People attending appointments while on their phones.

[Mukey]

AIBU to think that people should put their phones down when at appointments?

I'm a dental hygienist and it's becoming more and more common that I'll call someone from the waiting room and they don't even look up from their phone. They stand up and walk towards me very very slowly while still typing/ reading or whatever. Sometimes we'll get to my room and they still haven't said a word or even looked at me. I always say hello and say the odd how are you or similar but often get no response.

Today was one of the most ridiculous yet. I called a lady in, she stood up and followed me to my room (which involved stairs as well). Now, I'm fairly new to this practice and i hadn't seen her before. So normally I will introduce myself immediately but when I called her she was texting and kind of laughing to herself. I did say good morning how are you etc and she didn't reply. So I got to my room and she stood in the room for a good minute or two still texting. (While I'm just standing there) Then she looked up. And before I could open my mouth she said "who are you??? who are you???"

And I'm thinking to myself if you'd actually looked at me or responded when I greeted you you'd know!

I just don't understand how it's acceptable to pretty much ignore the person you have an appointment with.

The other thing I'm getting a lot of is people who are at "work" coming to appointments. They will often apologise and say oh I'm sorry but I'm meant to be working so I need to keep my phone on me in case my boss calls or i get an email. I recently had one woman panic and run out the surgery as her boss called then get upset when she came back 15 mins later that she'd missed the rest of her appointment so couldn't finish getting her teeth cleaned. She refused to pay so I lost money.

I should point out this isn't "young" people either. It's all ages.

I'm in agreement with you, am also in a front facing job registering births and deaths, you'll find customers using their phone during the appointment! I'm taken aback that they think this is ok!

I put it down to Covid and most of my customers must work from home and have forgotten public etiquette

I agree, it can be a PITA. But I think in your particular job, many people may be using their phone as a distraction if they are nervous about the appointment. Are you on time with appointments? If an appointment is delayed I may play on my phone whilst waiting, rather than staring at a blank wall but will put it away when called.

I will always try my best to be on time. I'm rarely more than 5 mins late. (Which is why as I explained to the ranting non paying woman i would not be running late finishing her appointment that she walked out of for 15 mins and keep the rest of my patients waiting)
I actually don't mind if someone is in the middle of a text when I call them. I have plenty of people look up and say "oh hello! Yes I'm just coming! Sorry i just need to very quickly text my husband I'll just be a second" and I have no problem with that. It's the complete and utter lack of acknowledgement I can't stand. To the extent people don't even know I'm a different person to who they were expecting.

It's just damn rude

and to ask "who are you"...!

Disgustingly rude.

Oh please! People can distract themselves if they need to while waiting, but this seems a poor excuse for what is bad behaviour. People should put their phone away as soon as their name is called, as at that point it's 'appointment time'. Doing anything other than this is just poor manners.

I will always put my phone away when I'm called from the waiting room. I can only think of one time where I've done as you describe and it's because my team were dealing with a major safeguarding issue at work that I was trying to instruct on so they could handle things without me for a few minutes. It's the nature of my job and I've no way to plan for it unfortunately but I would be apologetic and explain while I walked. I can't cancel last minute for dental appointments as I'd be charged and can't afford that as a single parent and think that's wasteful when people struggle to get appointments. I do think there are some scenarios where its unavoidable - sick children/ family crisis etc. But it shouldn't be common place. My guess is that it's either lack of manners and not really seeing the people providing you with the service as equally important to you, or its a subconscious distraction technique to handle the anxiety that comes from being at the dentist or that some people have from waiting on their own places.

Asking who are you is utterly bizarre though - that seems super strange.

It's basic manners during an appointment you give the person dealing with you your undivided attention.

YANBU

I work in a small museum and give group tours as part of my job.

The amount of people who think it's ok to make or receive a phone call during a tour, is shocking.

Instead of stepping outside, they'll follow the rest of the group around whilst bellowing down the phone, until I tell them to hang up or leave.

I was on a tour of Auschwitz when someone in our group took a phone call and was chatting merrily away. I don’t know what the tour guide said exactly as neither were speaking English, but she gave him an absolute blasting.

People are dicks.

Of all the places to behave like that.
That's astonishing behaviour.

I will not see a patient unless both they and anyone accompanying them puts phone down/ away Also be aware of being recorded on a phone. Its posted as policy no images or recordings and yet patients do it Once a child…a child…photographed her mother during an exam via her “tablet” I thought the tablet was to keep her occupied and quiet! Another incident was munchausen by proxy a mother photographing daughter during exam. If they cant be off phone they cant be examined/attended to Many stealth video in case you say or so something they dont like or agree with

Many of these will be skiv working from home.