Hence the title “Ms.”
Nope, because as I mentioned, Mr. ___ is actual social convention. There’s nothing offensive or improper about it. Saying “I’m just Kobal” is a nice thing to say to someone - it’s an offer of familiarity. It’s not a social mistake to call you “Mr. 2” first. Plus, as was my point, you get to tell him exactly what to call you (“Kobal”) rather than what he may see as your legal name on a sheet of paper. All the more reason to follow convention.
Wow, really? So you can’t imagine that someone would call you who doesn’t know you well enough to call you by your first name, yet have good news, or important news? I can think of dozens of other possibilities. I’m sure you wait until you hear them first before hanging up though.
Doesn’t work though, because as I mentioned, my real first name is not the same as my legal first name. Plus, why? I don’t know you, you’re calling to ask me for money - the very least you can do is address me as an adult.
Is your legal first name the one that you use for things like insurance, voter registration, and so forth? Because if it is, then it’s on a whole bunch of lists, and anybody who uses any of those lists for any reason is going to make the entirely reasonable assumption that you answer to that name. (Otherwise, why would you use it at all?)
There’s a way to deal with these scum:
Caller: Mr. Toby, would…
You: KUNTA KINTE
Caller: Mr Kunty, would you be…
You: KUNTA KINTE
Caller: Mr Koonty, I represent the International Federation Against Pornography…
You: KUNTA KINTE
click
See? No harm done.
Just the other day I had this telephone exchange:
Clueless Customer Service Person: “May I call you (FirstName), Mr. Jackmannii?”
Me: “No, you may not, you shiftless rodent.”
This puts the conversation on a proper professional plane and facilitates productive discourse.
No, it’s NOT a reasonable assumption at all.
And it’s not there’s to make.
I use my legal name on legal documents because it’s my legal name. Nobody ever calls me by it in conversation.
Nice.
Maybe I am an old man, because I can remember watching that on TV when it first aired.
“Grits, dummy!”
Just keep in mind that a lot of companies guidelines are to call people by first name. I’ve been in several phone customer service jobs where we’d be marked down and talked to by management if we didn’t ask for a person by first name, or both first and last. One of the reasons for it is that there could be more than one Mr. Strongarm in your home, but it’s less likely that there is more than one Lance Strongarm there.
Aw, they’re just trying to be friendly so you’ll take it better when they deliver the bad news that your Windows has many viruses.
“I’m trying to reach Mr. Lance Strongarm.”
Nah, too difficult. :dubious:
Yes, and in that case, their guidelines should be changed.
That’s their problem, not mine.
Then they should ask for “Lance Strongarm,” and then afterward refer to me as “Mr. Strongarm.”
Calling me by a name that nobody calls me by simply reminds me that someone who I have never met is being presumptuous and calling me by my first name and trying to be personal with me when they aren’t really my acquaintance. It’s not a good strategy for getting money out of me or serving me as a customer.
And thanks for that, Bill, I mean, Mr. Gates.
I don’t generally mind people calling me by my first name. I actually prefer it. But I do mind when people who use my first name insist on the more formal form of address for themselves.
It often happens with physicians. “Hi, [my first name]. What seems to be the problem?” Well, Bob [because I’ve looked at his hospital ID], you see this screwdriver sticking out of my chest?"
And then Dr. Bob gets all bent out of shape.
Life must be pretty good when you bitch about inane shit like this. Who fuckin cares? Get over it.
-
I care, especially when it happens over and over. You would too.
-
It’s the fucking BBQ Pit. It’s where stuff like this is supposed to go. There’s nothing more stupid and petty than going around telling people how stupid and petty they are, especially in a forum meant for stupid and petty things. So you win first place in the “inane shit bitching” contest - congratulations.
Is it threadshitting to shit on a shitter who’s shitting on a threadshitter? Not sure, so I’ll stay out of that one…
But I could tell stories about working for a boss whose first name wasn’t pronounced the ‘majority way’. Perfect for weeding out the salespeople:
“Yeah, put me through to Jan.”
“You want Jan?”
*“Yeah, hurry it up. Personal friend of hers, she’s waiting for me to call.”
*“I doubt Yon wants to talk to you, or that you’ve ever met him.” [click]
Yup. I don’t like when people call me by my first name over the phone. But some call centers require their employees to do this. Don’t get mad at the caller, they’re just doing their job.
Here’s a better idea: Unlike the employees calling you, who are at the whim of recordings and scripts and multiple bosses listening in on their phone conversations, nobody has *any *authority to force you to stay on the line. Either don’t pick up the phone for unknown numbers, or hang up when you determine that a caller is soliciting you unsolicitedly.
There is when it makes me feel like an old gasbag.