Why did the woman at the bank think that this was okay and should I complain about it?

michelle m

believe it or not some companies are actually training their employees to call customers by their first name, supposed to make it seem a little friendlier. i agree with you, if i don't know you i will call you mr. or mrs. whaterver until you tell me to call you something else. i think that shows more respect for the customer.

Smoby J

Because she was trying to make you feel more comfortable as using surnames is official and can be seen as some memebers of public as unnecessary and daunting in a business environment. She was being more friendly and intimate i guess.

Yes using your surname , she should have done i guess. Because then you could have said, call me . . . whatever ya wanted her too.

But I certainly wouldnt complain.
Why be so petty, Its the name on the account so she has the right to use it, otherwise, change your account name

Okay so maybe it wasn't the right thing of her to do, but perhaps she was just trying to be friendly towards you so to start a professional relationship between you both.

It would be an extremely trivial thing to complain about, regardless of whether it was a poor lapse of judgement on her behalf.

Mutt

She was probably just trying to be friendly and make your experience more personal. Most people so go by their first name, so she assumed you did. I agree that assuming is not always correct, and she probably should have asked first if it was OK to call you "Bob" (or whatever your first name is).

I have a problem all the time with people spelling my last name wrong. (Without actually giving it away) it ends in "-dey", but many people forget the "e" and only spell it "-dy". I correct them when it's appropriate (such as why their email to me isn't going through), but otherwise I let it slide.

Beastie

Why isn't it? But it's up to you. And since you responded with a point of your own, I very much doubt you were the only person there who felt embarrassed.

Oh, and just a small point for you. Sarcasm does not come across terribly well in text.

Cool Hal

I hate being called Mr H (and that is also my first initial so I am not taking the piss) as do a lot of other people. The only thing I hate more is being called Sir.

If someone calls me Mr H or Sir should I complain? No I just smile and say its ??? I book restaurants, a taxi or anything that requires a name using either my given name or Hal which I prefer.

So customer service facing people can not win all the time.

EDIT - How can I get a TD for saying I prefer to be called by my Christain name and not surname.

Cornish Granny

There was a good article about this in the Daily Mail the other week. The young are now taught that this is to make us all feel friendly. We of a certain age are not comfortable with it. I met my new young lady Doctor the other week who addressed me by my first name, I wondered how she would have felt if I had done the same to her.
Obviously if we say 'My name is Mrs so and so' we will be thought off as stuck up. But I for one do agree with you. What to do?, not sure.

It wasn't great of her to do this but she was just being friendly so i wouldn't get stressed about it.

mrsdeli

She was trying to make you feel welcome and comfortable. Honest mistake about your the name you use. Let it go and realize she meant no harm or disrespect.

-rachel

I would say its a bit extreme to be thinking of complaining about it!! do you honestly think they'd take you seriously if you did? They'd give you lip service of the kind "yes, sir, sorry sir, we will have a word with the advisor you spoke to' ...and then they'd go off in the back and comment on what a jumped up little pr*ck you are!!

And why feel embarrassed about informing her of the name you actually use?? Whats embarrasing about that??

Long gone are the days of yes sir, no sir, of course sir, we are a much more relaxed world now. And she was clearly being friendly. So shoot her!!

I would perhaps address a much older person than myself by Mr or Mrs initially maybe. Methinks you are a mere whippersnapper trying to play the big man commanding the respect he so rightly deserves *rolls eyes*

...added: yes thank you 'Mr H' but how exactly did you draw your conculsion on my level of intelligence? ..considering you dont know me from Eve? Or is it due to your level of intelligence that only allows you to throw insults? A sincere thank you to Beastie - you are quite right, i detected no sarcasm in 'Mr H's' question.

......oh, and it's 'you're', not 'your' *smiles sweetly*

Mu1

You have very little to complain about if this was all it took to spoil your day..get over yourself!

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