Sainsbury's apologises to mobile customer refused service

[Boris+]

I suppose - trying to be a peaceful sort of person - that it all depends on a myriad of things, and that the situation is not simple. However, I do not use my mobile in shops - if it rings and it is really very urgent I will take a call and deal with it, or ask the person to ring back, or I will tell the caller that I will ring them.

I personally have never ever had a mobile in use at the check-out, but I have on several occasions had to wait whilst till operators have enjoyed a chat between themselves (and usually not about work - or if about work, nothing to do with me). QED I take the stance that if my mobile is in use whilst I am at a checkout then the checkout operator should mind their own business, not try and join in the conversation, not seek to comment on my conversation, and most certainly not complain about that fact that my mobile was in operation - provided, of course that I (or someone with me) was able to conduct a purchase on my behalf without causing anyone any inconvenience.

The till operator needs to come to terms with the fact that the job is one of providing service and not criticising customers.

Em

[oldbluefox]

The issue is of common courtesy one one person to another. Nothing annoys me more than till operators going through the motions of serving me whilst holding their own private conversation. On a couple of occasions following their lengthy conversations and ignoring me I have left my basket on the till and told the operator, 'When you've finished your conversation perhaps you'd be kind enough to put these away'. It does indeed go both ways.
However I also consider it extremely rude for customers when being served to be holding a mobile conversation. It is just totally disrespectful. No need to answer any call. All mobiles have a 'missed call' facility or answering machine and if it is a real emergency whoever it is will keep trying to ring you anyway. How on earth did people manage before mobiles?

[Boris+]

Hi ObF,

So, as I regard some mobile phone calls as no more than chatting to a friend or relation, whilst I would chat to a friend or relation whilst out shopping and at a till, would you? I don't suppose there is any right or wrong.

However, on a point of common courtesy recently I made an appointment for a meeting. This was done about a month prior to the meeting. I have never missed a meeting, and I have never been late. The day before I received a phone call to remind me and to ensure I wasn't going to be late, and that I was going to attend the meeting.

I arrived at the location about 15 minutes prior to the meeting time - but when I had waited 20 minutes with no help or assistance from anyone (having reported in for the meeting), I asked if I was going to be kept waiting much longer, as I had arrived in plenty of time and it was now past the time for the meeting to start. I was shocked when the young man I was speaking to told me I was being rude!!!!! I couldn't believe it - and he rapidly received a lecture on the fact that arriving early and being on time is polite, whilst being late is rude - I was not being rude!

Em

[oldbluefox]

'So, as I regard some mobile phone calls as no more than chatting to a friend or relation, whilst I would chat to a friend or relation whilst out shopping and at a till, would you?'

Sorry Boris there is a difference. It's a no-no in my book.

[Boris+]

That's fine ObF, goodness me - no need for the word 'sorry' - absolutely not!

As long as you are happy with what you do that's fine, nevertheless I don't use my mobile much when I am out and about as it is usually ensconced in the depths of the handbag and I never get to it in time.

I must admit though, I don't understand people who have to be glued to their mobiles all the time in shops, then they have very personal discussions going on, and then to top it off they have to shout at the top of their voice.

Slightly off tangent, on a recent cruise the people with the balcony next to ours would spend ages on their mobile phone, shouting the conversation that they were on 'a boat', 'near the back'! (enough said). It was their first cruise - the people with the balcony on the other side had asked them to quiet down a bit, but they carried on. The general consensus of opinion was that they would learn their lesson when they got home and received their phone bill.

Em