“You are infinitely important to people you will never meet, including yourself.”
How does this philosophy, which is at the heart of my photography, relate to my corporate clients?
I mean, just who are they that they have such far-reaching influence?
To be honest, they’re just regular businesses that you’ll find anywhere.
They do have one thing in common, though.
Pride.
Pride in their product. Pride in their service. Pride in their people. Pride in their customers.
Think of it this way. If you approach everything you do from the perspective that you and your product/service are hugely important to the end-user, how are you going to go about your business? Most likely, in the absolute best way possible. After all, you’ve got something to live up to.
I take the same approach to my business. Does that mean I run a perfect business? No. But the point is that I try to and that keeps me pushing forward, always trying to improve. I want my clients to get the best that I can possibly give them.
And that’s the kind of client I want to work with.
So when a company calls and tells me that they want to show their customers the inner workings of what they do, my heart lifts. Companies like Brittany Ferries, for instance, who deliver a first-rate service founded on pride.
How is Brittany Ferries infinitely important to people, including those they’ll never meet?
Think of it this way: they transport families across the world’s most hostile environment safely and in comfort. The sea is unforgiving. Believe me. I used to be a shipping correspondent. I could tell you a few stories.
Just imagine what would happen if a passenger ship didn’t arrive. That’s when the importance of a job well done is felt most acutely: in its absence.
Do the officers on the bridge or the engineers in the engine room meet every single passenger that embarks onboard? No. Are these personnel important to the passengers themselves and their relatives waiting on them at home? Yes.
But that’s easy to say for critical operations such as navigation and propulsion. What about making the beds in the cabins? That’s hardly “infinitely important” now, is it?
I’d disagree. If you entered your cabin to find it in a mess, you’d be unhappy, possibly stressed, most likely angry. Negative emotions all – possibly strong enough to ruin your day.
Finding your cabin pristine gives you a lift. A small, yet significant, piece of your overall experience onboard. Barely noticed when done right; hugely annoying when it isn’t.
That’s what I like to photograph. The inner workings of a company with pride – a company that sees beyond its doors and connects with its customers and clients.
