Create a 5-Star Customer Experience

“How can I help you, hon?”

“Can I get you anything else, dear?”

“Have a good day, sweetheart!”

These are the kinds of phrases and pet names you might expect to hear from your significant other, but they would probably be uncomfortable to hear from a stranger. Yet, these and other terms of endearment are used by customer service representatives all the time. And the discomfort they bring could hurt an organization’s reputation.

Customer service representatives communicate with countless different people every day, and their main goal is to provide a pleasant experience by fostering a positive relationship and earning a guest’s trust. Using terms of endearment is a tactic frequently used with the intention of creating an immediate sense of warmth and familiarity with a customer. Calling someone “sweetheart,” “love,” or “hon” is an innocent and friendly way to welcome and refer to a guest…right?

The blanket answer to this question is a resounding “No!” We would argue that more often than not, using a pet name with a customer makes the customer feel uncomfortable and less likely to return. The harsh reality is that our customers are almost always strangers or mere acquaintances who are only taking part in a transactional relationship. Incorporating interaction and building a rapport with the customer is a great idea. Calling them “Dear” or any other pet name gives an unearned sense of familiarity the customer can find jarring and disrespectful.

WHY ARE TERMS OF ENDEARMENT SO WRONG?

The heart of the issue comes down to respect and self-awareness. The role of the customer is to pay money for a product or service to improve their lives, which in turn keeps a business profitable. At the end of the day, this is the extent of their relationship with an organization and its employees. Terms of endearment are reserved for significant others, children, parents, friends, and others with whom they have a meaningful relationship, not a stranger on the phone or behind a counter.

Whether or not you meant to, these terms can also come across sexist, ageist, or otherwise offensive and condescending. This is not to mention the different ways it could be taken cross-culturally. In cultures where holding respect and honor for elders is strictly upheld, referring to an older customer as “sweetie” could be extremely insulting.

DOES EVERYONE FEEL THIS WAY?

No–there are likely plenty of people who find terms of endearment reassuring and pleasant as customers, especially where I work in Texas. It’s true, that a customer dining at the Waffle House might be okay with their waitress calling them “hon.” But not at a Five-Star business.

Therefore, it’s better to default to a method of referring to customers that is consistent and respectful rather than play a guessing game. Making customers feel uncomfortable is not worth the risk.

SO… WHAT SHOULD YOU SAY?

Luckily, we have a simple answer for you: use the customer’s sir name. For example, address the customer as Ms. or Mr. Smith. If the sir name is something that you are not sure how to pronounce, Ms. or Mr. in front of their first name is a respectful way to address the customer. Nobody will feel uncomfortable being called by their own name. It is the most consistent, appropriate, and respectful way to address your customers. Consumer reports agree with this opinion.

5-STAR CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE

Build rapport not with terms of endearment, but with an optimal patient experience. Focus on these five areas to ensure a five-star customer experience.

1. Make it personal. When you encounter a returning customer, make it clear that you remember him/her—him/her specifically. If it is Ms. Smith and you recall that she’s obsessed with cats, use that knowledge to have a unique, rather than generic, interaction. Ms. Smith is already thinking about her cats, and it will feel natural to her that you brought them up, as well.

2. Focus on them. Do not burden your customer with comments about other customers, or about how long your day has been.

3. Most of all, keep your attitude fresh. Even if this is the 45th booking of its kind you have scheduled this week, to your customer it’s the only one. Strive to see it through their eyes.

4. Keep it stress-free. Create a calm atmosphere using spa voices regardless of location.

5. Establish a dress code. Keep it simple and classic, for example, consider black pants, solid color top, and black blazer.