We are regressing

[RichardB]

Perhaps Sir should join the Wine Society.

To be properly posh, they are actually “The International Exhibition Co-operative Wine Society Limited”.

I believe Sir will find their approach more formal and appropriate.

The wines are good too

Nah, I don't like wine enough. I like a drink of red now and again, but I CBA with all the snobbery around it. Beer and whisky for me.

I only went for the Naked Wines offer because they had been badgering me on Facebook for ages, and at under £25 for six bottles it is great to have some to give as Christmas presents.

 

[ColinJ]

Getting a car insurance quote and the cheery geezer asks "is it ok to call you Bernard?"

NON!!!

Joking aside I've always found older French people to be extremely correct and well-mannered.

The younger ones though (see above)... Sacrebleu!

 

[RichardB]

The younger ones though (see above)... Sacrebleu!

Are we allowed to say 'handbags'? Probably not. How about sacs à main? Oui?

 

[nickyboy]

This is where the OP needs to be buying his wine if he wants proper service and a bit of grovelling and scraping

I fear their pricing may not quite match that of Naked Wines to be honest

Berry Bros. & Rudd | Award Winning Fine Wine & Spirits (bbr.com)

 

[yo vanilla]

OK, I expected a bit of a kicking for this post, but I got it off my chest. To be clear - I'm not criticising anyone's use of language. Talk how you like, use slang or txtspk, rising intonation, Estuary English, whatever, I'm, er, 'down with it, youngsters'. Some great responses, though, so thanks. Made me laugh.

What I am complaining about is faux corporate chumminess. It doesn't make me feel welcomed and involved, just patronised and alienated - and determined next time to use a business that behaves like a business, not a clown school.

With you 100%. At the very least can we have business language remain somewhat formal?

 

[mudsticks]

With you 100%. At the very least can we have business language remain somewhat formal?

Nah- I send all kinds of silly friendly stuff to my customers (the real deal-- not faked stuff) - chicken emoji is, cabbages with googlie eyes, pictures of me in a piglet hat.. All of it.

They still keep coming back for more..

And before you start up - no they're not all da yoof - some of them are well into their eighties

 

[I like Skol]

Nah- I send all kinds of silly friendly stuff to my customers (the real deal-- not faked stuff) - chicken emoji is, cabbages with googlie eyes, pictures of me in a piglet hat.. All of it.

They still keep coming back for more..

And before you start up - no they're not all da yoof - some of them are well into their eighties

Yeah but, you are you and you are your business, so the personal touch is real and natural. I think what the OP is getting at is the way that the staff from large businesses and corporations act all 'pally' because they are told to, to stay 'on trend'.

 

[mudsticks]

Yeah but, you are you and you are your business, so the personal touch is real and natural. I think what the OP is getting at is the way that the staff from large businesses and corporations act all 'pally' because they are told to, to stay 'on trend'.

Excuse me, but I'm not my business.

My products and my services are my business.

I'm not selling myself

But yeah, I know what you mean, I have generally had at least some kind of personal contact with all of my clients.

They know what they're getting themselves into..

I take the p*ss too, if a carton of something or other, starts to address me all faux chummy like

 

[Drago]

I tells you what grinds my gears. Politicians that don't wear a tie with their suit. How can I be expected to take them seriously when they don't even bother giving the appearance of taking their own business seriously? Christ, they'll be wearing berets with red stars next.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Do you realise, if the group The The had come from Leeds, they would have been called ' ' ?

The Twats?

 

[Saluki]

Naked are a local company to me, less than a mile away.
I have to say that I like the wine and don’t mind the blurb and titles.

 

[RichardB]

Nah- I send all kinds of silly friendly stuff to my customers (the real deal-- not faked stuff) - chicken emoji is, cabbages with googlie eyes, pictures of me in a piglet hat.. All of it.

They still keep coming back for more..

And before you start up - no they're not all da yoof - some of them are well into their eighties

As you say below, you have actually had personal contact with your customers. I'd be fine with this; in fact I would value the personal approach and you would get repeat business from me.

But the Naked Wines email wasn't like that. They don't know me, never met them, and they are treating me like we went to school together.

I think there is a good principle (and works in hospitals too) where the relaxation in formality, while generally a good thing, should be at the invitation or at least approval of the other party - customer, patient or whatever. To assume familiarity might be fine with some people, but to others it can be quite an uncomfortable experience.

 

[Ridgeway]

I still keep seeing this thread pop up and read it as "we are re-greasing" i need some new bearing grease but keep getting disappointed when i click on the thread

 

[oldwheels]

Nah- I send all kinds of silly friendly stuff to my customers (the real deal-- not faked stuff) - chicken emoji is, cabbages with googlie eyes, pictures of me in a piglet hat.. All of it.

They still keep coming back for more..

And before you start up - no they're not all da yoof - some of them are well into their eighties

Works for you obviously but in my business world of two distinct products it could not work. We would simply have been regarded as some mickey mouse outfit and just some cottage industry not serious producers.
Some could not understand that we did not have a London office and so were regarded with suspicion.

 

[mudsticks]

Works for you obviously but in my business world of two distinct products it could not work. We would simply have been regarded as some mickey mouse outfit and just some cottage industry not serious producers.
Some could not understand that we did not have a London office and so were regarded with suspicion.

Of course, I appreciate that.

I don't need my bank, insurers, solicitors, teaching regulator, or any other pro body I expect services of that sort from to send me chicken cartoons.

Of course it's context as ever.

But I'm pretty sure wine is supposed to be fun.

If not, I've been doing it wrong for some time ...

Anyway, quick let's scarper before someone mentions Brexit.