In this article, learn how to use phonetic algorithms such as soundex to make looking up names faster, easier, and more reliable.
by Rod Stephens
January 12, 2010
If you call a restaurant to make reservations, it doesn't really matter how they spell your name. If your name is Shawn Dwayne, it doesn't matter if they write down Shaun Duane, Sean Dwyane, or Shaan Dhuane as long as they can read their handwriting when you show up to eat.
Talking to a customer service rep, however, is very different story. Unless the rep spells your name correctly, the customer database will laugh merrily at attempts to find your record and possibly start a game of 20 questions trying to narrow down the search.
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Rod Stephens is a consultant and author who has written more than a dozen books and two hundred magazine articles, mostly about Visual Basic. During his career he has worked on an eclectic assortment of applications for repair dispatch, fuel tax tracking, professional football training, wastewater treatment, geographic mapping, and ticket sales. His VB Helper web site receives more than 7 million hits per month and provides three newsletters and thousands of tips, tricks, and examples for Visual Basic programmers.
Rod Stephens is a consultant and author who has written more than a dozen books and two hundred magazine articles, mostly about Visual Basic. During his career he has worked on an eclectic assortment of applications for repair dispatch, fuel tax tracking, professional football training, wastewater treatment, geographic mapping, and ticket sales. His 
