Since today is official World Hello Day I thought a timely reminder of the importance of saying hello might be in order. Are you, for example, checking in with your team mates in the morning with a proper hello when you arrive at work? (For more thoughts on starting the day on the right foot, check out the
Forbes article I'm quoted in:
14 Things You Should Do at the Start of Your Work Day.)Before you begin your meetings, is everyone saying a proper hello to everyone before you get down to work?
And are you encouraging your front line employees to be the first person to say hello to customers, clients and guests? To take it a step farther you can also add a little fun into your hellos. There's a bar in Portland, Oregon, for example, where everyone cheers every time someone walks into the bar (of course they also boo every time someone leaves).
At Relish, a gourmet burger chain based in New Brunswick, Canada, guests are greeted by a rousing hello and welcome by ALL of the staff in unison. As Relish President Rivers Corbett says, "It's like a big, warm family greeting." It might seem cheesy (although it is a burger joint so maybe that's a good thing?) but customers love it, and perhaps more importantly, they remember it.
So never underestimate the importance of a good old-fashioned hello. World Hello Day, incidentally, is celebrating its 40th year. It began in response to the conflict between Egypt and Israel in the fall of 1973 (to press for communication over conflict), and has now expanded to 180 countries, with the simple goal of encouraging people to say hello to ten people they don't know.
