Sainsburys assistant refuses to serve woman on her phone

Ste_C

ThumbRemote wrote: »

Last time I was in Sainsburys the checkout staff were having a conversation among themselves. Maybe next time I should insist they stop talking first.

At the checkout I have presented my shopping to the cashier to scan. My input is to bag, and, at the end of the process, to pay. I could manage those quite happily while talking on a phone.

Yes, the first thing is rude and unprofessional. But your approach is also incredibly rude and arrogant as well.

Regardless of whether you could manage to do it, what about basic manners and common courtesy?

SpammyTheSpammer

That people who have to use mobile telephones in these circumstances are obviously very important. I mean, if they have to use the telephone whilst liasing with a shop assistant then they must be at least one of the following:

• a heart surgeon, arranging an immediate urgent operation
• the Chancellor of the Exchequer, discussing the economic situation
• policeman or other emergency worker, being called to urgently assist at some horrible disaster
• someone consulting with their child or friend, possibly stating that there is a 3 for 2 offer on donuts in Sainsbury....

The fact that they are important is shown by the way that they fail to make eye contact with any other person around them; stumble about not knowing where to go and get in everyones way.

ThumbRemote

Ste_C wrote: »

Yes, the first thing is rude and unprofessional. But your approach is also incredibly rude and arrogant as well.

Regardless of whether you could manage to do it, what about basic manners and common courtesy?

Please note I rarely use my mobile for calls, nor would I do so at a checkout.

I was simply making the two points
1 - It's a bit much to complain at customers when the staff talk among themselves
2 - It might be impolite to use a mobile, but it's not necessary to engage in conversation at the checkout either.

bosseyed

Personally I don't see an issue with being on the phone whilst packing shopping at the checkout - here's the caveat though, as long as you acknowledge the cashier is there and are able to respond to any of their standard questions (help with packing, cash back etc). As long as you're still able to communicate in some way with the cashier, wheres the problem? Its not mandatory to make small talk with the cashier whilst they scan. Is it rude if I'm not on the phone but simply don't want to talk to the cashier? Is it rude if the cashier is not the friendly type and doesn't want to chat to me whilst they scan? I think not.

Its a business transaction, social interaction need only be bare minimum for the entire procedure to function well enough and its entirely possible to manage that whilst on the phone to someone else.

MamaMoo_2

bosseyed wrote: »

Personally I don't see an issue with being on the phone whilst packing shopping at the checkout - here's the caveat though, as long as you acknowledge the cashier is there and are able to respond to any of their standard questions (help with packing, cash back etc). As long as you're still able to communicate in some way with the cashier, wheres the problem? Its not mandatory to make small talk with the cashier whilst they scan. Is it rude if I'm not on the phone but simply don't want to talk to the cashier? Is it rude if the cashier is not the friendly type and doesn't want to chat to me whilst they scan? I think not.

Its a business transaction, social interaction need only be bare minimum for the entire procedure to function well enough and its entirely possible to manage that whilst on the phone to someone else.

I take it you've never worked in retail then?
It's incredibly rude and can make a cashier feel quite awkward. Whilst you may consider yourself "available", a cashier can feel as if they are being rude by interrupting you.

It's incredibly ignorant to be on the phone when conducting a face-to-face transaction. Why is it so hard to get off the phone for 2 minutes while you buy your stuff.

As a member of staff, I wouldn't dare to be so rude.

And as a customer, regardless of what I *can* do at the same time as being served, common courtesy means that I don't do other things.

spike241

Is this really any different to a parent chatting to their kids at the checkout (for example)? Whether talking on the phone or face-to-face they're still not giving you their full attention.

It is rude but I really don't see why it's such a big deal.

Loads of people deal with rudeness every day in their jobs (I'd hate to work in customer services, instore, online or telephone) but it doesn't make the news because they get on with the job they're being paid to do.

CharlieRabbit01

I work in a customer facing role (not retail) and I find it rude when people come in with their headphones on/in and on the phone trying to communicate with me as well as the person on the other end.

I have never refused service though on occasion when I can hear the music from their headphones I'll talk a little quieter so they have to take them off to hear me.

CharlieRabbit01

If I am on the phone whilst in the supermarket I'll always put it down when I get to the cashier as its just polite.

I extend them the same common courtesy that I expect back.

CharlieRabbit01

katejo wrote: »

I think that this is rude . If your phone rings , let it go to voicemail and ring back . However I have been guilty of listening to music on my iPod . Sometimes it is just that my hands aren't free to switch it off at the same time as getting money out of my bag but I do feel slightly guilty !

so just take you headphones off/out.

bosseyed

MamaMoo wrote: »

I take it you've never worked in retail then?
It's incredibly rude and can make a cashier feel quite awkward. Whilst you may consider yourself "available", a cashier can feel as if they are being rude by interrupting you.

It's incredibly ignorant to be on the phone when conducting a face-to-face transaction. Why is it so hard to get off the phone for 2 minutes while you buy your stuff.

As a member of staff, I wouldn't dare to be so rude.

And as a customer, regardless of what I *can* do at the same time as being served, common courtesy means that I don't do other things.

Correct, I've never worked in retail, but if I had/did I still genuinely wouldn't see it as a problem if a customer I was serving was on the phone - as long as, (crucially) as I say, they had taken the split second to acknowledge my presence and were able to respond to any queries I made. If they didn't then yes, I would find it very rude, but generally I wouldn't expect people to put their lives on hold even for a minute or two for me, a stranger, carrying out a business transaction, to give me attention whilst I attend to their purchases.

I appreciate it might make some cashiers quite awkward, but if the cashier is anything like me then they won't particularly care. And if they're awkward with people on the phone what are they like with the miserable customers, the grumpy ones, the ones who simply don't want to talk and don't respond to their conversational gambits?

I generally don't find it ignorant to be on the phone when conducting a face to face transaction, you can do both at the same time if you're sensible about it. I don't make a habit of it mind you, or course its nicer to interact with a cashier but if you're on the phone for a reason then that takes precedent over a total strangers likelihood of awkwardness.