Die, Cell Phones, Die!!

[Misty]

How much do I hate cell phones? Let me count the ways...

1) The customers ignore you. Sometimes I have to address them several times, and when I do finally get their attention, they're so distracted that they only give you their order in bits and pieces. When a customer gives me a large order one at a time, it takes twice as long than if they'd just hang up the phone and give it to me all at once. Meanwhile, the line behind them gets longer.

2) They order for the person they are talking to (or texting). "How many calories is a small yogurt? Stacy, they say it's about 150 calories, so do you want me to get you something? (pause) A small original with granola, please. You don't? Stacy, they don't have granola, what else do you want (pause) the strawberries look okay, maybe a little mushy. Is the fruit organic? No Stacy, they say the fruit's not organic...."

This type of conversation is annoying enough when both people are in the store, yet somehow listening to only half of the conversation is twice as annoying.

3) They carry on two conversations at once. These people have mastered the art of alternating between talking to me and talking to their phone buddy. Today this woman walked into the store talking a mile a minute, and she placed her order without missing a beat. "So she said, oh, why don't you try distracting him? Play a game with him or something? (I'll have a medium pomegranate) I told her I can't do that, I have 20 other kids to watch! What's gonna happen when some kid breaks his arm wrestling with another kid while I'm preoccupied with him? (I'll have mangos, pineapple, and blueberries, please) She said I could do both! (I'll have some shaved chocolate too) She has no idea what she's talking about, but she acts like he knows everything! (How much?) Like the other day we were trying to organize the carpool..." at that point she left, so now I'll never know what happened with the carpool! *Sigh* life is so unfair!

4) Other customers complain about them to me. Yesterday I had a customer like #3, and after she left the woman next in line said to me, "You should have told her to hang up. She was driving me crazy." Yeah, you and me both, lady. Problem is, part of my job is putting up with crap like that. If you have a problem with it, you tell her. At least she won't complain to your boss!

So that makes four. Four ways I hate cell phones.

[Sheldonrs]

Maybe you could buy a cell phone blocker. :-)

[Mr Hero]

Since I typically only deal with lines 1 or 2 people deep at the most, my tactic seems to work, though I don't know how it works in restaurants. I don't even start asking for the person's info until they end their call. It usually goes like this.

SC: I need a room.
Me: Sure thing.
SC: *blabs on phone*
Me: *waits patiently until they're ready to give me their attention*
SC: I'll call you back.

[bankworking]

Since I typically only deal with lines 1 or 2 people deep at the most, my tactic seems to work, though I don't know how it works in restaurants. I don't even start asking for the person's info until they end their call. It usually goes like this.

SC: I need a room.
Me: Sure thing.
SC: *blabs on phone*
Me: *waits patiently until they're ready to give me their attention*
SC: I'll call you back.

That works for me also, but it's because of the type of job I think. The customer needs to find out from me how do get done what they want, and while I do have some time constraints, for the most part I can wait them out.

In fast food, they already know the process, so if they are rude (which obviously they are, or they would have put the cell down) they can just bark out their order. Plus, the worker has to worry about speed and can't afford to just wait them out with silence.

[Jester]

Someone sits down at my bar talking on a cell phone, I will not interrupt them until they are off the phone. Most of them have no issue with this, and if they do, I simply politely and innocently tell them, "I'm sorry, I didn't want to interrupt you." Not much they can do at that point. Besides, 9 times out of 10, I have other people at the bar I can be taking care of while they are blabbing away on the phone.

[Lovecats]

People getting in my line on their cell phones. It just drives me crazy. And sometimes it highly personal conversations. Or they're in the restroom. Or driving with that phone just glued to their ear.

[Shmuggly]

I work in a convenience store, and this drives me nuts! Its too rude!
All of those first three happen all the time, strangely enough I've never had a #4 though. Customers do occasionally complain about how long other customers take, and then of course they have some long obscure thing they themselves need, and of course they have to dig through their wallet, taking about 3 times as long as that first guy.

[RealUnimportant]

Oh yes, people complaining about how long the last person took almost never use that time to get ready themselves!

We have strict rules about cellphone usage on both sides of the counter, which are never enforced...

[Ghel]

I handle it similar to bankworking, except my bank has a metal roof, which means cell phones get poor reception inside the bank. They'll still ring, though, which means I get variations on the following:

<ring, ring>
SC: Hello? ... I can't hear you... hold on...
<SC gets up and goes to stand in the entryway for 10 minutes to finish the call, then comes back.>
Me: You wanted your husband/wife/child/etc. to be joint on this account, right? What's hir social security number?
SC: Hold, on. I'll call them. <Dials> Hello? Hold on, I can't hear you. <to me> Do you have some paper.?
<I hand them scratch paper, and they go out to the entryway and scribble down the information I need before returning.>

Repeat as necessary until I get all the information I need or until the SC changes their mind on the account ownership.

Le sigh.

[Kristev]

Too bad more things can't disempower cell phones.

[redsox33413]

Fortunately, our substation is a newer "storm-rated" building that can withstand a Category 5 hurricane. It also is solid concrete and steel, making it almost impossible for anyone to use their cell phones inside. Cue me smiling politely and informing the public thusly:
"Oh, yeah, this building is storm-rated, so there's no reception in here. You have to go into the parking lot to even get a signal."
Hey, it's the little victories. LOL.

[MoonCat]

There used to be a little deli here where the owner refused to serve anybody who was talking on their phone. I mean outright refused. He'd even tell them to leave the store! And yet the line for sandwiches in that place was out the door until the day he retired, so obviously a lot of people agreed with his attitude toward phones.

[Peppergirl]

There used to be a little deli here where the owner refused to serve anybody who was talking on their phone. I mean outright refused. He'd even tell them to leave the store! And yet the line for sandwiches in that place was out the door until the day he retired, so obviously a lot of people agreed with his attitude toward phones.

I am a self admitted blackberry addict, and even I would absolutely give my business to this guy. Why? Because I know when to put the damned thing away.

I find myself more annoyed with the management like the one the OP works for - moreso than the EW himself. Management that won't empower their employees to instruct the customer to step aside and get their shit together are the WORST.

Great business sense! It's MUCH better business to piss off 10 people in line, rather than the 1 EW holding UP said line.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

I'm not allowed to interrupt the customer on the phone myself (to a point), so if they insist on talking to someone else on another phone (or in person) while I have them on the line, I just let them go on while I find something more fun to do. Now, if it gets to be about 5 minutes or so, I have to ask them if they want to continue the call with me...so they either stop what they're doing or I ask them to call back later.

[downforit2008]

Did anyone get one of those electronics that can cut off a cell phone call if scanned from ten feet away? I'd love to hear one of those stories about a cashier having one and forcing hang-ups on all the phones of every "Chatty Cathy" customer. Ha ha!