Madam, – I recently telephoned a well-known insurance broker about my motor insurance renewal. I had occasion to telephone again a week later, this time speaking to a different operative. Both people, throughout our conversations, referred to me repeatedly by my first name, although I had never met them, nor had I spoken to them before. The staff concerned were obviously fairly young and were most helpful and courteous in every aspect apart from their habit of addressing total strangers as if they were firm friends.
On telephoning their supervisor to find out if this style of greeting was company policy, he opened the conversation by again calling me by my first name and assuring me that such a practice was, indeed, company policy. He went on to say that he had worked in the company’s UK office and customers were always addressed as Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms and that he disagreed with the less formal approach of his Irish colleagues.
Staff in my bank also use this over-familiar form of telephone greeting when talking to complete strangers.
If, dear Editor, you think I’m being overly sensitive about this particular habit, you are quite free to substitute the word “Geraldine” instead of “Madam” at the top of this letter. – Yours, etc,