To The Reader's Forum:
Where have the good ol' days gone, where we referred to people by Mr. or Mrs., sir or ma'am? I was always taught to use these phrases as a sign of respect. Some people don't like being called sir or ma'am, and that's fine, but I don't like being referred to by my first name by someone I don't know. I've also noticed, particularly at health care facilities, they use "Sweetheart", "Sweety", "Honey", etc.
While you may mean nothing by it, I still think it's not appropriate in a professional setting. These are terms you deem a spouse, children, other loved one.