Names and pronunciation: how to ask, say and record a customer’s name on the phone
Sado AI team · · 4 min read
In short
Saying a customer’s name right shows respect; spelling it right matters for texts, contracts and CRM. Ask politely: “Ismingizni bilsam bo‘ladimi?” (“May I have your name?”). Repeat what you heard. When a name or surname has several spellings, check the one letter: “Xo‘jayev, with x or with h?”. If it’s for documents, ask how it’s spelled there. Then use the name two or three times, with aka or opa in Uzbek. In an AI voice operator, you can set the pronunciation of company and product names separately.
Why names matter
When people hear their name said right, they feel respected. A mangled name, or a typo in a text message, leaves the feeling that the company doesn’t know them.
It matters for the work too: if one customer is in the CRM three times, as “Shahzoda”, “Shaxzoda” and «Шахзода», their history splits and the next caller is hard to identify.
How to ask for and confirm a name
- Ask politely: “Ismingizni bilsam bo‘ladimi?” or, in Russian, «Как к вам можно обращаться?».
- Repeat it straight away: “Shahzoda opa, is that right?”
- If there are several spellings, check the one letter: “With h or with x?”
- If the name is for a document, contract or delivery, ask for the spelling on their ID and write it letter by letter.
- Not sure how to say it? Don’t be shy: “Am I saying it right?” is better than getting it wrong.
One name, several spellings
Uzbek names are written in Latin and Cyrillic, in old and new spelling. Common cases:
| Sounds like | May be spelled | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Shahzoda | Shahzoda, Shaxzoda, Шахзода | h or x |
| Xurshid | Xurshid, Hurshid, Khurshid | the first letter |
| Nodira | Nodira, Nadira | o or a |
| Oybek | Oybek, Aybek, Ойбек | the first letter |
| Xo‘jayev | Xo‘jayev, Xodjayev, Ходжаев | the spelling on the ID |
The list isn’t complete: add the names and surnames common among your customers and give it to new staff.
Saying and using the name
- Uzbek names are usually stressed on the last syllable: Dilnoza, Sardor, Nigora. Keep that stress in Russian too.
- Don’t shorten names or use pet forms: unless the caller introduces himself as “Abdu”, say “Abdurahmon aka”.
- Don’t use the surname in place of the first name: in Uzbek it’s “Abdurahmon aka”, not “Xo‘jayev aka”.
- Address Russian speakers by first name or by name and patronymic: «Акмал Рустамович».
- Use the name two or three times: after the greeting, when you repeat the agreement, and when you say goodbye.
- On outgoing calls, first check you have the right person: “Am I speaking with Abdurahmon aka?”
Sample call: booking at a car service
Sado: Assalomu alaykum, Motor Pro car service, Shohruh speaking.
Caller: Hello. I’d like to book an oil change for tomorrow.
Sado: Sure, tomorrow we have ten or four. Which suits you?
Caller: Ten. Put it under Abdurahmon Xo‘jayev.
Sado: Abdurahmon aka, is your surname spelled with x or with h?
Caller: With x: Xo‘jayev.
Sado: Done: Abdurahmon Xo‘jayev, tomorrow at ten, oil change. See you then, aka!
Company and product names, and an AI operator
Staff should say your company and product names the same way too. Write down how to say foreign names: for example, the “Lumière” clinic is said “Lyumyer”. Otherwise everyone says it differently and callers get confused.
The settings of Sado’s Uzbek-speaking AI operator have a Pronunciation line: you write how a word is spelled and how to say it, for example “Smile = Smayl”. The name stays spelled right in text, and the voice says it right. In a test call, say your own name and surname, then check how they were written in the portal or CRM. More questions: Sado FAQ. Try it live or call 78 778 01 23.
Questions
Is it rude to ask a customer to spell their name?
No, if the name is needed for a document, delivery or contract. Give the reason, “so I write it correctly”, and people spell it gladly.
What if the caller doesn’t want to give a name?
Don’t insist. If it’s needed for a booking or delivery, explain why; if not, just carry on with “siz”.
Which alphabet should names go into the CRM in?
Let the company pick one rule, for example all names in Latin. If the spelling on the customer’s ID is needed too, put it in a note.
What if the AI operator mispronounces our company name?
Enter how the name is spelled and how it’s said in the Pronunciation line of the operator settings, for example “Smile = Smayl”. After that the voice says it right.