Customer Service and Name Tags

From customer service to hospitality services, are name tags a necessity?

There are two arguments, and they are simple: yes and no. When it comes right down to the nitty-gritty, most businesses use name tags. And, primarily customer service oriented ones, will tell you that they feel it is necessary to wear identification. Whether that’s an embroidered logo on a shirt or an actual name tag, branding is somehow incorporated onto their employees.

Now, the question needs to be asked about those employees. Who, and be honest here, really likes to wear a name tag? Not everyone enjoys having that immediate first name status with everyone they meet. So, the underlying question remains: should you use name tags for the best customer service possible?

using name tags in customer service and hospitality services

An Expert’s Answer: It Depends

While there are many reasons to wear name tags (see below*), there are also many that would fight against the “need.” Some of the finest in the hospitality business suggest that by using name tags, you are alienating your employees. They argue that name tags separate the employee from the consumer and presents a barrier between the two.

Tim Miller, a hotelier who was intimately involved in the creation of the new Marriott—Ian Schrager Edition brand, echoes this sentiment.
“[Edition employees] don’t wear name tags because we want it to be similar to when you’re at home and a friend stops by and stays with you for a couple of nights. We want to provide service in a less artificial way than would be implied by the dividing line of name badged employees and civilian-dressed guests.”
And there’s no question that an environment adorned with name badge employees looks more stilted, artificial, less genuine than without it. Hotelier Tim Miller again: “We didn’t want the stilted awkwardness of ‘look, I work here, I’m taking care of you because that’s what it says on my badge I do.’”

By removing name tags from uniforms, some companies feel as though they are providing a more peer-to-peer relationship to form. That name tag, and the removal of, provides a barrier that is not a necessity for all businesses.

Consider This: Name Badges Improve Customer Service

Mark Harmon, CEO of Auberge Resorts and truly a “hotelier’s hotelier” told me, “We want to develop a relationship between our staff and guests. It’s awkward for the guest to have to ask for your name or the staff member to introduce himself. I find that guests love it when they can easily remember the name of our people.”

*This is where it gets good!

name tags are the perfect accessory for someone in customer service

For the majority of businesses, name badges are a must. Especially those whose focus is the customer service and face-to-face time with their consumers. And the reasons are pretty obvious.

Starting conversations is much easier when two people (or more) feel at ease in the communication. And, this can all start with a simple introduction. By wearing a name tag, your employee automatically starts this conversation without even knowing it!

This brings us to our next point: balancing your employees and customers needs. With technology as it is, you can know your customers before they need to initiate any conversation. Do this by using loyalty or membership cards, credit cards and even event passes. So, level your playing field with name tags so that your customer knows your employee just as the employee knows them.

And don’t forget about security and accountability. Name tags help your employees stay on task by providing them with a sense of responsibility and accountability. Those respectful actions are then reflected on their treatment of your customers and provides a positive environment for everyone. From making sure everyone is where they belong for security reasons to providing the best customer experience possible, name tags are here to stay!

So, give credit where it is due and don your name tag in support of knowing your customers!

How to Commit to Quality Using Name Tags

From customer service to team building, every business should commit to quality using name tags.

What does commit to quality mean?

COMMIT: to carry into action deliberately; pledge or bind (a person or an organization) to a certain course or policy.

QUALITY: the standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence of something.

Why would a company need to commit to quality?

In most cases, businesses who do not have a commitment to quality fail. Yes, a company who doesn’t maintain quality in their service or goods can succeed. However, it is far more likely for a business to succeed when they focus and commit to quality.

Author of Out of the Crisis, W. Edwards Deming wrote, “Create constancy of purpose toward improvement of product and service, with the aim to become competitive, to stay in business and to provide jobs.”

The message to learn from this statement is that no matter the service or product, consistent quality must be your primary business focus. And with that knowledge, you can make sure that your business maintains quality throughout your production and practices.

Deming also wrote, “Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality. Eliminate the need for massive inspection by building quality into the product in the first place.”

Constancy of purpose means that quality decisions are not situational. End of month quality is the same as the beginning of the month. It means that the long term benefit of the organization is not sacrificed to hit quarterly targets. It means having your eye on the competition, whether it is in your industry or coming from elsewhere, with plans to stay ahead.

When a company commits to quality, they must do so from day one. Once a specific quality standard is set, it must be upheld at all production stages and in all departments. And, communicating this standard of quality to your customers is an absolute must. Make sure that your customers understand that when you commit to quality that it isn’t just for your company, it’s for them!

How do name tags help with committing to quality?

To commit to quality is easier than you might think. For a lot of professions, appearance is a crucial factor in this quality. So, maintaining your commitment to quality is easy with a uniform and the proper name tag. Whether you choose a daily business attire like a suit and tie or a matching polo shirt for each of your employees, don’t forget that name tag.

Whether your job is in the food service industry or you are a CEO of a major corporation, showing professionalism by wearing a name tag is sure to make your job a bit easier. By attaching this simple item to your uniform or daily attire, you will stand out from all of your competitors. And, they make corporate branding a breeze by identifying employees at any business even easier.

From branding to color matching, name tags, like uniforms, help to symbolize your quality. Creating a positive influence with your brand means guaranteeing that all of the services and products of your business are consistent. Employees and customers know when that consistency is not present. So, make sure to choose name tags that reflect your brand’s commitment to quality. And once this is accomplished, showing that you commit to quality is easy.

Company name tags show you care about the quality of your brand. When employees wear name tags, they are more accountable for their actions as customers can comment on them by name. And branded name tags prove to customers that you pay attention to all details. So, when you commit to quality, it helps you gain public trust and grow your business.

Coller Industries commits to quality with every name tag!

For the past five years, Coller Industries has kept its error rate under 1%. In 2018, our overall error rate was 0.386%, which means that only 1 in about 260 orders contained an error. Considering that each product has up to 15 variables, we are proud of this accomplishment. It is thanks to our careful checking process and customer satisfaction guarantee that we can achieve this. And, because of our company procedures, each customer will walk away with a positive consumer experience and the identification products they need.

Investing in the proper tools also shows that you want to commit to quality. From name tags to lanyards and even custom ribbons, help your business branding with logos, colors and so much more!

Plan the Perfect Event With Quality Name Badges

From conferences to seminars, every event needs quality name badges.

Personal identification is key to any event whether it’s a conference, seminar or trade show. As an event host or planner, you want your attendees to enjoy networking at your event. And, when they do, they are more likely to return again next year. Use quality name badges to put people at ease and make your conference or seminar a success.

What’s In A Name?

Knowing someone’s name makes people more comfortable socializing with that person. With each attendee sporting a name badge, people will have a positive networking experience at your event.

Which type of name badge you use depends on your specific needs. Each one comes with many positive features and all of them are great for networking. Here are a few options to help you find the right fit for you.

Adhesive Name Badges are perfect for when you need a quick, short-term option. The adhesive will stick to almost any clothing and works well with any dress code. Have attendees write their name on these sticky tags using a pen or marker. Or, print their names in advance for faster registration. These name badges also come in five different colors so you can divide attendees into groups or identify them by their job position for easy networking.

Badge Holders are commonly used for conventions, schools, security and visitor passes. And like with Adhesive Name Badges use the different colored inserts to separate attendees into groups or categories to keep your event organized. Slip a printed insert inside a holder for easy identification. Once the event is over, collect each badge holder for reuse. They also come with different fastener options including punched slots to use with custom lanyards.

Conference Name Tags provide you with a pre-printed solution that is also budget friendly. Each tag is laminated to give your conference badges a professional style. Available in three standard sizes, customize these name tags with full-color logos or graphics. Like Badge Holders, they come in a horizontal or vertical orientation with multiple fastener options.

Whichever name badges you need, what matters is having quality identification to impress your attendees and create a positive networking event.

Visitor ID Badges and You

From schools to hospitals and every business in between, visitor ID badges are a necessity for security.

Many places of employment require personal identification. They are great for security and getting to know everyone at work. And, visitors are no exception. The use of badge holders and other visitor ID badges is essential in keeping your company safe.

So, here are the top five reasons to make sure all of your guests have visitor ID badges.

Security

There are many locations where visitors may be necessary. Two of the most popular are schools and hospitals. Schools must constantly monitor who is wandering the halls of the building. Whether it’s a student, teacher or parent, many principals and school attendants are finding it necessary to make sure that everyone has ID badges. And that means visitors as well. Hospitals and other businesses are no different.

From using an adhesive name badge to a photo ID badge, security is a must for schools, hospitals and other secure locations. Whether you work at a power plant, a newspaper or an elementary school, knowing who is around you at all times provides a sense of security. And name badges help with identifying those with whom you come in contact.

Visitor ID badges keep everyone safe. From the visitor to the president of the company, everyone needs to be identified. And, with this identification, everyone is sure to know where they belong and who else might not belong around them.

Welcoming Everyone

On the other hand of security, identification for visitors helps them to feel welcome at any facility. When people are seen wearing visitor ID badges, employees can reach out to them to make sure they are comfortable and being helped in any way they can.

Whether they need directions or a question answered, a name badge will quickly set a visitor apart from others at your business. And, if your company or school has a check-in system in place, making these visitor ID badges is easy. From a quick label on a logo only name badge to a badge holder with a printed insert, everyone will quickly have identification.

Public Relations

Name tags and other personal identification products make establishing a relationship of trust easier. And incorporating this trust in visitor ID badges is essential. Being able to quickly identify someone because they can match a face from a photo ID directly to a company is a refreshing and comforting necessity in our world.

Branding

Don’t forget branding! Leave your mark by adding a logo to all of the name tags in your office. Or, when creating name tags for a conference, add different company logos to each group’s name tags. Each company will appreciate this branding, and it also helps with continued recognition for each brand. And, by adding a logo to visitor ID badges, there will be no mistaking who belongs where!

Professionalism

Business name tags subtly encourage the wearer to maintain some professionalism while being worn. Sometimes it is easy for employees to forget where they are, but by adding a name badge or name tag, this is less likely to happen. While there is nothing wrong with having a casual working environment, a name tag will ensure a certain amount of professionalism.

So, no matter your reason for having visitor ID badges, know that they are always important.

The Three A’s of Professionalism

From doctors to school teachers and everyone in between, name tags are essential for professionalism!

Whether your job is in the food service industry or you are a CEO of a major corporation, showing professionalism by wearing a name tag is sure to make your job a bit easier. By attaching this simple item to your uniform or daily attire, you will stand out from all of your competitors. And, they make corporate branding a breeze by identifying employees at a store even easier.

Here are some pointers on how name tags can help perfect your professionalism.

APPEARANCE

Maintaining a corporate uniform, whether certain colors or specific attire, is significant for many businesses. Adding a name tag to that uniform helps with your appearance and identifying where in the company you fit in. From a mail room attendant to the president of the company, not everyone will immediately know your name. But, by wearing a name tag as part of your uniform or daily attire, you are encouraging interaction and promoting company branding.

From color choices to adding a text, a name tag is an important piece to add to your wardrobe. And, with so many colors and materials to choose from, finding that perfect name tag is easy. Logos and graphics are also an ideal way to promote your company from within and throughout each day as every employee interacts with clients, customers and the general public.

Remember that appearance is key to most professions. And, maintaining that professionalism is easy with the proper name tag.

ACCOUNTABILITY

It is always important to hold yourself accountable for your actions when working. By wearing a name tag, not only will you maintain that accountability, but you will also increase your professionalism. Name tags can also increase productivity because when someone is wearing identification, it tends to make them more responsible and aware of their actions.

Whether it’s a difficult situation or merely representing the company at an event, name tags are sure to help with keeping employees accountable and maintaining professionalism.

ABILITY

Professionalism is about focusing on finding a solution. And with a name tag, finding that focus has never been easier. By holding yourself accountable, you will develop necessary job skills, keep up with time management and find any needed solutions for your company. These abilities are essential for keeping a strong work ethic and showing others you can be professional.

So, stay on task and show your professionalism by wearing a name tag! By identifying yourself, you show others you know what you’re doing and that you’re proud of it. This becomes part of who you are and helps to maintain the stigma of a job well done.