Say my name, say my name

Yes, I just love Destiny’s Child—and Beyoncé in particular.

“Say my name, say my name
If no one’s around you
Say, baby, I love you
If you ain’t playin’ games
Say my name, say my name
You’re acting kinda shady
Ain’t callin’ me baby”

Man or woman?

Yesterday I received an email addressed “Dear Mr. Bloem” from a credit card company. You probably know that I’m not a man, but a woman. It could have been a mistake, but this has been going on for a year and a half, and I’ve tried to have it changed to “Dear Mrs. Bloem,” but so far, I haven’t been successful. Since I receive this email every month, do you think I’m a fan of this brand?

Person or number?

“Do you have your customer number for me?” Just yesterday, my hosting provider asked me this question, even though we’d already discussed my domain name. So yes, call center staff ask this question far too often, even when they can already see your name on their computer screen or have all the information they need. Just because it’s routine and “the way we do things around here.” Please stop this. There are so many ways to use my name to make the conversation more personal. Connecting with me and using my name is the easiest way.

When you use my name correctly

“A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”– Dale Carnegie.

 

 

That's exactly what Starbucks understood, and that's why they ask for your name and simply write it on the cup. It's as simple as that. Is their coffee the best? No. Do you feel good when you get your coffee and they call out your name? Yes. With a lovely cup (especially around Christmas) and your name written on it.

“Good morning, Mrs. Bloem.” I was just sitting in my comfortable seat 16A on the Airbus 380 on my way to Dubai with Emirates. Did the flight attendant just say my name? Yes, she did. She had a list in her hands with all the seats and names and welcomed us one by one. She asked me if I was comfortable and wished me a good flight, “Mrs. Bloem.”

Quick fix or scalable solution?

I know it isn’t easy to personalize and use customers’ names consistently in emails, letters, phone calls, in-person conversations, and chat messages. But it can be done. When your CRM isn’t 100% accurate and up to date with names (and believe me, this is almost always the case), think of quick fixes. I have three ideas right here and now:

1. Stop asking for a client number if it isn't necessary.
2. Listen to the customer when they say their name, write it down, or learn to remember it and use it once or twice during the conversation
3. Especially when it comes to social media, there are many ways to use your customers' names. Use their name in a reply—it makes it more personal. Or make a short video where you address me by name. It's not done very often, but it's a real winner.

What if you want to personalize in a more scalable way, like Emirates did? These are often larger projects, but they really require focus if you want to win the battle for your customers. Here are 5 questions you can use as a starting point:

• It's time to check your CRM. How clean is your data?
• How does your company's CRM department handle the recording of customer information?
• At what points in the customer journey can you use the data you have?
• Where can you use my name in a way that makes me happy?
• What needs to be done, by whom, and through which channel to personalize?

Hello #ReadYourNameHere

What are your suggestions for personalization and for stopping this “shady” behavior? How can you start saying my name, making me feel good and valued, and really owning it like Beyoncé? What are some examples in your company of doing the right thing, and what’s your magic tip? Please share, so we can all learn. And thank you, #ReadYourNameHere, for reading this blog and sharing your thoughts!

Happy greetings

 

*****

Nienke Bloem is often referred to as the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress. 

She is a global CX thought leader, educator, and keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She runs a speaking practice, a CX game company, and a training business; she lives and breathes Customer Experience and is the author of two books on CX.

Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for the CCXP, and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and achieve immediate results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she has been hosting a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helping leaders enhance their leadership skills and deliver an engaging CX story, including a solid CX strategy. In addition, she is a modern-day pilgrim and has drawn parallels between her journey and leading customer-centric transformations. 

With over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the language of business. Her keynote speeches and training programs on customer experience are inspiring and practical. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA, and her mission is to make customer experience work and help you achieve business results.