Two Words that Gain Commitment

When influencing others, two little words get big results. A Chicago restaurateur had problems with people not showing up when they made table reservations. So, the hostess added two words when people phoned for a reservation. Instead of saying, “Please call us if your plans change,” she changed the wording to, “Will you call us if your plans change?” The result, adding “will you” and then waiting for their answer dropped the percentage of no shows from 30 to 10 percent. “Will you” has the effect of turning a suggestion into a subtle request for a commitment.