To think it's rude to I ignore customers in person, in preference for the phone

[LardLizard]

V annoyed today, dd turned up to a sporting lesson, ten mins early to get checked in and start on time

Anyway we stood at the reception desk being ignored for customers on the phone, phoning to make bookings

Waited patiently the first time, but when she had finished one call, and thought, oh she will just about deal with us to get us in on time, she took another bloody phone call

I said we are here for the such and such at such a such time, and replied I'm in the phone, as if I was the one bring rude

My motto is if it's important they will phone back and/or leave a message. I work in a shop and we seem to be getting a lot of annoying automated spam calls at the moment

With regards to OP I don't think you were being unreasonable there, since you were there for a lesson that was about to start and not making a booking for a future one. The receptionist sounds a bit rude imo

Blindsider if you did that in my store I would have refused to serve you and asked you to please leave

Agreed. That is beyond rude.

immot hurray for people like you!
My old work there were no hold buttons and managers would routinely call to check.
We also had people regulary complain that they couldn't get through to the main section i worked on to check if there were a certain item in stock in the department next to us! I worked in a cafe mainly.
We would get bollocked for that too.
They did not employ the motto if it was important they would ring back.