Why do EAs think you will be impressed by excessive use of first names?

Nenen

Is it me?

I rang an EA earlier today to arrange a viewing and when he asked my name I gave our surname 'Bloggs... Mr & Mrs Bloggs'. He immediately asked me what my first name was and proceeded to use it at least once in every sentence... something along the lines of... " Well Nenen, if I can just take a few details from you Nenen. Have you got a property to sell yourselves Nenen? Oh, already sold Nenen, that's good Nenen. I will try and arrange a viewing for you Nenen..... on and on he went ad nauseum! :mad:

Maybe it is a sign of me getting old but personally I find it rude for people to use my first name to conduct business unless either, we know each other very well or, I have expressly asked them to call me by my first name. I think this excessive use of first names (presumably many of them are trained to do this as he certainly isn't the first one) just sounds ingratiating and completely insincere. I don't find it professional and it certainly doesn't encourage me to buy anything they are trying to sell me!

To top it all, when I asked him if the property was made of traditional brick or concrete construction, he didn't have a clue (supposedly). When I asked him if the advertised 'offers in excess of' meant that the vendors wouldn't consider an offer below this he muttered about it being important to go and look first and then think about that afterwards. This is a property that until recently was marketed at 239,950 and has just dropped (afer several months) to 'offers in excess of 230,000' (wow-wee huge drop there then! :rolleyes: ).
I know that the job of an EA is to get someone through the door but is there really any point when I've told him that we wouldn't be interested if it was concrete construction and/or at that price?

Rover

Two reasons:
Psychology, they're your friend and are acting in your best interests. Just like car salesmen.
Most EA's are very friendly at the moment. Just like car salesmen who are struggling to achieve sales.

tanith

Because he imagines it will make you think he is your very very bestest friend in the world. He's probably new too ...... very enthusiastic and smiley ... don't u just hate them...:rotfl:

merlinthehappypig

I don't like over use of first names, but I prefer to be called by my first name than 'Mr Thehappypig' or whatever so it doesn't bother me as much.

My wife, on the other hand, prefers 'Mrs Thehappypig' to her first name when dealing with agents and the like.

I guess it is all a matter of preference. To me the sign of a good agent, or any other salesperson, is the ability to infer from the conversation how the customer wants to be treated, rather than use the same approach for everyone.

chelseablue

Sounds like a right wide boy to me!

Biggie

funny enough I was annoyed because I realised each time I call my EA and my vendors EA the person asks my name before transferring me to the person I asked for. The person who I asked for then asnwers the phone and has no idea who they're talking to "Why ask for my name" ?????


It almost as if it's used as a password to proceeed.

Jorgan_2

Biggie wrote: »

funny enough I was annoyed because I realised each time I call my EA and my vendors EA the person asks my name before transferring me to the person I asked for. The person who I asked for then asnwers the phone and has no idea who they're talking to "Why ask for my name" ?????


It almost as if it's used as a password to proceeed.

Thats a simple one, they want to know who they are speaking to. Its the same with many businesses, the receptionist won't put you through until they know who is calling.


As for the using of first names, I've seen this hapen many times, quite often with newbies to the business. They are told people buy people & to become friendly with clients. I've upset many training sessions in the past when I've refused to go along with the role play, it isn't that easy in the real world so why make trainees think it is?

Personally, I deal with people in the same manner I would like to be dealt with. I do not use first name terms with buyers or sellers until they invite me to use their first name. Likewise, if I am a customer, I will quite often ask to be called by my first name, but only if I get a good vibe off the person I'm dealing with. Its a simple rule and works for me.

Nenen

merlinthehappypig wrote: »

I guess it is all a matter of preference. To me the sign of a good agent, or any other salesperson, is the ability to infer from the conversation how the customer wants to be treated, rather than use the same approach for everyone.

I quite agree (yet again! ). I would have thought that the clue for the EA is when they ask for the name of the person they are speaking to, the name the person choses to give them first is the one they would prefer to be called by! In my case, when he asked my name, I clearly said 'Bloggs... Mr & Mrs Bloggs' ...obviously that was too subtle for him to understand! :rolleyes:

As for them wanting to be my friends... words fail me! All I can say is... with friends like these who'd need enemies?

LandyAndy

merlinthehappypig wrote: »

I don't like over use of first names, but I prefer to be called by my first name than 'Mr Thehappypig' or whatever so it doesn't bother me as much.

My wife, on the other hand, prefers 'Mrs Thehappypig' to her first name when dealing with agents and the like.

I guess it is all a matter of preference. To me the sign of a good agent, or any other salesperson, is the ability to infer from the conversation how the customer wants to be treated, rather than use the same approach for everyone.

I think if my surname was Thehappypig I'd prefer first names as well:D .

I agree about the good agents, or any other professional, being able to read what's appropriate.

chappers

Nenen wrote: »

Maybe it is a sign of me getting old but personally I find it rude for people to use my first name to conduct business unless either, we know each other very well or, I have expressly asked them to call me by my first name.

Nothing to do really with your post but my father-in-law is a retired solicitor and was always used to doing business on surname terms.
thirty odd years he moved into his house and within a couple of weeks met the guy who sort of lived next door. My FIL intorduced himself as LLewllyn-Jones and the neighbour himself as Vic. So for 30 odd years my FIL and MIL and the whole family have been calling them Mr and Mrs Vick including Christmas cards and addressing them as such when they bump into each other. It was only just before christmas when "Mrs Lynch" died that they found out they were Victor and Mary Lynch.
God knows what they thought about my wifes Paerents.

tr3mor

I'd get !!!!ed off at this. Can't you just say "It's Mrs Bloggs to you son!" and scowl.