“Good morning, it’s nice to meet you.” Easy enough, right? Not exactly. There are so many ways it can be done and interpreted. With just this sentence alone, you’re already shaping someone’s opinion of you with their first impression. In as little as 3 seconds, you’re sending out messages when you meet others socially. Luckily, in business settings, you get a whopping 7 seconds.

Why are first impressions so important? Because they’re noticed and what’s often most remembered. They tend to get locked in memory as an initial form of reference about someone’s behavior when we meet them.   So, when a temp walks through a client’s door, it’s critically important that they do so with excellence. Each and every temp needs to be educated in this area. And, I stress the word EDUCATED. Any agency that is overlooking this MAJOR DETAIL is shooting itself in the foot. If the temp makes a bad first impression, so does the agency.

If you aren’t addressing this topic, it’s never too late to get started. In fact, right now happens to be an ideal time to introduce a new practice, given what’s happened with the economy. Businesses are reworking and revising many of their standards and the way they do business. Wipe the slate clean and take this opportunity to take a closer look, tweak this protocol and start getting temps to make more powerful first impressions with your clients. This reinforces the agency’s excellence. Giving your clients a 100% positive experience from start to finish with each temp assignment keeps them coming back for more and facilitates referral business.

Not only is my point to pay attention to the first impression a temp is making when you send them on assignments and address it, but realize every temp you send to a client is arriving under your agency’s name. The agency is responsible to make sure temps are making a first class, first impression with a client. You cannot assume that “temps know this”. Think about the virtual world we live in and your temps live in and link the fact that much of the “meeting for the first time” in their world often occurs online. (i.e., through social media, chat rooms and commenting on blogs). Many are coming from a different place than the agency and have deep habits about how they “introduce” themselves so often virtually, that an “in person” experience might need some minor refinement. You must ensure they have a clear understanding of how they represent the agency.

A temp’s ability to test well in technology, possess relevant work experience and excellent skills are not enough. They must be polished in the area of meeting people. This includes being conscious that their behavior reflects well on the agency. The earliest occasion to do this is the moment they walk through the door and begin meeting employees in the client’s workplace. Temps are your business ambassadors. Ensure that they’re trained to represent you properly. By presenting themselves with proficiency, it will speak volumes for the agency and hence, promotes the agency like nobody’s business (pun intended).

My experience often includes an agency follow up phone call the morning of a new temp’s arrival to see how they’re doing so far. Because of the small amount of time at that point, there’s not too much feedback that can be given so early on. For a client, it can feel like a “drive by” call. I always respond with my “First Impression Assessment”. That’s really all I feel confident in reporting on during a temp’s first hour on the job. Turn your “How are they doing so far?” call into a “I’m calling to get a first impression. I’d like to make sure things are off to the right start” call. It’s more relevant to your timing and reiterates your level of service. It says “We even care about ‘Hello’ ”. Additionally, that feedback will be valuable to you. You want to make sure your temps are sending the right messages with your clients when they meet them. Remember, temps are your agency ambassadors! Follow up with a call toward the end of the day to get a better assessment from the client on how the temp performed. They’ll have more they can comment on then. More information for you is always better besides.

Include “first impression” training in your temp briefings. Explain this as an agency expectation before you send them out on assignments. Be clear and straightforward about its importance. It is a “must do” if they are to work for you. Not only will this improve your positioning with clients, it will set the bar with your temps. It’ll provide an understanding of your agency standards and practices. This is a seed well worth planting and one that will yield you profits. If a temp can’t grasp this fundamental concept and connect its significance, they shouldn’t be working for the agency. This will also indicate early on how well this temp is going to represent the agency. Temps must be vested to spread the good name of the agency.

The pace of business has been interrupted now. The money flow is stalled. This costs you nothing monetarily to invest further into your best practices. In the long run, these are the types of refinements that help you compete at a higher level and stand out. This says you’re paying attention. This is a small adjustment, but will empower your process. Realize that you often can make minor changes that are right at your fingertips and they can make a big difference. If you want temps to make a great first impression, take ownership for it and teach them. Sometimes, something as basic as a temp’s positive first impression elevates you to an agency of distinction with a client.    

One final point . . . While this is critical when temps are new, make sure temps that are returning to your clients again and again stay mindful that they continue to make an impression.   Just because something becomes familiar, doesn’t mean one shouldn’t remain on their toes!

Next week, I’ll give you my Ten Incredibly Essential Steps for Temps to Take toward Making a Great First Impression