AIBU- being on the phone when being served is just rude?

[autumnnightsaredrawingin]

I’ve just been to pick up a parcel from the post office. The woman in front of me was on her phone, as in having a conversation, not just texting. She didn’t even acknowledge the man behind the counter, gave him the card, carried on talking, showed her ID, took the parcel and left, without pausing her conversation or saying thank you.

AIBU to think pretty much any phone call can wait a few minutes whilst you’re being served, whether that be at a post office, supermarket, coffee shop or whatever? If you must be talking on your phone, at least pause the conversation and acknowledge the person serving you? It’s just so, so rude not to.

[TrudeauGirl]

I work in retail and have been shushed by a customer on the phone while I was serving them.
It's rude and ignorant unless it's an emergency call in my opinion. However some people are just like that.

[Phillipa12]

Off course its bloody rude but then some people are just incredibly ill mannered!

[emsiewill]

I was only saying this to my dh the other day. Someone in front of me at the counter of a shop was on the phone while being served and it is just RUDE. No need for it & people should learn some manners! Feel better now I've got that off my chest!

[recklessruby]

Dd used to work in retail and got this a lot, person on phone not acknowledging her.
She used to do the sale, pack the bag and say YOU'RE WELCOME in a loud sarcastic voice. It's bloody rude not to get off your phone!

[Thisreallyisafarce]

It's equally rude when people do it when serving you.

[dinkydonky]

I wouldn't have a problem with it, to be honest. Not even pausing to say thanks is a bit rude, but I wouldn't have an issue with them being on the phone. I'd rather just get on with the transaction!

That said, I would hate the amount of talking customer service jobs involve, so...

[GreenLantern53]

I dont think its rude at all. thank goodness for self checkouts! they should be everywhere.

[WhatToDoAboutWailmerGoneRogue]

It happens all the time. It’s even worse when you need to ask them a question and they get really annoyed that you’ve interrupted their conversation

[DoYouWantABourbon]

Extremely rude, yes, but a mild example in my experience. I worked in hospitality for 17 years and the rudeness I experienced from some members of the public was ridiculous at times.

[thecatsthecats]

Of course it's rude, though tbh, I've seen worse behaviour from servers more often recently.

Coop especially are TERRIBLE for this. So many times I have been to the shop and their staff don't even look at the customers as they're chatting to each other.

[Glumglowworm]

It’s extremely rude

There’s just no need for it.

[Pinkywoo]

I have been known to say cheerily "I'll wait until you've finished your conversation" and serve someone else!

[DoYouWantABourbon]

Coop especially are TERRIBLE for this. So many times I have been to the shop and their staff don't even look at the customers as they're chatting to each other.

I have two co-ops near me, one is exactly like this and the staff are bloody awful, and the other is the exact opposite and they can't do enough for you! Usually if the staff are terrible it's because the manager doesn't care in my experience.

[dinkydonky]

So many times I have been to the shop and their staff don't even look at the customers as they're chatting to each other.

See I wouldn't give a toss about this, as long as they were scanning the items at a reasonable speed!
They're their to check your items out, not be your mate.

Different if it's a scenario where you actually need to interact with them. But when they're just doing something simple (getting a parcel for you, scanning your items, checking your train ticket, etc) I'd far rather either party was able to simultaneously do something else!

[FrazzyAndFrumpled]

I laughed at the poster in a local charity shop, said something along the lines of “We value your privacy so won’t serve you while you’re on the phone.”

[MarthasGinYard]

Yanbu

Rude

No class

[Bluelady]

I've been known to ask a sales assistant to put her phone down when she was serving me. It's bloody rude.

[HildaZelda]

YANBU. It's incredibly rude. It's highly unlikely that someone is having a life or death situation that means they have to take a call while being served by someone, and if it's REALLY necessary then they should at least apologise.

[DarlingNikita]

It's SO rude. I cringe when I see it happening, and do British steely glares at the offending person's back.

It's no less rude if the person stops talking for a second to say 'hello' or 'thank you' to the person serving them, either.

No fucker is that important.

[Welshmaiden85]

Meh. I think eye contact and mouthing thank you whilst being on the phone is fine. Post office queues can be really long I don’t blame people crossing something else off the to do list whilst there.

[Rixera]

Very rude. Am guilty though. Was half way through being served in Starbucks and of course phone rang with call from uni I had been waiting for. Couldn't wait- my application needed to be submitted, and I had been waiting for them to get back to me for ages. But felt terribly rude.

[SnuggyBuggy]

It's rude but some people are a nightmare to get hold of on the phone, you are so grateful for a call back you don't want to risk not answering.

[MakeAHouseAHome]

As someone above said, if in long queues I will use the opportunity to tick something else off my to do list and that may require a ohone conversation. I avoid doing it in sort queues at supermarkets etc. However I did have to take an urgent call yesterday whilst having my shopping scanned through. Sometimes it IS unavoidable.

[RB68]

I don't think anyone has a problem with Urgent/v important, Mum was in hospital earlier this yr and Dad phoned me (not a phone chat person) so I looked at the server and just said I am really sorry I need to take this as My Mum is in hospital, she just said thats fine so I carried on packing and paying keeping eye contact with her etc and talking to Dad. You can be polite and still take the call.

[CheesyWeez]

I had my nails done in a shopping centre and a woman came in talking on her phone. She sat next to me and continued on the phone talking to her friend the whole time. When she was asked to choose a colour for her nails she said to her phone friend in an annoyed voice "Oh hang on Wendy they're talking to me"
She chose her colour then said "Sorry about that Wendy"
So, so rude.
YADNBU