Say My Name

So if you've read our Mission Statement, you all know that the Fab 4 work in a Customer Service Call Center. We're pretty relaxed here as far as call centers go- we don't have a script to read from and we don't have to badger our customers about promotions, which is FAAAAB-ulous.

I like to make my greeting short and simple: "Customer Service, this is Pop Tart." Succint. Informative. Very non-threatening, I daresay even inviting.

Yet, this is the conversation I have day after day, after day:

"Customer Service, this is Pop Tart."

"Hi. Is this Customer Service?"

(pause)

"Yeeeeees."

"And your name is?"

(shudder)

"This is Pop Tart." (Hesitant, yet chipper- this is customer service after all)

"Oh, hi Hot Pocket."

(Purse lips, drop head, shake and chant silently "There's no place like home, there's no place like home..")

Well, I just thought my customers were allergic to listening, but apparently there is a case study that undermines my theory.

We had a seminar not too long ago about providing excellent customer service, and we were asked to list some of our pet peeves. In the top ten was people not remembering our names. We were told that when you begin a conversation, people don't listen to the first seven seconds of the conversation. Mah??? 

In that case, I think I will answer the phone with: "Customer Service, this is the Queen of Sheba." Or "Customer Service, this is Eric the Red." I wonder if anyone will notice?

And is this only on the phone, or does it work in person too? In that case, if you're nervous, you could just start right out and tell people something really embrassing/personal right off the bat- you know, kind of like being onstage and imagining the audience in their underwear.

Let's see...what to say...oh, I know!

"I have a foot fetish."

"What was that?"

"I said I love your tie"

"Oh, thanks! I'm Peter."

"I'm Pop Tart."

"Nice to meet you Hot Pocket!"

Sigh. Where are those ruby slippers when you need them?

How about you?  What are your customer service pet peeves?