Talking on the phone whilst at the checkout

[ILoveShoes]

I think it's rude. Xx

 

[lozzy21]

If I'm on the phone I hang up before I get to the check out. If some one rings while I'm there il answer and if its not important il ask them to ring back. After all as Kala said I'm not there to have a conversation with the cashier.

 

[Rachel_C]

I think it shows a complete lack of respect to the person serving you. No, you're not there to have a conversation with them but unless you are a caveman who communicates only by grunts or waving a club around, making a payment does usually require some communication even if it's only, "Hi, hello, That's £10 please, just put your card in there, Enter your pin please, Thanks, Here's your receipt, Thanks, Thanks, Bye". Even if you're not talking back (also pretty rude, it doesn't hurt to say thank you!), to carry on another conversation while the shop assistant is saying these things is terrible. I'm surprised people think it's okay actually! If it was something that could be an emergency e.g. if nursery called me half way through I would answer it but I would explain and apologise first. Otherwise it should wait.

 

[Bambi1985]

Yes I think it's extremely rude. If I am on the phone I will wait until I have finished the call before joining the queue and if someone phones whilst I'm at the checkout I will reject it and call them back when I have finished. If it's that important they'll leave a message/send a text!

 

[Bex84]

I do think its rude, usually I would finish call before get to cashier, I hate it when the cashiers are shouting across you to each other. To be honest when I worked in restaurants it never really bothered me people talking on there phone I didn't feel insulted. If its an important call I will take it, though will apologise for example when my dad was in hospital having an operation I would not have even thought of not answering phone.

 

[RainbowDrop_x]

Plain old rude, in the same way most people think it's rude for cashiers to talk amongst themselves it's equally rude the other way around.

You may not be there to talk to us but we still have a job to do and unfortunately for customers that includes polite interaction however minimal.

The "I'm not there to talk to the cashier" is an equally rude attitude. If that's the case shop online. We may be "just the cashier" but we're still people!!!

 

[lindseymw]

Umm, I think it depends which shop you're in. In a pharmacy or somewhere where you need to talk and engage in conversation with someone then i'd say it is rude. However at the supermarket if my phone goes & it's an important call I would answer. After the polite hello and nods, as-long as you can multi task with packing and paying I don't see the issue.

^^This

 

[sue_88]

It's very rude!

 

[special_kala]

I would still say hello to the cashier and thank you etc if i were on the phone.

 

[Vesta]

I think it's really rude. It's just basic human decency to listen to the person serving you. They're not robots.

 

[lozzy21]

I think it shows a complete lack of respect to the person serving you. No, you're not there to have a conversation with them but unless you are a caveman who communicates only by grunts or waving a club around, making a payment does usually require some communication even if it's only, "Hi, hello, That's £10 please, just put your card in there, Enter your pin please, Thanks, Here's your receipt, Thanks, Thanks, Bye". Even if you're not talking back (also pretty rude, it doesn't hurt to say thank you!), to carry on another conversation while the shop assistant is saying these things is terrible. I'm surprised people think it's okay actually! If it was something that could be an emergency e.g. if nursery called me half way through I would answer it but I would explain and apologise first. Otherwise it should wait.

Not sure where you live but in the shops near me your lucky to get half of that. Most of the time you get ignored, a "that will be £6" and then grunted at as a buy.

 

[dgirllamius]

I can't even get a signal in my local supermarket let alone have a phone conversation. I can't say I've ever done it either.

I used to work in tescos and the amount of people who can't even say hello is dreadful. There's some really shitty and rude customers out there but also some very rude cashiers - there's one here who works in a shop a bit further up from my local and she is always so miserable. I say hello and she doesn't even respond. That is mega rude -.-

 

[Indi84]

I worked on tills in various jobs, including vet reception, it's so rude you have no idea unless you've had to do that kind of job!
Because of it I don't talk on the phone in that situation, if my phone rings I just wait and extra min and call the person back

 

[stephx]

I always have conversation with cashiers. At the very least ask them how there day is going.. Maybe I am just overly friendly lol but I don't like the attitude that 'you aren't there to have a convo' why not? If you are interacting with someone for a few minutes the very least you can do is be courteous and friendly with them.

 

[Kate&Lucas]

I don't do it unless it's urgent but I don't see the issue. As a PP said I'm not there to have a conversation with the cashier. Not because they're 'just' a cashier but because I bloody hate small talk. Do you give a shite what I'm having for tea? Does the time you finish affect my life at all? I say hi, I exchange vague pleasantries but generally I'd like to think I give off an air of "don't talk to me". That's not me being rude (rude is how I'd love to respond to all small talk).

I've worked in shops and never been bothered. Infact I work in a shop now, bit different as it's specialist and I pretty much have to engage with the customer but if someone gets their phone out I just leave them to it and wait for them to finish. Their phone conversation is probably more important than asking me where about I grew up.

 

[holly2234]

I hate it. I once had a woman who was obviously early 20's (but under 40, the age which you have to look to not need ID) and she wanted to buy alcohol but she was talking away on the phone not making eye contact with me so i just stood there and waited for her to finish because i NEEDED her ID to start the transaction. She was annoyed but she didnt realize that she held everybody up just to talk crap and in that situation it was essential for me to talk to her since she didnt get the hint and just show ID.

Normally i can understand if they are waiting for me or if its a simple transaction but it still irritates me that they cant wait 5 seconds.

I dont do it, i always call back if im busy.

 

[HBGirl]

Its rude. I work as a vet receptionist and I will move on to the next customer. If they complain I will just say that they were clearly busy and I chose to not disturb them.

 

[Loui1001]

Personally I think it's rude as well. I don't tend to get into full blown conversations at the checkout and generally just exchange pleasantries but it seems quite dismissive to ignore someone you're interacting with at that particular time

 

[highhopes19]

I do find it really, People always always seem to have the habit of phoning me when I'm paying for things at the checkout I usualy don't answer or I answer but say I'm paying at the moment can you or I give you a call back in a bit... Then apologising to the person serving.

I work in retail and there's nothing more annoying than trying to serve someone and they are preoccupied on the phone,, they end up doing the transaction wrong I.e wrong pin, say the wrong thing they want to questions like you ask them about how they want to pay etc... And then makes and even longer que of people tutting and moaning whil you sort out problems they've caused because they were preoccupied but yet have the cheek to blame the member of staff!

You can tell I love my job some days lol x

 

[highhopes19]

And as for saying your not there to have a chat with the cashier.... I don't know about other places but where I work I've known a lot of other colleagues for getting into serious trouble such as disciplinarys for not sparking up a convo with the customers!
Its actually part of their job