Talking on the phone whilst at tills

[EgyptianSnow]

Is this rude? Lady at a store refused to serve me until I got off the phone
I was only buying slippers
I wasn't talking loud or even talking at the counter and my phone rang whilst I was in line
Was I rude? Is this rude?

[EgyptianSnow]

I mean I was holding the phone to my ear but not talking

[QuiteLikely5]

The same thing happened to me once but it was a very important phone call so I had to take it.

I would be interested to hear the view of supermarket workers

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

Yes, you were rude.

It's unusual she refused to serve you, but I have noticed some small independent shops round here have notices up explaining you need to use basic courtesy and get off your phone, and if it was one of those I'd think you'd been warned. Unfortunately I expect they'd get in trouble for asking you in somewhere like Tesco.

[Diamondsmiles]

I wouldn't make a call but I'd feel free to answer one. It's not like you're supposed to have a big chat with the person on the till.

[asmallandnoisymonkey]

You were rude by continuing your phone call while she was trying to serve you. I think it's incredibly rude and dismissive of someone to stand with their phone against their ear. If you absolutely couldn't terminate the call why not stick it in your pocket and bring it back out when you're done being served.

[GarminGirl]

We are handling money so need your full attention, is that really do hard to understand??

It's also breathtakingly RUDE!

[avocadotoast]

I think it's rude. Used to really piss me off when I worked in retail.

[Rivercam]

I used to work in a shop. I thought it was extremely rude when people would carry on a conversation whilst being served. I didn't mind if they answered and said they would ring them back, and then finish the call. However, to carry on with a full blown conversation is rude. By doing so, you are ignoring the cashier.

[CitrineRaindropPhoenix]

Next time use a self service till if you can, they don't care.

[KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes]

No. It's their job to serve you, whatever. Half of the time they're chatting to a colleague anyway.

Sometimes calls are important.

Although with the rise in crappy self service tills it's pretty obvious that customers are at the bottom of the priority list...

[PickleSarnie]

Ridiculously rude.

Unless the phone call is a matter of life and death. In which case I doubt you would be in a shop buying slippers. It just suggests that the shop assistant isn't even worthy of an acknowledgement from you. Surely it's just basic manners?

[StarsInTheNightSky]

I wouldn't make a call, but I would answer one if it was likely to be very important or urgent, but then I have no problem with shop assistants talking to each other and ignoring me whilst serving me, so I'm probably not the best person to ask.

[GarminGirl]

It's their job to serve you, interact with you and take your money

You are also supposed to bag your goods, check your Change and say thank you.... But hey, why bother with the niceties eh? It's only a fellow human you are disregarding

[HelloNewman]

It is extremely rude, yes.

[MiniLop]

I would never do this, incredibly rude!! I would either answer the phone and quickly tell the caller I will call them back later, or just not answer the phone. You do know that you are not obligated to answer your mobile every time it rings, don't you?
YABU

[mom2twoteens]

Yup. Very rude.

I work in a hospital and sometimes a patient will answer a call while I'm about to deal with them in a clinic setting. One time when we were busy I suggested he take the call back in the waiting room and I'd bring the next patient in. Why should everyone else be delayed 'cos he wanted to take a call.

In a shop too. Very rude. I wish more servers would ask you to step back and finish your call while they served someone else.

[PurpleSwift]

You were rude. They need your full attention whilst you're exchanging money and checking your change.

[Seren85]

Very rude. I would always hang back out of the queue if the call couldn't be terminated or say I would call back. Short of a call I was expecting that I knew was very important I also wouldn't answer a call. I worked in retail for years, it is rude and dismissive. I get annoyed by cashiers who chat amongst themselves whilst serving, that is also rude and dismissive. Saying all that, of all the rudeness experienced during my time in retail, it is not the worst offence!

[CitrineRaindropPhoenix]

Is the same level of attention required if you use contact less card payments? Just out of interest

. I don't use my phone at a till with a person, but increasingly find I get thd card reader pushed towards me with no other greeting or contact whatsoever.

[ijustwannadance]

So if you went to a till and the person serving you was chatting away to another member of staff and not even bothering with you, even though they processed the sale, would you think that was rude?
You can ring back when you leave the shop.

[KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes]

But till staff often are chatting to others. Or slurping tea. Or chomping on gum. So they can't talk to you either.

[MammaTJ]

Rude! There are signs by the tills in uni saying 'Please do not use your mobile while being served'. I was shocked people needed telling really, but from your OP clearly there are a lot who do not realise.

[donyourway]

I think its rude yes sorry.

[theendoftheendoftheend]

Oh fuck off seriously?? It's a transaction not a date! I wouldn't hang up the phone any more then I'd suddenly blank someone I was with. How ridiculous.

[WandaDorf]

Yes, rude.