Your name matters: how simple reminders boost personalization in your choices

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In various hospitality situations, you've probably noticed how businesses often remind customers of their names. Ever wonder how this might influence your choices in customizing products or services? Well, that's what we explored in our research. We hypothesized that name reminders could actually increase the likelihood of customers customizing what they buy. Why? Because reminding people of their names might make them feel like they have less control, and when people feel they have less control, they're more likely to want to customize to regain a sense of control. And guess what? Our three studies in different situations confirmed our idea. When businesses reminded customers of their names, it increased the chances of those customers customizing their purchases. The key here is that feeling like they had less control was the reason behind this. We found that the perception of control is essential – it's like the middleman. When customers felt like they had less control, it explained why they were more likely to customize. We even tested this by manipulating how much control people felt they had, and it affected how name reminders influenced customization. So, in a nutshell, our research not only shows that name reminders make people more likely to customize, but it also highlights the interesting idea that these reminders might make customers feel like they have less control in various hospitality, tourism, and service settings. It's a unique way of understanding how the little things, like hearing your name, can shape the choices we make.Tang, Y., & Chan, E. Y. (2023). Name reminders and customization preferences: The role of perceived control (external link, opens in new window) . International Journal of Hospitality Management, 109, 103425.