Customer Service - First Names are just for Friends?

[Foreigner]

Amex does a good job, in my experience, once the identification formality has been completed, of asking how I wish to be called. On the whole, I've been really happy how my conversations go with Amex.

Qantas always say Mr. (Foreigner), both over the phone and with face-to-face interaction.

Why first names are just for friends | Life and style | The Guardian

 

[Hvr]

I always get on the front foot and ask that they call me by my first name. On my Qantas profile I have asked that I be referred to by my first name.

If it is a one off interaction then I don't really care nor mention it.

 

[love_the_life]

The one I can't stand is "guys" when in an upmarket restaurant. QF have always used Mrs LtL. When on board somehow they seem to often refer to Mr LtL as "sir' :shock:

 

[Foreigner]

The one I can't stand is "guys" when in an upmarket restaurant. QF have always used Mrs LtL. When on board somehow they seem to often refer to Mr LtL as "sir' :shock:

Equally bad or really worse is 'youse'. Grrrr

 

[get me outta here]

As in, "I love youse all"?

Equally bad or really worse is 'youse'. Grrrr

 

[Foreigner]

As in, "I love youse all"?

That's right..."I'll see youse all later, after the rugby!"

Bewildering...

 

[AnnaB]

I prefer when people call me by my first name... but I have one of those last names where I can see peoples confusion way before they try to utter it and then they try to pronounce some weird interpretation of it. During those 5 minutes of confusion I normally just say, please call me Rose
Some of the more fast thinking ones, merely refer to me as Madam instead of even trying.

Titles and calling people by their last names have not been tradition where I come from in 60 years. It is even seen as an insult reverting back to old fashioned times and when trying to show respect and call some of the older generation with title and last name can get you in quite a situation. The way they see it, they fought for freedom and every ones rights and equality and keeping such traditions is a step back rather then a step forward.

 

[medhead]

I've asked Question to use my first name, in profile. Pretty rare that they do, and they are often hesitant to do so. i.e. "Are you sure?"

I don't know about Amex, can't remember the last time I called them.

 

[subichow]

I much prefer being called by my first name, sometimes it can feel too unnecessarily 'formal' if you're constantly referred to as Mr/Mrs so-and-so.

 

[v1nce007]

I have a hyphenated surname (eg: Mr Vince Frequent-Flyer), and it is very rare for Qantas staff to get it right; it's always variously either "Mr Frequent" or "Mr Flyer". Maybe 1 out of 10 FAs get it right. Doesn't help that the hyphen is dropped from the name on the boarding pass - allthough I took a JetStar Pacific flight recently that displayed it correctly.

I work for an insurance company and we now refer to customers by first name in all correspondence, including formal claim denial letters, eg: "Dear Vince". No one has complained about it so far, but can't say I'm a fan.

 

[bsb]

Who cares? I do dislike being referred to as 'Sir', but it seems to be happening more now I'm 50 (and fabulous). A name is a name and if people want to use my first name, call a group of us 'guys' our 'youse' then I'm ok and if I'm not, I just say so.

 

[get me outta here]

In the USA in general when someone wants to get your attention, or say on a bus, they may say, 'thank you Sir, or Miss'. I find that quite polite and expedient.

 

[coriander]

I'm usually addressed as Dr C by QF on the phone and on boarding - I will often say "please call me first-name" especially if I'm trying to curry favour ! Electricity, gas and water can continue to address me as Dr C - they do usually ask "may I call you first-name?" to which I say ok.

 

[v1nce007]

Who cares? I do dislike being referred to as 'Sir', but it seems to be happening more now I'm 50 (and fabulous). A name is a name and if people want to use my first name, call a group of us 'guys' our 'youse' then I'm ok and if I'm not, I just say so.

I've got to say that the use of "youse" or "youse guys" is a pet peeve of mine. Anything else is OK.

 

[get me outta here]

Oh, I thought Mundine the boxer's saying of, "I love youse all," summed it up nicely.

I've got to say that the use of "youse" or "youse guys" is a pet peeve of mine. Anything else is OK.

 

[medhead]

Oh, I thought Mundine the boxer's saying of, "I love youse all," summed it up nicely.

Fenech was the original of love youse all.

 

[Denali]

On the phone, Im usually asked if they can call me [first name] and Im happy with that.

On board, thanks to both our surnames having lots of As and Rs and Zs, we've asked FAs to call us by our first names and we become Miss [first name] and Mr [first name].

 

[dajop]

In Asia I am invariably called "Mr First Name", which is fine. Occasionally they will recognise that Caucasians tend to have their surname written last and will call me "Mr Surname" and sometimes they will recognise surname as last but have name written with surname first so will be called "Mr Middle Name". Always Mr or some other title (eg in Philippines "Sir First Name" or Japan "surname-san", but no-one ever calls me by first name only. All very amusing but it does seem odd to be called by first name alone. I much prefer "Mr First Name"

 

[njba]

I like the implied respect behind (honorific) + Surname. I don't mind the use of my full first name in the right circumstances, but I find it particularly telling when people call me by the common shortened version of my full first name.

 

[AnnaB]

I've got to say that the use of "youse" or "youse guys" is a pet peeve of mine. Anything else is OK.

I also hate it when someone keeps referring to me as "hey you"
*shivers* :shock: