Getting really sick of pet names...

[Lace Neil Singer]

I can honestly say that it depends on the customer. If the customer is an old lady, then I don't mind being called "dear" or "duck". However, if it's a man, especially a middle aged man, then I loathe being addressed as "darling" or "sweetheart". It's very condescending and somewhat creepy.

[Trixie]

Yeah, definitely depends on the customer. There's one creepy younger guy who seems to think that he's besties with every one in my store. He calls us "darling" Ugh! Lots of older people do it and that's okay except when it comes across as a put down.

There's one older woman I was helping in photo and I wasn't able to do what she wanted. Or more like it didn't meet up to her standard and she kept saying over and over "Well, you sure did try, honey." Now I didn't show how much I despise her because she's gotten downright nasty to other people but not me. In fact if anyone witnessed my interactions with her you'd never know how I really felt. I hate dealing with her though.

[BlaqueKatt]

I got this just today. A woman called me hon no less than three times in one sentence, I swear. How about we keep it casual, and drop the pet names?

I get called "Hon" a LOT, as in multiple times daily occurrence. However in my case they're from the Baltimore area.

[ApolloSZ]

I've never understood those being acceptable names for someone you don't know. Hell my last relationship I outright asked her "is it ok if I use 'babe' now and then?". If I'm not intimate with you, or you're not family with some odd nickname we all use, I'll make an effort to use your name if presented with it, or I default to a good 'ol kiwi "mate". As in "thanks mate, have a nice day" or "hey mate, I had a question about x".
In return, I ask for my name, the short version of my name or a similar 'mate'. Had a workmate snap their fingers at me to get my attention once. Apparently the look I gave them alone made them knew they done f*cked up.

[Sunshine]

I work with a git that has a bad habit of calling the women around him terms of endearment. Very condescending. I told my friend that he was doing that and he was shocked, because I *hate* when people do that. Unless you're my grandmother, I am *not* your "sweetie"!!!!

[Castrovalva]

"Hello darling"
"How are you today, darling?..."
"Thank you darling"
"Thank you darling"
"Thank you darling"

I AM NOT YOUR 'DARLING', DARLING! GEEZ LOUISE, I HAVE A NAME! ARE YOU DELIBERATELY TRYING TO MAKE ME FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE OR SOMETHING?! JESUS!


I know that no offence or anything like that is being meant (they're, of course, just trying to be friendly), but, & this might be my probable autism talking, it makes me a little uncomfortable when ever a customer calls me a term of endearment (mate, darling, sweetheart, etc, etc)...

(Shrugs) But that's just me...

[Sparklyturtle]

It tends to annoy me a lot more if the person voicing the endearments is younger than me. If an elderly person calls me "dear" it doesn't bother me a bit, but if some young thing calls me "dear" it really rankles.

[KellyHabersham]

Not work-related, but since it does involve the subject of this thread....

Some years back, I remember chatting with a guy over Yahoo messenger, and upon my telling him that my height is 5'2, he called me a "cute little pumpkin". And he seemed baffled as to why a grown woman wouldn't want to be called something that was more appropriate for a little kid.

[Slave to the Phone]

I have twice had men snap their fingers at me in my current job. I think that the look of disbelief and shock I gave them might have given them a clue that what they did was wrong.

The second time was actually pretty funny, the lady with him went off on him "Did you just snap your fingers at that woman?!? Is she walking on FOUR legs, you asshole! You don't be snapping your fingers at people!!! Its RUDE and when you do it EVERYONE thinks that you are an asshole, you f****** asshole!!!"

I'm older than dirt and I don't call anyone sweetie or dear. I agree with the others that delivery is important with my perceptions of pet names by strangers.

I do like it that a lot of people here in the state of "we don't need no more stinking sunlight" don't usually know what Bless Your Heart means.

[Cia]

The next contractor who calls me "little lady" is going to have something shoved up their one-eyed winky hole.

[dalesys]

The next contractor who calls me "little lady" is going to have something shoved up their one-eyed winky hole.

A Ridgid K-400?

[judecat]

I get called "Hon" a LOT, as in multiple times daily occurrence. However in my case they're from the Baltimore area.

And I'm most likely one of those people who are calling you "hon". At the time and place I grew up, hon was the prefered form of friendly-polite adress. The only maam's or Sirs were teachers, parents, and other authority figures. Waitresses and sales clerks called everyone hon or sweety.

Now that I'm in my 60's, I still call most of my regular customers Hon, they call me hon, momma, boo, or punkin. They are just being friendly. But I guess it's just what you are used to.

The only Sir in my life right now is my boss, who happens to be young enough to be my son, but he is my boss.

[Dreamstalker]

Even my regulars don't use any kind of pet names with me. Nicknames, sure, but they agree pet names for anyone you're not in a relationship with/related to are weird.

[Totiono]

I actually enjoy being called pet names by customers/guests. Last week a woman asked me to take some pictures of her and her family and the whole time she kept calling me sweetie and love. It always makes me feel like they are enjoying my personality and are appreciative of my services. I'm actually more uncomfortable when people look at my nametag and start calling me by my actual name when I'm not at all familiar with them. It throws me off when I tell them to have a good rest of their day and they respond with "Thanks, Totiono, you too!"

However, I'm also a male. I can understand how such pet names could have condescending connotations to females.

I do hate when men call me "boss" though. I can't help but feel like they're being sarcastic about it.

[Dreamstalker]

I don't mind pet names if I know the customer is just being nice, but the ones that use them to get an imagined edge...no. Ditto for customers I've never seen before calling me by name (it's always when they want something I can't or won't agree to).

Shithead calls customers 'boss', but he also says 'thank you for my paycheck' so we know he means it in that way