Shop assistants

I was called ‘dear’ by a shop keeper the other day. First time that’s happened to me. I wasn’t happy.

It doesn’t bother me at all, especially if said with a smile.
I’m not very good at ‘mate’, I can’t say it right.

generally in retail there is no need to call the customers anything.
just please, thank you, that'll be five pounds. goodbye.

Is it only me having deja vu, didn't we discuss this on another thread not that long ago?

We are about to have some building work done and the Builder called me Darling. I did not mind at all in fact I was quite chuffed.

My next door neighbour (male) always calls me sweetheart, which tbh I was a bit taken aback by to begin with but it is regional isn't it?

Retail staff have codes of conduct though and shouldn't be calling anyone love, they also have guidelines regarding what they are allowed to discuss on the shop floor.

Sir or Madam always got stuck in my throat in my many years of retail.
Especially when the attitude was,that as shop assistants we where there to serve and somehow beneath those we served.
Times have changed and courtesy on both sides of the counter should be observed at all times, but I would address my customers either by Mr/ Mrs, or if regular by their first names and if neither if those apply then lovely or me darling

i don't see what's wrong with guys, it's a generic collective term for a group of people to me, informal but totally inoffensive.
however i do not like inappropriate terms of endearment.
i realise there are regional differences, but i felt a bit miffed when the 2nd vaccinator called me my dear.
i think there is a sexist element, as if patting a little girl on the head. he would not say it to a man of the same age. so he is assuming some kind of superiority over me, which is patronising.
he was a middle-aged man, probably younger than me. as an educated person, ?pharmacist, i think he should know better.

I don’t mind what I’m called as long as it’s not rude!

We get called "lovely" round here. Don't mind at all. Good to be lovely.

I'm happy to be called 'pet' as is the custom in these parts.

I don't really like it when someone refers to 2 or more of us together as 'you guys', or just 'guys'. It's a useful catch-all, I suppose, but I've never been a guy in my life! 'Folk' might be more acceptable.

Doesn't bother me at all. I don't think it is ageist.

I must be very easy going because I am not in the least bit bothered, certainly doesn’t make me feel incredibly old, it wouldn’t bothered me if I was called cock or mate either would probably make me smile,

I don’t like hun or babes either the expression here used a lot is mate. It doesn’t bother me.

I don't object to being addressed that way and I don't think it is ageism - around here everyone is addressed as love no matter what their age

Oops......not Jon.....should be None! I'm now going to destroy this ********ipad!

It doesn't bother me in the slightest. There are far worse things to be called and worse attitudes to contend with. I'm pretty sure these terms are used by the shop assistants without any intention of being patronising or demeaning (though of course, context is important). Now being referred to as "guys" is a different matter! ?

I think terms of address like this are a regional thing........in some places it's duck, mate, love, cock.....the list goes on. Jon are particularly, if at all, offensive really.

There are things I don't like i.e. Hun, babes and a few more like that.

Question is, what would the OP prefer to be addressed by a shop assistant?

1st world problem

I don’t mind it really. Where I live it’s normal to call each other love. Even men say it to each other. Besides, there’s worse things to be called.