I think what the gripe is, is that every last space in the world has now become a public phone booth. Technology marches on, but so does ignorance - of common courtesy and manners. I can’t fathom why people think it’s perfectly OK to talk at normal conversation level or louder to somebody on a phone in a public place, where the conversation isn’t anybody’s business but the caller’s and the callee’s. Why doesn’t it occur to millions of people to hang up the damned thing while they interact with other humans? What made that man think it was OK to describe his medical procedure in a restaurant? What makes anybody think it’s OK to dismiss a cashier or teller because the’re too busy yakking?
Heh, beat this: Once I was helping a man in Kmart try to find something he needed, and was walking around the store with him. He was trying to convince his girlfriend that something wasn’t his fault, or something like that. Anyways, at one point, he held the phone out to ME and said, “Here, tell her it’s not my fault!”
This happens pretty frequently where I work as well. Most of the time, people will break away from their call long enough to order and go back to their conversation as they’re paying. It’s slightly annoying, but I’ve gotten used to it.
OTOH, one customer walked in while I was working on another task and I stopped what I was doing and went to the register just as she arrived there, too. The whole time she was on the phone. When I asked her for her order (“Hi, what can we get for you tonight?”), she held up her finger as if to say (“Wait. I’m on the phone.”) For the first time ever, I walked away from a customer without a word and went back to my task. She stood their at the register for a few minutes engrossed in her conversation IN FRONT OF THE REGISTER! When the next customer came in, I went over to help them (the whole time 2nd customer couldn’t even approach the register). I ignored her until she got off the phone and said, “Sorry about that.” I shrugged it off with a curt, “No problem.”
I really hope she wasn’t expecting me to just stand there waiting with bated breath until she deigned to give me her precious attention.
I call bullshit on this undivided attention theory. I cannot count the number of times that the workers at a deli were carrying on conversations while making my order, including pausing the conversation to take my order. This is normal human interaction, and I see no problem with it. The same goes for the times when two checkout people (or bagboys) at the supermarket were in a conversation while ringing up my groceries.
What, exactly, is the problem with that? If there isn’t one, then the cellphone gripe is unjust. Being rude about being on the phone is bad, and I suppose there is a higher tendency to be rude while on the phone, but being on the phone in and of itself is not necessarily the problem.
“We train our employees to be courteous an helpful. We ask them to be respectful when dealing with our customers. They will not be distracted by any electronic device while serving you. Please show them the same respect by turning off your cell phone until your transaction is completed.”
See, if I’m talking to my coworker, and a customer comes up, I stop talking to her until I’ve taken care of the customer. I don’t go “Ok, so this’ll be 10 copies, stapled? --That reminds me of the time my mother-in-law said – you wanted that on pink paper? sure thing – anyway, she said blah blah blah.” I go “That reminds me of the time my mother-in-law - oh, hang on a minute - how can I help you today? Ten copies, stapled? What kind of paper would you like that on? Pink? Sure thing!” Then after the customer has been taken care of I’ll get back to what my mother-in-law said. I don’t carry on two conversations at a time because I was raised to believe that was rude.
I agree that people need to get off the phone before coming up to a service desk, checkout, etc. Here’s why its rude–
It is rude to interupt someone when they are having a conversation. However, by staying on your phone you are forcing the employee to interupt you. Also, you are slowing down the entire process, basically proclaiming that your phone conversation is more important than the customers who may come up behind you in line and more important than the work that the employee is doing. Finally, people on cell phones generally shove things at you without a word and expect you to know what to do with it. Not only does this often lead to employees doing the wrong thing and then having to go back and re-do it, it is also Bad Manners. Imagine your significant other wordlessly shoving their empty glass in your face and expecting you to refill it. Just because we’re getting paid for doing a task doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t treat us with respect. Employees are people, too, ya know!
It’s one thing for a bagger at the grocery to be chatting up a coworker, but the cashier? Come on now. They tend to make mistakes when they are directing there attention to other things besides ringing up my purchase. As someone who’s worked in service professions before, I can tell you, it’s friggin’ rude to not give your customer your undivided attention. It’s also rude for a patron to treat a server, clerk, etc…like a paeon. Those jobs are hard enough without having to deal with one more vehicle available to exacebate the prevailing rudeness in our society.
I think my issue with this is that their phones conversations are so stupid – perfectly ordinary chitchat, “how ya been,” yapping about their boyfriends, on and on and on. Nothing that couldn’t WAIT FIVE MINUTES. Like you can’t bear to be alone with yourself for a half an hour at a time. :mad:
Jeeze, it feels like I’m getting older and more out of touch every minute. I think it’s rude to talk on a phone while serving or expecting service, I think it’s rude for employees to talk amongst themselves while customers are present, and I don’t like having to listen to people having conversations on phones in public places (including stores).
I think you’re onto something, a35362 - I think people are allergic to quiet and the sound of their own thoughts. When I’m shopping or walking, I like to enjoy the peace and quiet. I don’t care for being forced to listen to half of a stranger’s conversation.
In this neck of the woods, ringing up groceries consists of sliding items across a scanner, not punching in numbers on a register. I’ve never seen a cashier punching numbers into a register and carrying on a conversation.
I’m curious about the distinction. Let’s say my buddy and I go to grab a couple sodas in a convenience store. The whole time we’re in the store, we’re in a conversation about whether my Giants or his Bills look more pathetic and sad. Is this more or less rude than if it’s just me on a cellphone with him having the exact same conversation?
I’m going to guess it’s more rude, because in theory the cashier can jump into the conversation when we’re both there, but cannot say anything when I’m on the phone. But the distinction I’m trying to make is that being in a conversation in and of itself is not really the cause of the rudeness. Hell, I might ask the cashier to back me up if we’re both in the store together. (Clearly the Giants are more pathetic.)
I personally see nothing wrong in having conversations with anyone using any technology at your disposal while you’re in a store until you step up to the counter to pay. I can’t speak for anyone else, of course. In your situation, with the Giants vs. Bills thing, you could include the cashier in the conversation, and segue into the transaction, but even that would fall under the heading of “not ignoring the cashier while you carry on your own conversation during a part of the shopping experience in which your input is required,” which is basically my guideline.
My thoughts exactly. Try not to speak loudly when on the phone, and tell the other person to hold on when you get to the counter, and it’s not a problem. The silent wave (usually impatient) at the cashier while continuing to speak on the phone is uncool.
It is possible to be polite while using a cellphone in public. It just appears that the odds of any random person making the effort to pull it off is vanishingly small.
Precisely.
It’s when they continue to blabber on to June about what a great visit they just had and how the kids are doing while shoving money across the counter and ignoring the questions I have ask in order for me to process her account that I get peeved.
Hence the request for ideas for signs.
Since they refuse to shut up, I just want to be able to point at the sign.
That way I can also have time to finish my posts here.
