Saying “good morning” to someone may seem like a standard nicety — but employees who are introverted might occasionally let those greetings slide. When that happens, you risk alienating customers, who can mistake timidity for bad manners.
That’s part of the reason Bill Murphy Jr., executive editor of TheMid.com, came up with a list of phrases that “work magic” on customers.
“I’m a bit of an introvert, and yet I’ve learned to love meeting new people and engaging with strangers,” he writes in Inc. magazine. “I’ve got a mental cheat sheet of go-to phrases that almost always provoke positive reactions with new people…They can help even the most introverted person spark engagement and become more charismatic.”
Some of those phrases include:
- Hello/Good-bye/Good morning. “Yes, we start with the most basic and simple, but a lot of people don’t bother with them,” Murphy explains. “Imagine your last experience at the DMV, and do the opposite.”
- I’m happy to see you. “I love this phrase as a greeting, since it’s polite but also packed with meaning,” Murphy writes. “Extra points for ‘I’m always happy to see you.’” Greeting a new customer? Make a subtle tweak: “I’m really happy to meet you.”
- Please/Thank you/You’re Welcome. “Being polite costs nothing,” Murphy says. “These are the kinds of introductory phrases that are conspicuous by their absence.” And nix “no problem,” he urges. “It’s a big pet peeve for me when people say ‘No problem’ instead of ‘You’re welcome,’” he writes. (He isn’t alone.)
- After you…“Or any phrase through which you’re subtly suggesting that you’d like to do a small favor for someone,” Murphy suggests.
- Dr./Professor/Officer/Captain. “We live in an informal world for the most part, but trust me on this one,” writes Murphy. “If someone has earned a degree or a position with a title, they’ve put a lot of their life’s effort into achieving and perfecting it. So address them by it, at least once in your conversation. Even if they respond with, ‘No, please, call me Bill,’ they’ll appreciate it.”
Read more advice from Murphy and see his full list of 25 phrases.
