It's nice to meet you / welcome

[economistegypt2010]

If someone works in a call center and wanted to build rapport with English customers. What he should say after asking customer about his name?

1- Welcome, Alan
2- Nice to meet you Alan

I am with the second one but I really don't know if it is commonly used or not in such a context.

Please let me know if there are other suggestions on this regards.

 

[Egmont]

I don't like either one of them. The first is appropriate to someone arriving at a physical place, such as a new city or your home. The second is appropriate to an in-person meeting. You might use it here, but it is a little humorous and not completely correct.

How about "Nice to talk to you?" or, simply, get to the point and ask "How can I help you?" People do not telephone call centers to make friends. They telephone them to get help with a problem so they can get on with something else they need to do. The best way to encourage them to like you is to provide this help as quickly and politely as possible, without wasting time on trying to be their friend.

 

[Sprache]

I agree. Keep it simple. You might simply say "How are you today?" to which they will very surely say "Fine, thanks. You?" And you answer the same way and move on to helping them with their problem.

 

[Biffo]

In my experience most British people don't like any such remark from a stranger. Especially the older generations.

1. If you say "Welcome!" it means "Welcome to my home/territory." If you say it to a Brit on the phone they will probably resent you assuming that you see them as entering your space. They are in their space, you are in your space.*
2. "Nice to meet you" is marginally better but unnecessary unless you intend to start up a relationship that lasts longer than a phone call.

I agree with Egmont's "How can I help you?"

Really however we need to see more of the conversation. Are you trying to sell them something? Are you dealing with complaints? Did you phone them or did they phone you?

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* There is an old saying, "An Englishman's home is his castle." That still applies for most of us including English women I imagine.

 

[london calling]

Really however we need to see more of the conversation. Are you trying to sell them something? Are you dealing with complaints? Did you phone them or did they phone you?

I agree..

And in any case the original conversation, to my ears, is not a telephone conversation.

 

[Parla]

I also agree with Egmont, and I want to add that I disagree with Sprache. "How are you today?" is a waste of precious time. I've called a company with a purpose, and the faster we get to that, the better I'll "like" the company and, by extension, the person answering the phone. So whether I've called to ask a question, to place an order, or to obtain assistance with a problem, "How may I help you?" is the ideal thing to say after I've given my name.

And by the way, many people find it annoying to be addressed by a first name by someone they've never even spoken to before. If I say that my name is, for example, Parla Jones, the polite next line from the person who has answered my call is "How may I help you, Ms. Jones?"—not "How may I help you, Parla?" (Not everyone shares this view, but you will never go wrong with "Ms. Jones," while you might offend the caller by using a first name.)