If you’ve gone through any major airport in the USA since 9/11, then you would have experienced the heightened security, or at least the increase in bodies at security checks. You would also have complained about the lack of courtesy, the downright rudeness and even the absence of the English language.

I think most of us have come to accept this in some way - being a government agency etc - and prepare for it.  Shockingly though, this same attitude seems to permeate all sorts of public services in New York city. What is more unerving is that we seem to be experiencing this in the private sector also: a vast majority of buildings in New York have also reacted to 9/11 and have implemented some level of pseudo-security into the main lobby.  The most repellent of tactics seems to be the use of bad attitude.  I was inspired to write this rant, having just been to a very prominent commercial, residential and retail building on Central Park’s South Western corner.  A stunning building with a most impressive vestibule, with a big, shiny logo of the building’s owner over the door, representative of the company’s and New York’s prominence and massive success.  However, no more than 30 seconds into the building and we are greeted by a receptionist who was unable to speak at first and merely held out her hand.  The confusion very apparent on my face, she blurted out “I.D”! Not: “I.d. please”, or “Welcome to ……. .  How may I assist you”? No, Just “ID”!  And it didn’t get any better, setting our mood to negative just moments before our meeting within. What is incredible about this, though sadly common in New York, is that the building cost $billions.

The branding for this company many $millions more, yet they have ignore one of their most important assets: front of house. OK, I may not seem that important to them but what if I was an investor, what if was a potential employee?

They say that first impressions last and ours was that this company was either dangerously ignorant of the fact or they just didn’t care. Make sure that every touch point, every public representation or representative of your brand is singing the same message as you are in your commercials.