So I know this has been covered by every church seminar, book or conference dealing with first impressions but it still amazes me every time it happens. I get a grande vanilla latte at my local Starbucks at least once a week (twice if the Holly isn’t looking). Anyway… one of my barristas somehow knows my name and has moreover truly committed it to memory. Now I know one of the tricks is to ask for someones name, write it on the cup with his or her particulars, and then call them by name when their drink is up… however I can remember distinctly the moment she first called me out by name and I am sure she never asked for my name. (Pretty sure she lifted it from my debit card… clever)
Now… I have not been to Starbucks in quite some time recently but found myself being magically led there this morning to grab my usual on ice. She was there and quickly called for my order from across the room… I was a bit disappointed that she had forgotten my usual order but quickly got over it as someone else ran my card. She called out “iced grande vanilla latte” and there it was written on the side of my cup. Matt. She had remembered my name… she didn’t ring me up, come to find out she hadn’t even mixed my drink, she just asked what I was having and simply wrote it on the cup along with my name.
I’m writing now because I can remember just what I felt when it happened… important. Seriously, it made me feel important and kinda cool, like I was somebody worth remembering. I wasn’t thinking… man she’s got some killer memory or anything like that. I was really thinking… that’s right, they know who I am in there.
Anyway… that’s about it… just thought I would share.
Great post. I need to do better with this. It’s funny how someone remembering our name communicates so many different things.
I remember when we first came to Cross Point – feeling so…alone. Not knowing anyone and knowing that no one knew me. But I remember that there were a few people who, once we had been introduced, always used my name when they said hello. It’s hard to explain how much that meant to me. I think most of us want to be known in some way; it suddenly allows connection where there was none before.
Yeah, it’s funny how something as simple as remembering someone’s name makes a person feel. That was always one of the hardest things for me at our old church because the bigger you get the harder it is to remember people.
Here’s to the awesome Starbucks baristas who take the time to remember our names!
Good point, names are our identity to others that don’t know us….maybe we should wear name tags for a few weeks and see how folks react.
Yea. I hate it when I see a new barrista.
It is almost like having to change counselors.
Yum! I order the vanilla latte every time too. Although I frequent Starbucks at least three times a week (I know I could start smokin drugs for cheaper!) Here is my Starbucks tip… If you get it iced order it with light ice. You get more coffee, but it is plenty cold.
that’s the way it is for me at Jersey Mike’s on White Bridge…when one of the guys sees me walk in the door, NO, make that walking up the sidewalk, he starts slicing me up some sandwich.
i feel so special