R SUPPORT
Should I have my employees use fake names when working customer service or technical support?
This is purely a cultural question. Companies occasionally have employees use a fake name for security concerns or because they don’t want their customers to know their employees are foreign. I personally disagree with the practice – even with those two situations in mind. I think the practice is demeaning to the employees being asked to choose an alternative name and bad for the company’s culture.
If an employee is foreign, that is not necessarily a bad thing and if it is, a fake name won’t change anything. If your employees can communicate properly and effectively in English, then your customers probably won’t care what their name is. If “John” is obviously having trouble writing in or speaking English, then the name won’t fool anyone
If security or privacy is a concern, have employees use their first name only. Customers usually won’t ask for a last name unless the employee was exceptionally rude (and they want to complain) or ironically, if the employee was exceptionally helpful. If the average experience is anywhere between those two, chances are the customers won’t ask for the employee’s last name.
The only situation I can think of where it would be appropriate to use an alternative name is if the employee’s name is difficult to spell or pronounce. If this is the case, chances are the employee already has a nickname and this can be used. If he or she doesn’t already have a nickname, then you can work on finding something that is mutually acceptable.
Otherwise, have employees use their actual name or a preferred nickname. Whatever you or your co-workers call the person around the office is how they should be introducing themselves on the phones.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28