First Impressions
We know first impressions are crucial to human relations. (Just ask Helen.)
By extension, they also impact our business dealings.
Having just visited Bali, I now know first impressions are powerful enough to skew an entire world view.
Hard Landing
We’d been warned to take US$50 for our on-the-spot entry visas.
As we sweated in one of the immigration queues, we learned why.
Each visa was US$25 or AUD$31, but the officials neither gave nor accepted change.
Thus, an Aussie tendering $40 or $50 paid just that, while anyone with exactly $31 was told to round up to the nearest note.
These rorts triggered angry scenes in the lines.
We felt this was a poor start to our inaugural Bali adventure.
Then again, we were First World dinks* in a Third World locale. Perhaps this wealth redistribution was reasonable and necessary.
Pondering this, we drifted through the airport wondering where to go next. The queues around us were long and confusing.
Just as panic panged, a man touched my arm and said ‘Come here please’ in a clipped voice.
Official Warning
Startled, I strove to take in his uniform and Airport Security badge. My thoughts tumbled like suitcases from a blown cargo bay. Was he:
- Asking if we needed help?
- Guiding us to the right queue?
- About to check our visas?
- Picking us for body search?
My list was truncated as he bid us to follow him. We skipped to keep up as he shepherded us, walking and speaking fast.
Then he asked for our passports.
At that moment, Fonnie reminded me of Bali’s fake luggage handlers – who seize bags and demand cash for their return.
We looked at each other and finally asked what the man wanted.
‘Immigration. There long line. You give me now I stamp stamp stamp. Three minutes only. Finish!’
We still weren’t sure, but he herded us on. Down a free lane. Past hundreds of perspiring travellers.
‘Very fast stamp. Three minutes.’
Could this be a shakedown? ‘How much for very fast?’ I ventured.
‘100,000 Rupiah.’
Now I saw. Or did I? Was it a sting? Getting us to bribe a government official so we could be thrown in jail? Would it cost us millions to get out – and our holiday?
Bad Joke
Suddenly we were beyond the queues in an alarmingly empty space. With every eye on us.
I looked at my hands; our passports were gone and the man was speeding to a distant door.
I failed to summon the courage to protest. Then I noticed a knot of Caucasians a short distance away.
Fonnie and I approached them and quickly ascertained that they’d been similarly ‘handled’.
I smiled grimly and joked, ‘Wish I hadn’t watched Midnight Express last week.’
It went down like a fart at a coronation.
After three of the longest minutes of my life, the official returned and handed over our stamped documents and indicated it was time to pay.
In full view of the terminal, I pulled two 50,000 Rupiah notes from my wallet, which he viewed with proprietary interest.
‘No! 100,000 each!’
Not knowing how, I replied, ‘I agreed to 100,000’.
To my surprise and intense relief, he took my cash and vanished.
Chain Food
I fumbled with our papers, trying to ascertain if they, and he, and we, were legitimate.
Utterly rattled, we found our luggage, battled past the ‘porters’ and emerged to tropical sun.
Then the taxi driver ripped us off by feigning lack of change.
Thus bitten by both ends of Bali’s food chain, I wondered if everyone in between would behave similarly.
What a way to start a stay in ‘paradise’!
Foreign Climbs
I’ve always gone to pains to optimise my new clients’ experiences.
Having endured this dreadful first impression, I’ll be taking more care than ever.
When new clients come to you, do they know the drill?
Or do your systems and language startle and bewilder?
Do you brief them on what to expect and guide them when they arrive?
Or must they fend for themselves in your native land?
Your feedback is sure to impress.
* Double income, no kids.
Paul Hassing, Founder & Senior Writer, The Feisty Empire
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Hi Paul,
What a lowlight start to what should have been a wonderful holiday. I have experienced similar events where I felt constantly cheated and belittled.
Do they really believe that we dont know what goes on, however powerless we are to stop it or protest?
Certainly considering the now benefit rather than the longer term ‘brand’ building activity. Wont be great if they scare off all the tourists due to their ‘turn a blind eye’ philosophy.
Hiya Malcolm. Since telling our tale, we’ve been hearing a plethora of horror stories.
From reading Eat Pray Love, I understand that scamming is a survival skill for the very poor. But the sheer scope of it blew me out of the water.
Next time we’ll be holidaying in Koo Wee Rup!
Hi Paul,
Having just returned from Bali myself, I can tell you similar stories. I got caught in the entry free drama but in the worst way – no warnings, no cash, and ultimately being the last person out of immigration. I was greeted by a man with a firm grip on my luggage who then extorted 100,000 to get it back. With a small child in tow, it was just easier to capitulate.
But here’s the deal. I knew I was being ripped off and it put me in a bad mood. When it happened with taxi drivers and shop keepers, it put a bigger dent in my opinion of the place. I was treated like a fool. Having spent a considerable part of my life working and living around the globe, I’ve seen it all before. What never ceases to amaze me is business owners and freelancers willing to make a fast buck at the expense of a long-term relationship.
There’s a lesson for every business owner in your post. I bleat about it often but successful business always comes down to good relationships. Always.
Sorry I didn’t meet up with you in Bali.
It would have been great to see your smiling face in the crowd, Sarah!
How I empathise with your situation. YES! The constant nibbling away at every turn put me in the foulest mood.
Nothing was free. Everything was extra extra extra. The conning pervaded every single transaction. I soon developed quite a siege mentality, which really impacted our special (ten-year wedding anniversary!) holiday. It was horrid.
Thank you for adding your voice.
Welcome back ol’ Bean
. With the top-notch gardeners that you left to tend the field in your stead, I’d be hard pressed to say honestly that I missed you…perhaps better to say simply that it’s good to virtually see you again 
I’ve gotta say that after a gripping ‘Agatha Christie-esque’ opening like that, it’s a leap, even for me, to want to tie that back to ‘business’…but I’ll give it a whirl…
I love the confidence inspiring picture of the bung Bungy Platform…a rather scary travel brochure indeed
.
Though I am old enough and ugly enough to have experienced that paradoxically, we humans are more inclined to display our best when we are at our worst, my heart weeps more than it smiles of late…and this tale adds to the weeping. So best I place a sign-post here in warning of my melancholic melody en-trained:
This is what I reckon – When people behave in accord with the notion of ’survival at any cost’ it brings into glaring relief their moral and spiritual values against their convenient use (or abuse of it),or neglect of them. Or as the Joker said in Batman – “they’re only as good as society allows them to be…”.
When such treatment of each other becomes ‘reasonable’, I would suggest that we are in deep, deep, do do…
While we continue to live at the expense of others, our lives will be expensive, our hearts cheap and our minds in debt, and smoking will kill us far more slowly than the platitudes that we constantly and never-endingly improve, to maintain our paper-thin justifications that, ‘all’s fair in love and war, ‘it’s nothing personal just business’, or ‘I’m only doing my job’.
I’m so sad that you had these experiences, that they happened at the gateway to a country and that it is considered ‘normal’ or at least justifiably acceptable.
Almost as sad as I am when I hear our politicians who seem to genuinely believe that the basis of a strong and prosperous nation is the ‘Economy’; which pales against the sadness I feel in the presence of a population that have so completely forgotten that they are people and value themselves so little as to believe such twaddle…so much that they will send their children to die for it. How bluddy lost can we get?
If times get tougher than they are, what will it be like living on a planet full of people ’surviving at any cost’?
You know we’re soaking in it?
Cheers
Stephen G
PS: I’ll see you in Koo Wee Rup mate!
Hi, Stephen; great to see you again! I’m glad you dug the photo; you’re very good at that.
I agree with all you say. Reading the phenomenal guest posts, I was tempted to stay away another fortnight. Such great talent abounds in here.
I don’t think The Economy is the solution either. Our villa backed onto an Iron Age rice padi. The farmers worked from 5.30 am to 6.30 pm just to keep birds off the crop. Full sun. Massive humidity. No fresh water.
Yet, as we strove to deal with our Ripped-Off Yuppies in Paradise angst, it seemed to me these earth-bound toilers might actually be happier at the end of the season than we were.
It was an uncomfortable feeling, lazing on the shoulders of others. The Koo Wee Rup Turnip Festival will be a breath of fresh air. See you there with your mobile pizza oven!
Yep! Even Malcolm was fun. Hehe! ;-P
I’d wager that earth-bound-toilers are at least happier than the airport-bound-soul-eaters. Though happiness is a strange creature…like love it can exist in every realm, feel everything else, even become everything else, yet not lose itself.
I reckon we understand happiness about as well as we understand love – not at all.
Re: “The Koo Wee Rup Turnip Festival will be a breath of fresh air” – well for at least an hour or so, until the turnips are digested, at which time my erstwhile wood-fired oven could be deemed a weapon of mass destruction…and a good thing that it’s mobile ey?
Onya Cobba
Cheers
Stephen G
PS Your penchant for ’seeing the world in a grain of sand’ never ceases to amaze me mate. I’m diggin’ your Photo Number Blog.
Yes, that Malcolm chap is starting to hit his straps. I was most impressed with his comment on foreign protocols.
My understanding of the Turnip Festival is that they’re hurled, rather than eaten. Something to do with tomatoes and Europe. Perhaps we can fuse the eating and the hurling … perhaps not.
SO glad you like the Photo Number Blog. I’ll never look at an ATM the same way after THAT grimy shot.
Well that’s a less volatile releif.
It puts a whole new slant on ‘chuckin” one’s dinner ey?…rather more literal what?
Anyway, I reckon if there was any eating, hurling would be a given…no fusing required 
Yep! And that Malcolm chap’s straps are definitely impressive
Re: ‘grimy ATMs’ – Yeh! Begs the question of whether or not there is, or ever was any ‘clean money’ in the world? And don’t tell the Greens. They’re likely to lobby for legislation to mandate rubber-gloves at ATMs as a Health Reform. Wouldn’t the insurance companies love that?
Better get back to writing my book – The Joys of Cynicism and Excess ;-P
Cheers
Stephen G
oh you gotta love Bali!
First impressions are lasting and if you leave a bad one, you need to work pretty damn hard to recover. The people (in general) and the food in Bali are superb. I survived it last Xmas by staying in the resort, hiring a driver and compiling a book on Bali full of brochures to pass on to friends. There ARE people there who are happy to have you visit and WILL NOT rip you off. I stayed in a little fishing village, Candi Dasa.
Funny how human beings are drawn to distraction and negative. How often do we share the GOOD stuff????? Too easy to share how bad something made us fee. No second chances for a good first impression!
In any event, my experience in the business of first impressions has taught me that you only get one chance at it. Better make it good. People remember how you made them feel and they remember the experience. A major Australian home builder has just hired me for their sales conference. Some of their sales people are just not making a good enough impression that reflects the company’s prestige branding.
Hey I hear Koo Wee Rup is pretty special Paul!
cheers
H
Dear Helen, thanks for joining us and sorry you’ve been having dramas with your headshot. I’ve asked Naomi to help.
I’ve long found your company and services fascinating and I’m delighted we’ve got the benefit of your expertise in this discussion.
Glad to hear he did not put you in handcuffs Paul. I haven’t been to Bali for a while, but it seems to have changed.
I had a bit of a similar experience the first time I went to the US. On arriving at at JFK airport late at nght. Not knowing where to get a cab I obviously looked a target and this guy pick up my suitcase and said he had a cab to take me into the city. I followed him, was a little relieved that a couple were already in the cab and off we went.
He charged us double and later I learnt he was an illegal cab.
I think you’re dead right, Susan. I got the strong impression we were 30 years too late getting to Bali.
It now seems a pastiche of itself. A theme park or McDonalds version that has all the authenticity stripped out. And the ferocious rate of building made my head spin. In five years, I reckon it’ll be no ricefields and wall-to-wall villas. I do hope I’m wrong.
I’m glad Helen still knows where to go for good times. Thank you for commenting.
G’Day Paul,
I’ve been reading your blog for a while. I’ve never felt the urge to go to Bali. But hearing about Koo Wee Rup meant I just had to comment.
I’ve lived in Sydney for years now. But as a kid growing up in Melbourne aeons ago. I actually visited Koo Wee Rup. I can’t remember anything about it but i love the name. I’m sure that the good citizens of Koo Wee Rup would be more welcoming than those of Bali. Up the Rup!
And make sure you have fun,
Regards
Leon
Nice to see you again, Leon; and to know you’re still out there.
Koo Wee Rup has fascinated me since I was a kid. It is a ripper name alright, and I think they actually do grow turnips there, so what more could you want?!
If there are any Rupians in the audience, we’d love to hear from you.
Thank you for checking in with us, Leon. Best regards. P.
Hi Helen – photo uploaded and looking fabulous!
How could she NOT?!
Thanks Naomi. 
Hey Paul,
Didn’t you know a turnip farmer from Koo Wee Rup? What was his name again?
Thanks Stephen glad I could keep your interest bro!!
Ha ha, Malcolm!
I never reveal my sources without their written consent.
Especially THAT one!
Related article on first impressions. What not to wear at work:
http://content.mycareer.com.au/advice-research/workplace/not-to-wear.aspx?s_rid=age:rainbowstrip:content1:29-07:nottowear
What bluddy photo?!
You’re very welcome Malcolm.
And I went and had a look at that article mate… Megan Byrne wrote that article called “What not to wear to work” and didn’t put a bluddy picture in it…not one! What is the ‘Blogosphere’ coming to? Dear Heavens above!
And yeh! I wouldn’t reveal ‘that’ source either mate…the possible implications are mind boggling. In fact it might be best if we just say no more about Koo Wee Rup…their rates might go up again.
Cheers
Stephen G
I saw a photo on The Age this morning, but I don’t think it’d be of much use to you, Stephen.
Are there any no-nos for pizza-serving attire?
Are there any no-nos for pizza serving attire? Dang tootin’ there are Cobba…Overalls are a bit apocalyptic, and white smocks and gas-masks tend to dissuade folks from the full wonder ‘gastronomique’ that is pizza noshin’. Other than that, it’s pretty much up for grabs mate…
Cheers
Stephen G
PS Koo Wee Rup actually has a ‘Tater’ Festival precious ;-P…haven’t found notice of a Turnip Festival…yet. But you know me? Never give up, never surrender. I’ll find a bluddy Koo Wee Rup Turnip Festival if I have to bluddy start one meself and chuck me own turnips!
No latex gloves or hair nets?
I’ve secured Federal funding for a Turnip Festival dig. I expect to find traces of pagan celebrations near the old church. It’d be great to get it back on the calendar after all these aeons.
I’d consider latex gloves and hair nets to be accessories, and I dare not stand in the way of Fashion.
Re: “…back on the calendar…”: It would indeed…bring back the good ol’ 366 day year! I’ll bring a shovel, you bring a hair net…and we’ll ‘turnip’ the place upside-down. Oh dear! Perhaps I’d best stop here?…
Cheers
Stephen G