Invalid object name dbo.getname ?

someone please help me?

i've made this used-defined function and sql won't let me use it,

CREATE FUNCTION dbo.getname (@.sname varchar(255))
RETURNS TABLE
AS

RETURN
SELECT ISNULL((select (c.firstname + ' ' + c.surname) from contacts.dbo.c_contact as c where c.employ_ref LIKE @.sname), @.sname) as FullName

using it,

select dbo.getname(c.EMPLOY_REF)
from c_contact as c

but everytime i try to use it i get,

Server: Msg 208, Level 16, State 1, Line 1
Invalid object name 'dbo.getname'.

what's wrong with it?, i should have rights, i am set as sysadmingot it to work,

CREATE FUNCTION dbo.getname (@.sname nvarchar(255))
RETURNS nvarchar(255)
AS

BEGIN
DECLARE @.ss as nvarchar(255)
SET @.ss = (
SELECT ISNULL((select (c.firstname + ' ' + c.surname) from contacts.dbo.c_contact as c where c.employ_ref LIKE @.sname), @.sname) as FullName
)
RETURN(@.ss)
END