Walking Billboard
My drive home is usually fairly boring. It’s a straight shot from my office in Eugene to my house in Springfield. Takes, on average, 15 minutes to drive (the speed limit) and if I catch the lights right, I only have to stop once the whole way there.
There isn’t much traffic to speak of so mainly everyone on the road is content to putter along to get to where ever it is they’re going.
Unless it’s a fairly nice day out (which can be rare in an Oregon Springtime) then, for some reason known only to them, the normally very nice drivers turn into ragers on the road.
Friday, a rather rickety pickup truck came zooming up behind me at an alarming speed, whipped around traffic, into my lane, just in front of my bumper, squeezed past and around another car, again, just barely clearing and screeched to a halt at a red light. Once the green turned, the pickup floored it and maneuvered through a new line of traffic until it thankfully drove out of sight.
Why mention the Friday evening traffic?
Because the pickup had his business name and phone number all over it. 
I’m sure quite a lot of us he’d cut off or recklessly zoomed around took notice of the name of his company. And I am also fairly sure I won’t be the only one who never uses his gardening services.
Not all of us walk around with a billboard of where we work or what our business is hanging on our backs. But for those who do- For those companies who advertise on their car, or wear the company t-shirt to the 7-11 to pick up a soda, don’t you have a responsibility to act in accordance to your business image?
When you are in your company car and are reckless, rude and dangerous – what kind of message is that sending your potential customer?
‘Chelle Parmele
Palo Alto Software
btw, the truck in the picture used is entirely blameless of Friday shenanigans.
Tags: branding
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Your right they do represent the company. But I’m sure the company does not condone this behavior and what possible controls can they have?
I presume that in this case it was a one-man band but I have notices on some lorries they have a number to complain which reads “do you like my driving” and a telephone number.
Indeed, he could have just been one gardener in a larger company. I would imagine if you had an employee whose behavior was costing your company good standing in the community and was presenting your business in that careless and potentially dangerous way, you might consider letting him/her go. But perhaps that’s just me.
If he is his own boss -the harm he’s doing to his brand could be far reaching. His reckless maneuvering through the traffic tells me a little bit about what kind of service I could look forward to receiving from his company. My impression of him based on just watching him drive through traffic: he does not take care with what he does, disregards personal property and hurries through his work.
That may be inaccurate but that’s the impression his actions left with me. And that’s just not a great impression to leave people with your company image. Right?
Thank you for commenting, Scopy!
My vehicle is a moving bill board. I am also a landscaper and am very careful how I drive. The cost for impression is very low but the return on investment is very high. I track all my advertising dollars very carefully. Lots of new clients mention seeing my truck go down the road. The trucks on the website also. It still amazes me when competitors say. How can you waste all that money on graphics?
Thanks for quickbooks and the seminars. Your happy client
Stewart in Seattle.
I think having your business on your vehicle is a very smart move, Stewart. You are most likely reaching out to people and gaining new clients that your competitors have no access to. Well done!
I know when I’m driving, I’m also keeping in mind a list of “things that need to be done” and that includes finding a dependable landscaper for our yard since we’re just getting into redoing the whole backyard.
Had this gentleman been in a truck that was cleaned up and orderly and driven with care and consideration of the other people on the road, I most likely would have noted his company name and called him for a bid.
Thanks for commenting, Stewart! Best of luck with your business!