Shakespeare asked “What’s in a name?” A lot, according to a study on the effects hearing your name has on your brain. What were their results?

People LOVE hearing their names!

The following is true when handling customers:

• Customers view you in a better light and think of you as more competent when using their names.
• If you are sincere, people tend to like you more if you address them by their name.
• Customers respond more favorably to emails that use their names instead of receiving an automated message.

A person’s name is important and it represents them. Showing that you can remember and pronounce it correctly means that you see that person as an individual and have respect for them.

This is a subject that I’m personally sensitive about. My first name is not common and people often mispronounce or misspell it. I’ve even had people make fun of it, without caring if the joke would affect me negatively. Yet, a representative that can pronounce someone’s name correctly, and ask if they don’t know the correct pronunciation, is someone that a customer is impressed with.

Calling a client by their name is a great way to build trust and rapport. However, once you have the customer’s name, you want to use it sparingly. You don’t want to keep using it in every sentence. This kind of makes you seem a little repetitive, odd and insincere. Depending on the type of customer or client you’re dealing with, you may want to address them with titles such as Mr. or Mrs., etc. If your relationship is a little less formal, first names are fine. A sincere “Hi Dan, How are things going today?” can help you build and develop trust between you and your customer.

“Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement.” — J.C. Penny

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