Customers today ( following on from Matt's thread)

[Trembler49]

Look peeps, as a customer I just want good customer service from all walks of life and sometimes it really helps if you know someones name.

Example a) It is almost essential in the NHS to know who last told you what and you need to relay that to the next bit of the NHS you are talking to.

Example b) When talking to organisations on the phone, say a remote bike shop or a travel agent, it is good to know someone's name when getting into lengthy and frequent conversations.

Example c) When in a large retail store on receiving good service or advice it is useful to know a name to help either passing praise to management or telling friends (admittedly the opposite also applies, but that is also of benefit to the consumer).

I like to build up a support network of people I can trust and reuse them again and again like a favourite taxi driver, painter, Richer Sounds hifi expert etc. etc. I will go back and buy more if I like the service and I am not alone in that.

To paraphrase an earlier poster (who in my opinion is not a nobber despite what the sainted Arch says (unless she knows other things about him/her)), if you are in a customer facing role and you are uncomfortable dealing with the public, then you should question whether you really should be in a customer facing role.

 

[yello]

if you are in a customer facing role and you are uncomfortable dealing with the public, then you should question whether you really should be in a customer facing role.

Oh were it that people had such choice in their career paths!

 

[Sandra6]

Fair points, well made, Trembler.
I'm not actually uncomfortable with a customer focused role, I do enjoy it and I'm actually pretty good at it. But there are certain times when someone knowing my name and using it is just weird and creepy.
But then some people can say "thanks darling" and it's fine and others say it and it makes me shudder.
The job would be so much easier if we didn't have to let the nutters in in the first place!

 

[summerdays]

You can manage to praise someone without using a name too. At Christmas I was out of my depth buying points for my son's X-box present. The member of staff that offered to help me, didn't smirk at any point as I went round in circles not understanding and was extremely patient. When I went to pay at the till the manager was behind the desk so I just pointed at the member of staff and said how helpful he had been (I did thank him as well, but thought it would be good for the boss to know as well).

 

[Maz]

What does that make me then? I have a section at work with my name on it.

Easy! Your name's George and you work at ASDA.

 

[Hotblack Desiato]

They must do things differently in Harrogate

In Harrogate they'd be very pleased to know you said that. But they wouldn't show it.

I've no real need to know a name, but why are the name badges tagged to a breast?
But we are all clued up nowadays, so I know salesman is not going to ask "Can I help you Sir", that is too easy to illicit a short and final negative response, he's now been trained to build up rapport. Unsolicited faux friendship p.i.s.s.e.s folk off. P.i.s.s.e.s me off anyway. Just gimme my stuff!

Agree. It'd solve the problem if it could be stencilled onto the forehead. Long-service could be recognised by a tattoo instead. There could be a sort of ceremonial tattooing.

(ps was going to give you a 'like' but didn't want to p155 you off. Here's your stuff..)

 

[mark st1]

If your name's on the front of the building you work in, you're upper class,
If your name's on the desk you work at, you're middle class,
And if your name's on the shirt you wear, you're most deffo working class!

i have none of the above so im officially a nobody.

 

[Spinney]

Don't get much confusion about using somebody's name down here, everyone is called Mate.

Thought they were all called Bruce or Sheila ??

 

[Spinney]

Easy! Your name's George and you work at ASDA.

I've got currency named after me!

 

[Saluki]

My 'works' tee shirt has the company name on it and my name on it too (just under the business name & phone number on the front). Vary rarely do customers use my name, they all call me Millie. My company is Millie's Pet Services and as I am the boss, naturally I must be Millie. I answer to Millie nowadays without thinking about it.
Millie is my Jack Russell BTW.

 

[MarkF]

Agree. It'd solve the problem if it could be stencilled onto the forehead. Long-service could be recognised by a tattoo instead. There could be a sort of ceremonial tattooing.

But name tags, when I'm bored, draw my attention, which leads to my gaze resting on the breast area, for a long time tbh if I haven't got my specs on.

 

[yello]

Are you looking at my tits?

 

[Maz]

I've got currency named after me!

You must be Penny, nice to meet you!

 

[yello]

or Buck perhaps?

 

[donnydave]

In real life people generally don't use other people's first names that much. They just speak to each other without any reference marker whatsoever. It's one of the basic mistakes that those who fancy themselves as writers make when they churn out their novels. As an editor I spend endless hours taking out first-name references in dreadful dialogue:

'How are you, Derek?'
'Well, Keith, not too bad today as it goes.'
'Pleased to hear it Derek.'
'Thanks Keith.'
'No problem Derek.'

As an inexperienced and naive youngster (last year) in Americaland for work, tthey do this all the time in every hotel I've been in, and pointedly make eye contact when they say your name as if they want recognition for how personable and generally brilliant they are being by reading your first name off the booking screen. Gah it annoys me so much.