REMEMBERING THE NAME
To know the customer’s name and to greet him by name sets aside many of the first obstacles in the way of getting started with the sale. By all means the art of remembering names should be cultivated. George Boldt, who until his death a few years ago was proprietor of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, built up a fortune of millions on the strength of his great personality. He recognized that men and women feel more at home, and are also mildly flattered, when addressed by name. Mr. Boldt made it his business to remember the names and faces of thousands of his guests, in order that he might greet them cordially as they entered. To remember all these names he followed the plan of repeating each one over and over to himself when first hearing it. He pictured in his mind how the name would look when written and then associated it with the appearance, voice and manner of the individual man or woman. This required some effort, of course, but it is important enough to be seriously considered by everyone who is constantly serving people.
In Chicago there is a woman in the shoe department of a large store who has built up a large following of customers in much the same way. She has gone a step further, however, in that she remembers also their special preferences, when they made the last purchase, and, if there are children in the family whom she has served, she remembers also their names. When we consider that her income is two or three times as great as that of other salespeople in the same department, who will say that it isn’t worth the effort?