Retail Workers Fed Up With Yakking Patrons
from the shut-up dept
Recently, I was at the bank, where there were very clear "no cell phones, please" signs pasted everywhere. The woman in front of me in line took out her phone and proceeded to have a long, loud and... um... detailed conversation about her plans for that evening. What surprised me was that she kept up the conversation even when it was her turn to speak to a teller, completely ignoring the teller, other than to hand her whatever she needed to to complete whatever transaction she was doing. Beyond ignoring the widely posted "no cell phone" signs, this just seemed downright rude. Apparently, many employees at retail establishments feel the same way, to the point that some are refusing to serve customers who are yakking away on mobile phones. While it's not exactly a "customer is always right" philosophy, it still may get applauded by other, non-phone-yakking customers.
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I'm much more aggressive on the sidewalk
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Re: I'm much more aggressive on the sidewalk
just chill and go somewhere else when anything annoys you. you are creating your own problem by letting something as small as someone talking to a 4oz box annoy you. what do you idiots do when it is a group of people, maybe not of your persuasion or ethnicity comes down the same sidewalk at the same db level (only using human speach here, not boom boxes of technology)? same reaction or different?
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Re: I'm much more aggressive on the sidewalk
But if your cell phone distracts you the point you RUN INTO ME, then it's you who will need the armor, laywer, etc.
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ok but
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Re: ok but
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It's Not Their Call
Even if there are signs asking customers not to use cell phones, how many managers would be willing to piss off a customer by simply ignoring them? At worst, the employee should politely ask the customer to turn their phone off in compliance with the sign and say that he'll be happy to serve the customer when the customer is ready.
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Cellphones users suck
I was on a bus once, and this dirtbag was yelling into the phone that he was on the way to courthouse because he was, well, a dirtbag.
The worst though is the stuck up prissy business women who try to dominate, and show how manly they are. Grow some balls, or get off the phone.
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Re: Cellphones users suck (look in the mirror)
If someone is distracted from what they are supposed to be doing, like operating machinery, or working, or driving a car, then gripe.
otherwise put a sock in it.
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what happened to manners?
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Re: what happened to manners?
Add to that the "customer is always right" bull, that sense of supreme entitlement we all seem to suffer from that's been shoved down our throats in every marketting message.
I'm a customer and you know what? I'm not always right. I've worked in retail and 5 out of 10 customers are total MORONS if not downright jerks...and telling them they are always right just makes them worse.
Whatever happened to common sense and manners? Sure, I pay money to shop, they are providing me a service in return for monetary compensation.
This does NOT give a "customer" the right to:
- be rude to an employee (or anyone)
- to demand free stuff above and beyond normal provisions of business.
- to demand special treatment above and beyond OTHER customers
All of which is commonly demanded every day by many of these "I'm a customer and a customer is always right" idiots.
Fact is, sometimes they ARE right and sometimes they are wrong. Good service doesn't mean kissing butts, it means good service.
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Re: what happened to manners?
Not all of us who demand these things are morons, a lot of retail employees from personal experience aren't so much morons as they just don't care, thus costing the business more money.
If frontline employees cared more, maybe customers wouldn't be so agitated.
Just another thought...
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Re: what happened to manners?
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Re: what happened to manners?
My response to this is why would they care? What are there benefits to doing anything above what it takes to not get fired. Big businesses (i.e. Wal-mart, K-mart, grocery stores etc... )need to take into account that people who work for them usually hate working there, and try to put out benifits to give the employee some incentive to at least act like they care. Though customers do still need to stop being pieces of poop to the employee.
I think it still lies on the parents who think that it is better to go protest for the "good of everyone" rather than to realize their 15 year old kid just failed 8th grade for the third are to blame. As a 16 year old, when I go to eat, I hear "give me..." way to often, and seem to be the only person who ever says "May I please have..." thanks to my parents who cared.
Blame the parents, big business, or communism, either way you got a winner.
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Re: what happened to manners?
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The 2000 edition
There are a number of things one should do in ones own 'space' including listening to music, phone conversations, and discussing 'sensitive' subjects (politics, religion, etc).
I'd love to think that this is simply a gender or generational thing buy I see folks from all walks of life doing it.
And for those who really get upset about cell phone conversations, DO something about it. ACT. My personal favorites are 1) listen to the conversation and be obvious about it 2) start a loud conversation with people around me and 3) discuss the other person's conversation with someone near me.
These usually work though some people seem immune to anything.
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Re: The 2000 edition
Next time I think I'll pick up my cell, pretend like I'm talking to someone and loudly complain that there is someone on a cell phone that was being too loud and we can't carry on OUR conversation.
SL
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Re: The 2000 edition
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No Subject Given
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Retail Workers Fed Up With Yakking Patrons
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Uh... isn't that backwards?
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