I’m in New York right now at the Parker Meridien Hotel.

CBS was kind enough to put me up in such a great place. Great rooms, beds, sweet TV and mini bar, but there is one large problem: in the hotel elevators there are televisions on the top of the door! Usually you’d see the floor lights, but now there is a small TV playing Merry Melody cartoons.

This is insanity! Are we so non-communicativethat we have to resort to elevator involvement shields so that for 30 seconds people won’t have to look at or talk to each other? While riding this elevator I made a comment about it. The man next to me didn’t say anything, but I think deep down while he watched Daffy Duck’s bill get blown away by a shotgun on that elevator TV, maybe he considered the disgrace that existed within.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

What is the most common communication barrier you see each day?

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Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That guy with the nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

I walked into Pottery Barn about a year ago for nothing in particular, just to browse. The first person who greeted me was an employee wearing a string of large red plastic chili peppers around her neck. I immediately saw a great opportunity to talk to her, so I commented about it.

“I like your necklace!” I joked.

(Obviously the decoration was traditionally used for a kitchen, but this employee wanted to have some fun with the accessory.)

“It’s not really a necklace,” she explained, “but I guess this accessory is whatever you want it to be.”

I commented about her creative conversation starter. We went on to talk about a variety of communication related topics for the next twenty minutes. And although I didn’t buy anything that day, on every occasion I visited the store, I always came back and talked to Sioux. She made such an UNFORGETTABLE™ first impression on me that, if I ever needed anything – I had a friend who was willing to help. I became a loyal customer.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

How do you engage with new customers who walk into your office/store?

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Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That guy with the nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com