The Most Powerful Words in Customer Service

When babies are born one of the first questions people ask the proud parents is, ‘What name did you choose?’ Every culture chooses names for their children. As humans, we view our first and last names as more than mere labels; they’re our identity. Perhaps that’s why in our working lives, customers instantly (sometimes subconsciously) distrust employees who don’t identify themselves. If your switchboard operators pick-up incoming calls without identifying themselves, or if you’re at a worksite without a name tag, or if you initiate a conversation with a customer without giving your name, it gives the impression you are hiding. Conversely, when you immediately identify yourself (it’s even more impactful when giving your first and last name), you convey that you are not a bureaucracy; you welcome being held accountable, and you are a grown-up professional. People’s names are the most powerful words in customer service; both yours and your customer’s.