If you wear a nametag at work...

[PollyannaMom]

If you wear a name tag at work, do you prefer that customers call you by your name or not?

I was thinking about this in the grocery store line today, and picturing two very different possibilities. It could be good - make the new kids feel comfortable and like they're doing a good job, make jaded employees feel like the customers saw them as people first, or it could be bad - sound condescending or simply way too familiar, as the tags were first name only.

So what do you think?


P.S. - If you didn't vote because you don't wear a nametag, please feel free to still type a comment about how you handle it as a customer!

 

[powellrj]

We had to wear those lanyard type name tags at my old job and I hated it. 2 of my kids worked at McDonalds in high school and they never wore the right name tags. Everyone one would trade. I always assume kids are doing that at other jobs too so I never use the names on the tags.

 

[PollyannaMom]

We had to wear those lanyard type name tags at my old job and I hated it. 2 of my kids worked at McDonalds in high school and they never wore the right name tags. Everyone one would trade. I always assume kids are doing that at other jobs too so I never use the names on the tags.

I didn't even think about that!

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I do no I would not trade I want employees and stunts alike to know who I am more so the students and stage know who I am and yes I have been figure printed

 

[Carrie_Cat]

We always traded so in the end the shop where I was working stopped it. Didn't want everyone knowing my name and all - we got some really creepy clients

 

[smadath]

I used to wear one, and hated when customers called me by name. Too familiar. You don't know me, don't use my name.

In that same vein, I hate when the employee calls customers by the name they see on a credit card or check. I'm sure some people appreciate the over-familiarization, but many don't. You can't go wrong with Miss, Sir, or Maam!

 

[maxiesmom]

I used to wear one, and hated when customers called me by name. Too familiar. You don't know me, don't use my name.

In that same vein, I hate when the employee calls customers by the name they see on a credit card or check. I'm sure some people appreciate the over-familiarization, but many don't. You can't go wrong with Miss, Sir, or Maam!

I work with someone who hates it when people call her Ma'am. Hates it! So unfortunately even those terms can get you into trouble.

 

[jen0610]

I know of teens that use to think it was funny to switch, until one of them almost got fired for one of the friends being a complete jackwagon to customers one to many times and complaints being reported against "Robin". They saved their job, when one of the worst complaints was for a time, when they were even on the clock. That put a stop to the foolishness real quick. It was a couple of the much younger assistant mangers, shift leads that were more of a "bud/pal" instead of being "leader/managers" with the kids, that would let them swap name tags.

 

[piglet too]

My husband does this ALL the time. Never thought that it might bother the workers.

 

[theworldneedscolor]

I voted "couldn't care less either way". However, I am a summer day camp leader so it is not unusual for parents to know our names. If it was at a retail/food job, it would bother me a lot.

 

[smadath]

I work with someone who hates it when people call her Ma'am. Hates it! So unfortunately even those terms can get you into trouble.

I guess whatever you call people won't please everyone. I just find it haughty to use people's names.

 

[SC Minnie]

I work a 2nd part time job that requires a nametag. My hair is long so covers it up most of the time. I don't want complete strangers calling me by my first name. We have some regular customers that do call me by name but then I call them by their first name too.

 

[bsblady01]

all teachers and staff in our district have photo id tags that we have to display during the school day.

 

[usnuzuloose]

We had no choice but to wear them. They had mystery shoppers, so they had to know their name. I did not like wearing a name tag.

 

[L&Lfan]

I always thought that was one of the purposes of a name tag, so that the customer/ client/ patient etc knows your name. I don't always address the person wearing one by name, but I never thought they'd be offended if I did...

 

[BadPinkTink]

Years ago I worked in a coffee sandwich shop where everyone wore nametags. The company used Mystery Shoppers to keep standards and staff motivation high. Once a month every shop unit would be visited by a Mystery Shopper, who would grade everything from the tidiness of the shop to the food quality, the service they received and if every staff member was wearing a nametag If the shop reached a certain grade, every employee got a bonus (an extra hours pay) If the Mystery Shopper noted exceptional service by a staff member, that staff member received an extra bonus (an extra hours pay) As a result, everyone made sure to wear their name tags and that it showed their real name. No one wanted to be the cause of the shop losing the Mystery Shopper bonus for not wearing a nametag or to miss out on the extra bonus for exceptional service.

 

[Mizzoufan]

It wouldn't bother me at all.

 

[mmouse37]

Wore a name tag for 23 years in my job and that was the purpose of the name tag....to be addressed by my name and not "hey you" or "lady" or whatever else.

My name is Mary Jane and that is what my name tag says but I did find it funny when every once in awhile someone would ask me if that was my real name or my "fake name".

MJ

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I worked for years in an organization (as does DH) that requires nametags. I had no problem with someone calling me by name. They were quite particular about what name you could have on your tag. One lady I worked with had a birth name of "Olive" but had never been called that her whole life. She had to go through several layers of management before they approved her "Sunny" nametag. You could only have authorized nicknames in place of actual names ("John" was OK for a "Jonathon", or "Barb" was OK for a "Barbara", etc).

 

[sonnyjane]

We have to wear them. I like it. When we get yelp or tripadvisor reviews, it's nice to be complimented by name. The only downside is because customers know my first name, they can sometimes track me down on social media through our company's facebook page by putting 2 and 2 together, matching the first name with comments on the business page. It's fine, I don't feel compromised, but I have a policy not to add customers on facebook so I have to delete requests occasionally.