We’ve been on the tattoo and piercing topic for a while and it has generated many discussions at our shop. BusinessWeek.com offers A Pierced Tongue: Too Edgy for Sales? which is a Q&A article. Here is the set-up:
There is a young woman in our office who has done a great job in sales support. We are considering her for an outside sales position, but some of the managers are concerned because the employee has a pierced tongue and a little silver barbell ornament in it.
Good question – one we have never faced before. I would personally have reservations about the pierced tongue with an outside salesperson. The article mentions that fashion moves quickly and I certainly see many pierced tongues out there (though they always give me pause).
It may be that the employee agrees to remove the barbell ornament during customer meetings (in which case it would be nearly impossible for anyone to spot the tiny holes in her tongue) or find a tongue-colored barbell that would be less obvious than the silver one. Or you may agree to send her on a few sales calls and get customer reactions afterward.
Really, as a sales manager I cannot imagine having to deal with this topic. But, if she is a strong salesperson, I would have to consider these options. The main issue is knowing your customers and their expectations. If my customers consisted of many traditional baby boomers with conservative expectations, I don’t think I would put her out in the field with them.