Shop Staff Using Mobile Phones.

I agree. I also hate it when two cashiers are having a conversation at the same time as serving customers. My first job was in a shoe shop with a very old fashioned manager who taught me all the skills and behaviours required. Number 1 was always give all your attention to the customer you're serving. We'd have been sacked if we'd ignored customers like some do today. I'm not tarring all salespeople with the same brush. Most are brilliant but the ones who are bad are really bad.

I’ve stopped going to the local convenience store on DD1’s estate. I usually take DGS1 in for an after-school treat. The young assistant ignores the customers, is almost always on his phone, or else has a couple of mates loitering at the counter. It’s a family run little shop and I wonder if the rest of his family know about his indifference.

We waited ages in a cafe the other day, while the assistant chatted on the phone. She glanced at us and carried on her conversation. If we hadn't had a hungry DGD with us, we would have walked out.

Very rude and inappropriate treating customers as if irrelevant it’s annoyed me only recently. I decided next time it happens I will put the shopping down and go elsewhere.

i believe in germany and austria shop assistants have to have completed a course in technical college to be employed.
but i guess sole traders/family businesses can do what they like. but standards are generally higher.
i noticed in ireland young assts/saturday staff are much more alert and attentive.
maybe we've all got used to poor service in uk.

I would walk out and make sure they knew why, before I left.

I was being served in a supermarket last week by a male assistant who I know has worked there for many years. I am pointing out he is male simply to clarify the story!
His supervisor has not been at the store very long, and she rushed up to his till and started asking him something to do with break rotas. He asked her to wait a moment, but she insisted she wanted his answer NOW!
He stood up and turned to her and said , very calmly... 'I am serving a customer. You will wait until I am finished please'
I was very impressed... and after paying, couldn't resist asking after his family....etc
She was fuming....
Leading by example seems to be a dying art too.

We once went into a very upmarket outlet shop. The young male assistant had extremely long hair. He wandered around the shop combing it with his fingers, for at least ten minutes. Then he proceeded to plait it. I was mesmerised. Not once did he acknowledge our presence until we went to the till. Then he was playing with his plait as he gave us our parcel and receipt.

I agree, it's very rude. They're guilty of doing this at our local corner shop, so I've stopped going in there unless I absolutely have to. Mind you, I also find it very rude when a customer refuses to stop talking on their mobile when they are being served.

Do you know, they get really annoyed if you whisk your phone out and take a pic!

I have noticed that alot recently,ignoring me whilst having a conversation with the person next to them,also shouting over to another assistant,that was never done in the past.
It has never happened in M n S.
How life has changed.

Mollygo

Do you know, they get really annoyed if you whisk your phone out and take a pic!

Apparently that's illegal. We did it once and got chased by security and forced to delete the photo!

welbeck

i believe in germany and austria shop assistants have to have completed a course in technical college to be employed.
but i guess sole traders/family businesses can do what they like. but standards are generally higher.
i noticed in ireland young assts/saturday staff are much more alert and attentive.
maybe we've all got used to poor service in uk.

Yes, as a frequent visitor to Germany and Amsterdam, have noticed the use of a mobile phone, whilst serving, is non existent. The main shops/ restaurants/cafe anyway.
Perhaps our shop workers should have to do the same, some of the youngsters have been let down by their managers, and not trained at all.

Grannybags

Mollygo

Do you know, they get really annoyed if you whisk your phone out and take a pic!

Apparently that's illegal. We did it once and got chased by security and forced to delete the photo!

It isn’t illegal unless you intend to use the photo for malicious reasons. It is probably contrary to the store’s policy. A lot of the High Street retailers and supermarkets have this policy and it’s been around since the early 90s.

True about the rules, but funny how quickly you get attention you were lacking, if you get your phone out and make like you’re taking a photo.

Dreadful customer service or lack of in these examples. I wouldn't be able to hold my tongue I'm afraid. They all need the benefit of the staff training that is being offered in Dr's surgeries ( another thread today )

When I go to a shop, I want to buy things not to have the assistant’s undivided attention. And as for taking photos - how weird and creepy! I’d ban anyone doing that in my shop (not that I have one)

Our local factory shop has a male manager, who makes a pleasant remark to every single customer. He’s always happy, very respectful (madam/sir) and friendly. He makes my day whenever I go in. I saw him once deal with a very rude man, - he just said I’m sorry you feel that way sir. I said how patient and polite he was. He answered ‘the customers always right’ and we should all try to find goodness in everyone..
Such a beautiful soul. ❤️

Always remember a line that a friend had.

Friend "Was it closed the day you went"?

Assistant " Was what closed"?

Friend "The Charm school" lol lol

He isn't here any more but it still brings a smile.

bikergran, I used to use a similar phrase with particularly obsterperous people I encountered. I used to say "Did you ever get your money back?", and when they asked "For what?", said "From the Charm School you went to!".

Meant obstreperous, sorry!

LOL Alice

I work in a well known bakery and we aren’t allowed to have phones on the shop floor. It’s also drummed into us about stopping whatever we’re doing (no matter how important we think it is) to serve our customers in a polite and friendly manner. Unfortunately many customers will come to the counter chatting on their phone and expect you to wait while they finish their conversation, often while a queue of people are waiting. I now say “I’ll just serve the person behind you while you finish your call” and it’s amazing how quickly they get off their phone.

Customers are also guilty of doing the same, when I worked in a supermarket, they would be chatting on their mobiles, not dealing with their shopping and holding the line up!