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Original poster

To find 'pet' names unprofessional in CS?

216 replies

BigFatBully · 13/10/2025 17:24

Am I being unreasonable to find the usage of pet names by customer service staff unprofessional?

I am the customer and a stranger, I expect to be treated with respect. My name isn't sweetheart, it isn't love, honey, darling or sweetie.

I think pet names are fine for family members, spouses or CLOSE friends. Am I being unreasonable to think there is a time and a place for such familiarity?

OP posts:
FancyLimePoet · 13/10/2025 20:05

I love terms of endearment. It’s part of British culture.

Coffeetime25 · 13/10/2025 19:55

BigFatBully · 13/10/2025 17:27

I hasten to add, we were in a bar the other day and my husband was referred to as "pal". I said to the bartender, "how do you know my husband for him to be your pal?"

aaa your THAT customer

CatamaranViper · 13/10/2025 19:54

The only pet name that gives me the rage is "flower".

I can be a love, a duck, a hinny, a hen, a pet, some honey...but am I fuck a flower.

Itsnaptime · 13/10/2025 19:26

I'm a waitress and call everyone lovely "are you ready to order lovely?" Always done it but even more so now, what with non binary, trans etc it means I can't misgender with sir, miss.......

BlueandPinkSwan · 13/10/2025 19:26

Our local chippy has a Northerner running it, everyone is called Pet, Chuck or Love. He's a friendly person and his shop is very popular.

Funnywonder · 13/10/2025 19:24

I love when someone calls me ‘pet’. Especially now I’m 58🤣 Nurses do it a lot, especially the ones around my age and older. It’s a lovely term of endearment.

BlueandPinkSwan · 13/10/2025 19:23

BigFatBully · 13/10/2025 17:27

I hasten to add, we were in a bar the other day and my husband was referred to as "pal". I said to the bartender, "how do you know my husband for him to be your pal?"

I think I would have given you a look and walked out for showing me up kie that if I was your dh.

petermaddog · 13/10/2025 19:22

new dentist #2 called me sweetheart all morning
dont care but strange only time before when hospital for a month

godmum56 · 13/10/2025 19:22

I find the use of "pal" intersting..... I have only ever heard it in the contaxt of "You lookin at me pal?"

Katherine9 · 13/10/2025 19:20

BigFatBully · 13/10/2025 17:27

I hasten to add, we were in a bar the other day and my husband was referred to as "pal". I said to the bartender, "how do you know my husband for him to be your pal?"

What a delight you are!

joseph25 · 13/10/2025 19:15

BigFatBully · 13/10/2025 17:27

I hasten to add, we were in a bar the other day and my husband was referred to as "pal". I said to the bartender, "how do you know my husband for him to be your pal?"

Was there any need to do that?

NigelAdjacent · 13/10/2025 19:12

The Amazon man here once called me ‘mami’ which I took as a massive compliment since I’m basically invisible these days 🤣
When I go home to the N of England I love that people still use these terms. If they started with the ‘madam’ I’d be a bit horrified.
To me it’s not misogynistic or condescending, it’s just a way of showing friendliness. Though where I’m from, being called ‘pal’ usually implies that you’re going to be invited round the back of the pub for a punch up 😳

Fionasapples · 13/10/2025 19:11

Where I live, it's love, lovey or even cocker, from older people. It doesn't bother me. I do hate "guys", it makes me cringe, but it's just how some people speak these days. I would never embarrass someone by calling them out for using love, darling, etc.
You could make yourself a big badge saying "Call me madam" to let them know how you'd like to be addressed.

RitaFromThePitCanteen · 13/10/2025 19:06

Sounds like you have quite a rigid and literal style of thinking, with the "pal" comment, OP.

You're free to dislike anything you want, but pet names are a normal part of social interactions between strangers in most parts of the UK.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 13/10/2025 19:05

Oh this thread has reminded me of two of my customers, one calls me 'flower' and the other calls me 'treacle'! I love it! Makes me feel as though I'm part of an actual community, not just someone standing behind a till selling stuff. Like I'm 'seen' in an odd kind of way.

I do hate it when someone I've never seen before reads my name badge and uses my name every other word in conversation. That sounds vaguely threatening, somehow.

But treacle... any day!

CarpetKnees · 13/10/2025 18:59

YABVU

Your 2nd post makes you sound completely uptight and ridiculous.
These friendly terms are used by bar staff, market stall holders, and 1001 other people who interact with the public through their job because they don't know everyone's name.

Though, as you aren't engaging with the thread, I'm now assuming you just made up something ridiculous to get people worked up Hmm

BrokenWingsCantFly · 13/10/2025 18:58

Wouldn't bother me but I'm not pretentious or think I'm on another level to anyone else.

What you said in the bar leaves me feeling 2nd hand embarrassment, it is awful. Hope the barman laughed in your face. Who do you think you are to try and shame someone for being friendly and welcoming. Your not that special sweetheart 😂

FriNightBlues · 13/10/2025 18:58

Don’t go to Leicester (me duck) or Fife (hen)

ilovesooty · 13/10/2025 18:57

The receptionist at the vet called me lovely last week. I thought it was nice.

MorningFresh · 13/10/2025 18:56

They aren't pet names. I think you're talking about endearments, hun.

havingoneofthosedays · 13/10/2025 18:56

Your poor husband

KrystalStubbs · 13/10/2025 18:55

I quite like terms of endearment - 'darling', 'sweetheart' and the like. What I feel uncomfortable with (and I realise I'll be in the minority) is complete strangers in customer service addressing me by my first name the first time we speak. I'm old enough to remember when professionals called me Mrs Surname - using my first name seems too familiar somehow.

Knowsley · 13/10/2025 18:55

I don't mind being called pet. Don't call me darling or sweetheart.

Geneva12 · 13/10/2025 18:54

You better not venture to my part of Devon. We call everyone ‘my love’ down here.

LauraHopkins · 13/10/2025 18:53

Being called pet or flower by people working in customer service is the best thing about returning to my north eastern homeland.

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