Would it be out of line for a cashier to ask a customer who they were ringing up to get off their cell phone?

I see that a lot at my grocery store. It disrespectful in a big way but the people I see on the receiving end are always patient they just let it roll off.
I think it’s because they know it’s not their problem.

I’d be careful if I were you. People don’t like being told what to do. It would not be out of line if the customer isn’t paying attention and is truly being rude to you. Since they are not there to socialize with you, but to pay for their purchases, leave them be.

Being on your cell at a register is flat out rude. I hated it when I worked retail, but fortunately that was before cells were as common as they are now so it didn’t happen often. I feel your pain!

However, I don’t think it would be within your rights to ask them to hang up. Like it or not, as the person ringing them up you are at their service. You just have to deal with their rudeness.

I’ve been in stores that have a sign that says something like “kindly end your phone conversations before being rung up.” I think that’s appropriate.

I haven’t done it, but I have a hard time understanding why getting my groceries checked out is supposed to be a social occasion. The checker does his/her job, and I do mine. If mine involves being on the phone, then why is that their business?

Thanks for the tip! I hate being pitched things when I’m trying to get in and get out of a store real quick. Never realized my cell could save me the time.

It’s rude for the customer to be on their cell and not paying attention to doing the business they came into the business to do, not that they don’t do it all the time. To say something though is only going to slow up the process and make for an on-the-spot unhappy customer so it’s best to work around it by going on with what you would normally do if they weren’t on the phone, they really do know better and 98% of the time do as they’re directed, some even ask their caller to “hang on”. There are plenty of business posting up notices for their customers not to use cell phones in the store, I like that. Take it outside if you want to be a schmuck or are too ball-less to refuse a pitch in a store where that’s their business.

lol@ball-less

I agree that it’s rude, but I can’t envision a scenario in which you ask them to hang up and it works to your benefit. I like the idea of having signs posted asking customers to not use their phones in line.

@YARNLADY Why? Because it’s RUDE! I don’t work at a grocery store, I work at store that sells home decor but either way I find it rude. Regardless of what you may believe, it is a social occaision. I say “Hello, how are you today? Did you find everything alright?”...things along those lines. Cashiers are supposed to be friendly, it’s part of the job and you’re making my job hard when you don’t show me the respect of having your full attention. Not only that but it can get a bit confusing with our card swiper thingy (its complicated and I usually have to guide most customers through it) so it makes it more difficult for me to guide you through it when your on the phone and not paying attention. I’m talking to you and you’re talking to me and someone else…..ugh, its just disrespectful.

@drdoombot I don’t think thats very funny. When you go to a store and someone is trying to pitch you something they are doing it because its their job, not because they want to. Please don’t be rude and let people do their job. If you don’t like what their pitching you can say sorry but I’m not interested NICELY. If it still bothers you that they ask then you don’t have to shop there.

The whole show was about people being rude and inconsiderate. People doing things like yelling at waiters and stealing parking spots. They are rude to anyone with a service job because they don’t think they’ll ever see these people again so… who cares if I’m a little rude to them? Well I think its disrespectful and I think that people should be more aware of the affect they have on others, nobody likes to be ignored. Here is an article on CNN about that particular episode.

I also really liked this quote: “We never touch people so lightly that we do not leave a trace” – Peggy Tabor Millin

@nayeight It’s your job to be social, polite, and ring up customers. It’s our business/choice if we want to be social with you.

@Facade I agree 100%. Customers don’t have to be social with me but I still deserve and expect every customers attention just like they deserve and expect mine.

That’d be ideal, but it’s just not going to happen.

I know. :(

At least some people won’t suck.

I like to think that karma will come back and bite the people who do suck in the ass. That’s what I like to think anyway…

@nayeight Maybe that explains why the autocheck machines are getting so popular. At least they don’t think we somehow owe them something just because they check our groceries for us.

@YARNLADY I think we all owe it to one another to be polite when interacting with people.

@augustlan No, not really.

@augustlan They are paid to do a job, and there is absolutely no reason it has to be “interactive”. If they want to pay my Hubby’s salary then maybe they can choose when he talks to the office. As the Help Desk Manager, he is on call 24/7.

And if my son’s car breaks down, and he needs to talk to me about picking up the baby, and where he is located, what right does a store clerk tell me I can’t talk on the phone?

Coffeenut bought a cell signal killer so when you come up to him your cell won’t work, or he makes you wait to ring you through until your done on the cell.. his job he needs info to cash you out (not a regular store)

also how many customers would bitch and wine if they went to check out and the cashier was on their cell phone…

I have walked into many stores where the clerk is chatting on cell phone and too busy to wait on me, now that is really rude because they are being paid to wait on me. When I am the customer, I don’t really feel a need to be sociable, I would rather just take care of my business and be on my way. So is it rude if I simply don’t choose to engage in “small talk” because it’s not my style? I don’t see much difference between that and being on a cell phone at check out?

Ahhh I see @tyrantxseries just said that, I guess I am old school and feel the customer has the choice the clerk doesn’t.

I have been a cashier for a while, and when someone was on their phone I always helped the customer, and if they were too ‘distracted’ I would just start with the one behind them. It wasn’t something I did because I had a problem with them being disrespectful, but speed was an important factor at this shop. Don’t forget this was not in the US, otherwise I’d be fired in less than 2 seconds.

Talk about RUDE behavior? My trainer told me that when he worked in a big gym someone had a heart attack and died and people kept working out while the paramedics were working on the guy just a machine away!

Nope! I hate ignorant people:-) I just stop dealing with them and deal with the next person in line!

At work your job is to check customers out, not make sure they adhere to a certain level of politeness. So long as they aren’t abusing you, they can do whatever they want while you are checking them out. It’s not like a cashier really needs to interact with the customer anyway in my experience. What if they were on the phone because their partner was injured? How would you feel telling them to get off the phone?

It’s tricky and depends on where you work. More low-key, casual places, I’ve seen signs at the register asking people to not be on their cell phones. From my experience, working at a corporate chain-type job (Target, Barnes & Noble, etc.), you’d probably get in trouble for being sassy to the customer.

That said, I totally agree with you about the rudeness of being on a cell phone at the cash register. I occasionally can’t avoid it, such as if someone I haven’t talked to in ages calls me long distance in the middle of errands, and I will either put the person on hold while I do my transactions or apologize to the cashier, or both.

I wait tables and I have a rule about cell phones. So, so, so many people come into the restaurant, sit, and are talking on the phone. My policy is that if you’re on the phone, I won’t greet you or take your order. One, I don’t have your full attention, two, I’m interrupting a conversation. No one has complained yet.

Though it may be rude for a patron to be on the phone while at the register, the old customer service montra still holds true: ” the customer is always right”.

I like AlenaD’s approach…the cashier could just stare patiently at the patron till they get the hint. Trust me, if there is a line, the folks behind him will help him get the hint.

Speak in a low voice so they cannot understand you unless they put the phone down. When they say “huh?” just repeat in the same soft voice. You are affording them the courtesy of not interfering with their call. Also, if they do not look at you and rudely put their hand out, place the card lovingly in a different spot on the counter while you are reaching for the receipt.
You are not being rude – just simply killing with kindness. Then greet the next person in line immediately and with enthusiasm. Smile on the inside. You’ve earned it.

There’s nothing you can do about it. There’s no way to say anything without coming off as a bitch.
Now, the one thing I did as a cashier that bothered people..
I can’t stand when people put money on the counter for me to pick up, especially when my hand is right there and they ignore it. So when they hold their hand out for change, I put it on the counter for them to pick up. I got a lot of surprised faces, but really? Why would they be surprised?! They were the ones who did it first!

edited by me because i don’t have time to write a good answer.

I know this is a difficult part of your job – but, I will not stop talking on the phone if I need to be talking on the phone just to be hassled by questions about cards and phone numbers and all that (I hate that stuff anyway because it implies being hassled by the store in the future and I don’t think I want to deal with it)...however, I would never throw cash or my cc at anyone, I will politely say no thank you to all the questions, but as @YARNLADY said, if it’s my business, it’s none of yours…I am not there to socialize…it may be part of your job to ask questions and all that but remember in my busy life, this may be the only chance I get to speak to a loved one who, I’m sorry to say, is way more important to me than you

@casheroo There are different etiquettes concerning handing money to the cashier / placing it on the counter. Mainly, it has to do more with “touching” each other’s hands than creating an inconvenience.

I thought about this question a lot last night.

I maintain that in an ideal world everyone would have the time and desire to be polite to every person they came in contact with. But in reality it just doesn’t work that way.

As a retail worker or cashier, it is your job to be helpful and make the person’s shopping/paying experience good. It’s your purpose for being there. It is not the customer’s job to enhance your working experience.
Their purpose for being there is to buy something they need or want, and their role really has nothing to do with being social with you or ending a conversation so you can be social. In this particular social space, the customer and the cashiers are not equals.
As I said, people should be nice to each other. But asking a customer to stop doing something to make your life nicer is not an appropriate thing for a cashier to do.

See I think this is a big problem in our society. We Are so ignorant and just don’t care about other people. It’s selfish and unnecassary to ignore and belittle people who are trying to help you. It really bugs me the way service workers are treated like they are not equals. I don’t care about your loved ones, they are x miles away and I’m standing right in front of you. It takes 5 minutes tops to checkout, be courteous and get off the damn phone!

@nayeight But sadly, you’re not equals in this particular space. You’re being paid to make their shopping experience better. It is your job. It is not their job to make your work experience better.

@nayeight I don’t believe I implied that I don’t care about you – I believe I implied I care more about speaking to a loved one than to you, a stranger – that doesn’t mean ignore or belittle, does it? I think you’re not listening.

Rudeness is a problem in our society, but in your job as a cashier you are not in a position to correct it. When you’re in a service industry “the customer is always right. ”
if you want to help right a wrong, volunteer at schools to teach children manners. It is just as bad manners to try to inflict manners on those who don’t want them as it is to have bad manners in the first place.

@nayeight – Word up, sister.

@Likeradar – Shopping someplace doesn’t give anyone right to mistreat the help, though increasingly, people seem to think that their charges include free reign of ridiculous, rude behavior. It’s evolved that way, mainly in corporate-owned chain places because they’re impersonal anyway (thus caring less about individual employees) and they are so scared of losing business, they absorb whatever B.S. misbehavior the customer puts out.

I’ve witnessed this dozens of times; the customer will be crazy rude, make a huge stink over something little and even outright lie, my manager knows the person is lying, but the manager doesn’t want to get in trouble if the customer complains to corporate, so then plies the customer with free things. This is rewarding poor behavior. Then the customer begins to feel that their dollars spent include the right to be rude, belittle, treat someone like a servant, etc. That is the problem.

In my worldview, I don’t think spending money gives anyone the right to any of those things. Unless someone has mistreated you, they don’t deserve any less than basic human respect and treatment. Maybe I’m just a naturally polite, friendly, and respectful person, but I don’t find it takes any effort whatsoever to be at the very least civil to other people. I don’t feel entitled to throwing my weight around or exercising whatever meager power I have as a money-wielding customer.

Truthfully I think this is another one of those questions that you’ll never understand unless you’ve been there. If you’ve been a cashier trying to battle over a cell phone conversation, you’re right there with nayeight. If not, you probably feel more like YARNLADY. Much like the subject of tipping at restaurants and restaurant etiquette. Unless you’ve waited tables before, you don’t see what the huge deal is about certain things that pretty much universally piss off restaurant staff.

I can’t speak for nayeight, but as a long-ago cashier myself in both grocery and retail.. I can personally say that I was glad when people were on the phone. It meant I didn’t have to try to be nice… I could just do my work and move along. lol

@poofandmook I used to be a cashier and couldn’t care less if people were on their phones as long as they paid me.

Sure, it’s rude. But the customers aren’t paying to engage in small talk, or get on a company’s mailing list/calling list. They’re paying for a product, whether it be shoes, clothes, or groceries. They have every right to be on their cell phones. You’re being paid to make their shopping experience better. It’s not their job to give you someone to talk to at your job; however it is your job to be friendly and ring them up, whether they’re talking to someone else or not.

I’m so sure of my manhood, I am polite – even to cashiers. It takes no time at all to say to my caller, “Just a minute James, I’m on line at the checkout.” and then politely answer the cashier: “Credit. No, I don’t have the Shopper’s Club Card. Thank you. You too!”. Then return to the caller and say “Sorry for that interruption, Now what did Aunt Tillie say about Grethen?” It’s always best to show a little class. (Unless you don’t have any.)

And to all the cashiers out there- Sometimes jerks are just jerks and can’t help it. You gave them their thrill of the day by letting them insult you. Be glad you don’t have to live with them.

People find all kinds of excuses to be rude to others. The cellphone is only one. No matter who I am talking to, if I get up to the cashier I ask the person to hold on or I call them back. Everyone thinks that their lives are what’s important. Fuck everyone else. That’s one of the biggest problems we face as human beings. We will get nowhere as a species if we continue to treat others badly.

I go out of my way to be nice to service people. 1, because I know what it’s like, and 2, because they are human and deserve be treated with some amount of respect.

For all you rude people, I wonder what is being put in your food at the places you eat. Maybe you deserve it.

@nayeight It seems all the responses here make me angry lol. I think it’s incredibly rude of people to expect you to be treated that way because you’re just a cashier and that’s what you get paid to do. I’m sorry people are rude to you. I’ve been a cashier at quite a few places and it is really rough. It’s unbelievable how rude people are to you.
For me, if someone were on the phone, I’d probably wait to talk to them until they were off of it..since it is rude to interrupt them..maybe they’ll get the hint. It’s not your job to be quiet so they can talk on the phone or anything.
I also can’t believe how many people do this, for you to be making a question about it. I think the only time I’m ever on the phone and talking to a cashier is if it were an emergency or on hold or something!
This reminds me of the tipping argument, and how people think it’s their right to be served and treat the servers like crap and tip poorly. Those types of people were just not raised right.

I think it would be out of line to ask the customer to get off of their phone. I like the idea of posting a sign asking customers to please stay off the phone when the cashier is assisting you. I know that one of our local banks has a sign like this.

I also think that it is very rude for a customer to stand in line, chatting away on their phone when they are checking out. Whenever I get a call in line I either don’t answer and let the call go to voicemail or I answer quickly and ask the person to give me a minute because I am busy. It’s just common courtesy.

After I have been standing in the check out line for twenty or so minutes while the cashier chats up every customer, I can be very ticked off. I have been a cashier, myself, and my job was to get the customers out of the store as quickly as possible when they are ready to pay. My boss would have fit when someone would get tired of standing in line behind the Chatty Kathy’s of the world, and simple put the merchandise down and leave.

In the older days, we knew our customers and they knew us. It was common to talk about their children and the local politics. Later, the underpaid workers started being rebelious and taking it out on the customers. When the bosses realized this, they started making it clear that part of the job description included being nice to the customers, or get fired.

A less experienced cashier might think it’s the customer’s job to stop whatever they are doing and be nice back. The more experienced cashier will realize that a customer is most likely to come back when they are well served, and shown some respect. I do not patronize those stores where the cashiers are required to ask “friendly” questions and otherwise waste my time at the register.

(Coffeenut answering on Tyrantxseries computer)
I work at a Construction center, it has nothing to do with small talk,
A big sign out front as you drive up reads

“Required information”
-Your Full Name id required rarely asked for
-The full address you are coming from
-What you are bringing

and if you come wile talking on a cellphone and not listening to what I’m telling you (I DON’T CARE TO WHO YOUR TALKING TO OR WHY) you will have a bad day…

-the damage you cause because your not paying attention
-your chances of being injured/dying severely increase,
-your chances of hurting/killing someone else severely increase,
-the time we have to waste chasing you down and sending you to the right area,
-my time you waste wile trying to get the required information
-I WILL SEVERELY CHARGE YOU IN THE END $$$$$
and their is nothing you can do about it.
so if you want to be a rude cellphone asshole.. fine. but you will pay for it

@tyrantxseries You need not worry, I would never be a customer in a place like that.

@nayeight – I would happen to have a transaction stopping question for every single person on a cell phone if I were you.

The underpaid, rebellious workers. WTF does that mean? Ugh. In the older days it was okay to treat people like shit? When were you a cashier? What year is it now? When will the entitlement end?!! Ahh…...

@tinyfaery I suspect you are asking me to clarify my points. I am remembering a time in the 1950’s when people actually knew each other and engaged in small talk while checking out at the store. In those days, only about 25% of mothers were part of the work force.

This all changed when stores went “big business” and started hiring inexperienced mothers and paying low wages (before minimum wage laws). Many managers started to recognize that they were loosing customers because of the surly attitude of their workers, who did, indeed, seem to believe that it was OK to take their frustrations out on others.

Stores that were more successful had “happy” workers. Therefore, they made it a job requirement that workers must be friendly. I was a cashier in one of the less progressive stores, in the late 1960’s. We were required to get them out as soon as possible with the least amount of chit-chat. (before the advent of cell phones, btw)

There was also a period of time when “service” was not an important thing to store owners, and they stopped providing “bag boys” or carrying purchases to the car. The pendulum has swung back now.

I can’t respond to the last “entitlement” part, because I don’t know where that came from.

I was a cashier for a little while, and I gotta say.. Even if you say it’s part of your job description to be polite and friendly, that’s just a formality. As other people have stated, your REAL job is just to scan their stuff, take their money, and give them the change and receipt back. I reaaaaaaaally doubt many people are gonna go to the manager and have a big fit because you didn’t greet them with a smile or make conversation. Hell, most cashiers I‘ve seen get annoyed when customers are too chatty and interactive. If someone’s not talking to you and distracting you, I’d think it makes the job a bit EASIER. “But I have to ask them how they’re doing!” No you don’t. Most people KNOW you’re just asking because someone tells you to, so they’re really not interested in forced smalltalk. If you want to interact with your customers so much, try and distinguish who’s interested and who’s not. The customer has very little obligation here besides having enough money on them.

@tinyfaery you know you sound so vindictive it’s hard for me to imagine how you’d be nice to a cashier or anyone…maybe I misinterpret your way of speaking…I was only making a point that it is certainly conceivable that when you’re shopping and are in a hurry and you’re talking on the phone, one doesn’t have to stop all that just to be hassled (and yes that’s the job of the cashier, to hassle on the store’s behalf)...I don’t really even remember when I was talking on the phone last during a checkout as I shop rarely but still, I don’t think it would come off as rude…I’d come off as busy and trying to multitask…and for the record, I worked in McDonalds for a while

@Piper_Brianmind Actually, I did have a customer complain that he walked through the whole store and was not greeted or told what was on sale. He actually sat out in the parking lot and called customer service. The store I work at is obsessed with greeting and interacting with the customers. They don’t want us to make small talk or talk about anything personal, but they do want every associate to tell the customer what is going on in the store. They truly believe that interacting with every customer drives sales (in most cases it does). I don’t want to have an in-depth conversation with you but I do want your attention when I ring you up so that I can do my job. An example of my job….

Okay here for instance are our service standards that we are to follow (ideally) for each customer.
1. Greet “her” (ex. Hi, Hello, Welcome)
2. Determine “her” needs (ex. What brought you in today? How can I help you? Is there anything I can help you find?)
3. Tell “her” something new (ex. Today we have a sale on florals! We just got in new pillows today!)
4. Check back with “her” (ex. Are you still doing alright back here in this corner? Do you have any questions so far? Do you need help getting that vase down from that shelf?)
5. Give “her” a quick and efficient checkout (This includes asking her phone number and e-mail, suggesting an item either at the cashwrap or one that coordinates with what she is purchasing, ringing up all of her items, telling her about our credit card and asking if she would like to apply, asking if she has any coupons/needs a gift reciept/whatever, wrapping/bagging whatever items she has, taking her money, and finally giving her a receipt)
6. Thank her and give “her” a reason to return (ex. Thank you for shopping with us today, next week we’ll be getting our new Halloween decor so make sure you stop in to see us again!)

They expect me to do this with EVERY CUSTOMER.

@nayeight yes but that’s not the reality of your job

I can’t tell you how many times people have been on their cell phone, not paying attention to me ringing them up and I ask them if they want a gift receipt. They say no because they aren’t paying attention because they are on their phone having another conversation. I complete the sale and wrap up their stuff and they say “oh, can I have a gift receipt?”. I then have to void the sale and re-ring everything to give them their stupid gift receipt. RUDE.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir I can guarantee you that if I don’t at least make an effort at doing those things I would get no hours and be forced to get another job or quit. Thats reality.

@nayeight Well it’s up to you to make an effort or not…again this doesn’t sound like a job you enjoy so if there is at all a possibility for you to get another one, maybe you should…i know that’s not always possible, so again sorry people are rude to you…but that’s what comes with the job…as others have said above, it’s not part of your job to tell customers to get off the phone

I do agree with everyone that the best way to go about all of this would be to just stand and stare politely until they get the hint, ring up another customer until I have their attention (I would probably say something like you seem to be busy, would you mind if I ring up this customer really quick while you finish your conversation?), or speak very quietly so they will be more likely to pay attention to me. Asking them to get off the phone isn’t a good way to solve the problem. I just want to make everyone aware of the fact that it is a problem when you talk on the phone while checking out in a store.

And I really do enjoy my job most of the time. I’ve been there for almost 4 years now and because its part-time it really works for me because I’m a full-time student. I love helping customers and I think my job is really fun. I almost always have a smile on my face and something nice to say to everyone. If you are having a bad day I want to be the one to cheer you up with a joke when you walk in. It’s just not so fun when people like YARNLADY come in and like to muck up my day with their cell phones, bad attitudes, and overall rudeness (ex. “I do not patronize those stores where the cashiers are required to ask “friendly” questions and otherwise waste my time at the register.”) People like that should spare us all and shop online.

@nayeight I know it is in the best interest of the store owner to keep the customer in the store as long as possible, but what cashiers are being taught to do these days comes close to involuntary imprisonment. I hate it when sales people hoover over me every minute I am in the store, and then to have the cashier keep me prisoner at the cash register, without even the customary phone call is outrageous.

@nayeight Do you happen to work at Gap? edit: nevermind, you talked about decor. I worked at the Gap and we were trained to harass customers to death. Even some of the managers only did it when their bosses were around.

I really hate it when a cashier asks me my phone number, email address and if I want a credit card.

1. I won’t answer your sales call.

2. I’ll mark your email as spam.

3. I’m broke and don’t need another credit card to get me further in debt. In fact, my credit score is so terrible I probably won’t be accepted.

I am so tired of answering these questions when I’m buying a $5 clearance item from Kohl’s. Is all of this necessary?

I understand that @nayeight is just doing what is expected of her and she sounds like she is a great employee. I won’t fault her for the annoying questions, as much as I hate them.

I frequent the stores in my area that have employees like @nayeight. @YARNLADY There are many stores in my area that have cashiers that remember me by name and ask how my children are doing. These are the stores that I frequent. I’d rather make a little small talk and leave with a smile than move on through like a robot.

i find often when i’m in a store like a convenience store or or a low priced store like walmart the cashier will not even thank me as she/he hands me back my change. sometimes they don’t say anything at all. i always thank them when i get handed back my change or receipt, because to me, it just feels weird not to -guess it is how i was brought up. now that does not mean all -i have had some in walmart and other placesthat were very pleasant people.

i am not a person to talk on the phone too much when i’m in a store. when i’m shopping, i may answer the phone and chat for a minute or two. otherwise i’m there to shop.i like to have my “chatty” conversations with people at home, when i can concentrate on the conversation. likewise, if i know one of my friends is out for a busy day of errands, that’s not when i want to talk to her/him. i want to talk to them when they’re home and relaxed, not rushing, driving, paying, shopping. that’s just me – i’m old fashioned.

I can’t stand talking to someone in a store on the phone. Can’t hear them. I think it’s rude for them to do that to me. Get out of the store then call me. And you better not be driving.

@Bri_L That’s a good point. Hubby calls me constantly when he is grocery shopping, to ask about choices. I’ve asked him to please use the e-mail on his blackberry, because I can’t hear a thing.

I make it a point, if I am using my cell at all, to be off the phone when I check out. I believe it is extremely rude to be approaching someone for a business transaction, and not have the courtesy to at least acknowledge that person.

I have seen signs in banks asking patrons to refrain from using the phone while transacting business. If I were a business owner or manager, I would place such signs at any point of sale or cash register.

I agree it is rude.
I usually do stuff to get their attention, something that pisses them off and gets me close to being in trouble.
somethng like making it obvious I am ringing something up more than once, cuz then they tend to want to get off the phone. of course, I only do this if it is something I need their attention for. if not, then I will ring them up normally.
oh, sometimes I will answer their q’s they are asking the other person on the phone, or just start telling them what I did the other night, that will get their attention too, but like I said, only if I need it for whatever reason.
other than me actually needing their attention, I don’t care.
I also believe that it is rude that people would do that and expect it to be private.

The job of the cashier is to greet you and check you out. The job of the cashier is to be pleasant and friendly. The job of the customer is to present items for check out and pay for them. Small talk, responding to harassment about e-mail and phone numbers and zip codes and their grandmother’s maiden name is not the job of the customer. Its optional. If they choose to opt out, that’s their choice to make.

@nayeight You say “It takes 5 minutes tops to checkout” but then you admit that you work at a place where you’re required to harass the customers to death with things that they don’t care to hear about. You contradict yourself and seem to think you are more important than the customer. In whatever store you’re working in, that is not true. The customer is the most important and if they choose not to engage and instead talk on their cell phones, that’s their right. Yours are not being infringed by their choice.

I’ve worked in food service, I’ve been a cashier, I’ve done a lot of things. Never would I think of asking someone to end a call just because I was checking them out. Its extremely rude to ask them to end their call just because I’m checking them out and as long as they gave me what I needed to do my job, that’s all they’re required. They are not required for my convenience or warm fuzzies or what have you to interact pleasantly with me, having a conversation that they have no interest in having.

This question astounds me with the overinflated sense of self-importance that seems to be on display.

@avvooooooo: “This question astounds me with the overinflated sense of self-importance that seems to be on display.”

I really don’t think it’s that rough.

@poofandmook “Stop your life and be nice to me because I’m more important than anything you could be talking about.” Seriously?

@avvooooooo I was actually talking about sales associates not cashiers but I do believe that cashiers also deserve the same amount of respect. If customers choose not to be friendly, you are right that is their choice, I’m just saying wouldn’t it be better if we all tried to be friendly to one another. And if you read the whole thread you would see that agreed with everyone that asking a customer to get off the phone would be out of line. As far as me “harassing” people, that’s your opinion. Some people want to give out their e-mail, phone number, etc. And expect me to ask it. It’s my job to ask every customer for the benefit of my company. Phone numbers and e-mails are used for marketing purposes and increase our traffic. I am not harassing anyone and if they feel I am, they don’t have to shop at my store. I did not say nor do I feel like I am more important than my customers but I do expect to be treated with some respect. If you don’t get it, then you don’t get it. Honestly, you sound like an asshole so I don’t really expect you to get it.

@avvooooooo I agree with you.

Off the beaten path: All the gas stations in my area have attendants who are permanently connected to their cell phones. On a number of occasions I will answer them only to find out that they weren’t talking to me. I really don’t care; it didn’t detract from the whole experience of patronizing their gas station. The poor guys are just trying to stay awake.

@nayeight We’re talking about people who operate a cash register. Whatever you call them, they’re the same thing. No one WANTS to give out their information delusional, they feel obliged. You have a very, very small minority who might want to receive mailings, but the majority of people do not. At all. Which is why marketing calls go unanswered and mailings go in electronic or physical trash cans. “Harassed” is the right word for it. People should be able to receive a product that you’re selling without being accosted for their information. Its a simple transaction and the “Fine, then don’t come in my store if you don’t want to be harassed” idea is stupid. They come in for clothes or whatever you sell, not advertisement and marketing. And especially not a requirement for small talk while you ring them up.

FYI, I’m not an asshole. I just know about doing the job you’re given instead of trying to make the whole buying whatever production about you. You’re not the star, you’re supporting cast. Get used to it, get over it, accept your place in the scheme of things. If the “star of the show” wants to do the entire thing standing on their head, your job is to go on with what you’re supposed to be doing instead of getting offended at their choice. Its that simple.

A sales associate and a cashier have similar duties and a sales associate at some point is a cashier but I don’t think they are the same thing. It depends on what kind of store you are talking about. I work at pier 1 imports and we don’t have people that are just cashiers or just stock people. We have sales associates (sales people) who do interact with customers and sell things. Pier 1 is known for having a small and cozy atmosphere. We are friendly, we know our merchandise, and we give excellent customer service. Pier 1 is not like Ikea or anything where you have a giant warehouse and hundreds of people working there.

As far as the information goes. We ask your phone number to keep track of how often you shop. If you come in only once a year, you will most likely not get our mailings and if you come in more often we will send you our mailings. We do not sell/give out anyones phone number nor do we make sales calls. We send out at most 2 e-mails a week and encourage people to sign up for our e-mails because it saves paper. We do not give out e-mails to anyone either. Our mailings come out once a month or so In booklet form and show what new things came into the store and what kind of sale/event we are having. There’s a HUGE amount of people that like to get things in the mail. They love coupons and catalogs and all that because they want to save money and want to know what’s going on in a store they like. Once again, I did not say that customers have to be nice to me because they don’t. They aren’t required to smile and say hello back after I greet them, make small talk, or be respectful or courteous to me. I said that It would be better if everyone at least made the effort to be friendly and polite and treated others as they would like to be treated. Yes, this particular topic was about me/other sales people and how people are rude to me/other sales people while talking on their cellphones. What whole thing am I making about me? The topic? Why wouldn’t the topic be about me if that’s what I’m asking?

@avvooooooo: My whole point is this: As this is her job, and where she spends a majority of her day, I don’t really blame her for not really wanting to feel like a slave for eight hours… I don’t blame her for wishing that as a person, regardless of her job, interacting with another person, she could get a little respect instead of getting an in-your-face emphasis on how she is the peon, and the other person is the “star of the show” as you put it. The word “customer” is not defined by “having the right to be disrespectful.” The misplaced sense of entitlement is on the customer, not the cashier, as you’re accusing.

With that said, I don’t think the situation that nayeight is talking about, the cell phone conversation, is blatantly disrespectful. Sure it may not be nice, but I definitely wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s disrespect. But you’re personally attacking nayeight for her opinion (Yay America!), and basically saying that the customer can do whatever they please. Sure they can, because of the sense of entitlement that comes with “the customer is always right.” That phrase and mentality has been around for a long time, but it’s the assholes that took it a little too seriously that ruined it for everyone. If customers didn’t have such a superiority complex, I bet customer service people wouldn’t be so disgruntled and miserable and unwilling to help people while on the job. It’s a vicious cycle.

Before I get attacked, which I’m sure is coming anyway, I’m repeating myself: The cell phone during checkout is not the heightened sense of entitlement that I’m referring to. avvooooooo felt the need to take it to a different level, away from the cell phone debate, and that’s what I’ve based my post on.

You were the one who used the word “cashier,” @nayeight. Why are you getting all huffy about when other people use it? Anyway, excuuuuuuuuuse me. I’ve been a “sales associate” in the past. That still doesn’t mean that I thought that what I was doing was more important than the customer’s right to have a phone conversation. Getting checked out does not require one’s full attention, especially when one does not want to be put on someone’s mailing list. At least 4 people following this board agree with me as evidenced by the GAs, and one of them went out of their way to tell me that I was right on with my last comment though PM. There are some people who like coupons, who like the mailing list. But the vast majority of people would prefer not being required to give out personal information just to buy some stupid little throw pillows or dishes.

No matter what Pier 1 is or isn’t, your job is to serve the customer. Not to intrude on their privacy and time.

@poofandmook Its funny that you talk about heightened sense of entitlement, since that’s exactly the problem we’re having here. But not from the customers. I’m not saying that customers can climb up and take a dump all over the counter, but I am saying that within reason (and talking on the cell phone is within reason) that people should be able to do what they want since they’re the one keeping @nayeight employed. They’re the important ones, whether anyone likes that or not.

FYI, I’m not the person who goes around touting “the customer is always right” whenever I go shopping. I’ve complained to one manager about one thing (grievous problem there) in the past two years. I’ve been in the service industry in the past and have had to deal with all kinds of customers so I make sure that I am a good one. But in all my time in various positions, never did I get the idea that the function of the customer is to be nice to the staff because I’m not that wrapped up in myself as to think that my needs/wants/wishes/desires are more important than the job I’m doing. If someone doesn’t like doing a service job and dealing with the public, whether they be nice, nasty or somewhere in between, then they should find something else to do.

Not wanting to give out personal information is not a crime. Not wanting to be “tracked” is not a crime either. Not wanting to stop your conversation for whatever reason while still completing the primary job of the customer by presenting items and paying for them is neither a crime no extraordinarily rude.

It’s rude. It’s tantamount to ignoring someone, which is always rude, unless you’re angry with them and have reason to ignore them.

I was in a convenient store the other day, and the cashier was on her cell phone while ringing up my purchases. I felt like telling her to hang up the fucking phone and do her job.

nowadays, I keep track of how many people are on their cell phones while driving. I imagine I get paid one dollar for each instance of it. I want to see how much money it could be at the end of a year.

@Psychedelic_Zebra The cashier was on her cell phone?! wtf?

@jonsblond I’ve experienced that, mostly in small independent convenience stores. A lot of times it has been late at night when the cashier would be talking witn someone to alleviate the boredom of having no customers. But sheesh! I think it’s less rude, both to the customer and the person on the other end of the call, to ask that person to hold for just a minute.

It’s annoying to even have a customer waiting in the check out line with you talking on their cell phone. I don’t know if it’s because you can only hear half of the conversation, or the fact that it almost seems like they’re talking to themselves or what, but it’s annoying!

Hello people, can I jump in here? I see plenty of opinions on both sides of the fence. I just wanted to point out that courtesy doesn’t cost anyting. To imply that the person checking you out expects to be more important that to whom you are speaking misses the point. You’re conducting a business transaction that involves YOUR money. There are probably people in line behind you. Are you THAT enfrossed that you can’t take 30 seconde from your conversation to verify the amount ans follow the card swipe directions. Would it REALLY hurt you that much to make eye contact for a brief moment and say thank you, no thank you, or whatever? The customer s NOT always right. Thinking like that is a big reason why our country is in such a mess. If you break it you need to pay for it. You’re not entitled to anything for free. Don’t allow your kids to run loose and handle merchandise or bother other customers. These are all basic rules of conduct that we used to go by. Why would you feel that because a person is a cashier or other service person that she is there solely to please you and you can be crappy to her? This is an artificial barrier that we throw up between ourselves, and it’s dehumanizing. That’s what we do so we don’t have to feel bad for treating people badly. The nazi’s did it. Remember them? What we’re talking about is not as extreme, of course but the principle remains the same. It’s just yet another excuse for bad behaviour. If you really have a true emergency with a family member, why are you not flying out the door and driving off leaving tire tracks on the ground? You see? It isn’t that big of an emergency, so you actually COULD say thank you if you wanted. Otherwise, it seems to me that you need to feel superior to someone for less than legitimate reasons. Why is it so painful to be courteous?
And yes, the cashier IS there to wait on you and should not be taking personal calls while working. You are within your rights to expect his/her attention right now, not when the boring conversation is over.

@Trillian What’s stopping anyone from taking a moment from your conversation to say “thank you?” Why do you assume that no one does this? That they’re so engrossed that they’re not paying any attention at all? I’ve hardly ever seen anyone so caught up in their conversation that they were unable to complete their transaction and that only happened twice with little old ladies who are unused to their cell phones. When I was working in retail, even when people were on the phone, they at least made eye contact and quite often mouthed thank you, even if they weren’t saying it out loud. If I’m on my phone when being rung up, I do the same. I tell the person I’m talking to that they need to hold on a minute while I deal with the credit card machine. Even when someone is on the phone, they’re capable to completing their transaction without being incredibly rude.

However, for an employee to require that someone stop their conversation that is not truly impacting their ability to complete their transaction is ruder than a child running screaming through a store and breaking things. Its called customer service for a reason. Its about the customer, not about the warm fuzzies that an employee gets having their intrusive spiel listened to.

I give up. Have a nice day.