Your name is no one else’s business.
Negative Ned Says…
“What’s the point of introducing myself or wearing a nametag? I’ll probably never see this guy again, and he doesn’t care what my name is. I sure don’t care what his name is. In fact, I should probably turn my nametag around so no one can read it! If I make a mistake or offend customers, I don’t want them reporting me on the satisfaction survey, or worse yet, reporting me to my manager. If they ask my name, I’ll make up something.”
Positive Paul Says…
“When customers know your name, they feel an automatic connection to you. That connection makes the transaction more personal, which leads to loyal customers. These customers will usually greet you by name the next time they come in. People like people who like them. And they just may write a note to your manager about how helpful you were.
Watch elderly patients when they’re checking in for their doctor’s appointments. Their eyes scan employees’ clothing looking for nametags. Contrary to popular belief, they are not checking out your physique! To them, it’s an automatic connection when they know your name.”
A Real World Example
Do you remember the TV show, Cheers? Every time Norm entered the bar, everyone yelled “Norm!” I had a similar experience years ago when I lived in a condo. The nearest grocery store was about three miles down the road. However, just a couple of blocks away was a little market that carried just the essentials. The owner’s name was Sal. Every time I entered the market, I would say, “Hi Sal.” He would immediately light up and reply, “Hello Barbara. Where’d you travel to this week?” I loved going to that little market. Was it less expensive to shop there? Nope. But Sal sure made me feel special. We were friends.
Here’s another example: A medical group in southern California was trying to raise its patient satisfaction scores. So they created a survey that featured pictures of all the employees and asked the patients to rate them. At first, many employees did not want their names and pictures on the survey. However, after the employees who were featured on it started receiving a lot of positive feedback from the patients, more and more employees wanted to participate. Now, everyone’s picture is on the survey, morale is high, and patients are happier and feel more connected.”
Moral to the story: Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to customers. If they tell your boss how great you are, you just may win the Employee of the Month award.
Strategies to Turn This Around
Introduce yourself.
- Introduce yourself to every customer.
- Wear your nametag, so it is easily visible.
Remember: When customers know your name, they feel an automatic connection to you.
“Your best customers leave quite an impression. Do the same, and they won’t leave at all.”
— SAP (advertisement excerpt)
© 2012 by Barbara Khozam Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this message may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission of the publisher.