My sentiments exactly! I've always thought this was very "car salesmanish" and a huge turnoff. We don't talk in our normal everyday life this way with our family & friends. Why would we treat our customers any differently when we're trying to create that "welcome home" feeling?

Same thing goes for repeating "anything" multiple times. For example, I went with my daughter a few months back to the mall so she could return a gift at a department store. As I sat in a chair by the dressing rooms, I saw the "big wigs" stop to talk to the clerks at the counter and push them to say "Excellent" at least 7 times to every customer that purchases something. Of course, in my mind the movie "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" pops up, which I'm sure wasn't the impression they were aiming for.

When my daughter selected her item to exchange and we got up to the counter, I told them "Please don't you dare say "Excellent" to me 7 times." The clerks both seemed embarrassed and said "Oh - you heard that?" To which I replied, "Yep, but I'd rather you just be yourself".

Oh I *hate* it when people use my name repeatedly, or worse, without my permission. Target is notorious for that - just because I give you my credit card doesn't mean that I'm giving you permission to use my name! I know it's supposed to sound friendly (my retail days were not so very long ago, after all) but frankly it just creeps me out.

The big question I have is this - when you come back for a follow-up visit (that is, if you can STAND to come back), will they greet you with a big, "Hello, Annie! So nice to see you again!" Or will they need a little memory jog. Sincerity and providing genuine service make a 100x's more positive experience than using my name 100 times ever will!

(My other question is: do they use this same technique on existing residents? Or are they too busy memorizing guest card info to bother learning their rent-paying customers names?)

Glad to see our own Dear Abby back! Always good stuff!

LT - My husband put it best... when we rented two times ago, this scame scenario occured. And there's only so many times that you can hear "Mr. and Mrs. Smiley" without losing the straght face. As we were walking out of what would be our townhouse... he asked the leasing agent if she had ever seen the movie "Rainman" and when she said,"No, Mr. Smiley I haven't Mr. Smiley' he advised her to do it. We laughed the entire way home at that leasing agent's expense and can honestly say that while we did rent there, it was not because we bought the person. We bought the house plain and simple.

They probably all attended the same training by a "professional" and were taught to use a persons name as often as possible. Or should I say some training "professional or whatever you want to call them". The patronizing can work 2 ways

Can you work on the stores that insist on trying to pronounce my last name when they thank me for spending money?