Retail Slaves as Custys Pet Peeve: Using Cell Phone On The Floor and Cursing

I consider myself a very laid-back customer while shopping. I have worked retail long enough to know that the job sucks, the pay sucks, the customer sucks, and basically everything sucks. If something is mismarked, I won't scream and bitch about it suppose to be $2 cheaper or whatever. I'll pay the extra money, kindly tell the cashier and manager that it's mismarked and carry on. If I don't have the proper amount of money, I'll return it to it's rightful place.

I can wait in lines that are too long without complaining. I won't take my bad mood out on cashiers or other employees. I say my thank yous and whatever. I treat the employees how I would have been wanted to be treated while I was doing what it is they are doing. I get it. It SUCKS.

However, my biggest pet peeve is when employees are using their phone while on the floor. Now I am not talking about keeping it in their pocket. I have done that. I understand people have kids and may keep it close in case something comes up. Or other family issues that might come up. (Once had a cashier have to answer her cell because her father was dying and found out right then and there he passed away - I totally understand that and hugged her and even waited for a new cashier since she was pretty unstable.)

What I am talking about is when an employee uses it for PERSONAL use. Sitting there texting in front of me irks me, but whatever...maybe they got kids who are telling them they are home from where ever or something. However, this story makes me mad:

My mother's birthday is coming up soon. I wanted to buy her something fairly nice, but within my budget. So, I went to Hellmart. Their jewelry is decent enough, I guess, plus they offer layaway, so I didn't have to blow my wallet all at once. The girl that was helping me was no older than 23, I'd say (I do realize I suck at judging ages, but she seemed young and kinda immature.)

I picked out a pretty necklace I thought Mommy would like and was in the process of putting it on layaway. Girl was entering my info into the computer when her cellphone BLARES. And she had one of those horrible ringtones with a horrible song that made my teeth shake. Instead of silencing it, she ANSWERED it, saying "Heyyyyy guuuurl." I won't repeat everything she said into the phone, but it was along the lines of getting extremely fucked up with enough swear words that would make a sailor blush.

Now I had my 5 year old with me at the time...she was using words that I did not want his little ears to hear. I grabbed my stuff and walked off and found a manager. Manager didn't want to believe me, but when my 5 year old asked me what a pussy was in front of him, I think he got the message.

If I didn't have my son, I'm sure I would have given her a piece of my mind, and it wouldn't have been pretty. I'll probably just get a gift card for my mom to one of her favorite scrapbooking stores. Can never go wrong with that. I just hope my son decides not to repeat any of those words to my parents or in school...Really don't need them to wonder if they heard them from me. >.<

--<3 Karebear

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Sales Agent Guy]

Wait, she was using profanity on the clock? She may have been on the phone but that's no excuse. Hell, those two things should've been grounds for her being fired or at least written up!

[Bebinn]

ugh, i had a similar experience recently. went to a convenience store that i haven't been to in a while. used to be good store. walked in, the floors were filthy, the fried chicken wasn't made so i didn't get any of that. didn't even see the person who was supposed to be doing the hotfoods so i could ask about the chicken. took my soda and chips up to the cash and the girl had her phone on her ear having a conversation. i stood off to the side to wait for her to finish but she waved me over. she didn't get the hint that i didn't want to do business with her while she was on the phone. I should have called her manager about the state of the place.

[Mrs. Lovett]

Wow, one of the rare times a manager sides with an employee over a custy....and of course it's the employee who's in the wrong. Figures.

[The Last Archimedean]

That should never happen. If the cashier wants to make plans for the evening she can wait until she goes on break and find a private spot to make her phone call.

[LaserSpawn]

wow that walmart is shit-tastic!

as some of you know(the FB RHUers), i called a guy an asshole(while on the clock) for flipping me off becasue he didnt like that i was doing my job regarding our ID policy. my bosses backed me on upholding the policy, but i did get a write up for using profanity. now, it was unintentional that i called him that, but i knew it was wrong the minute it came out of my mouth and i knew i was going to get in trouble.

why do most bosses have to act stupid about what their employees do? seems to me that these bosses that do nothing about their rude employees need a good clue-by-four upside the head.

[Late Night Geek]

I'd personally ask for both the employee's name and the manager's name if he wasn't the store manager and brought up to the store manager. I understand if there is something going on outside of work that would warrant a cell phone on an employee. This is a case of not taking the call until she's either finished with your transaction or when she is on break/off work. I'd be more in favor of a policy where a phone is left in the car or break room and calling the store phone in case of emergency to prevent instances like this.

I really hope the person is written up over the profanity. It has no place on the floor and in front of children.

[Fluffernutter]

Whoa! I know Hellmart employee's aren't paid enough to deal the crusties, not by far- but it sounds like this woman definitely needs a lesson on workplace etiquette... there are so many jobless people in this economy that could probably use the hours so much more...

I second what LNG said, regarding making sure she is informed of how much of a mess-up that was, as per corporate policy.

[candieaddict]

Wow! Bad enough using her phone, but that too? Jeez!

When I was at the mall in the food court, waiting for an interview, I saw a young man at the Dairy Queen shop thing hiding around one of the machines so he could text on his phone, even while a customer was waiting. So wrong.

[BookBitch]

We're not allowed to have phones on the salesfloor, but some people do it anyway, and I for one don't care because my coworkers who keep their phones on them rarely use them - pretty much only if they're stuck at the cash registers and it's totally dead (which is more frequently than we'd like, but hey...). In the 7 years I've worked retail, I've kept my phone on me twice - once when one of my best friends was having her sonogram to determine if she was having a boy or a girl (she has terrible endometriosis so it was a minor miracle she'd managed to get pregnant at all); and the second time when another one of my best friends (I've got 9, long story) was flying in because her sister had just been killed in a freak accident and there was no way I was letting that go to voicemail. Making plans to get drunk? Yeah, so totally not in that category.

[CO Slave]

At my work were not really allowed to have our phones on us, but considering the store has an app where you scan barcodes and it tells you the price/stock levels, you can get around it pretty easily. We can also use it for our monthly training modules as they all have one of those QR code things we can scan, so technically we can be at the registers on our phones and were actually working. But while some co workers really annoy me by using their phones too much and pretending not to see customers so I have to pick up the slack, the way I see it, as long as there are no customers at the registers, you can use your phone. When your by yourself and cant leave a register and there's nothing left to do, why not check facebook or text someone?

Although, obviously answering a personal call in front of a customer is not ok and neither is swearing. I can actually understand the manager not believing you, I cant believe someone would be that ridiculous that they would do that either!

[Finder Queen]

Wow just WOW. I myself -just- started training at a hellmart's jewelry center and may I say I'm sorry that THAT one was such a turd!
I'm with like 90% of people who feel it's ok to have phone in pocket, but do NOT ever use it while on the floor for non emergency reasons.
The fact she stopped helping you to answer her phone when the person would have most likely left a message or text is just flat out wrong!
I know for a fact cell use at hellmart while clocked on is a write up offense, and cussing? Well many people at my store have been fired for saying the word fuck or hell if they are on the clock. Of course leeway is granted for major things like your car stolen and such.
So this girl should have had 2 small or one BIG write up.

Also don't forget there's cameras EVERYWHERE in these stores so I'd call the SM and tell them x day at x time is when she did these things.
That ought to fire her really quickly!

Also I'm sorry that ANY CS person feels the need to be on a cell when there's other things to do. I have worked in retail since '06 and while it does sucks balls and so do some of the people shopping you NEVER EVER ignore the person paying your paycheck. And if there's 0 people in store I'm sure there's still cleaning, stocking, safety checks and what not that can still be done to EARN the pay check.

[Book Baby]

The ONLY time I have ever even CARRIED my phone on me at work was when Mr. Book Baby was an entire state away in the hospital with a probable heart attack. I was waiting for my kids (who were with him) to call and give me an update. I had permission to do this and, when the call came through, I stepped away from the counter after grabbing a coworker to help the patron I was with. Mr. Book Baby was fine (no heart attack, thank God!) and I was able to breath again instead of being in a full mode panic to run for my car and go screeching out of the parking lot towards the next state.

[CharlieWhiskyMike]

When The Manager Wont believing you is a sign that maybe The whole staff is a Bad Team. I know a McHell (my Kids loves it to Eating there:./) where Many members forgot to add things, being rude, seems to be lazy and some seems to be Not very bright, too, but Not all. There One staff members, where you really The will to give Good Service, when she servs you. I Hope its understandable what i want to say.

[heavy melvanova]

I do keep my phone on me, but will only answer it if it's the school/camp about the boy or my husband calling. (He almost NEVER calls, he'll always text, unless it's an emergency.) If it rings and it's the school, I will apologize to the customer (they always understand) and talk very quickly and quietly. My bosses understand as well, and know I'll be very quick about it.

But everyone else can wait till I'm on break.

[Chicajojobe]

Wow, okay. I'd keep my cell phone in my pocket at The Baby Store, and would even text occasionally when things were dead slow.
However, I'd never answer it while ringing up a customer!
That should have been enough for a write up.

[Skittles]

Yeah way innapropriate that she used the cellphone in mid transaction and ignored her customer. I could care less about the profanity though. Five is a little late in life to be learning profanity i made sure my baby sister new profanity almost as soon as she could talk.

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