Destination Success: Businesses must clean up their 'squeegee men'

Sinara Stull O'Donnell is a professional speaker and writer through Springfield-based SinaraSpeaks. She is the author of "Be The Star Of Your Life: Are You Ready For Your Close-Up?"

When I first went to New York City in 1977 I had a wonderful time, but I also had other sensations fear and revulsion. I was there on business from Phoenix, another big city. However, New York was bigger than big. It overwhelmed me. I loved the excitement, but the continual fear of crime, the filthy streets, the homeless pulling at you and the squeegee men unnerved me!

A close friend and her husband took me out to dinner. While we were stopped at an intersection, two very dirty and frightening-looking men slowly came toward the car each carrying a squeegee and bucket. Without asking if their services were wanted, one slapped his squeegee and a big slosh of dirty water across the windshield. Both quickly moved the squeegees across the windshield, making it absolutely filthy. We could hardly see. Then, the light changed. Two hands outstretched. Two menacing looks. Two quarters practically thrown out the window. The message seemed clear: Give us money or we'll hurt you. Squeegee extortionists!

I looked down and noticed, for the first time, a small plastic container filled with quarters. "It happens all day," said my friend's husband.

The "squeegee men" had shaken us down.

A headline screamed at Rudy Giuliani's predecessor, David Dinkins, "Do Something!" When Rudy Giuliani was elected he promised to polish the Big Apple. One of his first steps was to get rid of the squeegee men. Old loitering laws were enforced. Times Square was cleaned up. The homeless were removed from areas in front of businesses. Neighborhoods became safer.

The broken windows theory states that the appearance of crime leads to more and more crime. There is controversy about it, but there is no doubt natives felt better and safer, as did tourists. Crime did go down.

When was the last time you applied the squeegee technique to your life? What needs cleaning up at your business? Where are there psychological "broken windows"?

Here are five steps to squeegee your business:

Make your entrance spotless. The old ad said it best "You never get a second chance to make a first impression." Go outside and look at your business with a critical eye. Are the windows clean? Is everything in the window area clean and dust-free? Is the paint fresh and is the door free of handprints? Now, walk in. Cleanliness. Check. New magazines. Check. Smiling faces. Check.

Clear messes on desks. A lot of people are like me organized, but messy. The problem is that all of us are lying. We spend hours looking for papers, but we claim, "I can lay my hands on what I need." What impression does a messy desk leave with a customer? It leaves a lingering sense of doubt. A small voice that wonders, "If so-and-so's desk is so messy, will they lose my will?" Many customers look at a messy desk and wonder if the thinking of the owner is just as cluttered and disorganized.

Clean your car. You may feel that since no one sees your car, it doesn't really matter if it is dirty and/or littered. It matters to you. Years ago, I read the work of a philosopher who believed that we should all create vacuums in our lives. She felt that by clearing areas, we also clear our minds. This is a personal extension of the dirty windows theory.

Clear out the outdated. Does your office scream, "Out of it" or does it simply state, "I have kept up. I understand the trends." Personally, I always have concerns when I see shabby furniture, old calendars and a general feeling of having accidentally slipped into the 1970s. Outdated also goes for clothes. Customers may not consciously be aware of your outdated clothes, but your clothes pass along a subconscious message.

Change your thinking. What squeegee men of the mind are you harboring? Are you cleaning your mental windows with the same old dirty water or are you open to change and new ideas?

Removing the squeegee men is a long process. Think about the size of New York City for a minute. Giuliani was able to change the way New Yorkers thought about crime by removing the outward evidence of lives out of control. A driver was able to stop at red light and be calm. The squeegee men were gone. Peace reigned.

Look around your office, your car, your home and, most importantly, your mind. Where can you start? Perhaps a simple step will change the way you think about yourself and how your customers think about you.