How should banks address customers by default?

castle96

All irrevevant, except medical Dr      address as Dr - respect!

Dr_Crypto

I prefer “Your Beneficence”. 

quirkydeptless

Dr_Crypto said:

I prefer “Your Beneficence”. 

So not Dr then

HobgoblinBT

When I worked in banking, we referred to customers by title and surname, or if they had a title it would be Sir Christian name or Lord title name.  This is and was a sign of respect.  My work name badge had my full name and if the customer referred to my by my Christian name, I used their Christian name. By the same rules, I am not your mate, or Boss (unless ordering a kebab) or duck or love.  If you know my surname, use it, or if not I am Sir.

NottinghamKnight

castle96 said:

All irrevevant, except medical Dr      address as Dr - respect!

Well some will insist on being called Mr. of course....

Tragen

neither... full name please. and I dont like title, unnecessary. 

IvanOpinion

NottinghamKnight said:

castle96 said:

All irrevevant, except medical Dr      address as Dr - respect!

Well some will insist on being called Mr. of course....

They start as Mr, spend years of training to be called Doctor and then spend more years of training to get back to Mr.
Personally I prefer 'Professor' but I allow my friends to call me 'Prof'.

Dr_Crypto

NottinghamKnight said:

castle96 said:

All irrevevant, except medical Dr      address as Dr - respect!

Well some will insist on being called Mr. of course....

Only surgeons. It is to do with them being barber-surgeons originally rather than physicians. 
It is even funniner when they have PhDs and still insist on Mr!

London7766551

It's always sir or Mr XXX when I go to banks.  Barclays were the best, HSBC have grown lax in recent years, the rest no chance it is hit and miss depending who you get to deal with at the branch. But I think all bank staff should greet the customer with Mr XXX. None of this modern dribble. We are not friends, I want you to deal with my account and that's it. It isn't going to give a personal touch by a first name greeting, just deal with my enquiry. I am under 30. I remember when I had a child account and the bank would refer to me as MASTER XXX XXX. I can't see that going on for much longer.

To add to this, with the modern mumbo jumbo with words ie some people are wanting to end he/she, him/her, mr/mrs, what is a bank to do? That is the other side to it and perhaps why banks are moving away from the formal greetings. Totally ridiculous people need to get a life.

Takmon

blue.peter said:

Banks seem to have started addressing their customers by foremame alone as the default. In my opinion, it's still wholly inappropriate for almost any business, and especially one in financial services. It's presumptive of a personal relationship that simply doesn't exist, and is therefore rude. They seem to have forgotten the difference between "customer" and "friend". Being polite by using a customer's title and surname doesn't preclude switching to forename if invited to do so by the customer, but it's very difficult to move in the other direction.

In my workplace we all refer too each other using our forename; even when in meetings with external customers and suppliers. I completely disagree that it's rude to use someone's forename and i can't think of anyone introducing themselves as 'Mr Surname' in any business meeting or call it is usually "Forename Surname" and nobody has ever had any problem being called by their forename no matter their age.