I’ve had my phone & BB package with Plusnet for a few years now, and always found their Call Centre communication ok. Today I called them in Sheffield to discuss a new contract and was surprised to be called “ mate, pal and bud†every few words.
I’m not a snob, after all I was born in inner city Bradford, but I thought that these terms of endearment were not particularly customer focused. Matey’s final words to me were “cheers budâ€.
Is it me? Be honest.
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No, quite the opposite. It would annoy me a great deal more than I think it annoyed you, and I would have said something to him and his manager.
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Oddly I effectively cold call maybe twenty people a day. Most of it is very formal, but sometimes there's an immediate bond with a person, I heard myself calling someone "mate" the other day - but it didn't cause offence. When I worked on CAB's Adviceline engaging and having a bit of pleasantry with a client was essential - had many a laugh with people in that job. Couple of ones stay in my memory..
Caller "Hi is that Barry?"
Me: "No it's Rob"
Caller: "No, you Muppet, is that Barry(south Wales) Bureau"
That conversation could only go one way - off script.
The other one was a long conversation with a woman about her debts and issues...out of the blue she asked me if I was married, I replied "yes" "hang on" she said and she shouted to her mother "He's married mam !".
I love the interaction on the phone. Makes a sometimes difficult job easier. Never called anyone "bud" ever
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...not a native then, or it would've been "love"
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Familiarity always sounds rude on the phone, but can be rather endearing face to face from a friendly person.
I've had delivery drivers call me guv'nor or squire, which somehow had an echo of an earlier age, as if from a black and white film.
You could try replying in kind "Now look hear, chummy, ..."
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>>Familiarity always sounds rude on the phone, but can be rather endearing face to face from a friendly person.
I've had delivery drivers call me guv'nor or squire, which somehow had an echo of an earlier age, as if from a black and white film<<
Every now and again people call me 'boss', not often but once in a while, usually immigrants, although my Palestinian mate always calls me 'my friend' as he does with most people he knows, even only vaguely.
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Professionally polite for me.
No mate, buddy or whatever.
Always start with a greeting and end with a thank you. Even if I am calling someone with a complaint.
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>> Is it me? Be honest.
No.
You're Mr Lad unless/until they've asked is it OK if I call you Legacy. Mate, Pal or Bud are never acceptable.
Like RP I've done, and was doing as recently as yesterday, CAB adviceline. Once I've got their name the next question is 'Is it OK if I call you {first name}. I've never had anyone say no.
On the paid side where I'm directly representing a funder then once I've established who I'm speaking to I use Mr/Mrs etc.
Do get the odd funny though. Earlier this week I spoke somebody who's surname was something like Ringalingding who told me to call her Mrs Ding.
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>>Once I've got their name the next question is 'Is it OK if I call you {first name}. I've never had anyone say no.
I guess this is from someone seeking your help? Which is different. But I sometimes have people ask me if they can call me Mark. I usually say no.
I would not ask someone else if I may call them by their first name. Its Mr.Mrs/Etc unless someone asks me to call them something different or less formal.
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On the phone, to a call centre? No - colloquial greetings are a no no. A big no no.
Face to face? whole new ball game, the dynamics are different, the feedback and body language is a real guide, In situations like that I will, have and often use terms like "chief" "guv" "buddy" "luv" "dahlin" etc etc.
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Any particular reason you prefer a more formal address? Not having a go just curious.
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>> Any particular reason you prefer a more formal address? Not having a go just curious.
Me?
Because courtesy has its place. And it is not courteous to ask if you may use a familiar name, it is correct to wait until you are invited to do so.
And if I am in a business situation, certainly in the early stages, and perhaps for ever if I am the customer, then why would I allow the familiarity?
Car salesman are an example;
EDIT: Not really answering your question, now I read it back. I have no better answer than that I like things to be done correctly.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Fri 19 Jan 18 at 22:06
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Must admit the local Hyundai dealership's service manager was very polite and constantly referred to me as Mr Zippy whilst lightening my wallet of £600 today for 3 services.
That's £200 each for three, 20,000 services so not too bad.
I always try to get the name of the person I am taking to at a call centre. It stops me being rude if I get annoyed as I visualise a "Bill Smith or Sally James".
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I always get the name ! Trick is to scroll up the Microsoft Dynamics screen from the phone number I've dialled to the name - then figure out the pronunciation of a particular name before it's answered. We deal with a lot of Eastern European names where we work, a regular problem is pronunciation between languages e.g. the Welsh version on Lois (not an uncommon name is Wales) and the English version is fundamentally different....you have few seconds to figure it out and hopefully get it right.
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I had an account at Santander years ago. I was on good terms with the counter staff, one of whom was at school with my daughter. One day, after queuing ,I was greeted by a new face, a spotty youth with spiky hair " Are you alright there mate ? " Grr. Next visit, a similar youth welcomed me with the same words. Bigger grrrrr !
Next time I got an older lady and mentioned the former greetings. " Right," she said " I'll soon sort that out when I've finished with you ." Didn't happen again.
I was a controller in a Breakdown control room for a few years. You sort of instinctively knew how to deal with individuals. We covered London taxis. I knew they were all up for a laugh. Cabbie "Help, me cab won't go ". Me " I thought you guys just went out and bought a new one for cash !"....That sort of thing. I don't like being called Mate though.
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Car salesman are an example;
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>> EDIT: Not really answering your question, now I read it back. I have no better
>> answer than that I like things to be done correctly.
Fair enough each to their own. The last car I bought I don't think I was ever called mr sooty throughout the whole precedings, and I don't think I ever thought about being called such. I can't really think of many places that have contacted me that call me MR, usually first then last name.
Not sure I'd really want anything too formal as an address it's a little fussy for my tastes. Perhaps that's not the right word, cloying? Although perhaps that's not quite right either.
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Yes, it is:)
After almost 20 years of dealing with Vodafone/Talk Talk/BT non uk call centres and tearing my hair out, Plusnet are a breath of fresh air.
I was surprised when we changed over at how friendly and informal they were on the phone, but above that I was even more impressed that the put the matter right, gave me a name of who they were and who I was dealing with to contact and the informality made their minor mistake so much more bearable.
I think any good customer focussed person will very quickly work out the type of person they are dealing with and address them accordingly........you were too nice to him LL :)
Pat
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Earlier the same day I renewed my contract with Plusnet. Every time I’ve had to speak with them, which isn’t very often, and when renewing my mothers contract with them, their service has been excellent. The AM initial chat was very professional, friendly, Mr LL ...please call me Leggy, hows the weather in Sheffield? Thanks for being so helpful etc etc
The second conversation, PM, with a minor query re the emailed contract, was the polar opposite. I’d been called mate, pal & bud within the first 15 words! No please, thankyou “ hold the line budâ€.
It was this total opposite that surprised me. As you quite rightly say, every previous time of contact has been friendly, chatty and a pleasure to do business with.
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Pat and Ted nail it. You quickly assess the person that you're speaking with, part of the skill-set
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Was chatting about this to the eldest yesterday. She's just had a new sofa, dining room table and chairs delivered for her flat and it was partly self assembly.
One delivery men constantly referred to her as "duck", which she found mildly amusing until he asked if she was able to put it together or needed a man to help!
The three flat mates (2 F, 1 M) managed quite nicely.
At work she is Dr Zippy. Some older gents emphasise the "Zippy" bit with a giggle. Apparently there was famous actor with a similar surname that played a doctor on TV years ago.
In paediatrics, the doctors always use their Christian names with the children and eldest has a bright purple stethoscope with "emjoi" engravings on the diaphragm specially for that ward.
As Pat said, you quickly get the gist of how people (patients) want to be addressed. Some will always be Mr or Mrs. Others are "Ethel" or "Fred". Apparently one "Ethel" took great pleasure in pointing out all of the eligible bachelors on the ward.
Last edited by: zippy on Sat 20 Jan 18 at 12:25
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My old manager at CAB used to refer to people (of both genders) as "duck" occasionally but he hailed from Lincolnshire way where it's normal currency (so he said)
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Duck is a Stoke term, too. I was at Poly there and it took three years not to laugh when I heard it.
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"m' Duck" is thought to be derived from a respectful Anglo Saxon form of address, "Duka" (literally "Duke"), and is unrelated to waterfowl.[5] [n 2] Non-natives of the East Midlands and North Staffordshire are often surprised to hear men greet each other as 'M' Duck.'
WikipediA
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On internet fora, I am sometimes addressed as "Dude".
Which I find strange.
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I'd much rather someone said:
"Cheers bud it's all sorted as you asked"
than
"Hello Mr Cheese, it's going to take two weeks and cost a fortune"
BTW, another vote for PlusNet.
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>>I'd much rather someone said:
>>"Cheers bud it's all sorted as you asked"
>>than
>>"Hello Mr Cheese, it's going to take two weeks and cost a fortune"
I'd never seen it as an either/or situation. I didn't realise that I had to choose between competence and courtesy.
Or that getting a favourable response depended upon them speaking to me informally.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Sat 20 Jan 18 at 16:21
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>> I'd never seen it as an either/or situation. I didn't realise that I had to
>> choose between competence and courtesy.
>>
>> Or that getting a favourable response depended upon them speaking to me informally.
>>
As I think was clear I was not suggesting that it's either/or etc.
I simply meant that I much prefer informal (or even over familiar) efficiency than formal incompetence.
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I prefer formal competence.
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>> I prefer formal competence.
>>
I guess I do, marginally.
Though if you call a call centre what is more important formality or competency?
Frankly if the phone is answered promptly and my issue is understood and dealt with efficiently then the rep can call me mate all he likes.
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"m' Duck" is thought to be derived from a respectful Anglo Saxon form of address, "Duka" (literally "Duke"), and is unrelated to waterfowl.[5] [n 2] Non-natives of the East Midlands and North Staffordshire are often surprised to hear men greet each other as 'M' Duck.'
WikipediA
That derivation sounds right to me. Around Boston, where I come from, a lot of people who've lived there all their lives pronounce "duke" as "dook".
Last edited by: John Boy on Sat 20 Jan 18 at 16:20
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That derivation sounds right to me. Around Boston, where I come from, a lot of
>> people who've lived there all their lives pronounce "duke" as "dook".
>>
Heard a few times chimney pronounced as chimley. Not sure what that's all about, never heard it outside Boston.
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>> Heard a few times chimney pronounced as chimley. Not sure what that's all about, never
>> heard it outside Boston.
As in:
Eeper Weeper, chimley sweeper,
Had a wife but couldn't keep her.
Had another, didn't love her,
Up the chimley he did shove her
Some pronunciations are chimbley rather than chimley.
Always assumed that to be cockney but perhaps not.
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...and also as in Hev Yew Gotta Loight Boy? by The Singing Postman......so presumably in Narfolk usage....
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> Always assumed that to be cockney but perhaps not.
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I didn't know it was a cockney thing, no doubt someone on here will know. There's a lot of knowledge about this sort of thing on here.
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I always called a chimney a chimley, I might still do/say it now on the odd occasion, in fact the only reason I know a chimley is a chimney, is cos I have one, use it from November 'til April, and sweep it some time in the summer months.
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Further to Boston: I don't remember it when I lived there more than 50 years ago, but more recently I've heard Bostonians saying "I aren't" instead of "I'm not". Is that more widespread?
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The nice man who comes to us annually for hedge and tree work is as Fen as they come. He says chimbley. I thought he was joking the first time, but he's used it in conversation with me with a consistent straight face for a decade now.
Not one conversation lasting a decade, obviously. That would be like, oh I don't know, here.
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My ole mum (born 1910) had a few funny ones .. shy-zo-phrenia for schizophrenia, yo-gart for yoghurt, and yo-gar for yoga. Thing is though, it's no good trying to teach 'these people' how to speak propa like.
The same with my chimley, chimney is soooooooooo wrong, in my mind.
When I was about age 15, I used to call Ibiza, Ibzia.
(*_*)
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>>"m' Duck" is thought to be derived from a respectful Anglo Saxon form of address, "Duka" (literally "Duke"), and is unrelated to waterfowl.[5] [n 2] Non-natives of the East Midlands and North Staffordshire are often surprised to hear men greet each other as 'M' Duck.'<<
Don't hear it often but some of the older folk use it around my way. After 16 years here I still have not adopted it though.
Also a lot of the men refer to other men as 'chap' which I never heard growing up in Sussex.
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>> Also a lot of the men refer to other men as 'chap' which I never
>> heard growing up in Sussex.
That's definitely a Northamptonshire trait. The postie does it and so do the guys at the fast fit I go to for tyres etc.
Never heard it in Yorkshire though both the Anglo-Saxon for illegitimate and Bu**er are used there as terms of familiarity/endearment.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sat 20 Jan 18 at 17:05
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>> My old manager at CAB used to refer to people (of both genders) as "duck"
>> occasionally but he hailed from Lincolnshire way where it's normal currency (so he said)
I'd originally thought of it as North Staffs and heard it regularly when visiting MRs B's Mum who lived in Newcastle U L.
My paid CA role covers Lincolnshire and I quite often get called duck by folks up there - mostly round Skegness. Thought at first it might be retirees from the Potteries but I'm told it's local.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sat 20 Jan 18 at 13:51
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I really don't care what they call me as long as it isn't abusive. When people call me Mr. .... I think of my dad anyway.
The big failing of call centres generally is that the service is just poor.
My daughter's attempt to order broadband from BT was passed around in circles for weeks because "the system won't allow the order to be processed".
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Once accompanied a young pup to a job and stood back whilst he dealt. It was 'fella' this and 'fella' that.
We resumed and he asked for feedback as to how I felt he had dealt.
Good but advised when dealing with someone older he should cut out the 'fella' bit in the first instance.
Few days later goes to another incident and he slips in a 'fella'. Guy went ape :) Didnt like the term of address.
Couldn't contain myself and had to leave the room to compose.
"Don't say I didn't tell you." was the feedback. :)
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Or "Brah", which apparently is some trendy, Hawaiian version of the obnoxious "Bro" intern an abbreviation of "Brother".
I run another group with about 25,000 members, 15,000 of them reasonably active and unfortunately a significant section of them being young and 'hip' - at least in their own minds.
.*******
If I was doing the paying, as in using call centres, car salesman and the like, then it would instantly end in tears.
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Hopefully I've got it right, never had a call go bad on me.
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My note reposted without the help of the swear filter.
Or "Brah", which apparently is some trendy, Hawaiian version of the obnoxious "Bro" intern an abbreviation of "Brother".
I run another group with about 25,000 members, 15,000 of them reasonably active and unfortunately a significant section of them being young and 'hip' - at least in their own minds.
I constantly get called Bro, Brah, Brother, My Brother, Dude, Mate, Chap, Man and so many more. It passes me off more than I can say. I only tolerate it because I am paid to do so.
If I was doing the paying, as in using call centres, car salesman and the like, then it would instantly end in tears.
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>> If I was doing the paying, as in using call centres, car salesman and the
>> like, then it would instantly end in tears.
"Yo Bro, Sup?"
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One of my younger customers ( mid 20's ) calls me 'bruv' and another, in his 50's often for some inexplicable reason calls me 'dude' - nobody else in my entire life has ever called me that and it always makes me think of the 80's when I hear it, though I do struggle not to laugh when he says it too.
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>>, though I do struggle not to laugh when he says it too.
I think you need to be a pretty cool, Californian to carry it off.
Coming from some entirely unsuitable person its like finger nails on a blackboard.
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>>I think you need to be a pretty cool, Californian to carry it off.
Coming from some entirely unsuitable person its like finger nails on a blackboard<<
He is a middle aged pilot and on occasion has gone out of the house in a polo shirt tucked into some very short, brightly coloured shorts with white socks pulled up to the knees - I haven't decided whether he is trying to be ironic or not...
He is an otherwise articulate and serious guy with a very nice, expensive car in a sober colour that is the height of good taste. I find the inconsistency fascinating!
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>>"Yo Bro, Sup?"
Precisely. Only they do it because they think they're cool.
b***** annoying it is, just as well I'm a mercenary git. It does tend to get them on my "intolerance list" though. So should they offend in the future......
I love karma. Mostly.
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>> Hopefully I've got it right, never had a call go bad on me.
You have to develop an ear to pick up stuff that, face to face, would be evident by body language. After years of telephone contact with public I think I've got that well sorted but I couldn't train somebody else to do it for themselves.
Another trick is concealing the fact that you need to keep to, if not a script, then certainly some sort of structure. In advice we use FAMED
Family
Accomodation
Money
Employment
Discrimination
It's meant to cover all bases and identify how the presenting issue, say employment, might impact on other aspects of people's lives. It's supposed to be used 100% but in practice supervisors will cut us some slack for stuff like phone contracts or, as I had other day, professional defamation. Try to cover it conversationally but doesn't always work.
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In one of the places I worked in the late 1980s there was a bloke (who was probably about 60 at the time) who referred to people as 'cock'. When he called me that I felt like belting him.
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>> In one of the places I worked in the late 1980s there was a bloke
>> (who was probably about 60 at the time) who referred to people as 'cock'. When
>> he called me that I felt like belting him.
IIRC from literature of the time cock or old cock were commonly used in RAF and probably other services in forties. Memory fades but I think bloke who headed tribunal office I worked in from 79-84 used it as did at least one of the judicial Members.
Both were born well before 1930 and both served in WW2.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sat 20 Jan 18 at 18:57
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>> In one of the places I worked in the late 1980s there was a bloke
>> (who was probably about 60 at the time) who referred to people as 'cock'. When> he called me that I felt like belting him.
>>
Fairly common to hear that when I was growing up in West Yorkshire. Usually when meeting someone you've not seen in a while.
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Call Centre etiquette - No FM2R
