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Your Appearance
Just like your image, your appearance is the first
thing the customer notices and uses to form an
impression. You must look good, feel good, and act
professional. You also should exhibit self-confidence
in your abilities.
It goes without saying that you should be in the
prescribed uniform of the day. But this by itself is not
enough. You should present not only a correct but also
a neat appearance. Of course, no one is expected to
look neat and fresh at the end of a hard day. For
example, if you are told to paint a passageway in front
of the personnel office aboard the ship, or if you are
told to sweep, swab, wax, and buff the deck, you are
not expected to look your best. You can, however, start
that way in the morning.
Appearance does not necessarily affect your
professional performance, but it does indicate your
attitude and your pride to the customer. Your
appearance is just as important to the customer as the
appearance of your desk and the general appearance of
your office.
As for the appearance of your office, a neat,
efficient-looking, businesslike desk and working
space, such as the office of the PN depicted in figure
1-6, imply that the people working in this office are
efficient and businesslike. Have you heard the
expression that “A messy desk is a working desk”?
This is not true! The appearance of a messy desk does
not mean that an individual is working any harder than
the person who has a neat desk. A messy desk or a
messy office shows total disregard for its appearance
and a lack of concern and professionalism on the part
of the person or persons who occupy it. A messy desk
or office does not impress customers; in fact, it turns
them off.
How do you maintain your desk? If you display a
disregard for neatness, the customer will pick up on
this characteristic.
Figure 1-6.—A PN projecting a neat and clean appearance and office.
1-11
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