First name or Mr. and Ms.???

[Vibe Ray]

Do you refer to your customers by their first names or by Mr. and Ms.X. If so,do you start out calling them by their first name or do you wait 'til it seems right or do you have a set time that you wait 'til you start?

[Richard Martin]

It depends on what they say on the initial contact. If they introduce themselves as Mr. Smith then that's the way it is. If they introduce themselves as John then that's what I call 'em.

[GrassMaster]

Hello Everybody:

It would only be proper to say Mr. & Mrs. X at all times. I do it even if they request to be called by first name. It's strickly business 100% all the time.

Lots of problems getting on a personal basis with them, they feel they can talk to you more & ask more of you.

Then since you are on a personal basis with them, then they feel more free to question why you want more money!

You do not make money talking to customers.
What if during every job, before or after, you had to have a 10 minute conversation with them. Add up all the jobs you do in a year & then multiply times 10 minutes. Lotsa Bucks.

Same goes for checks, make them send them to you. Why listen about so & so's son going off to school. You there & do not have enough time as it is. Just say even 5 minutes only per job, more big bucks in a years time.

I was in it for the Money only! Money is Money & BS is BS.

Money is Work Divided by Time!

[awm]

While i have some friends that are
customers. I try to keep it pretty
much like Grass Master does . It can
prevent problems down the line. TM

[Toddppm]

Good question, I always use Mr or Mrs. I look way too young to be calling any adult by their first name unless they are my age and i know them well!
Another question that i was thinking of is what do you call the widows on their invoices? I usually just go with Ms. because they usually sign their first name instead of Ms or Mrs. A couple have corrected me on my invoices wanting to use Mrs. Also it could be a safety thing for some of them not wanting people to know they're widows and live alone?

[Vandora Lawn & Landscape]

I checked my copy of "The Professional Secretary's Handbook" and it specified to use Ms. when addressing a widow unless you know would prefer otherwise.

[Toddppm]

I knew that answer was out there somewhere! thanks

[Charles]

I call them MR or MRS, or MS until they tell me not too. Usually they will tell you to call them by their first names if they prefer that.

[jaclawn]

Older than me=Mr. or Mrs.
Younger than me=First name.

[stick9]

I can comment on this coming from a different angle.

When you personally know someone (call him/her by their first name), this can afford you some leanency when necessary .. Like, sometimes when it's raining DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY (like this 2ooo season) and you say 'geeze, joe, it's been raining like crazy for ALL this time!! Can you believe it?! We'll do the best we can'.. it kinda makes them feel like they HAVE to understand ... Whereas, when you don't really know the person, it's not really .. well, personal, for them .. Even saying 'Wow, mrs. butterfield, it's been raining all this time' doesn't have the same effect as say 'Wow, Julie, this rain has been terrible!' ..

stiCk-nine

[Rufur]

if customes insists you call him her by first name sayMr. Mike Mrs. Julia its old fashioned small business style use sir and ma'am just use the words casually not uptight like military style... in writing if a married couple its mr and mrs first name of guy then last name or just last name for single men and women mr-ms first name (if you know it) then last for widows I would say mrs. esp if older

[Toroguy]

Spelling errors have been hashed here alot. I make sure to spell their names correctly on all correspondence. I dont like to receive mail when my name is misspelled. If I am unsure of the spelling of a name, I then use the Mr. or Ms.

[guntruck]

I agree with grassmaster 100%, i feel the need to keep the relationship strictly business is essential to keeping an ongoing steady clientelle at hand.