Two stories have caught my attention today - one from The Times, and another from the Daily Mail. Both raise the problems professional services firms have with branding.
The Times carries a piece from Acritas (a client of Coast) on how law firms are failing with their branding.
The Daily Mail carries a piece on how a Dr Who actress, presumably between roles, was turned away from PwC by a temping agency that provides staff for its reception in the City because she was wearing flat shoes instead of high heels.
PwC have responded in the right way, by promising to investigate and saying that staff are free to wear what they want, but the damage is done.
For all the efforts PwC takes to nurture its truly excellent brand, one careless comment from a supplier can leave it in tatters.
Who are your brand ambassadors? Staff, yes, but also those suppliers a firm chooses to work with. Firms need to make sure they too live and breath your brand values.
A receptionist has been banned from working at a top City firm because she was wearing flat shoes instead of high heels. Nicola Thorp, an actress who signed up with a temping agency, was told she could not work as a receptionist at PricewaterhouseCoopers without donning 'more feminine' attire.
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