Am I right in feeling British people, on the whole, tend to be much more formal and unfamiliar than Americans?

I was taught that you should always address someone as MR... or MRS .... unless you are told otherwise. this is good manners and respect. I still do this today,the older generation expect it and i am not worried about doing so. Normally people will then tell you to address them using their christian name. I am an employer,i do not expect anyone to call me sir,they use my christian name. However,i do not like people i have never met,calling me by my christian name,especially when then call me on the phone,it shows a lack of respect. This is all just good old fashioned manners, Sir,is only ever used if you do not know someones surname I have noticed that whenever i am in the USA,people address me as "Sir" a lot more than they ever do here in the UK.

I've never called a boss Sir. I've never had any job where I referred to my boss by anything but his or her first name. Maybe that's the case in law or banking, but it's not usual in PR and Marketing

Yes, and it's what we're used to, but the difference isn't as much as you seem to think. I have never routinely called a boss "Sir", or expected my staff to call me that: it's always been first-name terms. On the other hand, I wouldn't do that on first meeting. I'd find out what the practice in that workplace is first. Nor would I do it with a customer. It just seems wrong and over-familiar. If I am in hospital, a doctor or nurse calling me Clive when I haven't invited them to feels like this. Calling me Mr ____ shows appropriate respect and politeness. I've recently had some bathroom flooring installed at home and nobody at the company even asked what my first name is. It was Mr ____ throughout the process and that's about normal. What you say might be more true of Germany, where there are two words for "you" - du and Sie. (The capital letter is important - "sie" means she.) Du is for friends, family, small children and animals. Sie is the polite form. It would be unheard of to use "du" in the workplace unless the two people concerned know each other very well and have agreed to it.

The funny thing is my wife is from Texas and had to get used to calling her boss by first name in the UK. Also she said that in Texas people are addressed and introduced as "Mr X" or "Mrs Y" much more, we just use first names usually.

I went to two private schools I called my teachers sir. I worked in the city of london. I have never called my boss sir. Colleagues and directors etc were all on a first name basis. Business introduction is done on a full name basis..hello im john smith, this is bob builder. Telephone manner would be hello can I speak to bob builder please its john smith speaking....thereafter hi bob. I have never called my dad sir. However socially but very informally I do sometimes say "hello sir!" to a completely level peer out of joviality upon arriving at an occasion. Americans must understand Britain is normal. We do not speak or live in downton abbey. Neither are we colin firth or hugh grant. US kids say to seem to say to neighbours "why yes of course sir". I used to say.."yes ok".

That is because British people have a bit more respect for others than Americans have.