George Michael
The waiter of the restaurant puts down the plate of sushi and gives me his big smile again. "What's your favorite George Michael song?" I ask him. He doesn't have to think long about it. And he replies that he is secretly a bigger fan of Engelbert Humperdinck. But that George Michael is his mother's favorite and that's why he put this artist on his nameplate.
At the All Inclusive HardRock hotel in Mexico, where I'm staying for a cool speaking assignment, all the staff wears a name tag. Something I also saw last year in Disney in the hotel, where colleagues had their passion next to their name. Which ranged from Russian, to dogs, to jazz music. In this hotel in Mexico, under the name of the staff member, it says the favorite artist. This fits perfectly with the theme of the hotel and it opens the door for a chat in a very accessible way.
Orlyss, that's the waiter's name, chatters happily about Engelbert Humperdinck, his mother and the link to George Michael. If I'm being honest, I don't know any music by his great hero Engelbert and I honestly admit that. He quickly switches gears, because you can't embarrass the guest, and asks for my favorite music. It's a good thing I don't work at this hotel, because I'm not a fan of any one artist or band. I think again, he points out to me with a wink that I look a bit angry when I think and he bursts out laughing again. "Bruce Springsteen" I say quickly.
What a gift this waiter is. Of course, he's in a good mood, knows exactly how to serve, and knows the menu by heart. He's a Pro, but his employer has made it easy for him to make that connection. Because of that nameplate with his favorite artist. It makes it so easy for me to have that chat, connect and have an even more fun stay. Now that I think about it, I don't know if I would have started a conversation otherwise. Just after my sushi, would have said thank you and given him a small tip.
But not tonight. Orlyss gets a big tip. The tip I give you and all companies in the Netherlands: make it easy for your staff with that nameplate and put the 'something' underneath. Favorite animal in the pet store, beauty vlogger in perfumery or favorite car at the dealership. It's a real conversation starter. It works at Disney, HardRock and probably for you too!
This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on November 28, 2018
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Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress.
She's a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.
Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations.
With her over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results.
