On your cell, do you expect service?

[It's A Happy Day]

I work sales in a retail jewelry store. The store I work in you cannot purchase anything or really inspect the merchandise w/o asking a sales associate to see items - it is ALL locked up in glass counters. Several times we have customers talking on their cell phone when they walk in the store. While I do not have an issue with you carrying on a conversation/talking on your cell, I will NOT approach a person or speak to someone while they are involved in another conversation. I feel that they are not ready to be approached or just walking through/browsing. I will make eye contact, nod, or some means of acknowledging that I see them but I will not approach.

If you are on your cell phone would you expect a sales staff member to assist you or would you expect the associate to wait until you finished the conversation and hand up before helping or assume you are just browsing?

 

[LindsayDunn228]

When I am shopping, my phone is in my car. I would never be so rude as to do that.

 

[Blondy876]

I try not to be on my cell phone when shopping but if I was, I certainly wouldn't expect to be waited on. I think that by being on the phone the person is clearly showing that they are not ready to be waited on.

I have to laugh though, just the other day I went to the salon and got a call on my cell from a co-worker just as my stylist was taking me back. Normally I would have ignored the call and just muted it but I knew the co-worker would not have called if it wasn't an emergency. Sure enough it was and it took about 15 minutes to sort everything out. I figured that since I was on the phone the stylist would go to her next client but she didn't, she got right to work on me. As soon as I hung up I apologized repeatedly for being so rude and she laughed. She said that it was rare that she could get through an appointment without her client chatting away and she thought it was funny I felt the need to apologize.

 

[LadyyRedd]

I would never expect service while I was on my cell!

I was in the store the other day and my phone rang as I was walking to the registers. I answered, stopped about 10 feet behind the register entrances, off to the side, finished my call. While I was talking, one of the cashiers kept motioning to me to get in her line. I kept putting my finger up as if to say "just a minute". When I got in line, she asked something like why I didn't start putting my stuff on the belt. I said because it's rude to get in line while you are on the phone if you are the one who is being waited on!

Kimya

 

[Tinklvr]

No I would not expect service, but I work in a pharmacy, and many, many customers expect to be waited on while they are talking on the phone. This is SO rude! These same customers are the first to call and complain that they had 3 rxs and were only given 2. Maybe if they weren't so busy talking on the phone, they would have actually responded when I asked how many rxs they were picking up. Ok, vent over, but this is a major pet peeve of mine.

I also am very bothered by people walking around the store having very loud conversations on their cell phones, especially when they have a bluetooth. They appear to be talking to themselves and for some unknown reason, talk in a volume that is at least twice as loud as they would use if the person was standing next to them!

 

[spazzyjazzy]

No, I would not expect service. That would be rude to expect it if I was on the phone.

I work customer service at a court in my city and we use a number system to help people. Some people will not come up because they are too busy on their phone. I use the 3 strikes and you are out. If you do not come up by the third call I move on to the next number. The person will always come up sometimes with their phone still stuck on their ear and showing me the number above the person I am helping's head. I tell them to take another number because their number has passed. They get all huffy and puffy. Another thing we do at work is if the person is talking on the phone when they come up to the window is ask them to step away if they are not ready to be helped and they can take another number to be helped when they are ready. That usually gets them off the phone real quick.

 

[PrincessTiff]

Sometimes, i'll use my cell when I don't want to be bothered or i'm just browsing . Not all the time, of course.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

When I am shopping, my phone is in my car. I would never be so rude as to do that.

i dont necessarily think its rude to be shopping with the cell phone on you--NOT while expecting service or screaming into the phone...My friend was in Iraq and could call at any time..i answered it a few times in a store and i didnt go anywhere without my cell phone..so i dont think its rude to not have the phone in the car, but just the way some people are with their cell phones

 

[ilovepcot]

I don't talk on my cell phone in public places. I answer and tell the person I'm at the salon, mall, restaurant or wherever and that I'll phone them back when finished. I absolutely can't talk if I have an audience.

 

[Sparx]

I've used my cell in public places, but I don't expect someone to approach me when I'm using it.

 

[Luv'sTink]

Nope, I would not expect anyone to help me while I was on the phone.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

If I'm the customer, no I do not expect to be approached if I'm on my cell phone.

Being in retail, what gets me is many times I've had customers who will allow an incoming call on their cell phone to interrupt while I'm in the middle of talking with them. I'm talking about floor covering, not exactly a small ticket item either. And yet, while talking with customers I will ignore or not answer calls coming in on my cordless store phone (unless it's one of the managers).

 

[Charade]

I can see it now...

(person on phone says to other party)

"Hold on a minute"

(then pulls phone a way from mouth and yells)

"EXCUSE ME! Can I get some service here!?!?!?"

 

[Cantw8]

nope, when I'm on my cell the person on the other end has my undivided attention I would not expect someone to wait on me

 

[pearlieq]

No, and I find it quite rude when people on their phones shove stuff in the faces of sales clerks without so much as a word in their direction.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

I can see it now...

(person on phone says to other party)

"Hold on a minute"

(then pulls phone a way from mouth and yells)

"EXCUSE ME! Can I get some service here!?!?!?"

You would be surprised....the looks some people give me because I didn't offer my services. Sorry

But I am not a mind reader and do not intend to stand there while you discuss your personal life. If you want my undivided attention, then I must have the same respect.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

i dont necessarily think its rude to be shopping with the cell phone on you--NOT while expecting service or screaming into the phone...My friend was in Iraq and could call at any time..i answered it a few times in a store and i didnt go anywhere without my cell phone..so i dont think its rude to not have the phone in the car, but just the way some people are with their cell phones

All I meant was it would be rude to stay on my cell and expect service.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

I wouldn't talk on my cell and expect service. It's rude.

When I worked retail this was one of my many pet peeves. I had many customers wait on a line for 5-10 minutes (during this time of year). Then the second they get to my register they whip out the cell and start calling someone. The call is nothing important, just some mundane call that could have waited 3 minutes. Sometimes they would make me wait for them to pay because they just had to tell the other person something!! Now that is incredibly rude!

I have nothing against shopping while talking on your cell phone, as long as you keep using an indoor voice. But...please keep your conversations on topics that you could discuss with your grandma. Seriously, no one wants to hear about it.

 

[MichelleVW]

I walk around Target on my phone...(I HATE shopping and talking on the phone keeps me sane while I'm in there) BUT I say goodbye when I'm going to check out....

 

[ericamanda01]

I'm a teller at a bank and after years of doing it I have learned how to deal with people on cell phones. I will do one of two things: A: I will talk to them just a little louder than normal so that they hear everything clearly. or B: I will let them finish their conversation while I help another customer at an empty window. No one else really cares about their phone call and they certainly don't want to wait for them to finish so they can have their turn in line. It's their money I am dealing with, you would think they would want to be a little more involved.