It’s often been said that the sweetest sound to anyone is his or her name. Our name helps to define who we are – it’s important – it’s part of our identity. For anyone in a service industry, this is a great way to quickly and effectively relate to your customer. By using their name, you are acknowledging them as an individual and showing respect. You are also bringing them into your circle, your team. You can (and should) share your name with your customer as well. This helps to strengthen your relationship with your customer by showing that you are willing to be accountable for your actions.
Needless to say, I always try to find out my server’s name when eating out or the operator’s name when conducting business over the phone. I ask for their names and use them during our conversations. I find that the people serving me will usually go the extra mile for me simply because I took a personal interest in them. Servers who give their names consistently receive higher tips than ones who don’t. Although I could not find any supporting data, I’m sure that servers who use their customer’s names (easier for repeat guests) get higher tips.
I saw this in action recently when I was eating at a local Tex-Mex restaurant. Because the restaurant was so crowded, I decided to skip the 30 minute wait for a table and went immediately to the bar (they served food at the bar as well as drinks). The bartender introduced herself and the other bartender before asking me my name. Then she did something extra – when she brought my drink she set a piece of paper in front of me with both bartenders’ names on it. Both bartenders checked on me several times and always used my name. In fact, they were calling everyone by name at the bar – and it was a very busy bar! How were they doing it? I turned the piece of paper with their names on it over and there was my name on the back. It was a simple trick but it was effective. If you’re in the service industry, look for little ways like this to make a big difference in your service.
Needless to say, I always try to find out my server’s name when eating out or the operator’s name when conducting business over the phone. I ask for their names and use them during our conversations. I find that the people serving me will usually go the extra mile for me simply because I took a personal interest in them. Servers who give their names consistently receive higher tips than ones who don’t. Although I could not find any supporting data, I’m sure that servers who use their customer’s names (easier for repeat guests) get higher tips.
I saw this in action recently when I was eating at a local Tex-Mex restaurant. Because the restaurant was so crowded, I decided to skip the 30 minute wait for a table and went immediately to the bar (they served food at the bar as well as drinks). The bartender introduced herself and the other bartender before asking me my name. Then she did something extra – when she brought my drink she set a piece of paper in front of me with both bartenders’ names on it. Both bartenders checked on me several times and always used my name. In fact, they were calling everyone by name at the bar – and it was a very busy bar! How were they doing it? I turned the piece of paper with their names on it over and there was my name on the back. It was a simple trick but it was effective. If you’re in the service industry, look for little ways like this to make a big difference in your service.