How serious are you about attracting new customers and cultivating long-term relationships with repeat buyers? If that's your intention, beware of the tragic blunder many companies have made in trying to win my business. I've been called Bud, chief, sweetie, honey, honey-pie, lover, and everything except my actual name. While this may seem trivial to many, psychologists say that a person's name is, to each of us, the sweetest sound. Start by making sure that your associates have your customers' names available so they can use them to help build relationships. Getting and using customer names is a very simple tactic that your competition may overlook.
Get your associates into the habit of using proper names instead of nicknames. Getting and using people's names is a good habit. First, we make our habits, then our habits make us.
Membership retailer Sam's Club ran a campaign about using customer names. On the back of every cash register, the company posted the word C-H-A-N-T—a reminder to all employees that Customers Have A Name, Too. In fact, they instituted a rewards program to remind employees of the importance of identifying people by their names. Do you think you can get better at doing that, Bud?
TAKEAWAY
In survey after survey, customers complain
about being treated like a number, so make
sure that your company doesn't do that.