For a consumer services company, first impressions are everything, because the customer experience is paramount. The value you provide is not a tangible product that you can drop in a bag before sending the customer on their merry way. Succeeding in consumer services means focusing on the value that the interaction itself provides.
From travel and entertainment to health and wellness to banking and insurance, every consumer services company has something in common: it requires trust to succeed. The customer needs to believe in the value of something they can’t see, touch, or examine. They need to have enough confidence in you to embark on a journey with you.
Your company name lays the groundwork for that relationship. A good consumer services company name sets the tone for the experience, builds trust with the target, and is easy to say and remember. Coming up with a name that ticks those boxes isn’t easy, but our experts at NameStormers have some tips and tricks, as well as some examples of our successful naming projects, to help get your creative juices flowing.
Choose a Name That’s Warm and Welcoming
The experience-centric nature of consumer services means that you can’t afford to intimidate your customers or rub them the wrong way. Even upscale brands should be careful about coming across as too exclusive.
Warmth is especially important for services that people require in order to live healthy and happy lives, such as medical care, financial services, and residential services. Here are a few examples:
- Brident Dental and Orthodontics
Premier Dental Holdings approached NameStormers about creating a new name for their retail facilities. The previous name was serviceable but generic, and it did not go out of its way to come across as inviting to customers who, let’s be honest, weren’t exactly thrilled about getting dental work done. We came up with “Brident,” which is friendly and sounds like “bright,” a warm and welcoming word that also calls to mind the image of white, healthy teeth.
- Terova Senior Living
We worked with Marcus Investments to create a name for a senior living residence with a holistic approach that prioritized personal care and high quality. The name needed to convey that the lifestyle fostered at the facility was both safe and enjoyable. “Terova” was chosen because it communicates that the residential facility is a peaceful and pleasant place to live, but it also calls to mind a sense of adventure.
- HeartHub
Approachability is key when it comes to patient-facing medical services. When the American Heart Association came to us about naming a new patient portal, we knew the name had to convey the accessibility of the platform. The name “HeartHub” worked well because it showed heart patients that they were in control and were invited to get involved in their own healthcare decisions.
Avoid the Possibility of Trademark Tiffs
Some of our first-time clients come to us because their old company name is bumping into trademark infringement issues and they need a new one. While this situation sounds like a headache, it’s often a great opportunity for a company to revolutionize its branding and revamp its vision. Of course, the ideal scenario is coming up with a viable, available name in the first place, but that’s easier said than done.
Whether you’re just starting out and want to avoid legal issues or you’re stuck in a sticky situation with your company name, NameStormers can help. Here are some examples of companies that needed NameStormers’ help working around trademark issues:
- Stonetrust Workers’ Compensation
When Amicus Mutual Insurance Company was facing litigation over their name, NameStormers helped them come up with something that would put them in the clear. Not only did “Stonetrust” clear the trademark screening, but it also perfectly conveyed their mission of being a steadfast and reliable insurance company.
- Brident
Brident’s new name wasn’t just about rebranding. The generic nature of the former name caused trademark infringement issues (the more generic the name, the more likely it is to have those issues). Luckily, the new name managed to meet the company’s branding needs and was legally available to use without conflicts.
See Through the Eyes of Your Target Audience
All company leaders wish they could appeal to the broad spectrum of demographic groups, but that’s just not reality. If you want your branding to please everyone under the sun, you’re going to please no one. A brand with an identity crisis will have a hard time succeeding, so it’s important to settle on your target group and choose a name that will win them over. Here are examples of companies that prioritized their target’s preferences:
- Tru by Hilton
Hilton approached NameStormers about naming a chain of midscale hotels that would appeal to business people and millenials looking for an affordable lodging option that was both convenient and reliable. “Tru” worked well because it conveyed simplicity and integrity, and was easy to remember.
- Nationstar Mortgage
Centex Home Equity came under new ownership and needed a fresh name. The naming objective was to choose something that felt conservative and traditional to appeal to homeowners looking to achieve the American dream. Nationstar fit the bill, and even though it was later acquired by another company, it achieved great success as Nationstar for more than a decade.
How NameStormers Can Help
If you’re looking to name a consumer services company, NameStormers is here to help. Our seven-step process involves getting to know your company, putting our creativity to work to come up with great name ideas, and then performing preliminary screening to weed out the ones that may be unavailable or cause trademark concerns. We present the top names to you and apply your feedback until you feel good about your favorite. Then we perform market research to understand which one plays best with your target.
Get in touch with us today if you’re ready to get started on naming your consumer services company.