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Cell phone policy...WWYD?
My mom runs a small boutique/shop. In this techno age, EVERYONE has their cell phones glued to their ears if they are shopping alone. It's like people are incapable of just being by themselves apparently.
It's become difficult to do business in such a small space with people yapping away on their cells like they own the place. It's just bad manners, IMO, to come chatting in a small shop where EVERYONE can hear you. Especially if they come up while trying to get rung up on a purchase...drives my sis nuts! So on the front door (very easy to find) there is a recent sign that says, "To better serve you, please keep all cell convos outside" something to that effect.
Sooo, my question to you ladies is this: What recourse does an employee have when a customer comes in and doesn't adhere to the policy (either by oversight, or not giving a cr@p) or they answer their phone while already in the shop, and just start blabbing while walking, or being rung up??
The general consensus has been to ignore them thus far, or to come up with a way to tell them to talk outside, but you don't want to kick someone out...but then who wants to deal with people who think they are above the rules??
WWYD, or what do you think? My sis says in the past 1/2 hr, there were three people in the store, loudly talking on their phone while she was counting some money...ummm distractions much?!
I know when I shop in a giant store like Target, I'll be on the phone at times, but never at the checkout, and I would never never be on the phone in a small shop, ever.
Halp!
Re: Cell phone policy...WWYD?
Since it's a fairly new policy, I would approach the customers, interrupt their conversation as politely as possible, and inform them of the new policy. I'd also suggest that if they cannot lose their call, to take it outside until the call has ended.
In a month's time, when the rule is commonplace, I would kindly remind customers to keep it off or take it outside.
If all else does fail, they make short ranger cell phone jammers
I'd also make a permanent sign that says "To improve your experience in this store, please kindly refrain from talking on your cell phone inside the boutique". That's much nicer than what I've seen receptionists do in my doctor's office- they tell the patients that if they're not off the phone in 10 seconds they will be put at the back of the appointment line for the morning/afternoon!
I've been working retail for the past 9 years (GAH!!) and my thoughts are that there really is nothing you can do about it. Approaching customers and asking them to get off their phones will cause them to leave, never come back, and tell all their inconsiderate cell phone talking friends not to go there either. With a "big box" store like Target or Walmart is one thing, because you really can't avoid shopping at those, but with a small family run boutique it could really hurt the business. I don't believe in the "customer is always right" mantra, but at the same time, they are coming into your store to spend money, and you can't really put restrictions on their behavior while they are doing so without offending.
But that's just me...
Honestly, I understand why this would be annoying as I worked retail for 4 years and had this happen countless times, but I don't think there's really anything you can do about it. If I were on a call and someone asked me to take it outside while I was shopping, I would honestly probably not come back. Then again, I try to talk quietly on my phone in public and NEVER talk on it while checking out or speaking with a sales associate as I think it's just plain rude.
I don't know what you can do to enforce this new policy; you risk loosing customers who bring in business for you if you offend them by not allowing them to talk on their phones while shopping.
My Blog
I think it is Terribly rude to talk on the phone while you are being served in a store, no matter what type of store it is.
But unfortunately society is changing. And the sign probably is working, just not for everybody.
So therefore, I think Moshi has the answer. Buy a cell phone jammer.
I worked retail for a smaller store a few years ago and we never really had a huge problem with cell phones. I couldn't have cared less whether customers were talking on their phone while shopping. I tend to think that someone talking on a cell phone in a store is about as loud as two people having a conversation in a store. You wouldn't ask two customers to leave then, right?
Eh, I kinda think of it like, I work in a shop, not a library. People can talk at whatever volume they please.
It also didn't bother me whether people were talking on their phone while I checked them out. It happened rarely, but when it did, the people would hand me their purchases, then their money/card and I'd do my business. I'd motion for them to sign the receipt, they would, and that was that. If someone was paying with cash, I'd just butt into their phone conversation with "That'll be $10 m'am" and they'd hand me their money. I basically went about my business like they weren't even on the phone.
I don't think there is any recourse for an employee that doesn't want to get spit on. Whether it's right or not, people will be offended if a sales associate comes to them asking them to take their convo outside.
I never knew about the cell phone jammer. Might be worth looking into!
EDIT: Just asked DH about the cell phone jammer and he said that he has no idea how much they cost, but he wouldn't get one, and if he did, he wouldn't tell anyone about it. If an emergency happened and someone couldn't place a call inside, the boutique could be sued if a customer found out you had a jammer. It may be frivolous, but as sue-happy as our nation is, it's something to think about.
Do the creep.
Thanks for the all the thoughts girls, I kind of felt all along there wasn't much to "say" verbally to people, and I suppose the sign will suffice for now.
It does seem to make some people happy actually. I guess one lady commented today about how happy she was to see that it was a cell free store. That it made shopping more pleasant. A lot of the businesses in the area are adopting similar policies.
The goal is to make the shopping experience universally comfortable for all, and I have to to say I find it interesting that a few of you said you wouldn't go back to such a store, if someone chose to politely ask you to stop talking on the phone if there was a policy in place. What's the big deal? Why would you be so offended as to never return? You seriously cannot get off the phone for like ten minutes while you shop? That's so odd to me. :-/
I find it hard to catch up with people too; I literally make all my phone calls on the go. Which ever pp said something about that I totallllly get you! But I wouldn't boycott a store because of a cell policy, personally.
I do feel it's different when two people are having a conversation in person versus someone on the phone while wandering a shop. For one, people on their cells are often distracted, and they tend to talk louder then usual, and I can't tell you how many times I've been hit or cornered by shopping carts at the grocery store because people just don't pay attention.
I don't know...it's just etiquette to me, or something...
It's not a hill to die on; and I know I'm rambling! I just kind find it fascinating how strongly people feel about their phones, and when and where it is appropriate to use them. Me included!
Anyways, thanks mucho for the thoughts all. (btw...no cell jammers here! Who wants to get sued?!)