Perfectly right. Seeing how even the dumb can perform with a customer with the right dress code, why should you pass on this opportunity? If the guys know their stuff, which happenes every now and then, you can go ahead and save yourself and them the discomfort after the first meeting. If they are just the usual off-the-rack customers, better appear the way they expect from a trustworthy partner.
About the dilbert part: How did you guess I was on the cast for next weeks show? I hope you didn't violate anybody's intellectual property.
But seriously: I've saved myself some onerous discussions by looking "business-smart". Of course that doesn't make me a better coder in itself, but I guess from being able to adapt to this I get some 30% more time to code (which I like) entirely ripped off the time to discuss stuff (which I dislike because nobody understands anything as well as I do).
Compared to some people I work with who I wouldn classify as halfbrains either, except for the attire-thing.
Doesn't it strike anyone that it might make the job a lot easier if you just adapted to whatever dress standards your customer might like? I'm just a coder, so I don't do a lot of work around customers, but if I am to appear at a meeting I damn well know how to put on a suit. Try explaining something they won't be able to understand to your customers. Do it in a suit, and they probably lay off the really silly stuff. Do it in slacks and slippers, and they won't believe a word you say. Maybe the tech guys would, but you put them in a bad position for supporting you just by looking the way you do. Once you're back behind your workstation, go ahead and wear your underpants on your head. It's what I do, if not so explicitly, but I'm definitely one of the shorts and sandals type. It just seems unsensible to me that you try to do your best to keep your code clean and manageable, you go to all lengths at keeping up to speed with technology and then spoil more than you can make up with speed and quality by having one client meeting going the wrong way.
would you like to have the guy with the bad breath, the shady looks and filthy hair take a real good look around your house?
Now why dont you think he's a good plumber?
Obviously you can't tell anyone's abilities by their hairstyle, clothing or general appearance. Once you know the abilities it would be equally wrong to ignore them. But don't pretend you are blind to appearance with your own choices.
Slashdot Mirror
Perfectly right.
Seeing how even the dumb can perform with a customer with the right dress code, why should you pass on this opportunity?
If the guys know their stuff, which happenes every now and then, you can go ahead and save yourself and them the discomfort after the first meeting.
If they are just the usual off-the-rack customers, better appear the way they expect from a trustworthy partner.
Point taken. You're obviously right.
I really hope this is the way our customers see it
Suits my natural inclinations better, btw.
About the dilbert part: How did you guess I was on the cast for next weeks show? I hope you didn't violate anybody's intellectual property.
But seriously: I've saved myself some onerous discussions by looking "business-smart". Of course that doesn't make me a better coder in itself, but I guess from being able to adapt to this I get some 30% more time to code (which I like) entirely ripped off the time to discuss stuff (which I dislike because nobody understands anything as well as I do).
Compared to some people I work with who I wouldn classify as halfbrains either, except for the attire-thing.
Doesn't it strike anyone that it might make the job a lot easier if you just adapted to whatever dress standards your customer might like? I'm just a coder, so I don't do a lot of work around customers, but if I am to appear at a meeting I damn well know how to put on a suit. Try explaining something they won't be able to understand to your customers. Do it in a suit, and they probably lay off the really silly stuff. Do it in slacks and slippers, and they won't believe a word you say. Maybe the tech guys would, but you put them in a bad position for supporting you just by looking the way you do.
Once you're back behind your workstation, go ahead and wear your underpants on your head. It's what I do, if not so explicitly, but I'm definitely one of the shorts and sandals type.
It just seems unsensible to me that you try to do your best to keep your code clean and manageable, you go to all lengths at keeping up to speed with technology and then spoil more than you can make up with speed and quality by having one client meeting going the wrong way.
would you like to have the guy with the bad breath, the shady looks and filthy hair take a real good look around your house? Now why dont you think he's a good plumber? Obviously you can't tell anyone's abilities by their hairstyle, clothing or general appearance. Once you know the abilities it would be equally wrong to ignore them. But don't pretend you are blind to appearance with your own choices.