Cashier in Waitrose

I've never understood why using mobiles became permitted in the workplace. In the past, anywhere I worked, personal calls, unless in the case of serious illness or death, were not permitted. I once sat opposite someone who took endless calls on her mobile from family members seeking her advice about their complex personal problems. She was not the only one. The office was open plan so management and others were treated to all the drama.

I would probably point out that it didn't give a good impression to the Supervisor; there is normally somebody about. However, whilst I might say something negative, I will always comment on excellent service too, particularly when they are young people just starting out on their working life. I will tell the person who is giving it and I will make a point of giving feedback to the company, either at the Customer desk or online.

Not accepting that someone accidently pressed B and not V unreasonable myself...

I’m surprised at Waitrose I wouldn’t be happy I’d be contacting head office

I don’t think I have ever come across that here. It would be instant dismissal, plenty of other willing workers.

I always aim for a staffed till and am quite capable of having a chat while the cashier and I are both doing our own bit of scanning and packing. If I have to use a self-scan till I usually end up making a total horlicks of it and having to have someone standing there to rescue me anyway. It concerns me that so many jobs are being replaced by these machines.

My late DM found it very annoying to be invited to have a nice day by shop (and other) staff, particularly if it was someone like your guy, Suzey. She used to say that the answer to that was "Thank you, but I have other plans".

Why didn't you just ask her to end her call and concentrate on her work? I did that once. It worked.

I wouldn't have reported her, but I would have told her that it was unacceptable behaviour, which would merit a complaint next time it happened.
I used to help out in my local newsagents..Sometimes customers would try to get served while chatting away on their phone. My response was to serve someone else, and wait for them to finish the call and pay attention to me. They soon learned not to be so rude.

Suzey

I had a guy in tesco asked me how was my day I replied alright ,he then said I don't really care about your day I've just got to ask you and have you got a club card and do you need a bag !

This reported behaviour is certainly out of character for Waitrose Partners (not cashiers!) who do have training for their roles whether it be operating the tills or stacking the shelves. However, if you do report the incident to the manager, you can be sure it will be thoroughly investigated.

Yes, I would have been very annoyed and would have mentioned the incident at customer service

I used to work checkout at B&Q and would have been given a warning for even having my phone out, 2nd warning I'd have been history.

It wouldn’t bother me, I am not there to chat. I feel sorry for those workers that are forced to comment on the weather or how busy the store is a hundred times a day.

They are there to scan your shopping not to have a conversation.

Ah, finger on the pulse there Nannagarra. 10 out of 10 for observation. ??‍♀️

(It wasn't Bodach)

Bodach - what a wonderful letter of complaint: the description of the youth chewing gum and his decaying molars is classic! I’d like to think Stuart Rose picked up on your relaxation of expectations (superbly subtle informal salutation and sign off) which underline your grievance. Touché.
I’ve also laughed and laughed about “Snottagram” and your “renaming” volver! Doesn’t autocorrect throw up some howlers?

Although this not happened to me in Waitrose, it happens almost every time I shop in the local village shop, which is very small. I only started going there in 2020 because of lockdowns. There is a young female member of staff who is on the phone all the time and doesn't engage with customers. The funny thing is that many small shops have notices up saying they will not serve people who are on the phone or do not speak to the shop assistant. If it happened in Waitrose or a large supermarket I would go straight to Customer Services.

You should have called for the Manager. Waitrose don’t take kindly to bad customer service.
I’ve had a similar situation in Tesco, where the manager couldn’t care less.

It certainly would, when that happened to
Me I said “I will wait until you are free!) and refused to pack

As a colleague on a customer service role in another supermarket, I wish I could complain about the dozens of customers who are on their telephones while I am trying to serve them. Personal phones are banned on our shopfloor.

Are you 100% sure she was not communicating with a Supervisor or Manager? If as shoppers we are waiting in a lengthy queue and staff appear to open other till points, it is often because a till operator has alerted a Supervisor/Manager there are queues. Till operators can also have someone on the shop floor relaying prices/barcodes to them if something won't scan - also saving time for those queuing.

Having had a career in retail/merchandising I can also tell you that one of the biggest gripes till operators have is the increasing number of customers coming through their tills while on their mobile phone, delaying everyone in the queue by using only one hand to pack/expecting the till operator to do it all for them, throwing their shopping bags at the till operator, and worst of all - not acknowledging the staff member in any fashion whatsoever.

Whilst this is not acceptable, I find it equally rude when customers are on their phone whilst being served.

Lidl staff are good at that whilst walking or stacking. I've often turned around thinking they were talking to me. So rude.
If it was whilst I was being served I would be fuming ?

I worked for Tesco for 21 years and retired at 64 …so only 7 years ago! We weren’t allowed mobiles on shop floor…. you were there to work . If you needed to make an urgent phone call.. permission had to be sought….if you got an urgent phone call it came through to shop phone …not your mobile! A friend and colleague that works there still , told me it’s all changed . Mobiles are now allowed on shop floor ….. why?! It’s inconceivable that this awfulness has crept into the work place. Does nobody adhere to to adage ‘8 hours work , for 8 hours pay’ it’s how I was brought up! It’s still should hold for today. BUT….. complaining in here is no good …as were a captive audience … you need to complain in-store.

They don't do that in Lidl! They're always very polite & friendly in our local branch.