people who talk on the mobiles while buying things / at the counter

haffajappa

as someone who works 2 jobs in customer service, this drives me NUTS...
especially when there is a line up of people, and i'm trying to ask them questions (especially when i'm working at the post office, but it happens at my other retail job as well)

by now it bugs me so much that i'll just up and help another customer behind them on a seperate till (if one is available) or i'll just continue on asking questions as if the cell phone isnt existent - i dont care if i'm interrupting them or not. of course there are exceptions, but most of the time its just plain rude.

ahhhh!
i just had to get that out after serving that last customer, who would actually start asking me a question, stop in the middle and talk about something on his phone, then start asking me again, and stop, and start and stop ....and start and stop!

Benzor

I cashier at a grocery store during the summer when school is out and this is one of the most annoying things ever.

Hitch-Hiker

Yup, very ignorant. I used to slap 'em in the face with a banana. It usually got their attention

russmc

I sometimes talk on the phone when I'm in line, and when I get to the register I'll put the person on hold, while I do the transaction. If its something simple like buying a pack of gum from 7-eleven, I'll continue on the phone. Its not like I need to have a conversation with the clerk just to ring me up for a couple of items.

The thing that bugs me is the people who talk on their cell phones while riding the bus or the subway. Like everyone wants to your conversation while we commute to and from work.

haffajappa

Hitch-Hiker wrote:

Yup, very ignorant. I used to slap 'em in the face with a banana. It usually got their attention

hahaha... a banana eh?
very interesting fighting tactics you've got going there.... great customer service too

haffajappa

russmc wrote:

I sometimes talk on the phone when I'm in line, and when I get to the register I'll put the person on hold, while I do the transaction. If its something simple like buying a pack of gum from 7-eleven, I'll continue on the phone. Its not like I need to have a conversation with the clerk just to ring me up for a couple of items.

The thing that bugs me is the people who talk on their cell phones while riding the bus or the subway. Like everyone wants to your conversation while we commute to and from work.

i can see a pack of gum...
but when you've got 5 options on how to send little timmy's birthday gift to montreal, and i can't go to the next screen (where you've got 3 more options on how to insure and track your parcel) without your decision... thats a bit of a pain in teh ass..

Hitch-Hiker

russmc wrote:

I sometimes talk on the phone when I'm in line, and when I get to the register I'll put the person on hold, while I do the transaction. If its something simple like buying a pack of gum from 7-eleven, I'll continue on the phone. Its not like I need to have a conversation with the clerk just to ring me up for a couple of items.

The thing that bugs me is the people who talk on their cell phones while riding the bus or the subway. Like everyone wants to your conversation while we commute to and from work.

Ok, what's the point in having a mobile if not to use it while moving about? Obviously it's annoying if people are talking unnecessarily loud, but otherwise I have no problem with that whatsoever.
In the case of the queue you're being rude directly to someone (namely the cashier) and that's why that sucks balls.

haffajappa

Hitch-Hiker wrote:

Ok, what's the point in having a mobile if not to use it while moving about? Obviously it's annoying if people are talking unnecessarily loud, but otherwise I have no problem with that whatsoever.
In the case of the queue you're being rude directly to someone (namely the cashier) and that's why that sucks balls.

Fortunately for me, i've learned how to msn on my phone. and facebook. and EVEN MESSAGE PIT ON MY PHONE.
And dare i say it, unfortunately for you more like - or you're school work anyways.

russmc

Yeah there are a handful of people that will talk quietly while commuting, I know I have a deep voice so I don't even bother. Its the ones that get loud and you have to listen to their entire conversation that is too much. I send text messages and use my gmail on my phone while I'm commuting.

But yeah if you're ordering something important, that requires a conversation with the clerk, put down the phone.

haffajappa

russmc wrote:

Yeah there are a handful of people that will talk quietly while commuting, I know I have a deep voice so I don't even bother. Its the ones that get loud and you have to listen to their entire conversation that is too much. I send text messages and use my gmail on my phone while I'm commuting.

But yeah if you're ordering something important, that requires a conversation with the clerk, put down the phone.

yah... iremember one time last year on the bus home from school... which was like, through this dodgy part of town.... this guy was talking super loud about how he was going to "punch her in the ff-ing face" and all this.. it was nuts. he went on and on about how he was going to completely and brutally beat up this woman..

random sidenote haha

Rhinocerous Surprise

doin'the-evolution wrote:

yah... iremember one time last year on the bus home from school... which was like, through this dodgy part of town.... this guy was talking super loud about how he was going to "punch her in the ff-ing face" and all this.. it was nuts. he went on and on about how he was going to completely and brutally beat up this woman..

random sidenote haha

And then, at the end: "K. Bye, mom."

celebration

Cell phones were/are the greatest invention ever, probably since the tv remote control. oops, wrong thread


Etiquette is hard to pull off sometimes, especially when life goes by so damn fast.

haffajappa

Rhinocerous Surprise wrote:

And then, at the end: "K. Bye, mom."

hahahah... in that part of town? i wouldnt be surprised!

my2hands

doin'the-evolution wrote:

people who talk on the mobiles while buying things / at the counter

this is one of my major pet pieves (sp?)


i absolutely HATE when people do that... it is right up there with healthy people that park in handicap spots... that is just about the height of being an asshole right there

vedder_soup

doin'the-evolution wrote:

Fortunately for me, i've learned how to msn on my phone. and facebook. and EVEN MESSAGE PIT ON MY PHONE.
And dare i say it, unfortunately for you more like - or you're school work anyways.

1 word! you are an 'internerd!'

really, do you need to be that mobile???
i think i can do it on my fone, but dont worry about it!

haffajappa

vedder_soup wrote:

1 word! you are an 'internerd!'

really, do you need to be that mobile???
i think i can do it on my fone, but dont worry about it!

way to go 3 words over, jackass.

vedder_soup

doin'the-evolution wrote:

way to go 3 words over, jackass.

:eek:
well as you have already slammed me on MSN, we will leave it there...

haffajappa

vedder_soup wrote:

:eek:
well as you have already slammed me on MSN, we will leave it there...

hahaha actually it was here first and then msn....

Collin

More than half of the time I don't pick up my cell phone because I'm doing something which I deem more important e.g. buying something in the store, sitting on the train, walking, listening to music...

Saw/heard a person have a really loud conversation on her mobile phone. But then her phone rang and she got all red and picked up the phone

DonJon

Lip sync to them!
Or do what you do and serve the person behind.

What about those that hop on the bus, state their destination then when they get told the fair they decide to get their purse outta their handbag. Then pull out a $20

Collin

DonJon wrote:

Lip sync to them!
Or do what you do and serve the person behind.

What about those that hop on the bus, state their destination then when they get told the fair they decide to get their purse outta their handbag. Then pull out a $20

I found out if you have to travel a short distance and you want to pay with a €50 bill, they usually let you ride for free

I rarely take the bus, though.

Hinny

One of these days, I'm gonna try walking in and doing something on the wi-fi laptop plus talking to someone on the bluetooth earpiece while ordering something at the counter, just to get a response from the server

catefrances

an extreme lack of respect. everyone you do transactions with deserves your attention. and that includes apu at the quickie mart and the bus drivers.

i hang up on people if im talking to them on a landline and they answer their cell phone. if it's so important the other person will leave a message... i'm here now so talk to me or take your leave.

one time i was walking down t he shops with my eldest and we were deep in conversation and her cell rang. she answered it without hesitation so i stopped walking. she told the person she'd call them back.

SENROCK

catefrances wrote:

one time i was walking down t he shops with my eldest and we were deep in conversation and her cell rang. she answered it without hesitation so i stopped walking. she told the person she'd call them back.

hahaha i love that!

vedder_soup

doin'the-evolution wrote:

hahaha actually it was here first and then msn....

:eek: and i thought we were friends... :(
no more buying you drinks if we manage to sneak you into bars on tour!

JaneNY

Well it kind of goes both ways, because I have had the experience plenty of times that the checkout person is conversing with another checkout person or the bagging person while handling my purchases, talking about their dates or something, as if I'm not even there. If people get that treatment, I can see them having no problem with being on a cell phone while purchasing stuff. I'm sure you don't do this, but maybe that's why the person you experienced was taking care of business on the phone while checking out.

kh65

Yes, I have one. But I look forward to shutting it off. I will not use it while driving. I hate using it around other people, because they don't need to hear my private conversations. It is a convenience not a necessity! Before we had them we got along just fine with pay phones, etc. WTF is so important that you have to be on the phone all the time, anyways?

Collin

kh65 wrote:

Yes, I have one. But I look forward to shutting it off. I will not use it while driving. I hate using it around other people, because they don't need to hear my private conversations. It is a convenience not a necessity! Before we had them we got along just fine with pay phones, etc. WTF is so important that you have to be on the phone all the time, anyways?

I got a cell phone for my birthday and wasn't exactly happy about it. Can't find a regular pay phone anymore, though. I mean the ones where you put coins in...

TransplantedNewf

At my retail job, i don't serve people when they're on the phone. I always say, "I'll help this person (whoever's behind them) while you're busy." The person on the phone either shoots me a look of disgust and hangs up the phone or is so stunned that i sadi something that they just move out of the way.

haffajappa

JaneNY wrote:

Well it kind of goes both ways, because I have had the experience plenty of times that the checkout person is conversing with another checkout person or the bagging person while handling my purchases, talking about their dates or something, as if I'm not even there. If people get that treatment, I can see them having no problem with being on a cell phone while purchasing stuff. I'm sure you don't do this, but maybe that's why the person you experienced was taking care of business on the phone while checking out.

ummmm... i dont think that was the case
perhaps... in one or two situations, but... i dont think that theory would count for all people who do it. and it does happen a lot

roar

we used to get upset with people talking on their cell phones during the morning rush at starbucks. (because it held up the line)

we'd zero in on the perp and fill every blender with ice and let them go...
turn on the grinders...and steam some half and half.....

it usually got them to end the conversation.