Ring My Bell~

[notalwaysright]

Sorry, had to use a song title. Anyway, when it's slow we put a bell out with a note which says "Ring Bell for Service." Simple enough? Nope. Impossible. It's rocket science, or Mandarin Chinese. Here are some of the super fun things people do when faced with The Bell.

They don't ring it. They apparently have some terrible aversion to the sound, and would rather stand near the bell looking sad.

Variation on the above... They don't ring it, but are mad about it. We clearly just put the bell out because we're LAZY and chillin in the break room fully aware of them but purposely ignoring them.

They ring it repeatedly. Are very cranky when I don't magically spring up from behind the counter. Sometimes they ring it three times in a row and do a dead SPRINT to the register to complain that no one will come help them.

Sometimes I leave it on the counter because it gets tiring to move it up and down every two minutes. So they ring it while I'm standing there waiting the help them.

They let their kid ring it, (and ring and ring and ring...) and give me the stink eye when I take it away.

[Evannah]

I think a bell is a great idea, honestly. Those customers are just being jerks for the sake of it. And how DARE you actually be doing something else when the shop is dead? You should just stand there for hours on end, waiting to be graced by their presence. How very DARE you be doing something else! *sarcasm*

[Cecily]

I find it absolutely and annoyingly rude to snap fingers or whistle to get someone's attention and those little counter bells makes me feel the same. Probably something to do with Pavlov's dog and in my mind it's treating people like pets? Anyway, I will use them if necessary, but I don't like them, at all.

[notalwaysright]

Anyway, I will use them if necessary, but I don't like them, at all.

Yeah, lots of people don't like them (and I can sympathize), but at least you use it if you have to. The bad part is when one person doesn't, but they put all their stuff near it thus blocking it from view. Then when other people walk up, they don't even see the bell and just mill about angrily. I always think of it like on South Park when the townsfolk go "rabble rabble rabble!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gSQg1i_q2g

Oh, and I have been whistled at like a dog. I walked past the aisle. Stopped. Went back and said "Sir, did you just whistle at me?" And I have no memory of the rest of the conversation.

[UncleImpy]

I always feel bad HAVING to ring it, because I feel like I'm being impatient with the counter staff. Maybe I've just been working in the Service Industry for too long...

[Cecily]

I always feel bad HAVING to ring it, because I feel like I'm being impatient with the counter staff. Maybe I've just been working in the Service Industry for too long...

Yes, this is exactly how those bells make me feel.

[Seshat]

Oddly enough, being on this site has made me feel better about using counter bells. Like it's a sort of acknowledgement that the staff have better things to do than sit and wait for me to show up.

[xxscooterxx]

Yes, this is exactly how those bells make me feel.

Me too. Our local $ place has little dog toys that squeak when you squeeze them instead of bells. While I appreciate the lighthearted approach, I still feel like an asshole.

[XCashier]

Anyway, when it's slow we put a bell out with a note which says "Ring Bell for Service." Simple enough? Nope. Impossible. It's rocket science, or Mandarin Chinese. Here are some of the super fun things people do when faced with The Bell.

They don't ring it. They apparently have some terrible aversion to the sound, and would rather stand near the bell looking sad.

We don't have a bell; we just have to keep one eye on the cutting counter when we're putting away fabric go-backs. Heck, our customers still can't figure out the take-a-ticket system, you think they can figure out a desk bell?!

[Mr Hero]

I hate the bell. I've put mine out of customer reach because idiots would ring it for the sake of ringing it.

[KellyHabersham]

We had one of those when I worked in the church office, but people didn't always use it.......especially frustrating when I was in the copy room printing out something, because I couldn't see or hear the office door open. (some people were really quiet about entering, which didn't help)

[fireheart]

We have a counter bell at work....except it gets used by us to get the kids attention (for some bizarre reason, clapping your hands doesn't always work, but they can hear a bell over the racket they make sometimes!)

[Spork4pedro]

We actually sell the hotel bells at my work. We have two different kinds, one that is in our knick knack area (adults area) and one in the toys. Every Friday all you hear is "DING! DING! DING!" between the two areas but sadly it is more commonly the adults playing with them. Those and the fart machines...

[wolfie]

They ring it repeatedly. Are very cranky when I don't magically spring up from behind the counter. Sometimes they ring it three times in a row and do a dead SPRINT to the register to complain that no one will come help them.

Any chance of getting one that LOOKS like a simple mechanical bell, but it's actually electronic? Hit the button, and it gives a synthesized "Ding". Hit the button again before a programmed "cool down" time has passed, and nothing happens (except resetting the "cool down" timer). Would avoid the "dingdingdingdingdingding" issue.

Better yet, have a selection of synthesized voice responses to use if the button were pressed during the "cool down", along the lines of "Hurry up - there's an impatient asshole wanting service".

[manybellsdown]

We don't have a bell; we just have to keep one eye on the cutting counter when we're putting away fabric go-backs. Heck, our customers still can't figure out the take-a-ticket system, you think they can figure out a desk bell?!

As a fabric store customer ... if I had a nickel for every person I see stand in "line" and then get all huffy when my number is called and they're not next. Well, I would take all the people at the cutting counter out for drinks, anyway.