Harbornite
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I couldn't really care less, although it's better if on board staff show a degree of friendliness.
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Thanks buddy ?
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Busaholic
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A high proportion of female shop assistants in Cornwall address all their customers as 'darling', male or female, first time they've seen them or not. It doesn't bother me, but I know some get vexed. Male shop assistants tend not to offer endearments, but 'buddy' would be the most common, also with delivery drivers. 'Mate' is another one, but I know that does infuriate some. As long as I've had pleasant and efficient service, that's all that matters imo. I know shopowners who will not address anyone as 'sir' or 'madam' because they consider it obsequious, which it can but needn't be.
Or if not darling, Love.
I quite like being addressed as 'Sir' - but not very many people do say that. Most of the time it seems there is no particular form of address from someone who doesn't know my name, other than perhaps 'excuse me'. Have y said that the other day the guard did had my tickets back saying "Thank you, Mr Starmill." because I had bought them online 
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What would you suggest then as the correct formal feminine polite form of address?
I don't know and wouldn't refer to a lady as madam myself. In modern English it's become a slightly derogatory term.
My American friend called ladies ma'am as he was used to doing when he first came to live here and got a mouthful of abuse back more times than not!
I once tried to get the attention of a lady in front as she dropped something. I called out 'excuse me miss' and she turned round and abruptly told me she wasn't a miss but a Mrs.
I'd much rather have an interaction with rail staff who are allowed to have some of their personality show through than a mechanical robot like 'Tickets please' and 'Thank you sir' interaction. If that means that I get referred to as 'buddy', 'mate', 'pal' or similar then so be it! As long as they don't go for 'Oi! You! Show us your ticket you git!' then I don't see an issue
That's reserved for Newport!
(Another thread refers.)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
In Nottingham you might be called 'duck' and - in Stoke - 'shug'.
Please don't take offence.
[It can be a minefield. Who was the railway manager from the Fens who learnt that "boy" was perfectly acceptable in Ely, but used to a West Indian member of staff in London could have caused a strike? Fiennes? Rayner?]
I know someone who once took a taxi to hospital to have four teeth removed. The taxi-driver said "Have a nice day"..... and wished that he hadn't. Now I realise that it is an unusual event but it can happen. If you want the ticket collector/guard/trolleyservice guy/whoever to be polite all they have to do is smile like they mean it and say "Thankyou" in a friendly tone of voice.
I regularly hear a guard on the Trans-Pennine service who announces that "We will be calling at such delightful locations as ....." very funny - but he sounds sarcastic. So he is ***ing off all the people who live there.
Johnuk123
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No it hasn't, perhaps some people need to examine their own prejudices.
What a ridiculous thread this is, started over a nothing incident, anyone in any job could call me virtually anything as long as it isn't abusive.
I know my wife would be totally at ease being called madam, she's American and if she was called ma'am over here she would be very surprised but it would be irrelevant.
As we live in the fens she used to being called all sorts of strange things but who cares possibly only people who must have a very interesting life.
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I agree with richw. I used Madam thinking it the female equivalent of Sir when I started out in retail and had several people take offence. I never use it.
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It depends on the circumstances doesn't it. I've explained my methodology in working trains before and I might call you duck, sir, mate or pal at different times of the day or week. 'Ay up lads, group savers all round?' might make you a rough bunch of lads from Mansfield's best mate, or 'good morning sir, what can I do for you today?' to the QC from one of the affluent Hope Valley villages will often end up in a friendly, brief, chat about the weather before he gets on with his work and I with my ticket sales.
Given I don't think I've ever had a substantiated complaint I think I probably get it about right!
As a guard who knuckles down and gets on with his job in a conscientious manner all I ask for is to be left alone to get on with it as I see fit, which generally speaking, I'm allowed to do.
Given I don't think I've ever had a substantiated complaint I think I probably get it about right!
As a guard who knuckles down and gets on with his job in a conscientious manner all I ask for is to be left alone to get on with it as I see fit, which generally speaking, I'm allowed to do.
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It is. People take offence too easily.
I agree people do take offence to easily. But I suppose part of any customer service job is keeping people happy. So I won't use a term that seems to offend. Even if that's the persons problem.
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Steveman
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This bascially, I find there are just as many passengers who would be offended at being called 'sir or madam' as there would be being called 'buddy or mate'. I treat every situation differently and try to judge the most appropriate way to address someone be it sir or pondlife.
This thread has demonstrated quite perfectly that some people are simply itching to be offended.
The only way around this first world problem is for ticket collectors to simply stand in front of passengers and wait for then to show a ticket.
Not to utter a word unless of an emergency.
Whatever they call them will in some people's eyes be offensive so they can't win.
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
This is how I became aware it's seen as derogatory. By saying it at work to customers who've then complained. Not one or two it was around 15-20 customers before it was feedback to me.
3141
Established Member
....Including the ones who get so worked up that they want the thread closed, or who accuse the OP of over-sensitivity when he'd made his point in a straightforward way and also made clear that it wasn't a complaint.
I'm one of the older generation. I prefer not to be called buddy or mate. But it happens, and I don't comment. If I was checking the tickets I'd just say "Thank you".
When someone says "Have a nice day" and the time is already 5.30 pm it does come across as purely automatic and unlikely to be sincere.
bengley
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I couldn't care less what people call me, though I prefer an informal approach. I am informal with people - if they want formality I'd suggest going to a nice expensive hotel or restaurant!
Another take on many of the postings is that the customer is always wrong.
Johnuk123
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If you called my wife ma'am and she complained that it was derogatory what would you call her ?
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
The other day a (Mancunian, going by the accent) Northern guard said "cheers, kid" after checking my ticket. Perfectly fine, except he looked a good ten years younger than I am!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
It always bugs me if a checkout person says "see you later" at the end of the transaction. Because if I do, it means I've forgotten something!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
It always bugs me if a checkout person says "see you later" at the end of the transaction. Because if I do, it means I've forgotten something!
Sounds fine to me, and also sounds consistent with Virgin Trains branding these days. I also find the Guards mostly tend to be very friendly on that route, and this sounds consistent with that (there will always be some exceptions in any job).
Out of interest, when was that?
The railways must have seen massive major improvement overnight if the greatest problem on them is to be thanked for cooperating with the employee, with the employee using a casual but affectionate pronoun.
Some people will complain about anything it seems.
Some people will complain about anything it seems.
Some people do, but Pinza-C55 isn't one of them. There's a difference between making an observation about a change and complaining about said change.
When your doing a high speed ticket check, 12 coaches, 15-25 mins I try and vary each answer, so you will get from me a thanks, cheers, great, thank you, in no order.
As for the Sir/Madam thing, thats what I use if I have to. Mate might get used, but very rarely.
I'm from the North East, and sometimes use Pet, but again very rarely and only in certain circumstances.
As for the Sir/Madam thing, thats what I use if I have to. Mate might get used, but very rarely.
I'm from the North East, and sometimes use Pet, but again very rarely and only in certain circumstances.
At the end of the day its all subjective. I have an elderly female relative who loves being called "madam" by a train guard. It might be a generational thing.
(p.s. I'm more annoyed at the term "buddy" because its yet another Americanism)
(p.s. I'm more annoyed at the term "buddy" because its yet another Americanism)
Apart from what is clearly a targeted insult, I am unlikely to 'offended' by any term of address. Some terms do irritate though and americanisms like 'buddy' is one of them. Other familiarities I can also get tired of, e.g. 'mate' which outside employment or biology contexts means 'friend' as in established, rather a friend through a 30 second encounter.
I don't see why customers/passengers need to be given any label in normal transactions, as please and thank you (or thanks/ta for a more casual flavour), is perfectly adequate and can't be wrong in the way that some prefer it to be.
I don't see why customers/passengers need to be given any label in normal transactions, as please and thank you (or thanks/ta for a more casual flavour), is perfectly adequate and can't be wrong in the way that some prefer it to be.
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