My name is Craig. But I’ll answer to Greg. Most Gregs I know answer to Craig. Of course we are not alone: there’s Eva and Ava, Bill and Bob, Jeff and John and many more. I can’t complain. I often confuse and occasionally mangle others’ names. Names are not my strong suit.
    My purpose is not to engage in anthroponymy, the study of personal names. It’s simply to remind you that learning, remembering and properly pronouncing other peoples’ names is more than just good manners, it’s good business. Smart sales and service. What’s in a name? Everything!
    Every customer wants to be seen as individual, feel special and feel respected. When you refer to a customer by their preferred name you are honoring them with respect. You’re also seeing them as the individual that he or she truly is. It’s a good beginning.
    Over the years I’ve struggled to learn and remember names. The older I get the harder it becomes, in part because I continue to meet new people, sometimes an audience at a time!
    Given our global marketplace you will likely be meeting customers from China, Israel, Nigeria and Germany, Argentina and Arkansas. Names and pronunciations vary by country and region. Eugenia—pronounced “U-Gene-E-Ah” in the U.S.—sounds entirely different in the Southern hemisphere: “O-heee-Nee-Yah.” Win points by pronouncing it her way! My secret: I spell it out phonetically whether on paper or in my mind. Seeing it this way helps me pronounce it properly.
    It took me a while to correctly pronounce Osafran Okundai and Orunamamu (O-Roon-a-Mamu). I’ve heard it mangled seven different ways. Ditto John Eweglaben. It would have been so easy to pull an Ed McMahon, and simply introduce him by saying “Here’s Johnny!” Instead I had John spell his name out for me phonetically, and then practiced saying it repeatedly. Incidentally, it is pronounced “A-wig-LAY-Bin.”
    I accidentally insulted my colleague from Louisiana, Mademoiselle Carolyn Millet (pronounced Meee-Aye), by presuming her last name was pronounced like the grain. That’s not Southern hospitality! Employ the following tips to track names and the vital details that accompany them:

• When you hear someone’s name repeat it out loud as soon as possible in conversation.



• Append it to the beginning or ending of your greeting to that person: “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Amber” or “Tyrone, how nice to meet you.”

    Try to associate a stranger’s name with what they tell you about themselves. Repeat it out loud if need be: Ken the southeast QC manager; Ariana, the internal service starlet. Hearing yourself say their names makes it more real and memorable.
    European names employing W may sound like V’s: Tony Bacezwski pronounces his name Tony Ba-SHEV-ski.
    Chinese names may take the form of last name, first name. For example: Courtroom translator Parkman Joe, rather than Joe Parkman.
    Employ mnemonic devices or alliteration to help you remember customers’ names: Ling from Laos, Helen who’s Gellin’, Sandy…like my sister-in-law (of the same name).
    Make written notes to yourself, at the time or later. Don’t tax your memory. Notate on the back of their business card or in your PDA.
    Beware of writing on the front of someone’s business card. In some cultures it’s perceived as defacing their person!
    Ask for help with complicated names or ones in a foreign tongue. Take pride in learning the trills and other accents of foreign languages. Customers will appreciate your efforts and warm to your correctly pronouncing their name.
    According to the mingling maven herself, author Susan RoAne, “if you have trouble remembering names, understand that others have forgotten yours. NEVER, EVER ask, “Do you remember me?”
    The author of bestsellers How to Work A Room and How To Create Your Own Luck: The “You Never Know” Approach, RoAne recommends that we simply, “put out our hand, smile and re-introduce ourself. Ninety percent of the people will respond in kind and no one is playing the memory game. For the ten percent who don’t ask, tell the truth: “It’s been one of those days . . . I can’t even remember my name.” ”
    What’s in a name? Gold. Learning, using and properly pronouncing customers’ names is a great first step to building solid relationships built on trust, respect and admiration. Win the name game!