[LINK] Optus signup form - Popes need not apply

Stilgherrian stil at stilgherrian.com
Wed Mar 11 08:45:09 AEDT 2009


On 11/03/2009, at 8:33 AM, Lea de Groot wrote:
> Indeed.
> I've taken to doing name fields as 2:
> 1. What is your full name? eg John Smith, Mrs Mary Van der Housan,  
> Sting
> 2. How would like us to address you? eg Mr Smith, Johnny, Mary, Sting
>
> It seems to cover all contingencies that I've come across (except the
> anal people who say 'but we need to know what their first name is!' To
> which I reply, 'no, you need to know how they want to be addressed.')

This is the most sensible response to this issue I've ever seen! The  
data needs to be recorded so that:

   * The person is distinguishable form other clients/customers.
   * The person is addressed in a way that is considered polite.

Given the fundamental Privacy Principle that you don't need to collect  
any more personal information than is necessary to deliver the  
service, I reckon that most of the time you don't even need a person's  
name -- just some unique identifier.

Because I grew up in the country, and maybe because of my age, I feel  
that it's rude to ask a stranger for their name when all you're doing  
is, say, selling them fruit juice.

Some time ago I took this up with Boost Juice Bars, who insisted on  
asking me for my name. My solution was to tel them I was Amanda  
Vanstone -- and demanded that their staff called me that.

     http://stilgherrian.com/human-nature/boost-call-me-%E2%80%9Camanda%E2%80%9D/

Their reply was the usual corporate hype -- completely failing to  
accept that for some people their policy of creating "a great all  
round experience for all" failed if they insisted on a one-size-fits- 
all approach to manners and, ironically, failing to use their own name  
when replying.

Stil


-- 
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