The Most Popular First Name in Business

By on January 17, 2007 in Marketing with 12 Comments

Thankfully, I’m no longer in a position to hand over my resume and hope someone hires me. If I were in such a position, I’d probably have to change my first name in order to find work.

Do you know what the most popular first name is in business today? I see it everywhere. Info. Contact Us: Info@mycompany.com.

There must be thousands of people named Info answering emails and phone calls, making sales calls and building meaningful relationships with customers.

I’ve asked a few business owners why they have "info" as their contact point. The answer? "We want to stay anonymous.  We don’t get much mail from our website anyway."

I wonder why. They probably don’t get many phone calls from prospects either.

Look, if your regular email is JohnDoe@MyCompany.com, and you want to screen the mail, use JohnQDoe@MyCompany or JDoe@MyCompany  Info doesn’t work here anymore.

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  • http://custserv.gbwatch.com Meikah Delid

    Very good observation, Mike! That’s a bit strange for companies wanting to go anonymous. Shouldn’t they be announcing their presence instead? :) I was laughing out loud by your last line: Info doesn’t work here anymore!

  • http://www.blogopreneur.com Kian Ann

    Actually, using generic email addresses like “info”, “sales” and “enquiry” does have its good side also. For one, it might not be the same person answering the emails all along, and if in the marketing brochures or websites they put johndoe@mycompany, then that guy is still going to get mails even when he has been promoted out of his position to reply these emails – he can’t pass it on to someone else.

  • http://healthywebdesign.com Dawud

    Great point, Mike! I actually agree fully. I think your point is even more important for small and independent business owners where potential customers can get the feeling that they’re actually going to reach a person when they email. Anything we can do to make the web experience more about people is good.

  • http://managetochange.typepad.com ann michael

    Mike -
    I agree entirely! I NEVER email addresses like that. If they’re not telling me who they are I’m not telling them who I am!
    On a separate note, something struck me about Kian’s comment. While it’s a very good point – completely logical and reasonble – it’s also internally focused (company focused not customer focused).
    Maybe there’s a way to make it easier on company process and functions and inviting to the customer as well.
    C’mon Mr Guru – ideas??? :-)
    Ann

  • http://www.knowhr.com/blog/ Frank Roche

    Hi Mike, that’s just excellent! I had fallen into that trap myself…it’s just so…convenient. Anyways, changed to a real name, and used your line: Info doesn’t work here anymore. Well done!

  • Hannah Steen

    I completely agree- it makes it seem like your email will go off into the abyss! (And it probably does!)

  • http://www.allbusiness.com/blog/CustomerServiceExperience/10783 Glenn (Customer Service Experience) Ross

    Back in the day I worked for a nat’l company selling dictation equipment. They had a high turnover and always had ads in the paper soliciting new ones. Prospects were told to call a number and ask for “Tom Harrison.” When a call came in, any sales manager in the office would answer the call and pre-screen the prospect. Those of us who were hired were told early on about this and we were okay with it because it put prospect and sales manager together quickly.
    Therefore, you could set up a mailbox with a human’s name even if that name was fictional. Several people could monitor the mailbox in turn. “Dear Mr. XXX, Your e-mail was forwarded to me. Here’s what we can do…”

  • http://www.converstations.com Mike Sansone

    >Hi Meikah! What’s funny is most companies that do this are avoiding sales calls – they don’t see that they’re also avoiding customers calling. That last line should’ve been the headline, hmm?:-)
    >Hi Kian, Points accepted, but I’d leave the email off the brochure. Web site and Phone # should work for contact info. Glenn shares a decent workaround a few comments later.
    >Hi Dawud, Very strong point you make as being personal is critical for smaller business. It’s one point of difference – a reason many customers do business with smaller companies. Thanks for adding your voice.
    >Hey Ann:-) Glenn’s idea is pretty good, though to really make it personal – add a thumbnail picture next to the contact info. Big smile!
    >Hiya Frank! Hope I didn’t get Info in hot water. I’m sure they’ll continue working around the web, though. Would love to know if the “tone” of incoming email changes now.
    >Hi Hannah, You’re right – I hadn’t thought that far out. My email going into the abyss…probably why Ann doesn’t even send one to those addresses.
    >Hey Glenn:-) Great addition here. Probably works better for larger companies, but it does address Kian’s point of employee turnover. I don’t know if it would work as well for small business though.
    Would a picture next to the contact info help invite contact?

  • http://getanewbrowser.com Andy Brudtkuhl

    We use info because that email address is forwarded to all of us. It’s the easiest way for us all to stay near the edge in that line of communications. We’re obviously not hiding behind that address or our website. It’s just convenient.

  • http://www.maryschmidt.com Mary Schmidt

    I certainly understand why “info” is the default for people such as Andy. But, I still maintain (and advise my clients) that people like to think they’re talking to real people on the other end. I’d recommend showing one of your names (or even rotate them, if you can do the change easily) and have it sent to everyone. Then, make sure you personalize the “thank you for your email” text as well. Something like, “Bruce is our point person for inquiries this month, but we all want to hear from you and will respond quickly. In the meantime, please visit our blog and tell us what you think about our latest post”
    Oh, and be sure and include a “real live person” phone number in the signature of the email.

  • http://www.converstations.com Mike Sansone

    The ‘real live person’ is becoming expectation. Even if you put “Andrew” and auto forward to each mail account…I think that’s better than info.
    I’m tellin’ ya…folks using generic addresses are losing valuable contacts. Check your gut (your customer one, not your business owner one) and tell me you don’t think the same.

  • http://simplifive.com Andy Brudtkuhl

    Alright you sold me. How far does this mentality need to travel. Is it just email address? Where do you expect ‘real live person’?

Stop SOPA