A retailer recently wrote on our forum that her new store goal was to get to know every customer by their first name. The reason this comment resonated with me is because one of my favorite customer service experiences occurred at a large hotel. To my amazement (the hotel had hundreds of customers), the hostess at the restaurant greeted me by my first name every morning. I was so touched by this experience that over the years I've mentioned it to friends and colleagues. Not surprisingly, many of them have named the hotel, as they had the same experience.

Last night my husband and I went out to dinner at Baja Fresh (a local fast food restaurant). To my amazement, the restaurant manager (who must see hundreds of customers a week) greeted my husband by his first name. He then asked me my name and told me that the next time I came in, he'd know it. There's just something special about someone knowing your name, and as a result of his service, my husband and I want to frequent the restaurant more often.

At my favorite gift stores in town, the owners greet me by my name and I think that's one of the reasons I go there. It's nice in this day and age when someone knows your name.