Great Western Coffee Shop

From The BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42542640)

Totally wrong response, but it's not sexist. oop north, men get called both those.....

I know, ducks!  but some people are just so sensitive!

..I've been called 'My Luvver' by several guards over the years down here in the far Southwest... ::) ;D

"Sir" and "Madam" is how our staff address customers unless & until they offer their names....we've never had any complaints.

I'm fine with being addressed as 'Sir' though only once or twice.  I hate it when it's 'Sir' this and 'Sir' that.  I'm also quite happy with mate, pal or bud to be honest!

I agree with you there TG. Sir and Madam is what it should be. Until and unless a name is given. And if a customer says they'd like to be addressed by title and surname then that's what staff should do. That's how I was taught in the hospitality trade.

Terms of endearment should be avoided in staff/customer interactions. The reason they should be avoided is because some people do find them sexist or inappropriate. Whilst certain terms may be common parlance in certain geographical areas, the person you are addressing may not be from that area.

I don't like being called 'mate' by bar staff for example.

Just a few posts show differing opinions. That's why it's always best when dealing with customers to stick to Sir and Madam.

My pet hate is when I am out with my (female) partner and we are addressed as “guys”.

I’m also not keen with being told to like my meal as the server places the dish in front of me with the command “Enjoy!”.

You can call me whatever you like if it means the train will be on time, formed of all scheduled carriages and I will get a seat!

In my day job, delivering groceries, we address all customers by their title and surname - unless they ask us otherwise.

We van drivers are all known by our first names - the customer is sent a text message telling them when 'Chris from Nailsea' will arrive, for example.  ;)

Is that what's on your name badge?  :P

I often see a former teacher of mine in Wetherspoons in Taunton, of whom I can't get out of the habit of calling 'Sir'. Despite appearances to the contrary, I wasn't dragged up and did learn manners and respect! And no, teaching me didn't drive him to drink!

He tells me every time to call him by his given name.

In 1st Class, I've been addressed by name "Mr <rower40>" by a Senior Conductor who I had never met before, after he had closely studied my pass/photocard.

OK, pal.  ;)

Not quite GWR but due to the foibles inherent with electronic direct marketing mail, my brother whose initials are MC has received a letter to Mr McWalker.

Varies from customer to customer to avoid coming across robotic. A quick assessment on how they address me,
If they address me as ‘mate’ etc I can flex  to be a little less formal. An older customer always mr or Mrs <insert surname>. Although some of my regular older customers  insist on me addressing them as their given first name. Some I’m on first name terms with, and know about their family and vice versa.
I’m guessing ChrisFromNailsea will have the same experience, but a sad sign of the current times that is and the postman are the only people some of our older customers see from week to week. We can log a ‘customer requires assistance’  which gives the driver  20-30 mins each future visit to that customer. Only today I delivered to a 80+ man who I’m on first name terms with, his family up north do his ordering for him, and he told me today he hadn’t seen anyone since I delivered to him last Wednesday as he hadn’t been out due to the bad weather. We had a good chat whilst I helped him put stuff away. It gives me great job satisfaction that I’ve been social company for that man, but it makes me sad this is a reflection of 2018 Britain where the grocery delivery person is the only person an elderly person has seen for a week.

... experience.  Yes, I have indeed.  ;)

For the benefit of our wider readership*, who may not be aware of the significance of those comments, I should perhaps explain here that Coffee Shop forum member richwarwicker and I are, in our day jobs, both grocery delivery van drivers in the South West of England - albeit for different employers.




* Those of our registered members who have not yet posted a few times, sufficient to reach our 'frequent posters' level, and those who have not yet registered at all - please do, it is free, and easy to do.  ;)

I like Sainsbury's. It keeps the riff-raff out of Waitrose. - Alan Coren

And let's not forget, Waitrose exists to keep the middle classes out of Fortnum & Mason. - possibly Humphrey Lyttleton.

 ;D

More tired stereotyping.  ::) :P :-X

 

"Sir" and "Madam" are out now as they are gender binary.

I do likewise in my job (I'm not a delivery driver), any customers/clients are referred to by title and surname. I do very occasionally get someone who says please call me by my first name instead. It may sound odd but I often don't feel comfortable doing that.  I've been called all sorts of things in my time from the [lovely] to the [unprintable].

I prefer to be addressed as, "Young Man".

bliss...

OTC

Many years ago, in M&S Falmouth, I witnessed a male holiday-maker from the home counties (judging by the accent) enquiring about new trousers. The female assistant, a proper Cornish maid,  responded with the question, "what size, cock?"

I am sure he added a couple of inches on, just for good measure.




Edit note: Quote marks corrected, purely for clarity. CfN.

"Skip" suffices in all circumstances, doesn't it?

My gran worked in Various falmouth shops in the 60s, 70s and 80s. I wasn’t born then but remember as always addressing everyone as ‘Alright my cock’.

Good luck to anyone trying to impose a standard form of address in Cornwall: me 'ansome, my beauty, my love(r), my bird, pard, cock, mate....

In my view, any one of them, when said with a smile and in a kind tone, is more personal and welcoming than "Sir."

I have been quite a few times, normally by people who are younger than me (I'm 65). It does make your day.

Like Andy I really dislike anyone calling me Sir.

i'd agree with that, though it hasn't happened for a while. But there is a danger - that you've just turned you irony detector right down to "American".

It is on the one I've personalised ...  ;D

Similar in my former line of work. The rules of engagement prescribed a "friendly but not familiar" approach, which I took as meaning title and name when known, Sir or Madam otherwise. My visiting cards and all letters I sent out had my abbreviated forename and surname, so I didn't mind being called that, although I found most people would stick to Mr FT, N! face to face.

I was called quite a few other things, some quite amusing.

In the schools I taught at, it was usually ''Sir'. But all lady members of staff from the Head Teacher to the humblest dinner lady answered to 'Miss! Miss!' rising in tone and volume. I always remember the poor lady who had the surname Hitt, but I was suppose it was better than having Conceive, Givings or Apprehension as your surname!

There are plenty more in that vein if you watch the opening cartoons of the film Carry on Girls which was on television a few times over the festive period....
Conduct
Represent
Stake
Fortune
Used
etc....

A lot of ladies I know really dislike being addressed as madam.
Probably due to its latter definitions;

A bossy or conceited young lady, I.e she’s a little madam

The operator of a brothel.