OT - customer service greetings/conversations

[DaddyChoc]

hello sweetie, how can I help you sugar, have a great day honey... is this proper? Do it make you feel sexy, loved and served? or are pissed and unsatisfied? Is it ok coming from a woman but not from a man?

 

[pinotbear]

Tho' I was born in CT, and have lived "back east" most of the last 35 years, I grew up in Louisville, KY. Customer greetings like that make me smile - reminds me of an earlier part of my life. So, works for me!

 

[reno tony]

hello sweetie, how can I help you sugar, have a great day honey... is this proper? Do it make you feel sexy, loved and served? or are pissed and unsatisfied? Is it ok coming from a woman but not from a man?

I see you started this at the wee hours of the morning. Are you calling those late night dating lines again.

 

[Samanthabrown3]

Whenever somebody addresses me as sweetie or honey, I sweetie or honey them right back.

I live in the North. No one here is calling a customer sugar.

 

[UConnChapette]

I don't mind them, personally. It tells me they are not working off a script which I find annoying as heck.

27 years ago I worked for Marriott in their reservation center. I still remember the "script" to this day...

"Thank you for calling Marriott Reservations. My name is UConnChapette. How may I help you today?"

After determining the hotel (or city) and dates:

"Let me check the availability for you. One moment please."

"Thank you for waiting (even if it was mere seconds). I can confirm availability at <hotel name> with check in on <check in date> and check out on <check out date> at a rate of $$$ per night. May I confirm that reservation for you with a major credit card?

After completing the reservation...or checking other dates or rates (only IF requested by the caller):

Is there anything else I can help you with today? Thank you for calling Marriott. Good bye."

The number one thing I learned from that hideous job from the underworld...when you call for reservations (does anyone even do this anymore?), ALWAYS start by asking for the lowest available rate. The reservation agent can see all the available rates but are obligated to quote the hotels preferred rate first. The hotels set the rate they want quoted first and it is rarely the lowest available rate. This is true, or was at the time, even if you called the hotel directly. Only if the caller specifically asks for the lowest rate can the agent start there. Of course, if the caller balks at the quoted price, agents can go to the next lowest. The objective is to book the reservation but at the highest possible rate.

How I hated that job!

 

[DaddyChoc]

I like when they say thank you with my name after a lengthy conversation... I seem to think my name may have gotten lost in the shuffle.

and for the record I don't like the sweetie stuff... how do you know I'm sweet

 

[JimGunther]

How I hated that job!

Built character, I'll bet.....and more appreciative of how far you've come (even if you're not all the way there yet)

and.....you can may more fully appreciate when someone does that (or some other "lousy" job) well.

Maybe it's my advanced years but, I find myself saying "Thank You darlin' " more often - at least if the wait person is over 50. She could probably use a smile.

 

[pinotbear]

I like when they say thank you with my name after a lengthy conversation... I seem to think my name may have gotten lost in the shuffle.

and for the record I don't like the sweetie stuff... how do you know I'm sweet

maybe they're jus' hopin', DC, .. maybe, they're just hopin'..

 

[Bestiarius]

hello sweetie, how can I help you sugar, have a great day honey... is this proper? Do it make you feel sexy, loved and served? or are pissed and unsatisfied? Is it ok coming from a woman but not from a man?

Makes me feel diabetic.

 

[arty155]

I like when they say thank you with my name... and for the record I don't like the sweetie stuff... how do you know I'm sweet

- It seems for some guys, the subliminal message just never stops working, man.
- With an ultra-cool handle like yours, nobody is going to blame the ladies for daydreaming you're sweet,... or at least semi-sweet.

 

[DaddyChoc]

- It seems for some guys, the subliminal message just never stops working, man.
- With an ultra-cool handle like yours, nobody is going to blame the ladies for daydreaming you're sweet,... or at least semi-sweet.

good point...

 

[meyers7]

I have to catch myself from saying "love ya, bye" whenever I talk to someone on the phone. I do it so often with the wife and kids it just carries over.

 

[Samanthabrown3]

Maybe it's my advanced years but, I find myself saying "Thank You darlin' " more often - at least if the wait person is over 50. She could probably use a smile.

Sorry, Jim; I'd still clock you.

 

[DaddyChoc]

a female doctor just said "thank you babe" to me... then took it right back, saying ooops Im sorry for saying that. I said its ok

guess she felt that was unprofessional because she didnt know me personally

 

[Icebear]

But she clearly knew you were a babe. Strut your stuff, DC.

 

[DaddyChoc]

**strutting**

 

[meyers7]

*strutting*

You da man.

 

[Sargassoc]

I don't mind them, personally. It tells me they are not working off a script which I find annoying as heck.

27 years ago I worked for Marriott in their reservation center. I still remember the "script" to this day...

"Thank you for calling Marriott Reservations. My name is UConnChapette. How may I help you today?"

Your message reminded me, after twenty years, that I was the voice on the Cheese and Stuff answering machine. I was always a little freaked out that, long after I left, my voice was still there.

"Thank you for calling Cheese and Stuff. We are located at 550 Farmington Avenue, between Whitney and Kenyon Streets. Our hours are 9 am to 9 pm Monday through Fridays, 9 am to 6 pm Saturdays, and 10 am to 6 pm on Sunday."

Can't believe I could recall that. . .

 

[JimGunther]

I hope you'd be more patient than that.

Chapette reminded me of one of my pet peeves:

The automated message that says, "This call may be recorded ....etc"

Invariably, I find myself muttering, "Never mind recording, will you ever ANSWER the da**ed call?!?!?!"
==========
I'm 'old school' in many ways: I've always felt the first telephone impression is one that may be lasting" Sadly, so many companies have some pretty bad people making that first impression....and often their automated wait-time deal is WORSE!

PS: I still enjoy that Ritz Carlton response to just about every inquiry: "It would be my pleasure" -- Phony as the day is long but waaayyy better than "No problem" -
No PROBLEM?!?! What kind of response is that?

Sorry, Jim; I'd still clock you.

 

[UConnChapette]

I hope you'd be more patient than that.

Chapette reminded me of one of my pet peeves:

The automated message that says, "This call may be recorded ....etc"

Invariably, I find myself muttering, "Never mind recording, will you ever ANSWER the da**ed call?!?!?!"
==========
I'm 'old school' in many ways: I've always felt the first telephone impression is one that may be lasting" Sadly, so many companies have some pretty bad people making that first impression....and often their automated wait-time deal is WORSE!

PS: I still enjoy that Ritz Carlton response to just about every inquiry: "It would be my pleasure" -- Phony as the day is long but waaayyy better than "No problem" -
No PROBLEM?!?! What kind of response is that?

I confess to being a recovering "no problem" addict. While I still use it on occasion, I think I use it more in an appropriate way - where someone is profuse in their thanks for something they feel I went out of my way to do when it did not create a problem for me to do it. You know, the kind of "OMG, thank you so much for doing this, I know you had a lot of other things to do and I really appreciate your taking the time" kind of thanks. After reading a prior thread that crucified users of "no problem", I now make a conscious effort to simply say "you're welcome" to an equally simple "thank you".

 

[DaddyChoc]

I got this guy that says "Im sorry to trouble you" every time we speak (annoying), buddy its a part of my frickin' job.

I need trouble or I'd be out of work

 

[Geno-ista]

Makes me feel diabetic.

hello sweetie, how can I help you sugar, have a great day honey... is this proper? Do it make you feel sexy, loved and served? or are pissed and unsatisfied? Is it ok coming from a woman but not from a man?

Born and bred in Ct! But after 5 yrs at the Country Music Fest in Nashville- when every waitress 16-65, of all ethnicities comes to take my order, put there arm around me and call me "sweetie" or "sugar"- I love it because it is who they are! Not the many service people that are nice just for the tip, or become nice at the end just prior to the tip. The people are so much warmer out of New England it is unreal. I love it!!! I can't take being called "sport" from another guy- tick's me off!

 

[DaddyChoc]

if they serve you a few times, thats cool cause a relationship is being built but 1st time, no thanks!

 

[meyers7]

I confess to being a recovering "no problem" addict. While I still use it on occasion, I think I use it more in an appropriate way - where someone is profuse in their thanks for something they feel I went out of my way to do when it did not create a problem for me to do it. You know, the kind of "OMG, thank you so much for doing this, I know you had a lot of other things to do and I really appreciate your taking the time" kind of thanks. After reading a prior thread that crucified users of "no problem", I now make a conscious effort to simply say "you're welcome" to an equally simple "thank you".

Must have missed that thread. But I use "no problem" all the time. In place of "you're welcome" sometimes but also in place of "yes" or "sure". As in "Can you pick up milk on the way home?" "No problem". Though it's usually pronounced "no prollem"

 

[meyers7]

The people are so much warmer out of New England it is unreal. I love it!!!

Yea, I notice that every time I head back home to IL.

TI can't take being called "sport" from another guy- tick's me off!

It's "Chief" for me.