Popular Taunton shop lays down the law on mobile phones (From Somerset County Gazette)

Here is one customer that supports you fully! Thankyou.

Yes, well done County Stores. ....and the sooner the law takes the driving licence away from these ignorant peasants who continue to use them on the road instead of giving them a paltry £30 fine and three points (if they are unlucky) the better. I wrote to the MP concerned and he (Quentin) says the penalties are income related so those people on lower incomes or benefits pay less! If they can afford a car and a mobile they can afford an appropriate penalty! That penalty should be a six month ban! At least!

I wish more stores would adapt this policy - I'm not sure why people need to spend so much time glued to their mobiles anyway - I can't think of anything more boring than making endless phone calls, but I guess people need to use up their "free" minutes somehow if they are on contract.

At last - some small victory for common decency.
An excellent fight-back against public ignorance by a highly respected pillar of the community. There's nothing so rude as someone who insists on talking (usually loudly) to someone else on the phone while shopping.
Essentially, the shopkeeper is being ignored or treated with contempt.

And this also comes at the perfect time - in the week when David Cameron has finally had enough of 'hoodies' and soft policing and prison options.....perhaps a return to some degree of civilisation.

My only other thought is, 'why has the country been let to sink so far before anything has been done – locally or nationally?'

Another good reason not to shop in Taunton.

Imagine the scene - cashier: "that's £75.60 please sir", (ring ring, ring ring) Customer: "sorry I really need to answer this it's my daughters school" Cashier: "sorry sir I'm not allowed to serve you now because you are on your phone". The one benefit of this is that county stores will have to employ more staff to put back all the unsold goods left at the checkouts. If you've been in a long queue on a busy day it's not the end of the world if the customer is on the phone. As long as the customer isn't breaking the law or being offensive they can do what they want in my eyes, it's a business, not a school!

Useacarpark.com wrote:
Imagine the scene - cashier: "that's £75.60 please sir", (ring ring, ring ring) Customer: "sorry I really need to answer this it's my daughters school" Cashier: "sorry sir I'm not allowed to serve you now because you are on your phone". The one benefit of this is that county stores will have to employ more staff to put back all the unsold goods left at the checkouts. If you've been in a long queue on a busy day it's not the end of the world if the customer is on the phone. As long as the customer isn't breaking the law or being offensive they can do what they want in my eyes, it's a business, not a school!

Imagine the scene, you've just bought some items that should only cost £5.50 but because your a rude customer who can't leave your phone alone for 5 mins your card has been charged £55.50.
What a shame I'll now go back hold all the other customers up because I couldn't be bothered to pay attention and now I need a refund.
Do you do the same whilst your driving or in the cinema?

Not sure if this sort of publicity has done County Stores any favours.  It may have got them some free advertising, but I am sure that this sort of message will actually lose them trade.  Why is everyone who uses a mobile phone being branded rude and disrespectful? I don't use my phone very often but if I was contacted whilst being served at County Stores, I would like to think that I wouldn't be asked to go to the back of the queue or hang-up.  If this is seriously what the management is suggesting, I will be shopping elsewhere from now on. I can understand people being asked to mute or turn off phones in the cinema or at the doctor's surgery, but not when they call into a shop to buy a paper or a sandwich. Absolute madness!

FreeSpeech? wrote:

Useacarpark.com wrote:
Imagine the scene - cashier: "that's £75.60 please sir", (ring ring, ring ring) Customer: "sorry I really need to answer this it's my daughters school" Cashier: "sorry sir I'm not allowed to serve you now because you are on your phone". The one benefit of this is that county stores will have to employ more staff to put back all the unsold goods left at the checkouts. If you've been in a long queue on a busy day it's not the end of the world if the customer is on the phone. As long as the customer isn't breaking the law or being offensive they can do what they want in my eyes, it's a business, not a school!

Imagine the scene, you've just bought some items that should only cost £5.50 but because your a rude customer who can't leave your phone alone for 5 mins your card has been charged £55.50.
What a shame I'll now go back hold all the other customers up because I couldn't be bothered to pay attention and now I need a refund.
Do you do the same whilst your driving or in the cinema?

That's a rubbish and irrelevant argument, as driving on the phone is illegal and dangerous, and the cinema is a quiet place where phones ruin everyone's experience. A grocery shop is generally a busy and noisy place where you buy goods, like food and drink which are required to stay alive.

Useacarpark.com wrote:
Imagine the scene - cashier: "that's £75.60 please sir", (ring ring, ring ring) Customer: "sorry I really need to answer this it's my daughters school" Cashier: "sorry sir I'm not allowed to serve you now because you are on your phone". The one benefit of this is that county stores will have to employ more staff to put back all the unsold goods left at the checkouts. If you've been in a long queue on a busy day it's not the end of the world if the customer is on the phone. As long as the customer isn't breaking the law or being offensive they can do what they want in my eyes, it's a business, not a school!

.... it may be a business but the business has a right to reuse entry and service. If the phone call from the school is that important then they will be leaving the queue anyway. Moreover, if their shopping is more important the phone user can use call back. If the individual stomps off in a childish tantrum at least the people waiting impatiently behind will be able to move forward. Please stop making excuses for this ignorant behaviour.

Scenario.....You're having a chat with someone when their phone rings. They answer it and start chatting to the person on the phone while ignoring you. How are you supposed to feel?
Do you just let them chat on,while tapping you foot impatiently?
Do you say "excuse me, I was talking to you!"
Do you walk away and let them talk to their new 'friend'?
Come on - be honest - you'd feel really annoyed and would want that person to devote their attention back to you again.

New scenario: the person is buying something from you and the phone rings. They answer it and start chatting, while now doing the transaction wordlessly, or with hand gestures.
Do you, as the shopkeeper or seller, smile politely and continue to serve them?
Consider them to be ignorant and tell them to go away?
Or do you say "excuse me, I was talking to you!"
The shopkeeper can't do the latter so he/she has to do one of the previous things.
So - is a shopkeeper so low down the social caste that they are to be ignored and not treated as an equal?

Useacarpark - you're implying that as a business, they stand lower than you - to be looked down on.
Oh yes - they're "public servants, aren't they?"
Well, please believe me, if someone, as you say, "did what they want" in my shop while I was serving them, I'd tell them exactly where they could go - business or not.

souwesterly wrote:
Scenario.....You're having a chat with someone when their phone rings. They answer it and start chatting to the person on the phone while ignoring you. How are you supposed to feel?
Do you just let them chat on,while tapping you foot impatiently?
Do you say "excuse me, I was talking to you!"
Do you walk away and let them talk to their new 'friend'?
Come on - be honest - you'd feel really annoyed and would want that person to devote their attention back to you again.

New scenario: the person is buying something from you and the phone rings. They answer it and start chatting, while now doing the transaction wordlessly, or with hand gestures.
Do you, as the shopkeeper or seller, smile politely and continue to serve them?
Consider them to be ignorant and tell them to go away?
Or do you say "excuse me, I was talking to you!"
The shopkeeper can't do the latter so he/she has to do one of the previous things.
So - is a shopkeeper so low down the social caste that they are to be ignored and not treated as an equal?

Useacarpark - you're implying that as a business, they stand lower than you - to be looked down on.
Oh yes - they're "public servants, aren't they?"
Well, please believe me, if someone, as you say, "did what they want" in my shop while I was serving them, I'd tell them exactly where they could go - business or not.

If you have a successful business and you can afford to turn away and alienate customers then that's your prerogative. I've worked in customer services and had people on the phone, those that don't say hello or thank you, it happens! But on the other hand you get the nice customers the even everything out. It's not really an issue in my eyes. Should we ban all drivers who don't wave after you've given them right of way? And lock up people who pick their noses in public?

It’s all about common courtesy. Whether you’re on your phone, or talking to the person next to you. Give the check-out person your full attention; (shop assistant, waiter, or anyone else that’s trying to help for that matter). How would you would feel on the receiving end?

yes common courtesy,it would also be appreciated by customers if they were acknowledged by shop assistants- maybe everybody should be aware of common decency

Somerset_lad wrote:
It’s all about common courtesy. Whether you’re on your phone, or talking to the person next to you. Give the check-out person your full attention; (shop assistant, waiter, or anyone else that’s trying to help for that matter). How would you would feel on the receiving end?

If I'm on a till I'm paid to be polite and serve the customer, not judge how they behave.

Useacarpark.com wrote:

Somerset_lad wrote:
It’s all about common courtesy. Whether you’re on your phone, or talking to the person next to you. Give the check-out person your full attention; (shop assistant, waiter, or anyone else that’s trying to help for that matter). How would you would feel on the receiving end?

If I'm on a till I'm paid to be polite and serve the customer, not judge how they behave.

Whilst I'm working I speak to people as I would wish too be spoken to, judging by your comments you don't mind being ignored whilst talking too others who are on the phone.
Extremely rude interrupting people to talk on a phone or expecting to be served whilst carrying on a conversation whilst already talking.

If you believe that you should be paid to be polite, and then you’re in the wrong job, this is an intrinsic quality. Manners, respect and politeness are attributes that are sadly evaporating from our society. It’s a two way process however and I acknowledge that customer service generally has much room for improvement.

FreeSpeech? wrote:

Useacarpark.com wrote:

Somerset_lad wrote:
It’s all about common courtesy. Whether you’re on your phone, or talking to the person next to you. Give the check-out person your full attention; (shop assistant, waiter, or anyone else that’s trying to help for that matter). How would you would feel on the receiving end?

If I'm on a till I'm paid to be polite and serve the customer, not judge how they behave.

Whilst I'm working I speak to people as I would wish too be spoken to, judging by your comments you don't mind being ignored whilst talking too others who are on the phone.
Extremely rude interrupting people to talk on a phone or expecting to be served whilst carrying on a conversation whilst already talking.

Useacarpark.com, I agree with FreeSpeech. If you have a job you will be lucky to keep it very long with your apparent selfish and rude attitude.

useacarpark.com seriously dude??
if i seen you use a phone. id serve the next customer and when u finally got off the phone id then play around with my phone for a few minutes leaving you waiting for me

If a company relies on lunch time trade for a large proportion of their trade, they should accept people on phones as this could be the only time they can use their personal phones during the day.

If not the company could end up losing trade to another company who will accept it.

meekmeek wrote:
useacarpark.com seriously dude??
if i seen you use a phone. id serve the next customer and when u finally got off the phone id then play around with my phone for a few minutes leaving you waiting for me

Then I'd make a complaint and you'd be the one in trouble, what happened to the customer is always right? Who said the cashier would have to wait, im sure most people can pay for goods and have a phone call. I used to read the comments on here about the lack of parking, poor traffic management, lack of good shops and think Taunton couldn't do anymore to restrict trade and tourism, but with the recent story about no Christmas lights and now shop owners becoming little hitlers I have been proved wrong.

Getting back to the main theme, Useacarpark, you're saying then that shopkeepers are to be subservient?
You obviously look down on them?
You treat them with no respect?
Are you the same person who doesn't say 'thank you' to someone who holds a door open for you?
Do you say 'please' when you buy something?
Sorry if us plebs offend you then.

But try that in a shop I was working in and I'd stick up for my principles and be quite prepared to get into trouble for the likes of you, thank you.

Do we really need cashiers anymore? Thank god for self service and chip and pin! I'm not rude and I'm not saying that I'll always be on my phone when I'm in a shop, but this is a stupid take on what is probably a very rare occurrence. Is it really a story for a local paper? No! Is it an actual issue for county stores? Probably not!

Quite right too! Well done County Stores. Good manners don't seem to exist anymore :(

I can't believe that this was picked up by an national radio station yesterday ( oct 24th )

Thank goodness for the internet.
No congestion, no parking, always in stock, no stroppy sales staff, far cheaper and delivered to my door.

This has made the news, I assumed all there customers were 100 plus and therefore dont have internet access or use mobiles so I cant see any issue!

souwesterly wrote:
Getting back to the main theme, Useacarpark, you're saying then that shopkeepers are to be subservient?
You obviously look down on them?
You treat them with no respect?
Are you the same person who doesn't say 'thank you' to someone who holds a door open for you?
Do you say 'please' when you buy something?
Sorry if us plebs offend you then.

But try that in a shop I was working in and I'd stick up for my principles and be quite prepared to get into trouble for the likes of you, thank you.

Funnily enough he/she/it refered to me as a pleb on another post, so i am starting to think useacarpark.com is some andrew mitchell type, tory silver spoon brigade.