To expect as a potential customer to be addressed as Ms/Mrs?

[DribbleWiper]

Two return emails this week, one from a cleaning company and one from a potential nursery, have begun with 'Hi Dribble', rather than 'Ms/Mrs Wiper'. Surely it's still appropriate and courteous for companies to address their customers by some sort of title until invited to do otherwise?

AIBU to feel rubbed up slightly the wrong way?

Love it! Did anyone ever question it? They probably got all excited in the online banking office.

Oh it's only on the bit at the beginning that says "Hello Getting" so that you know you've logged in OK - they know he's plain old Mister really!

I think it is cheeky of staff to address elderly people in hospital by their first names. But some find it more friendly.

I think I'd want banks/utility companies/big faceless institutions to call me Ms Groat, but where there are smaller companies and the likelihood of an ongoing personal relationship in future I'd expect/prefer "Hi Tolliver" (or better "Dear Tolliver").

However, I also know that if someone signs off "Dribble Wiper (Mrs)" it normally means they want to be called Mrs Wiper and would adjust my response accordingly.

My grandmother was Florence, Florrie for short. When she was in hospital the staff insisted on calling her Flo, which no one had ever called her in her life (and she'd definitely have preferred Mrs Groat).

I have never received an email or letter from someone signed Jane Smith (Mrs) so I would have no idea how they expected to be addressed to be honest! I think you probably caused confusion there.

If an email was signed Mrs Smith or Mrs Jane Smith, I would address the reply to Mrs Smith.

Jane Smith or Jane I would address it to Jane.

those poems were lovely

i have never given a title as part of my name - unless obliged to in e.g. a form, then i put ms.

i prefer to be called by my name. i think irish people are more informal though. i would feel extremely up myself asking anybody to address me as ms whatever. also extremely old (and i am in my 40s).

Oh I don't think YABU. I agree with what Tolliver said. I don't know why but it really annoys me when my Bank does it! ~

Jane Smith (Mrs)

It is a bit old-fashioned and isn't really seen that much any more, but it used to be fairly common.

I really can't get worked up by whether I am addressed by surname or first name or whatever so long as it isn't insulting.

On a related topic I'm doing a PhD and if I pass, I can't see me getting worked up about being called 'Compo' 'Mr Hat' or 'Dr Hat' all the same to me.

None of the University staff are the least bit popmpus about being called Dr and it would never occur to address them as anything other than their first name.

The most obsessive person I knew about titles was a Chemistry teacher at my old school who had a PhD in Chemistry fuck knows what he doing teaching Chemistry extrodiarily badly in a dog rough comp in the West Midlands insisited on being addressed as Dr Jones and would tear strips of any student who inadvertatly called him Mr Jones.

YANBU.
Honestly I expect everyone I do not know personally to address me by my title. It really irritates me when people address me by my first name, especially in emails where I have signed my email to them with just my title initial and surname, but they still start their reply with hello We. I find it rude.

What if someone has a ambigous first name like Sam? or a name from another culture where it is not clear what gender a person is?

Then it's up to them to make this clear in their initial contact. The OP is referring to companies who are getting in touch after she'd contacted them.

Likewise Ms should be the default for a woman who hasn't stated her preferred title, not just defaulting to the first name instead. Of course if you'd rather be Mrs/Miss/Professor/Doctor/Lady then you can state that in brackets as suggested by ComposHat.

ComposHat, I nearly put that I'd be infinitely more pissed off if I'd done that DPhil I thought of doing at 21 and then wasn't called Dr by anyone! You've earned it! Wouldn't you want the title to be used by strangers?

I certainly don't think it's pompous to want to be known as Dr rather than Mr. It's merited by how much work you've done to achieve it. Professor's even better, obviously!

I think the Dr or Ms/Mr thing got debated on another thread, the consensus amongst us PhDers seemed to be: 'fine in a formal academic context, but a bit try hard if you start using it on the outside world where it has no relevence.' For example I know someone who is in the Army, he's only known as Sgt Smith at work, but outside he's Mr Smith or Dave.

Anyway I never introduce myself as Mr Hat, so it is unlikely I will ever introduce myself as Dr Hat. I am a diminutive of my first name to pretty much everyone.

Anyway I couldn't be arsed writing to Tesco Club Card or the watter board and going through the faff of changing my title.