Call me madam, perhaps.

B****y thing's done it again.

'loov' is pretty common here, 'oop north' but I don't worry too much about what they call me as long as it's accompanied by a smile and good service. The midwives in Exeter who attended upon me while I was in labour with my first called me 'my lover'. Next time in Nottingham I was 'me duck'. At that time all I wanted was to get that baby out.

'loov' is pretty common here, 'oop north' but I don't worry too much about what they call me as long as it's accompanied by a smile and good service. The midwives in Exeter who attended upon me while I was in labour with my first called me 'my lover'. Next time in Nottingham I was 'me duck'. At that time all I wanted was to get that baby out.

Alea

I agree "you all right there?" is downright rude, what is wrong with "can/may I help you?"
Department stores in general seem to be so focused on not breathing down our necks that you have to practically jump up and down sometimes for attention. What happened to "customer service"?

My Indian ENT consultant calls me Madam. Up here it's quine or lass regardless of age.

I love being 'madamed'. It doesn't happen often mostly you get an 'you alright there' in the shops which I hate and usually reply something stroppy like ' no I've got a headache' and then wait until they ask me if I need any help or something like that. Here the traditional greeting is me'duck which is charming but fading out now I think.

John Lewis used to train staff to do just that, janeainsworth. DD dropped a near clanger when working for JL before university, checking a customer's account card, saw the name Therese (I think that was her Christian name ) Lawson, and quipped, (with the confidence of an 18 year old about to read Politics at university) " No relation to Nigel Lawson?" "Yes" replied Lady Lawson sweetly, "my husband".

Madam, love, dear, anything really.

Me too,manners are much more important to me.

I don't mind at all, as long as I am treated politely and with respect. I've always said I'll answer to anything.

Ok with Madam, agree use of my name is good. Like regional terms that are friendly. Really dislike dear or dearie. Really, really dislike a generalised 'you guys' - just not accurate!

I quite like Madam. But what I really like is when either in local shops or where I've used my credit card, the shop assistant has looked for my name and calls me Mrs Ainsworth.
Failing that I'll settle for 'pet' or 'hinny'

'Your Ladyship', of course . The reality is more likely to be no form of address at all. I do like Madam. Very respectful

Madam is respectful if a bit old fashioned but it does for any woman married or single.
Depending on how old the woman looks Miss, might be more appropriate. As in Madame or Madamoiselle

I detest being called "dear." Our local terms are "sug" (as in sugar) duck and a few "chucks" from those who come from Manchester way. Which I do not object to, they are fully intended to be friendly.

Oh the occasional "Madam" is nice, channels my inner Maggie Smith