I was reminded of the importance of being able to remember peoples names when you have just met them only last night. I have been in Bournemouth for a couple of days visiting my speaking agent and spending some time at an events exhibition/convention.
Marek and all the team from Parliament Communications were manning a stand that had an enormous and very expensive television that played the show reels of the speakers Marek with (yours truly being one of them).
Derek Redmond (World Champion 400m Relay runner and Olympian) was speaking at the end of the day and afterwards Marek treated myself and Derek and the rest of the Parliament crowd to dinner at a local Indian Restaurant.
As we walked into this busy restaurant, we were met by the owner/manager (Aktar) who greeted us all and who listened intently as Marek’s wife Karen quickly introduced the party to him (they are regulars). This was at about 8.00pm.
I can strongly recommend this restaurant (Indis in Seamoor Road) because the food is excellent and the service first rate. I have always found Indian waiting staff extremely good, but the staff at Indis were outstanding – very friendly, attentive, courteous, smiling and pleased to be at our service.
Some 4 hours or so later when we finally left the restaurant (aren’t the best Indian Restaurants the most accommodating) Aktar was there at the door to say goodbye to us as we left. As he did he shook everyone by the hand and said farewell to each one of us individually by name!
Now I don’t know why I was so surprised because I know what is possible with a few simple techniques and a little practice. However I think it was because I was on the receiving end of someone who had made the effort to memorise and recall my name and was using after what seemed like ages since he met me oh so briefly.
I felt like the most important customer he had ever had because he had bothered to remember my name.
That he remembered my name on a busy evening when at least 50-60 people would have passed through the restaurant was remarkable. Experiencing this from “the other side” reminded me of just how important it is to be able to remember and recall people’s names.
You see there is nothing sweeter than the sound of our own name and I felt special because he “knew” who I was. I know that I will go back to that restaurant again because I was made to feel special just because Aktar remembered my name.
There are a number of techniques you can use to be able to replicate this feat in your own business, but before you try any of them, here is the number one reason why most people forget the names of those they have met, even if it was just a few seconds ago.
The reason is simple and very easy to change – most people never get the name in the first place and if you have never received something (like a name) you can never recall it.
So my number one tip for remembering people’s names is to make sure you hear the name properly in the first place. Repeating it back and using it in conversation immediately are also very good things to do.
Please do let me know if this tip helps you or if you have ever had a really embarrassing memory moment to do with people’s names.