Originally Posted by
EasternTraveler
If someone addresses you by your first name, no matter who it is, you should say directly "I'm sorry, I don't remember you, where did we meet?" response "You addressed me by my given name, people only do that when they are a close friend, relative or are rude and disrespectful. You weren't being rude and disrespectful were you?"
If enough people did that, the problem might go away.
What's the problem with being addressed by your first name? I prefer it, I am not better than the person providing the service. I am a customer and expect to be treat appropriately and with courtesy but not to be crawled to or treated as though I am a superior being. In return I will treat you with dignity and respect and expect to receive the service for which I have paid.
I rarely have a problem getting the appropriate level of service be it in first class on a top level international airline or economy on a LCC. I also find that being a decent person means I receive genuine service and smiles rather than forced servility. I rarely have a reasonable request refused without an explanation.
I think that people who expect others to crawl and suck up to them by insisting on being called Mr/Sir etc without good reason are usually full of their own self importance.
To those that insist on staff bowing and scraping to them I ask, "You aren't full of yourself are you? and, Why are you such a tosser?"