Why I hate nametags...

[BookstoreEscapee]

Hi, I’m pretty new here…I’ve responded to a few threads but this is the first time I’ve started one. I hope I do ok. ::looks around nervously, clears throat as she steps to the podium::

Have you ever had a customer look at your nametag and insult your name? I worked in bookstores for 8+ years and always avoided wearing my nametag whenever possible. The main reason is because it was always getting in my way, especially since I was usually cashier and it got caught in a bag every, oh, 37 seconds or so. Besides, when you spend your whole shift behind the register, it’s pretty obvious that you work there (though I have had at least one person ask…).

Anyway, the other reason I avoided the nametag is because I have a somewhat unusual name. The pronunciation is not too far off from a couple of more common names, but I have only ever met 2 people with the same pronunciation. One was a customer, but she spelled it differently, and the other is my mom (and my grandmother, but I never met her).

The most common response to my nametag is, “How do you say that?” Which can get tiresome, especially since most people don’t actually hear what I’m saying when I tell them, and repeat back one of the more common, similar names, and generally we go through a few rounds before they get it right. But they’re just being curious, which is OK, and now at the ripe old age of 31 I can finally appreciate having a slightly “different” moniker. (I long ago gave up on some people pronouncing it right, and there are people I’ve known for years that still say it wrong. But I love them just the same.)

So, backstory in place:

One day I had a woman at my register. We’ll call her Jo, since that was the name on her credit card. Not particularly friendly looking, but I didn’t expect an SC moment from her either. She came up, I gave her my usual bright shiny bookseller smile and “hi, how are you?” She said hi, put her things down, then looked at my tag, and said, “That’s an odd name” in that condescending, i'm-better-than-you kind of tone. I just kind of looked at her and finished ringing up her books. I mean, do you say to that?

-ams-

[Gurndigarn]

Have you ever had a customer look at your nametag and insult your name?

Never had one insult it generally, but I find it annoying when people call me by my name. I consider my name something personal. If you know me (friend, acquaintance, or even other), I have no problem with you using it. If you don't know me, why are you acting so buddy-buddy with me? At least, that's my feeling on it.

Yeah, some bozo in corporate probably figured it would make us look "friendly and outgoing" if total strangers knew who we were. Grrr...

Now, one of the theaters I take care of has the managers known on their nametags and to their staff as "Mr. [Lastname]". I like this setup, mostly. It might seem a bit elitist in the staff --> management relations, but compare how these sound:

"Listen, John, you should give me a discount because..."

"Listen, Mr. Smith, you should give me a discount because..."

and, IMO, that makes it worthwhile right there.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Well, at least people's inability to figure out my name kept them from using it in that fashion. I totally agree with you though. I did get the middle aged men calling me honey and such...if you are a little old lady, you can call me honey, but if you are a sweaty 50 year old guy...um...no. Never had the guts to call anyone on it, though.

We were always told never to give out last names. I don't know if it's an official company policy, but it was a rule in my one store I worked in. The only last names I ever gave out were the store manager's and the community relations manager's, and those only for people who legitimately needed them to mail something or whatever.

OT...I love the smileys on this site. They make me happy. especially the bouncy guy

on that note, can someone tell me where the salmon comes from? Enquiring minds want to know.

-ams-

[Imogene]

I had a group of teenagers in my store one day... immediately came up to me and asked about the porn. I asked for ID, they wouldn't, *this is my surprised face*...
They wander the store a bit, then one comes back up to me, and asks me:
"Can I try to guess your name?"
M: *shrug* "If it'll amuse you, I care not."
"Erin?"
M: "No."
"Jess?"
M: "No."
*he kinda looked away for a moment, as if really deep in thought*
M: "I told you my name when you walked in the door."
"I wasn't listening."
M: "I know. You were salivating over the possibility that I might mistake you and your rabble for being of a legal age to buy porn."
"Damn, you're good."
He heads back to his posse, they wander more, one of them (a female this time) wanders up, looks at my lanyard.
"Aren't you going to get in trouble for not wearing a nametag?"
M: "Seeing as we don't have nametags, no, I will not get in trouble. Of course, not having them supplied for us didn't stop me from going out to buy one for myself. But that has not my legal name on it. It would do you no good if I wore it."
*the original one who tried to guess my name* "Damn, you ARE good."

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Yeah, some bozo in corporate probably figured it would make us look "friendly and outgoing" if total strangers knew who we were. Grrr...

I personally think it's more so that people can figure out we are employees of the store. As if our company-issued polo shirts don't already give it away...

Though I must say, I get annoyed when total strangers address me by name too. If I hear somebody call me by name I assume it's somebody I already know.

[ArenaBoy]

I hate nametags for the same reasons mentioned above. I feel uncomfortable when some complete stranger calls me by name. IPF has a point, our uniforms aren't enough but put a nametag on us and somehow it is?

[powerboy]

I hate wearing them, cause, you can see work is working at the store, if they are behind the register a long time, or they are cleaning up the place. This one gal, I used to work with, actully made name tags up with our last names . None of us wore them. I don't want my customers to know my name, unless I know them somehow.

[AFpheonix]

Some brainiac made up a set of nametags with both my first and last names on it. Um, no.

I just wore my old ghetto name tag until they got me ones that just had my first name on it.

[Retail Associate]

I hate wearing my name for all to see because I too have an unusual name. It's not hard to pronouce...it's...just...ugly! I've always hated my name and when I was a teenager I used to lie to the guys I'd flirt with and tell them my name was Julie.

I planned to change my name once I was old enough but never got around to it.

Anyhow, I have had people say unkind things about my name. One comment that sticks out the most was, "Why on earth would your mother name you ______?" I replied, "My mother hated me...even at birth!"

Another time a mother and her young daughter, maybe 5 or 6 years old, came through my line. The little girl tugged at her mom's elbow and then whispered something in her ear. The mother then said, "She wanted me to tell you that her name is _____, too." I looked at the little girl and almost burted out, "So, your mother hated you at birth, too, huh?" But I didn't. I just mentioned that there aren't too many people with this name.

I'd rather be called honey, sweetie or even bitch than to have a complete stranger call me by name as if we know each other.

[TNT]

I don't mind people using my name... but don't overuse it.

Me: Hello, my name is T.
Caller: Hello, T. T., I'm having trouble with my cable service. Now, T., here's what's happening... So, what do you think, T.?

[kurisu7885]

I hate it as well. Especially since some SCs get revenge o nthe mind.

[BlaqueKatt]

our policy is we give our first name and managers last name-yay our managers have large families

[blas]

I had a few customers here and there at every job that have seen way too many scary movies.

I had a few smartasses ask me, "You're not going to go all crazy and kill me are you?" or "So does that mean you have telekenesis?".........come on people, get real. I wish.

[greensinestro]

I hated this, too, when I worked for Publix. I found it disquieting when a customer I did not know from Adam called me by my first name, as if we were drinking buddies and had known each other for years. Yet, I didn't know what their first name was, nor did they volunteer to provide it.

This is unrelated, but hated the fact in customer service that we had to provide our full names over the phone and were not allowed to provide ficticious ones. With the rudeness, arrogance and vindictiveness of customers in the 21st century, I don't want a customer looking me up that was heated over the way I handled their call. It's been known to happen.

[simplyanother]

odd [/I]name” in that condescending, i'm-better-than-you kind of tone. I just kind of looked at her and finished ringing up her books. I mean, do you say to that?
-ams-

Maybe she meant it in the "unusual" sense, and not in the condescending jerk sense. Doubtful, but still. I hope I haven't offended any of the cashiers when I've commented on their names (then again, I never have made judgements, only noticing rarity, kwim?).

There is a cashier at my local Walmart named Ya-Ya. This amuses me for no particular reason.

My name is an off spelling of a more common name. It's one that can be pronounced a couple of ways, the same as the more common name, and the other way. My name is not the other way.

I've had customers come up and lecture me about the origins of my name, especially if they either have the same name, or have children with that name. Because, obviously, if I'm a cashier I'm too stupid to have any knowledge of my own name. Or they'll ask me where my mother got it. And then reply, "well we chose it because our family is [orginially from whichever western european country]", in that tone that lets me know they think I'm an idiot. (I mean, do they seriously want the whole story of how my parents came by my name?). I wonder if they think they've educated me when they leave. @@ at them!


The over-familiar thread reminded me of the people who over-use my name. I get that the nametag is there for a reason, but it's still aggravating. It's creepy. It bothers me more than it probably should, but it does. It's unnerving to have someone use your name like that, even if it is on your name tag, kwim? It's not the people who you see noticing your name...it's the ones who spring up from around the corner, hardly look at you and call you by name. I don't know, I just don't like it.