As I entered the customs hall yesterday in Toronto to come back home from two weeks abroad, I was pleased to see a nice, modern well-lit sign welcoming everyone into Canada. My joy was short-lived, however, as further into the hall, everyone was met by not one but two shouting, impatient and unfriendly ladies, directing people into one line or another based on if they had connecting flights.
As I listened to their shrill voices, directing us as if we were either a group of misbehaving school children or a flock of sheep, I looked around at the faces of my fellow passengers, most of whom were coming into Canada as visitors. How embarassing. I could tell they were smirking at the tone and manner of these first Canadians they encountered, obviously unimpressed.
Lining up to go through customs is serious business, but it need not be so unfriendly. Proper training of staff to say "Welcome - connecting passengers in this line, and those staying in Toronto in this line" would be such an improvement over what I saw yesterday, and easily accomplish the same thing. Another example of how such a simple little thing can make a world of difference, as we have mentioned in previous posts.
In your business, is the welcome and first impression your visitors are getting better than that of the customs hall? You need more than a nice sign - the actions and comments of your staff can undo any other efforts you make, so watch them carefully to ensure they give the first impression you hope for!
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