Does a cashier have to speak to a customer when serving them?

[mom to minnie&mickey]

This has never happened to me before and wondering how all of you might have handled the situation.
Today I went to my local 7-11 type store for milk and bread. I was the only customer in the store. I approached the cash and noticed the cashier was on her cell phone speaking loudly to someone in her own foreign language. Fine, not a problem. I placed my items on the counter and waited for her to acknowledge me. Well, without taking a breath out of her conversation she scanned the items and started pointing with her finger at the amount on the cash register, all the while talking loudly on her phone. I paid her, she gave me back my change and I waited for her to bag my purchases. Nothing. I asked her for a bag and she placed a folded one beside the milk containers for me to use. I bagged my own purchases and just stared at her. The entire time she had not paused in her conversation for even a second. It was as if a real person was not standing in front of her, she just went through the motions ringing up my purchases. Her full attention was on her conversation.

Her rudeness amazed me. My kids were with me so I did not say anything to her but certainly used it as a lesson for them. I don't know if she was the owner or an employee but I would never want someone like that working for me. Just curious if any of you would have said something to her or not. As I left the store her mouth was still going full speed!

 

[sam_gordon]

This has never happened to me before and wondering how all of you might have handled the situation.
Today I went to my local 7-11 type store for milk and bread. I was the only customer in the store. I approached the cash and noticed the cashier was on her cell phone speaking loudly to someone in her own foreign language. Fine, not a problem. I placed my items on the counter and waited for her to acknowledge me. Well, without taking a breath out of her conversation she scanned the items and started pointing with her finger at the amount on the cash register, all the while talking loudly on her phone. I paid her, she gave me back my change and I waited for her to bag my purchases. Nothing. I asked her for a bag and she placed a folded one beside the milk containers for me to use. I bagged my own purchases and just stared at her. The entire time she had not paused in her conversation for even a second. It was as if a real person was not standing in front of her, she just went through the motions ringing up my purchases. Her full attention was on her conversation.

Her rudeness amazed me. My kids were with me so I did not say anything to her but certainly used it as a lesson for them. I don't know if she was the owner or an employee but I would never want someone like that working for me. Just curious if any of you would have said something to her or not. As I left the store her mouth was still going full speed!

For a one time thing I would give her the benefit of the doubt and figure the phone call WAS more important than checking you at (immediate family member in an accident/at the hospital/whatever).

If it was a "just checking in" phone call, what she was doing was unprofessional.

 

[mom to minnie&mickey]

For a one time thing I would give her the benefit of the doubt and figure the phone call WAS more important than checking you at (immediate family member in an accident/at the hospital/whatever).

If it was a "just checking in" phone call, what she was doing was unprofessional.

No, this was a "happy" conversation with her kind of giggling at one point.

 

[sam_gordon]

No, this was a "happy" conversation with her kind of giggling at one point.

Then it sounds like it was unprofessional. Here are your options...

1) Do nothing, don't let it bother you, continue shopping there.
2) Write/email the manager and/or corporate & complain about the situation.
3) Don't shop there again.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

At a 7-11 I have pretty low standards so it would not bother me.

 

[Tink888]

I would have said something right then and there and returned the milk. She was downright rude. Even if the call was some sort of emergency, there was nothing preventing her from mouthing or gesturing to you that was the case.

You are a customer, she was at work. I've worked my share of retail in my life and I can't stand employees who act like they are doing the customer some kind of favor by ringing them up.

 

[Cindy B]

I have had interactions with cashiers whose first language is not English- and I can understand that. However, it sounds like this cashier had not language barrier and was just rude.

 

[Kim&Chris]

OP, that situation would have infuriated me.

Kudos to you for keeping your calm during that nonsense, because I wouldn't have been so understanding.

Her treatment of you was completely rude and disrespectful. Had you walked out, or returned the items, she probably wouldn't have batted an eye.

Hell would have to freeze twice before I went into that store again. And I really do hope you reach out to the company to advise them of how poorly you were treated.

 

[MissManda]

That would have seriously ticked me off. I hate it when an employee is too busy with their personal conversations to be "bothered" by an actual paying customer. I would call the store and speak with the manager and tell them what happened.

 

[scrapquitler]

This has never happened to me before and wondering how all of you might have handled the situation.
Today I went to my local 7-11 type store for milk and bread. I was the only customer in the store. I approached the cash and noticed the cashier was on her cell phone speaking loudly to someone in her own foreign language. Fine, not a problem. I placed my items on the counter and waited for her to acknowledge me. Well, without taking a breath out of her conversation she scanned the items and started pointing with her finger at the amount on the cash register, all the while talking loudly on her phone. I paid her, she gave me back my change and I waited for her to bag my purchases. Nothing. I asked her for a bag and she placed a folded one beside the milk containers for me to use. I bagged my own purchases and just stared at her. The entire time she had not paused in her conversation for even a second. It was as if a real person was not standing in front of her, she just went through the motions ringing up my purchases. Her full attention was on her conversation.

Her rudeness amazed me. My kids were with me so I did not say anything to her but certainly used it as a lesson for them. I don't know if she was the owner or an employee but I would never want someone like that working for me. Just curious if any of you would have said something to her or not. As I left the store her mouth was still going full speed!

That's just rude. I would call the store and speak to the manager and let them know how rude the cashier was, and I would post about it on Yelp because it would really annoy me.

When I used to work as a cashier, we were trained to say HELLO and THANK YOU to every customer. These days, it seems that most cashiers will say one or the other, hearing both is pretty rare.

 

[Diva of Dragons]

7-11 was one of the companies on the firs season of Undercover Boss. They do have some serious standards. Write and complain. If it does not good at the local level, write to the HQ.

 

[CPT Tripss]

I have had similar experiences, I let them get as far as pointing at the price before I walk out.

 

[MrsDuck]

That's just rude. I would call the store and speak to the manager and let them know how rude the cashier was, and I would post about it on Yelp because it would really annoy me.

When I used to work as a cashier, we were trained to say HELLO and THANK YOU to every customer. These days, it seems that most cashiers will say one or the other, hearing both is pretty rare.

Agreed. I would definitely speak with the higher ups.

 

[hereyago]

Years ago, my dd's dentist actually did this while dd was in the chair. It wasn't an emergency situation, he was yapping about his grandsons. He sat on his stool still yapping. I am mouthy when I need to be and told him he needed to get off the phone and
concentrate on dd, because our time is just as valuable. He got off the phone.

 

[POOHsie]

During the many years I lived in Miami, I encountered similar treatment. Cell phones weren't really around then, so the usual scenario was two employees talking together in non-English while waiting on me. Never would they even acknowledge me or my purchases. They would both have their back to me, and a hand would reach around one of their backs to collect my money or CC. When it was possible, like a grocery store line, I just wouldn't respond to the poor service I was receiving. The worker would then have to stop chatting, turn around, give her full attention to me, and I would begin the payment transaction. But then she would punish me for doing what I did, by being rude and belligerent 'til our time together was over. I doubt I ever made my point, although I tried. The only satisfaction I got was moving north to Ft. Lauderdale permanently.

 

[Janepod]

I would just as soon not make chit chat with random cashiers, so no, this would not bother me, provided he or she rang up the transaction and returned my change quickly and accurately. If the phone call slows down the transaction, then I'm annoyed.

 

[Minerva Mouse]

I would probably write an email, or call and ask to speak with a manger.

 

[Lilliputian]

That is really rude. I might consider writing the manager of the store if that happened to me.

I used to live in a town where the customer service at gas stations, grocery stores, etc. was just horrible. The employees were always having conversations with each other and couldn't be bothered to actually talk to the customers. I always knew that when I'd go inside gas stations to pay with my credit card (small towns hadn't gotten pay at the pump yet at this point), the clerk would frequently be on the store's phone and would roll her eyes as she told the person she was talking to that she had to go now because the credit cards used the modem hooked up to the phone line to go through. I never reported it to management because it was so prevalent in that town that I didn't think it would be a big deal to them. After about two years, I moved to another small town on the other side of the bigger city we lived close to, and good customer service was the norm there. It was just the way the people in that town worked.

If you're used to getting good service, the manager will probably want to know what's going on when the employees are unsupervised.

 

[JessicaR]

I frequent a local deli that has a sign at the register.

"I will be happy to wait on you when you are finished with your call."

That clerk needs to know what she did is extremely rude! I would be ticked.

 

[CaliBear]

I don't think this is uncommon, especially at 7-11, and I wouldn't be bothered in the slightest. The cashier owes me correct change and the right price, not a conversation. Handing over a bag instead of bagging it for you is the only questionable part to me, but not worth complaining to management over.