THE STARBUCKS EFFECT: USE NAMES, NOT ORDER NUMBERS

Summary from the TLDR Marketing newsletter

Using customer names instead of order numbers can enhance customer satisfaction and brand preference, especially in businesses with a personal touch. Research shows people have stronger preferences for businesses that call out their names rather than using numbers. The effect works best in human interactions but disappears when orders are fulfilled by non-human entities, such as software. However, using names may backfire when customers are purchasing embarrassing products. Cultural differences and efficiency concerns, such as in collectivist cultures or when writing names is more complex, could affect the approach's effectiveness.