first impressions with your clients?
Do you appear respectfully when meeting? Are your trucks clean or does a small mountain of garbage fall out when you open the door.
It is said that if airline passengers find their tray table to be dirty, they will also believe the aircraft’s engines to be bad.
What clients decide about you in the first few seconds is what they will believe about your products and service.
The better you are, the better clients you will have.
PS: The Trowel Spin is a monthly letter written from a concrete industry perspective to anyone who wishes to read it. Forward this email to others who may be interested, or call if you would like a mailed copy.
