Recently I wrote a TOPsider E-Tip about how uniforms, logo’d shirts and so on are important for the small service business in establishing an identity.  A friend who read the E-Tip called to tell me two stories about employees wearing her company name.  The first one goes like this. 

LOOKED LIKE THE BUFFET TO ME

How great the installation team looked in their new shirts and jackets.  Sue had just received the new uniforms and was admiring them as the team, Joe and Mark, got in the truck and drove away.  They were going to a hotel to do some replacements and Sue didn’t expect them back til late in the afternoon.  But Sue’s pride soon turned to dismay when the Manager of the Hotel called.  In a very soft, sad voice he said, “Sue, I hate to bother you but we really can’t have your guys eating food off the Banquet trays”.  Yep, as the team passed by trays of food outside the Ballroom, they were grabbing food!  That was week 1. 

“IT’S JUST LUNCH”

Not even a week had passed before Sue got another shock.  She was attending a very important charity function and ran into her banker and his wife.  During a pleasant conversation, the banker’s wife said,”Sue, do you do the plants at “Sally’s Pit Stop?” Sue was taken aback.  Everyone in town knew that “Sally’s” was the notorious strip joint out by the airport.  When she answered,”No”, the banker’s wife informed her that as she passes that spot on her way home she often saw Sue’s company van complete with new brightly colored and very distinctive graphics.  Upon further investigation, Sue discovered that “Sally’s” had a “Free Lunch” every day.  “Free” if you tipped the dancers and paid for the beverages.  Turns out that Sue’s tech was stopping there fairly often and didn’t see a thing wrong with it.  Suffice it to say memos went out and warnings went into files and pages were added to the Company Manual. 

For us it’s a good laugh but these two incidents also serve as vivid reminders that when your employees are wearing company attire they have to know what the boundries are and act appropriately.  Word to the wise.