First name basis with customers?

[bean]

Any of you do much of this?

If it's someone that writes a lot of checks, and they're in there fairly often, I'll thank Mr Smith for coming in, then ask if it's okay if I call them Joe. So far they've always said yes, and I've actually gotten several compliments to management over me remembering their name when they come through. I don't do this if they have a difficult name, though I have said a couple of times "Okay, that's an interesting name... how do you pronounce it?" and they'll tell me how to pronounce it and go into an interesting explanation about the name.

At the same time, they remember my name and face when I do this. And I recognize our really regular customers (i.e. in the store more than once a week) and try to say hi to them the moment I see them.

Occasionally if it's someone I see really often, I'll just flat out ask them their name and ask if it's okay if I call them that. They've always said yes so far and seem to appreciate the extra attention.

It's gotten to where I'm pretty popular with several regulars and I wind up BSing with them for 10 or 15 minutes if there's not a line behind them when they check out with me.

If they're not writing checks or not doing something that requires ID, I don't usually know their name unless I look at the credit card slip. A couple of times I've seen people with the same first name (or once, last name) as me coming through, and I'll tell them "Hey, nice name!" and point at my name tag.

[simplyanother]

I admit the only customer I know by name--(who I didn't know before working at Glitter Hell)--I know because she worked Christmas with us one year.

[ShadowTiger]

Anyone that I do remember, I do my best to call them by their first name if I think they can handle it without thinking "This person needs to respect me for my age" or something. It's very welcoming, I feel.

[Food Lady]

I remember some of the regulars' names better than those of some of my coworkers. My brain is weird.

[Hobbs]

I always keep it 'sir/ma'am' when I talk to customers. Of course, I may recognize one or two and add the, "Been a while, sir/ma'am" as we talk, or they'll ask me how I've been. Not a lot, since a lot of the people I deal with are dregs...

[MergedLoki]

well for me they're patients not customers :P

but yea I'll use their first name. or their proper title mr/ms/mrs whatever.

just depends on their age.

like if it's someone roughly my age (mid 20's) to early 30's sorry im not calling someone 3 years older than me 'Mr. anything' they get 'hey joe blow come in for ur xray' or whatever.

someone signifigantly older i'll use their proper title.

and then there's some regulars we get here (yes... a hospital has regulars. sigh) that know ME by name becuse i've xrayed them so often lol

[smileyeagle1021]

we used to be on the first name basis with a lot of our regular guests (and by we, I mean myself and the last of the holdouts... who sadly all have left now )... then management decided that we needed to be more formal and nixed that... idiots

[SG15Z]

I have far too many regulars that I know by name. I also have too many regulars that I know by nicknames (like Crazy Bike Lady, Sundance, and Girly Man and his wife) rather than they're actual names.

[Hyena Dandy]

I'm on whatever name basis they give me.

[Misanthropical]

I'm in my 30s and find it a bit presumptuous for people to call me by my first name when we have just met. I prefer for people to call me "Mrs. My Last Name" till I'm comfortable enough with them to have them call me by my first name. I give the same courtesy to other people till they tell me to call them by their first name.

My husband thinks I'm old fashion about it. I know it's old fashion and others don't share my view on it, that does not mean I think they are wrong if they don't agree with me, so please don't take it that way.

Most of the employees in the stores my husband and I go into know us by our first names, because we always shop there and have gotten to know them as more than just an employee of the store.