Welcome to Coffee With Client. This is where we help you how to handle client communication. This is a series of blogs that are intended to establish some standards ways of having a conversation with clients.
In today’s blog, we will learn how to greet a client. This means we will learn how to begin a conversation by greeting a client.
Beginning of conversation
Generally, you will begin any conversation by addressing your client. It is vital that you know how exactly to address clients and what are the universal ways of addresses.
Ways of addressing: A check-list
What | To who? |
Sir | adult male of any age |
Ma’am | adult female – American |
Madam | adult female – British/Australian |
Mr + last name | any man – when you are not sure |
Mrs + last name | married woman who uses her husband’s last name |
Miss + last name | unmarried woman; common in business |
Dr + last name | some doctors go by Dr + first name |
Mate | To an Australian |
Do you know if you can address them like this? How can you know?
If you are unsure of what to call someone, it’s best to use a formal address or ask these questions:
Ways of finding out how to address: A checklist
- So what should I call you?
- Can I call you Steve [first name] ? - Is it okay if I call you Steve [the nickname you've heard others use] ? - Could you please repeat your name? - I am sorry but I don’t know your name. - Sir, can I call you Mr Dave? (first name) - Sir, can I call you MrSteinson? (last name) |
Ways of answering the above questions: A checklist
- Oh you can call me Dave.
- Sure, you can call me Steve/ Sure Steve would do. - Oh yes of course, call me Steve. - Oh sure, I am John. - Oh yeah I never told you my name. I am Richard. - Oh sure, call me Mr Dave./ Oh I would prefer just Dave/ Oh just Dave would do. - Oh sure, you can./ Oh no, please call me Dave. |
Greeting a client
The next step of initiating a conversation with a client is to greet him.
Ways of Greetings: A checklist
What | When |
1. Hi mate! How are you today? | To an Australian, in an informal way |
2. Hello! How are you? | Universal way of greeting. Safe and easy. |
3. Hi Steve. How have you been? | When you know the person already or have interacted with him before. |
4.Good Morning/evening/afternoon | You are not sure. So you use the universal formal way |
5. Hello Sir/Madam. How are you? | You are not sure. It is your first time talking to the person. |
6. Hello Sir/Madam. How have you been? | It is your second/third time talking to this person and you know he/she is British and senior to you. |
7. Hello David. It has been such a long time. | This is your old client/partner who you are going to work with again. This is a very warm way of acknowledging someone you know already. |
8. Hello David. Where have you been hiding? | Use it cautiously. This partner/client/colleague has become almost a friend. So you can give him that much of warmth of attention. |
9. Hi Dereck. What’s keeping you busy? | Use it cautiously. This partner/client/colleague has become almost a friend. |
10. Hi/Hello Paul. How are you doing? | Universal way of greeting. Safe and easy. |
11. Hi Craig. What’s happening? | You already know the person. And you have been talking to him frequently, so this greeting indicates you have been in touch. |
12. Hi Kyle. Thank you for taking this call. | You have been trying to get in touch with this person but he was very busy yet took time for your call. |
13. Hello Katie. Hope you are well/ Hope you are doing well. | Universal way of greeting. Safe and easy. |
14. Hello Emily. How’s your health now? | You know this person and have been touch with her and know that she has not been well. |
15. Hello Beth. How’s the weather today? | You have been in touch with this person constantly and in your last conversation you had discussed weather. |
Today we learnt how to start a conversation. For more, watch this space!