rude employees

@camomom (7535)
United States
September 10, 2008 9:17am CST
have you ever walked into a store on your cell phone and an employee interupts your phone conversation to ask if you need help with anything? is that rude? some people may think it's rude to be on the phone in a store but does that mean the employee should interrupt you? i think if it's obvious that the person is engaged in a conversation that it is rude to butt in or interrupt.
4 people like this
9 responses
@heaven11 (1159)
• United States
10 Sep 08
no i dont thin its rude to be on the phone in the store but on the other hand i do not think it is rude for the to ask if you need any help because that is thier job and they are really trying to be respectful and just may not think about you being on the phone
@camomom (7535)
• United States
10 Sep 08
i understand that it's their job. if i were in their position (which i have been) i would think that if they are on the phone that it would be rude for me to interrupt. if they needed my help they would get off the phone to ask or they would interrupt their own conversation to ask. if i'm on the phone in a store, i don't want to be bothered. i worked retail for over 12 years so i've been on both sides of the situation. but i do see yoir point, it is their job and may get reprimanded for not doing their job. or they may work on commission and need to try to get the business from the customer to make money.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Sep 08
I think the whole cellphone thing has gotten way out of hand. If you go to shop, then shop. If you want to talk on the phone leave the store and talk on the phone. Emergency phone calls are one thing, but just talking to be talking, is another. It's very iritating to salespeople or busy cashiers who can't determine who the customer is talking to, them or the person on the other end of the phone. The lack of respect from cellphone use is just ridiculous. Do I have a cellphone? Yes I do. But I also know the appropriate time to use it and shopping (and driving), is not!!
1 person likes this
@camomom (7535)
• United States
15 Sep 08
thanks for your thoughts on the issue. sometimes i window shop and don't want to be bothered by sales people so i purposely get on my phone so they'll leave me alone. i do not stay on the phone while i'm talking to sales people. i have limited time to talk to my family due to busy schedules and all of my family is out of state so if they call i answer. every second counts when you only see your family twice a year. every second counts when you have children and a partner that you don't have much time with. every second counts in life when you've lost loved ones. you need to cherish every moment with the ones that are still with you, even if it's only a phone call, they could be gone tomorrow.
@debby28 (89)
• United States
19 Oct 08
I so agree with everyone that responded cell phones are a pain in the rear. You are trying to help customers and they still talk on there phone instead of banning cigs they should banned cell phones.
• United States
21 Oct 08
Well I work at Staples so I deal with a lot of office people and they are rude. They talk on the phone and try to talk to you to and then get mad at you if you don't know what they want. And some time you do not know who they are talking to LOL. The average shopper that is maybe talking to there husband or kids is one thing but others is different, honest. And I have almost got hit by drivers on cell phones. And I do not smoke at a restaurant always wait till I leave, I do not even set in the smoking section. So I try don't to bother ant one with it. So I guess me and you are the nice ones and people should take lessons from us. Thanks so much for letting me vent.
@camomom (7535)
• United States
21 Oct 08
That's very nice of you to try not to bother non-smokers. I agree, we are the nice ones. Yoiu're welcome for the vent.
@ladygator (3465)
• United States
10 Nov 08
I think it may be rude depending on the way you are approached. I am not big on the cellphone convo in the stores. Especially at check out. But I know that calls must be made and calls must be received sometimes. But I do think that casual convo and loud talking might be a bit much. I heard a guy say "shut up" really loud in the pharmacy the other day so it was obvious this was a personal call and he does have the right to chit chat, but we all dont need to hear him shoot the breeze with his buddy.
@camomom (7535)
• United States
10 Nov 08
I don't agree with it at the checkouts either, big no-no in my book. I also don't like the loud talkers either, that is rude. I also don't like the people that just stand in the aisles and block the path to talk on the phone or the ones that talk about personal private things that I really don't want to hear. I don't see anything wrong with someone minding there own business having a conversation quietly as they shop. I don't mind if an employee says hello to me but don't ask if I need help when it's obvious that I don't need it.
• United States
19 Oct 08
I read every reply to this convosation, and I must say im disappointed at many of the response. Camomom unless you know the policy of the store, you cannott say that its not their job to ask if you need assistance, your previous experiance at Walmart, whether it is the biggest or not retailer in the world, does not give a clue at other stores policys, it is YOUR PREFERENCE that you are left alone, which you can accomplish without being rude to clerks and floor workers by simply stating im fine, or no thanks. I know plenty of stores where people will get into trouble with their management for not asking a customer if they require assistance. as for your arguement that every second counts because of your family situation I couldnt agree more, but keep in mind by being in that store instead of leaving and going outside or to your car you may have to give a few seconds up when interupted by employees or even other customers.
@camomom (7535)
• United States
19 Oct 08
I said in my comment to the 1st response: I agreed that IT IS their job. I said in my comment to the 4th response: The only reason I'VE BEEN TOLD to ask is to deter thieves. I said in my comment to the 5th response: "I don't agree" that it's their job to ask people for help "if they are on the phone". AND..."I was taught" that asking if they need help should be done if the customer looks like they need help or you suspect them of wrong doing. You're right that you can't say that it is or is not their job unless you know the stores policy. I never said that it was the policy of all stores, I just said how I felt and how I was taught. I never said I was rude to employees because I am not. I do say "no thanks". As far as every second counting, that was in response to someone that said you shouldn't be on your phone at all in the store and that no phone call is that important. I'm sorry if you took offense to my responses and comments but I don't think you paid much attention to what you were reading because you read me completely wrong.
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
27 Oct 08
I can forgive them for interrupting my conversation as it is possible they couldn't tell I was on the phone. The one that gripes me is when I need help & a store employee comes around the corner & starts down the aisle & when they see I'm getting ready to ask a question they turn around & walk off. Atleast the one interrupting my conversation was trying to help.
@camomom (7535)
• United States
27 Oct 08
Good point. I hate it when people just walk away instead of letting you ask your question. That p's me off.
• United States
8 Nov 08
I work in retail and we have a survey you can call and one of the questions is did you like your welcome when coming into the store. I always say hello to people whether or not they are on the phone because they would be the one calling the number complaining that they did not get a hello. Other then that if they are on the phone then what ever but if they don't know what they are doing then that is on them. i HATE though when i am helping a customer and their phone rings and they answer it i think that is so rude i understand sometimes you may get a emergency phone call and have to answer other then that i HATE when i am ringing them up or helping them and they start talking on their phone, because i am stuck standing there waiting for them to get done their conservation and i can't help another guest or they are holding up the line. People really need to learn when to use their cell phone and when not to use it i think cell phone usage is ridiculous nowadays i always see people on their cell phones and i always wonder what is so important you have to be on it while shopping or doing anything else.
@camomom (7535)
• United States
8 Nov 08
I understand a hello, but asking if the customer needs help is something else. I think it's obvious that they don't need help if they are on the phone. I think it's very rude to be on the phone while checking out also, I agree with you onthat one.
@KrauseHome (36449)
• United States
25 Sep 08
I agree with the ones on here that said if you are on a Cell Phone, you should be left alone to talk with the person you are on the phone with unless you are asking for something they might carry and asking for assistance where it might be, cost, etc. I know for experience personally, I try not to be on the phone while in a store unless I have to call someone and ask them a size, or suggestion for something. Back when I worked retail though, I hated the ones who came to my register still talking on the Cell Phone and not wanting to be bothered. It was rude, and I felt they could at least tell the person to wait long enough for them to check out before talking with them again.
@camomom (7535)
• United States
26 Sep 08
i agree with you, people should get off the phone while at the register...that is VERY rude. thanks for the response.
@DFrodeo06 (1325)
• United States
24 Sep 08
this is my experiance working in retail and fast food and also being a customer. when you walk into a store on you phone the greeter HAS to ask if you need help it's there job and if their boss sees they don't even if you on the cell phone they can get in trouble so just smile and move on. but on the flip side if you go into a fast food place to place and order on your cell phone then you are the one in the wrong you are being rude. esp. if you go threw drive threw cause we can't tell threw the headset if you are talking to me or your phone. when i was a manager at mcdonalds if you came in on your phone i would NOT serve you untill you go off i would acknowldeg you but i wouldn't make other polite customers wait behind you i'd take them first and if you were on you phoen and told me to wait a minutes and i knew you were talking i have asked a few guests to pull out of the drive threw and get back in when they were off so they didn't mess with people who were ready to order.
@camomom (7535)
• United States
24 Sep 08
i agree that in a fast food establishment you should not be on the phone. as far as retail goes, been there done that for over 12 years and i don't agree that it is your job to ask people if they need help if they are on the phone. i worked for THE BIGGEST retailer in the world for 12 years and i was taught that asking people for help should be done if the customer looks as though they need help or if you have a reason to suspect them of wrong doing as a form of detering them from stealing. if you work on commision then it IS your job to ask if they need help because you need their sale to get paid but if you don't work commission...don't bug me if i am on my phone. that is just my opinion. thanks for your response and your opinion.
@sabbatha (287)
• United States
14 Sep 08
Actually being an employee I had a girl the other day at the jewlery counter get mad at me because I wouldn't ask if she need help. She was chatting away on her cell phone. And the whole time she's asking me questions she's still talking on the cell phone. I'm getting annoyed with her and she thinks it's because she keeps asking questions! It's because she won't get off the damn cell phone! She'd see a whole new attitude from me if she would have just called them back after she was done asking questions. Instead I have to hear her tell her friend on the cell phone about me! I wish we could put up a sign like I see in the Post Office about how you will not be helped if you are on a cell phone at the time. So I never interupt anyone on a cell unless they come to me for help. Then I only help reluctantly. But believe me, I'm the nicest retail employee normally. I usually never have an attitude and will go above and beyond to help someone. But the cell phone thing is just one of my few pet peeves with customers I'm trying to help.
@camomom (7535)
• United States
14 Sep 08
i have had very similar experiences when i worked retail. i agree with you about the sign idea. that would be great. people that do that don't realize that they are the ones being rude, it is not the employee thats being rude.