I Work(ed) in Retail, and Now I Understand...

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

That didn't bother me as much, either. As long as I could say what I needed to say, I was good. I worked at a location in an upper-middle class suburb, though, so the customers rarely did this.

I haven't had any conversation that was SO important that it HAD to continue while I was checking out of a store. If I get a call while in the store, I will stay out of the line while I'm talking. If I get a call at the register, it'll wait until I get outside. If there are life and death situations going that require me to be glued to my phone, then Blockbuster is probably low on my list of priorities.

As someone who talks on the phone a lot, it is not that the phone conversation is SO important, it's that the transaction is not. There's not really a reason why I couldn't stop talking, and usually I do, but I don't always.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

As someone who talks on the phone a lot, it is not that the phone conversation is SO important, it's that the transaction is not. There's not really a reason why I couldn't stop talking, and usually I do, but I don't always.

I also use my phone quite a bit, but again, it comes off as rude IMO if you can't spare a minute or two to acknowledge the person who is assisting you.

And, like I said before, a lot of the people who were "OMG I MUST FINISH THIS CONVO" were slower and thought there were problems with the transactions. Those things could have been eliminated with a simple "Hey, I'm checking out. Let me call you right back."

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I also use my phone quite a bit, but again, it comes off as rude IMO if you can't spare a minute or two to acknowledge the person who is assisting you.

And, like I said before, a lot of the people who were "OMG I MUST FINISH THIS CONVO" were slower and thought there were problems with the transactions. Those things could have been eliminated with a simple "Hey, I'm checking out. Let me call you right back."

I acknowledge and say hi, but if i'm not in the mood for a conversation with the cashier, and more interested in continuing to talk on the phone, then I'm not going to feel compelled to stop.

Usually I just toss the phone, still on, in my pocket anyway so it's not like I'm even hanging up. I'm a multitasker and it works for me. I'm never rude unless simply being on the phone is rude, in which case people can deal with it.

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I also use my phone quite a bit, but again, it comes off as rude IMO if you can't spare a minute or two to acknowledge the person who is assisting you.

And, like I said before, a lot of the people who were "OMG I MUST FINISH THIS CONVO" were slower and thought there were problems with the transactions. Those things could have been eliminated with a simple "Hey, I'm checking out. Let me call you right back."

I agree with you. But then I was raised to acknowledge people. I hate it when people do things like stay on the phone or continue a conversation when the waiter/sales clerk is trying to get an order or check them out. It's basically saying "You are beneath me and I therefore do not have to acknowledge you". Definitely rude. And they do always seem to be the most confused at check out, simply because they aren't listening.

I had one lady tell me to stfu because I asked her whether her card was credit or debit (if we didn't key it in first they had to and the machine would freeze) because she was having a super important conversation on her cell phone about her hair dresser. I would've agreed with her as her horrible skunky streaks were tacky, but I'm willing to bet that wasn't the hairdresser's fault.

Re the "They probably never finished high school" attitude...I filled in for a friend recently at a mom and pop I used to work at and had some asshole pull that on me because I was trying to help him by looking online to locate an item I knew the store didn't carry and wouldn't but would be willing to order. I suppose myself and the internet weren't on his schedule for the day, so he demanded to know if I even finished high school. I informed him that yes, I did in 2005 and now have a bachelors degree and am working on my second. He just grumbled, but the store owner, who apparently went to high school with this dude, told me later THAT guy barely finished high school and only lasted a semester into college before flunking out. What a douche.