Honey, Hun, Sugar, Baby, Sweetie Pie, Dear, etc... these are all words that flow off some people's lips. They don't flow off mine. Nor do I appreciate being called these names. Never have, probably never will. I've been trying to use "Sweetie" or "Baby" on my 15 week (tomorrow) baby, and the words sound funny. I stick to "Pretty Girl" and "Happy Girl".
I received a call from an agent a couple of days ago, asking about one of my listings. Every sentence started with "Hun". Hun? I'm not your Hun. I'm a "Colleague". I run a business and I expect to be spoken to in a business way. 
I went through college waiting tables and bartending. People would call me Sugar or Honey or any of the above mentioned words, and I would turn around and say, "As I said, my name is Donna. If you need anything, just let me know."
To me, the words sound degrading. I understand that some people have used those words their entire life and don't perceive the words in the same manner, but please listen to yourself talk and ask yourself if it sounds professional to speak to other adults in a business setting (not personal setting) in that manner.
My name is Donna. It's not Honey, it's not Sugar, it's not Baby... my sister in law is "Sweetie" since my brother has forgotten her name, and my parents and I just roll our eyes every time he says it. We remind him that her name is Kathy, but he doesn't get the joke. I dated a guy once who called me "Precious" and all I could think about was my Grandparents' dog named Precious. Blah!
Are there other words that people say that bother you while trying to maintain a business conversation?
