Is it only me?

Or maybe it is a sign I am getting old but I find deeply offensive to be called mate or buddy. I have just been called both by a 20 years old kid on the phone and I am reeling with it. I am afraid that he just felt the full force of my discontent as I let him have it from both barrels.

I was just trying to spend a vast amount of money on a trade fair space and rang my normal contact at Clarion. I was transferred to the new kid on the block as he is now looking after the section I want to exhibit in. He greeted me with a “Hello Mate”. That sent me in a spin and then proceeded to say:  “cheers buddy” later. That is when the straw broke the camel’s back…

What are they teaching kids at college these days? Or should the parents take this responsibility. I, or rather we, certainly tell our son when he drops his Ts, use inappropriate language or lack of respect to an elder.

Surely it is not difficult to understand that there are several ways to express yourself, you should know that you can’t address people at work like you may address your friends. I do realise that we have moved on from calling everybody by their family name and add Mr or Mrs in front but there is a minimum of politeness to respect.

I have a similar issue with smart casual. I was working for a large corporate company when they relaxed the rules on shirt, tie and jacket in the office. The memo that came out clearly said smart casual, no denim. Then eventually the rule was relaxed on Fridays, that was not official but people started to turn up in jeans on Fridays and nobody from management said anything. I must admit to have had a quiet word with my team and told them what dress code I expected. I probably would have been shot down by HR if they had ever found out… That would only been yet another telling off as I once told a young member of staff who was seating at our table during a business dinner to stop texting or I would insert his mobile phone somewhere painful.

I left there in December 2008, when I visited the place recently during a week day, I saw at least 8 people in jeans. How long is it before people turn up in shorts and slap the MD on the shoulder?

Or maybe it is me and I am becoming a dinosaur.