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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want telephone operators to call me by my first name?

79 replies

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 01/05/2013 14:37

AIBU? I've had to call Tesco mobile twice today and they ask my name and my password...I say "It's Neo Maxizoomdweebie" and they then say "Alright thank's Neo...how can I help you?"

And I'm thinking NO! Call me "Miss Mazizoomdweebie please!"

Some companies say "Ok do you mind if I call you Neo?" and I say "Yes...I do actually." and I can HEAR them go Hmm

But they then call me by my title and 2nd name. One operator today called me Neo and then reduced that to "love".!!

I AM a bit old fashioned...but come on!

OP posts:
Alligatorpie · 01/05/2013 14:41

Yabu

SkinnybitchWannabe · 01/05/2013 14:42

Yabu. I prefer to be called by my first name.

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 01/05/2013 14:42

Why though? I think that service in general has gone right downhill. I worked with the public until abotu 5 years ago so please don't accuse me of being all hoity toity...I just think it's disrespectful to call customers that you don't even know, by their first names.

It's akin to my Mum say, paying for her goods in tesco and the cashier calling her "Anne" when she doesn't know her from Adam!

OP posts:
PickledLiver · 01/05/2013 14:42

YANBU, say something. Personally I don't care, though I would draw the line at 'love' Hmm

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 01/05/2013 14:42

I think that they should ASK!

OP posts:
WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 01/05/2013 14:44

I prefer it, and would be the same in Tesco. I don't like titles and don't use them in general. Saves all the palaver of getting the wrong title as well.

MoaningMingeWhingesAgain · 01/05/2013 14:45

I sit on these with double standards on this TBH

I hate strangers of any kind calling me by a shortening of my first name - along the lines of Catherine - oh hi Cath! too cosy.

But I always feel a bit odd when I phone the bank, do the log in bit and they immediately say so MrsMinge, what can I do for you today.

I sort of think - c'mon, you know how much I spend in Sainsburys and on Amazon and the off licence , call me by my first name Wink

livinginwonderland · 01/05/2013 14:46

yabu. i feel really uncomfortable being referred to as "miss livinginwonderland". i prefer my first name as i feel it's more friendly.

manticlimactic · 01/05/2013 14:46

I don't give a shit what they call me (within reason Wink ) as long as they sort out whatever I was calling for.

IWillGetThere · 01/05/2013 14:46

In my experience only the working class like to be addressed by Mrs/Miss/Ms. It's a bit like 'pardon'.

kneedeepindaisies · 01/05/2013 14:50

Mrs Minge Grin

I think YABU if they ask but YANBU if they don't.

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 01/05/2013 14:52

IWillGetThere so? Hmm

OP posts:
McBalls · 01/05/2013 14:53

Is your first name really awful then?

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 01/05/2013 14:53

I could actually get very cross at you for that IWIllGet....your comment is horrible. It's a bit like saying "The Working Classes are not as good as the others."

If that's what you think then your point of view is worth nothing anyway.

OP posts:
NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 01/05/2013 14:54

McBalls don't be silly. It's a perfectly ordinary name.

OP posts:
IWillGetThere · 01/05/2013 14:56

Different strokes for different folks. I always expect to be addressed by my first name and hence address others by theirs. Maybe the operators are the same

squoosh · 01/05/2013 15:03

I prefer to be called by my first name. I really do hate though when people use 'Madam', I feel I should be wearing a taffeta frock with a bustle. That generally tends to come from foreign call centres as they're more polite/formal.

Phineyj · 01/05/2013 15:07

It annoys me too, YANBU. Also when they do fake chumminess. One (bank) asked me if I was doing anything nice this evening. It was like being at the hairdresser! To be fair, I am sure they are just following company policy.

squoosh · 01/05/2013 15:09

Oh God, I hate when the tellers try to chat and it's so obvious they've been told to do this. I don't mind naturally chatty people but company enforced chat is enjoyed by no one.

DiscoDonkey · 01/05/2013 15:10

I prefer to be called by my first name, evn when I worked in schools I insisted children use my first name (I wasn't a teacher though) the HT was a bit cats bum face about it

ChewingOnLifesGristle · 01/05/2013 15:12

It annoys me too. Not a huge amount it's true but it does make me Hmm to myself.

I also don't like cold callers (who does?) doing it. Not only have they taken the liberty of wasting my time, but apparantly we're all matey into the bargain.

angelos02 · 01/05/2013 15:12

I hate it when people are precious about people shortening their name. Eg, We have a Lydia at work and I dared to call her 'Lyd' once. FFS. Get over yourself.

ChewingOnLifesGristle · 01/05/2013 15:15

Lyd?Confused I think that'd annoy me a too I'm afraid esp as Lydia is such a lovely name.

elmerelephant · 01/05/2013 15:15

Being called Mrs elmerelephant always makes me feel like my MIL as this what she insisted I call her when I married my DH, Im not that old either. So childishly I call her by her christian name as calling her Mrs Elmerelephant feels like im talking to myself

DoJo · 01/05/2013 15:21

TBH if they are sorting out the problem, then I don't give a shiny one what they call me. It's not really a respect thing - they probably don't really care either way what they call you, but call centre operators are usually instructed to only give out their first names to avoid being identified, so it probably seems natural to call you by your first name.