Several people posted (Lurkers, unite!) with ideas on how to handle cell phone talkers in line to make purchases. While I find the idea of practicing my yodeling and/or shooting them with a waterpistol attractive, neither is really appropriate from my perspective as the girl behind the cash register.
What I generally do is treat them as though they are *not* on the phone, asking the questions I normally do, often in a louder voice than normal (yes, it is possible--no comments from the peanut gallery, please). I ask questions that require an answer--no nods of the head are allowed--and I make it plain that I expect answers. I don't ask those questions with an annoyed voice; I'm every bit as sweet with these jerks as the next person, but I do make it very clear that they need to turn their attention to ME--THE PERSON ABOUT TO TAKE THEIR MONEY!
That often is enough to get the point across and the offending customer will abruptly end the call, saying something like "The crazy girl at the checkout won't shut up; I'll have to call you back..."
Hey, whatever works.
8 comments:
Kerri :-)
You are a much better person than I am. Your boss is fortunate to have a person like you on the staff. Keep up the good work.
Although the water pistol and the yodeling were funny, to me.
Ah well, you do what you need to do. :) I typically ignore the offender until they give me their complete attention. And if they have the nerve to ask me something while on their phone, I am direct to the point. I don't act sweet or charming, I just say it and go back to what I was doing.
I have to say that I cannot recall a single instance of someone using their phone while in line at the register. Maybe people here are a little more talented, or something... :?
But when people use their phone in a closed compartment - like a train or bus - and when it's impossible to tune out the conversation, it is *very* tempting to join in.
Not that I've ever done so. ;)
One of my local supermarkets has a very confined area at the end of the conveyer belt, and the clerks never wait for people to clear off their groceries before attending to the next person in line. So one must be very quick to collect one's groceries to avoid a mix-up with the next person's. I can see that it would be pretty effective in getting someone's attention. Maybe a reduction in services provided would help deal with the phenomenon.
P.S. When thinking about polite behaviour to shopkeepers and other service people, I should also mention that people throughout the UK say 'Thank you' to bus drivers when getting off the bus. Except, of course, in London, and where the exit doors are half-way to the back of the bus.
It is also regarded as customary to offer gardeners, carpenters, et cetera a cup of tea and some biscuits when they arrive or at some point later.
Lastly - and I only learned this at Xmas - it's customary to give one's employees a gift on Boxing Day - and this includes the milkman, the mail carrier, the newspaper boy, and all those other people who turn up at your door on a regular basis. This Xmas, I'll know...
I say thank you to the bus drivers here in Portland!!! I think it's the least I can do. That and not spit on them (which I've had a few tell me has happened).
I hadn't thought about the spitting. Would that be a suitable substitution for the water pistol?
Nah. There goes my mean streak again.
I like the idea of putting the callers stuff aside and taking the next customer. You can always tell them that you would like to give them your undivided attention to insure the transaction was absolutely perfect.
Or, you could start taking notes of their conversation. Interrupt them to make sure the spelling is correct.
Or, go on break.
Or, pull out your own cell phone and call "Ghostbusters". Perhaps that should be "Phonebusters".
(Mean streak again. It's difficult to keep it under control some days.)
Enjoy life. The cell phone users are there to provide a life lesson. I have no idea what it is, but you will figure it out.
Phonebusters would be good. It works like this: the clerk has a button next to the till, and when someone is on a phone in an obnxious way, the button gets pressed. A few seconds later, a person with a phone shows up next to the offending party, but this new person is even louder and more obnxious than the original offender, and shouts things like 'I cannot hear you, because the person next to me is shouting into his phone!'
So, who ya gonna call?
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