Should you address your customers by name?

[mandy]

You, Mr. or Mrs. So-and-So, might have noticed a hot trend at retail establishments.

You're about to travel merrily on the road to checkout anonymity when an eager clerk flips up your credit card and wishes you -- personally, by first or last name -- to have a nice day.

It's a strategy extolled by many customer service experts, who argue that such personalization makes customers feel important, perhaps even pampered.

It's being practiced nowhere more noticeably than at several Pittsburgh branches of PNC Financial Services Group, which are practically daring customers to demand personal service...

full article: http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/pKwv...ease.xhtml

[BellisimaJ.]

Should you address your customers by name?

It can't hurt.

[youroverheadbin]

[quote author=BellisimaJ. link=topic=9214.msg49859#msg49859 date=1176902586]

Should you address your customers by name?

It can't hurt.
[/quote]

Can't hurt most of the time and is often received with appreciation that you recognize of them as an individual. Not just a number, stat or member of the herd. But it can backfire on you if it is face-to-face or verbal and you mispronounce their name. And some women become offended if you use Ms. in your address instead of Mrs. or Miss. Like you can read minds or are aware of their history.  >  I've come across both negative reactions in my line of work but overall the practice is well received.

[BellisimaJ.]

But it can backfire on you if it is face-to-face or verbal and you mispronounce their name. And some women become offended if you use Ms. in your address instead of Mrs. or Miss. Like you can read minds or are aware of their history.  >  I've come across both negative reactions in my line of work but overall the practice is well received.

I agree. 

[maggie777]

Amazon has had great success greeting its website customers by name. 

Email newsletters are another area where using your customer's name can increase conversions.

[youroverheadbin]

[quote author=maggie777 link=topic=9214.msg49891#msg49891 date=1176919824]
Amazon has had great success greeting its website customers by name. 

Email newsletters are another area where using your customer's name can increase conversions.
[/quote]

True Maggie,  I've always enjoyed seeing my name displayed when I log onto Amazon. And regarding newsletters. Virtually every one I receive on a regular basis are personally addressed. Over the Internet it is very easy to use names without offense and all the ones I receive use my first name only - avoiding the complication of guessing at Ms, Mrs or Miss.

This trend started a few years ago and is just now being taken seriously by the ecommerce and economic world of selling. It is very effective when so many of us have become convinced that we are just a statistic in the larger scheme of things. With impersonal selling venues, automated phone messages/responses we see ourselves losing our individuality. Hearing/seeing our name brings this back.