“Hello my name is (fill in the blank as etched on my name tag), how may I help you?” There had been a great debate among many of my team members and colleagues over my long career in hospitality. As per a recent conversation with some of my service warrior friends still in the trenches, this debate rages on. I had the privilege of working with incredible people under some equally amazing franchise flags, and it was always mandated that we wear a name tag with our full name or first initial and last name or vice versa. As a GM mine also had to list my title, which I also hated.
I had good reason and rarely, unless we were being inspected, wore my name tag. It was a painfully obvious testament to human nature that the difficult or grossly unreasonable customer would treat me better than they treated my team members. As soon as they saw my name tag their tirade and tantrum would turn to sugar plums and bonbons. Not fair. I wanted to be treated just like my team and let the chips fall where they may.
With good cause I went so far as to petition my franchise for a waiver to this rule, only to have that request denied unilaterally without consideration. One of my supervisors had garnered the attention of a very serious stalker, one who followed her children to school and would let her know that they looked pretty and what they had been wearing. He ordered twenty pizzas to her department and had them delivered in her name to be paid. He broke into her department store room. She did everything right, she went to the police, got court orders to keep him away, and everything that could be put in place was. We all know a piece of paper, no matter who signs is doesn’t always stop them and it didn’t stop him. Her orders extended to work and we took it very seriously. My entire team was unnerved and scared.
Because of this incident I petitioned to take one of the following steps in the way of a waiver to the rule:
1. No name tags at all
2. Name tags with false names (list of which kept in office so we would be able to identify a team member if need be due to a customer comment.
3. Only use initials
4. Only use first names
The answer was a resounding NO. Undeterred, I called the head of the waiver request team and implored for reconsideration given the circumstances. The woman I spoke with, who will remain forever anonymous, said that while she could not give me formal waiver approval, the inspectors rarely or never verified the name on the tag itself. The call ended with an audibly sympathetic wink and a nod. I appreciated her back door advice but was upset that this was the only option both she and I had in easing the justifiable fear of my team.
What do you think full, false or no name tag? Should waivers be granted case by case, with good cause or a blanket change to just first name? What has been your experience and did you find other solutions you could share to help other fellow compromised service warriors?