Community Chat

[KathyPet]

I just finished a awful telephone call with the Business services customer service people at Comcast.  I am trying to get my deceased husband's business account cancelled and they are really giving me a hard time.  They actually transferred me to the retention unit where they try to get you to,stay as a customer.  I kept explaining that he was dead but they insisted I had to go through their stupid procedure before they could issue a request to cancel service. Kind of hard to talk a dead person into keeping their Comcast service.

Anyway, they asked for my name and I gave it.  From that point on all the people I spoke to started off the conversation by addressing me by my first name.  This is a business call.  I am not these people's friends and most of them are probably young enough to be my grandchild.  I expect to be addressed as Mrs. (Last name) unless I tell them it is,okay to use my first name.

[chrystaltree]

Then you should have told the customer service reps to address you as Mrs.  They aren't mind readers.  The fact is we live in causal times and most of us are okay with being addressed by our first names.  

[Jacie]

First, I am so sorry for your loss, not easy.

Second, unfortunately, it's Comcast. I think when you deal with any cable company you end up having to wear extra armor. They don't do much right.

I'd forget trying to speak to someone, send a letter with a copy of the death certificate. We had to do that after my Dad passed. It went far more smoothly.

Good luck.

[Laura14]

I'm with you @KathyPet.  It's very unprofessional to be so informal with a stranger unless they say, "Call me Kathy."  I'm in customer service and I would never even if the company policy was such.  My manners come first.

I'm so sorry about your husband and the nonsense you are dealing with now.  I hope it's over soon.  

[QVCkitty1]

No, the rep. Should have asked if they could use her first name. That is just basic good manners.

[faeriemoon]

@KathyPet  First let me say that I'm sorry for your loss.  However, your post gave me a giggle.  I don't like it when someone very young who has no idea who I am or how old I am calls me by my first name over the phone.  I'm not that old, but it just seems rude.

I had kind of the opposite experience yesterday at a lighting store when a young employee called me "miss."  It's been a long time since I was a miss and not a ma'am.  I'm sure he thought the words were interchangeable, but it gave me a thrill.  (Well, a smile maybe.)

[Mothertrucker]

So using first names is "too familiar"? Huh? I always call people by their first names..in fact when I meet clients for the first time, they frequently only GIVE me their first name..."Hi, I am_______" and I do the same...

I am certainly never offended when someone  calls me by the name my parents gave me...why would I be?

What if the C/S person answered the phone by saying "hello, I am Mrs Johnson, how can I help you?" Would that offend some because they thought she was "demanding respect" that she didn't deserve?

Perhaps if you want to be addressed by a title, you should tell people that.."To whom am I speaking?"  "Mrs. Jones"... Simple as that...

[DiAnne]

Comcast is my cable company and they are well known for this.  The local news has actually had recorded calls of someone trying to cancel service and the hoops they had to jump through. 

[Burnsite]

I agree,  Nothing is worse than "young lady" but the first name is bad.

The day I fired Comcast and hired Directv, I had a lot less conflict in my life, even though in FL Directv is out everytime it rains, which is a lot.

Weaned me off TV, which was a boon. 

Condolences on your loss, KathyPet.   You were doing a sad chore and hit someone very insensitive.  But Comcast are absolutely the worst company in the world, if not the galaxy.  QVC reps are always respectful--or 9 times out of 10 anyway.  Good training.

[spix]

Doctors & Dentists do the same thing, you are, first name, they are Dr. last name, so they're basically telling you that they are "above" you.  When I first met my internist, she came into the room, hand extended, saying Hi Mrs "last name", I'm Lexy, that has continued for 20+ years, also the hospital she is affiliated with does the same, I've always been addressed there as Mrs

Went to a new dentist, he kept calling me by my first name, but whenever in the conversation it came up, he was Dr so & so, until I finally called him by his first name, kind of shook him up, & he was young, I don't go to him any longer, not because of that but thought his dentistry was below par.

As been stated we live in a very informal world, manners are a thing of the past for the most part as are many other things.

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@KathyPet, sorry for your loss & what you are going thru, been there done that, so I know how awful it is