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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect shop workers to not be on the phone while serving me?

35 replies

Applescruffle · 11/05/2024 19:45

AIBU or is it bloody rude?

I went to a phone shop today with my son to buy a new case for his ipad. It took us 45 minutes to travel there specially as someone had recommended it.
When we got there, the bloke was on his phone, phone actually to his ear, didn't acknowledge us when we walked in the shop, when we went to ask if he had the right cases for us, he didn't put the phone down just looked at it, went "nah" and got back to his conversation, didn't even move the phone away from his face. I was so annoyed!

We then went to a post office. Same thing happened. Worker on the phone and served the lady on front of me, sent off a parcel for her and everything all while talking the whole time, didn't say a word to her and barely made eye contact.

When it was my turn I stood there and said "I'll just wait until you've finished your conversation" He looked really confused and then a bit angry and put the phone on the counter without hanging up. I was really overly pleasant, said good morning, please, thank you, but he avoided eye contact or conversation and then picked up his phone again before I'd even walked off.

Given that this happened twice on the same day AIBU to find it rude?

OP posts:
Sofaz34 · 11/05/2024 19:59

Depends if they were working related calls, maybe they didn't want to keep you waiting. I just don't think shop workers get paid enough to care to be honest.

BigFatPuddingMonster · 11/05/2024 20:02

It's incredibly rude. There will probably be loads of people saying that YABU but I'm sure if it happened to them they'd be rightfully pissed off.

TinySaltLick · 11/05/2024 20:03

I am indifferent, I'm only in a shop to complete a transaction - ideally as quickly as possible, it isn't the hospitality industry

Travelling 45 mins for something which you could have got online for likely less money seems quite odd behaviour

LauderSyme · 11/05/2024 20:03

It is rude, at the very least they should say "excuse me" about it to customers.

BrickTraybake · 11/05/2024 20:04

YANBU it's rude AF

Original poster
Applescruffle · 11/05/2024 20:06

TinySaltLick · 11/05/2024 20:03

I am indifferent, I'm only in a shop to complete a transaction - ideally as quickly as possible, it isn't the hospitality industry

Travelling 45 mins for something which you could have got online for likely less money seems quite odd behaviour

How is going to a shop for something odd behaviour? 😂

My son wanted to spend cash he got for his birthday and wanted to pick it out and take it home.

OP posts:
WinterMorn · 11/05/2024 20:07

It’s exactly the same when people carry on conversations with their colleagues, it’s so rude. I remember the days of working in retail and having mystery shoppers - it would have been a disciplinary matter for failing the test.

MereDintofPandiculation · 11/05/2024 20:08

It works both ways. Customers shouldn’t be on the phone while they’re being served, and I’ve seen that more often

lightsandtunnels · 11/05/2024 20:08

I'm probably indifferent to it too. It happens a lot. Shopkeeper holds phone to ear or has it down beside them on loudspeaker whilst they serve then continue conversation. I don't really care as I'm not interested in having a conversation with a stranger in a shop. It does annoy me when they don't at least pause their conversation to tell me what I owe - that is rude. I do make sure they have charged me correctly before I tap my card to pay!

FuckTheClubUp · 11/05/2024 20:08

It’s rude, it really is and I wouldn’t like it. Saying that though, people don’t care about giving good customer service (or having basic manners) plus they barely get paid enough so sometimes it’s understandable. Even though it isn’t the customers fault

TTPD · 11/05/2024 20:10

Very rude.

And surely quite difficult somewhere like a post office, where you do actually need to talk to the customer (as opposed to a supermarket where I still think it's rude but there's less actual need to have a conversation).

Justmuddlingalong · 11/05/2024 20:15

No shop staff or customers should be on their phones while serving/being served. It's a financial transaction and requires a bit of concentration.
Customers should refuse to be served by someone on the phone, as they should accept that staff can refuse to serve them if they're on theirs.

Thevelvelletes · 11/05/2024 20:17

Sofaz34 · 11/05/2024 19:59

Depends if they were working related calls, maybe they didn't want to keep you waiting. I just don't think shop workers get paid enough to care to be honest.

I worked retail and dealt with phone enquiries and face to face.its easy dealt with,you just say to customer 'once your clear of phone enquirie you'll be right with them.done dusted everybodys happy.

Original poster
Applescruffle · 11/05/2024 20:17

Justmuddlingalong · 11/05/2024 20:15

No shop staff or customers should be on their phones while serving/being served. It's a financial transaction and requires a bit of concentration.
Customers should refuse to be served by someone on the phone, as they should accept that staff can refuse to serve them if they're on theirs.

I agree. I wouldn't be on my phone while being served either. I actually finished my conversation because I was getting on the bus this morning and all I needed to do was show the driver my pass.

OP posts:
RabbitsRock · 11/05/2024 20:20

No way we’re allowed our phones when we’re working on the tills.

QueSyrahSyrah · 11/05/2024 20:22

Happened to us today but at a beach place where we were hiring loungers so already pretty informal. We may have picked the remotest possible spot for him to drag the loungers to when he finally finished chatting to his mate and acknowledged us.

I do think it makes a difference whether it's a business or personal call though. I would never, ever take a personal call in front of a client but sometimes have to take or finish an urgent business call.

Thevelvelletes · 11/05/2024 20:22

RabbitsRock · 11/05/2024 20:20

No way we’re allowed our phones when we’re working on the tills.

Be bloody chaos if you were😁

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 11/05/2024 20:23

If it is one of those shops that also repairs phones, I would suspect that whilst replacing a screen and then tested it he has accidentally superglued the phone to his ear.

Bluevelvetsofa · 11/05/2024 20:25

We tried to buy a drink today in a M&S cafe. There was a lady having a conversation with the girl behind the counter, which went on for a while. We assumed they were chatting whilst the drink was being prepared, but it transpired that she hadn’t even started to do the drink, they were just chatting, oblivious to the queue. Why is their time more important than ours? They showed no sign of acknowledging that people were waiting to be served. We didn’t wait.

Thevelvelletes · 11/05/2024 20:28

Customer acknowledgement is key,no one likes to be ignored.dont blame you for walking.

suburburban · 11/05/2024 20:39

So rude and vice versa when customers are on the phone

JudgeJ · 11/05/2024 20:46

suburburban · 11/05/2024 20:39

So rude and vice versa when customers are on the phone

I once had a couple came into my classroom for the Parents' Evening meeting, as they sat down his phone rang, he stood up and walked over to the window to answer it and have a conversation. I talked about their child with his wife and when he eventually returned there was no apology and he expected me to repeat what I'd told his wife and I refused. At the end of the evening I noticed his having an angry conversation with the Head so I walked over, 'I'm telling the Head how rude you were when I had to take an urgent work call!' Says I, 'Oh I do hope you don't miss the tee off at 7.30 tomorrow!'
The Head was trying hard not to laugh.

2chocolateoranges · 11/05/2024 20:51

Total bad manners.

I complained about our local Lidl, everytime you were in certain staff would be sending messages / texts while serving you. Nothings changed, so I don’t shop their any more,

id never be on the phone in a shop and don’t expect staff to be either. I also hate when the shop assistants talk amongst themselves when serving you. I worked in customer facing jobs since I was young and would never dream of doing either.

Original poster
Applescruffle · 11/05/2024 21:43

Thevelvelletes · 11/05/2024 20:28

Customer acknowledgement is key,no one likes to be ignored.dont blame you for walking.

I didn't walk - I couldn't. It's the only post office left!
I just stood there and said I would wait until he had finished his conversation.

OP posts:
Thevelvelletes · 11/05/2024 21:45

That wasn't for you applescruff,it was for the customer in a cafe that was ignored, very few post offices left.