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?

And I don't see how not leaving the house would change anything? But you would benefit from not being so passive aggressive on mumsnet, it's nasty.

I'm sorry your family are having a hard time, Pepperoni, but surely it would be better for all concerned if you had what must be rather emotional and difficult conversations when you were able to give them your full attention, ie at home or in some other non-public place?

Too many people think every call or text requires their immediate attention and that they have to have really in depth conversations on the phone. It is really really bad manners to expect a person serving you to have to negotiate around your call. If you are in a shop, grabbing a coffee or whatever, STOP, end your call, or ask the person on the other end to hold, engage with the person serving you, then resume call. In supermarkets, stand away from the checkout with your goods, complete your call and then move through the checkout.
For those people saying it is fine I would say the world is a better place with manners. As little as 20 years ago we were not all slaves to technology and life was fine. This obsession with always being available and the like is so annoying. People in shops and coffee shops etc deserve to have a pleasant experience from the customer just as the customer deserves a good level of service. It's just basic manners.

wow kvetch15 I wish that making my life as simple and perfect as yours was a choice. And I wish I could chose to make my ill child better and my dead best friend alive and cancer free so I wouldn't have had to insult any shop keepers by taking her phone call while at the till. I sure hope that no one in your life ever has any need of help because I don't think you would be terribly good at giving it.

Sometimes people just want to vent, I dont get a word in but getting things off their chest helps. It's not often I do this mind as I accept its rude and don't like doing it.

I have however encountered so many more rude shop staff in my life, makeup counters being the worst. They are really bad for just point blank ignoring you or laughing at you when you ask for something.

I know every situation is different and if I had ever made anyone feel dismissed or ignored for being on my phone I would be mortified and apologise but I also accept that some retail workers are just as rude as customers and would have a face if I was on the phone or not

And I'm far from needy for using my phone a lot, I'm NEEDED. There is a difference.

pepperoni I am sorry that things are difficult for your family. I hope that they improve. Please ignore the selfish comments that the perfect judgey people on here seem to think will make them something other than they are.

I've never done and would feel rude if I did but if it's an important call I don't think it's that bad. I think it's more rude (and occurs far more often) when the person on the till is having a chat with a colleague.

Sofia I think the world needs understanding as much as it needs these formalities and manners! Sometimes we have to prioritise and sometimes taking that phone call is more important than pleasing a shop worker that you may not see again. Some people are stubborn and can't accept that we can be polite AND sometimes need to take calls at the checkout.

I think it's rude to talk on the phone while being served but I have done it in an emergency - phone rung while waiting in the queue and I apologised to the person on the till.
More often I have experience staff having conversations with each other while they serve me - and this has happened several times in Waitrose, the newsagents and the petrol station.....without even acknowledging my existence other than to tell me how much money I owe.

Not rude, jumped up shop workers.

Many times they talk with another shop worker and conversations. I always pay by card so they have zero thinking to do.

One once got pissy for only removing one earphone when I was paying. Stuipd bitch wanted both of them out. I think I'd rather listen to the morale maze than a shop person thanks. I'm the customer.

Those jumped up shop people should know their place.

Exactly! I'm the customer and I want to listen to a podcast without being interpreted to say enter your pin.

I'm so glad I don't work in retail.

They should be honoured to serve an important person like you.

Arsenic you sound lovely.

I think it's rude to use your phone at the till. I've only ever done it once - I took a call while my grandson was been born because I'd told my son I was there if he needed me. I apologised to the lady on the till afterwards.
I think shops are entitled to have a policy about mobile phone use on their own property, just as they're entitled to refuse service to people in pyjamas or topless men or whatever, but it's probably best to display a notice informing their customers rather than leaving it up to the individual assistant.

Maybe I would be tempted to serve you an Arsenic Latte.

I'm sorry but I don't use mumsnet to try and personally insult strangers, nether should you. That's not what it's for

The staff in my local Lidl have started wearing these ear peice transmitter things. They seems to be constantly connected so in the middle of your transaction the checkout girl suddenly starts talking to the fellah stacking shelves at the back of the store. It's really annoying a rude, IMO.
I would never speak on the phone at the checkout.
Another thing I hate is when you're speaking to someone in a shop and the phone rings and they interrupt the conversation to answer the phone.

It is annoying for the customer as well if the sales assistant takes calls. Obviously if the shop phone is ringing they have to answer it. I wouldn't have thought they were allowed to take personal calls or take their own phones onto the floor though.

Why noeffing? Why does the person on the other end of the phone take spriority over the person standing in front of them?