Can't you see i'm trying to help someone else?

[Hon'ya-chan]

So i'm trying to help an old guy look for Puzzle books. Now, he's not quite firing on all cylinders and is going abit slow. Because of this, i'm devoting my entire attention to him. Now, the fact that i'm talking to him trying to understand what he wants should be a big clue as to the fact that i'm currently indisposed of, right?

Nope.

A guy comes behind me and says "Excuse Me." while the other guy i'm helping is trying to connect several words together into a sentence. I ignore the first "excuse me" hoping the guy gets the hint that i'm talking to someone and that there is enough space for him to move past (Or go around thru another aisle) plus my back is to him. Nope, he says again "Excuse Me," and I say "Hold on for a moment, i'll be with you," and continue with the old guy in front of me. I sense he sticks around for a few moments before realizing that the old geezer i'm helping out is gonna take longer than expected, and hoofs off.

Is it just me, or are people that crippled to realize that your busy with someone else and can't exactly help them right away?

[Anakah]

Its obnoxious as hell! Happens all the time. I have people who throw their money into the window while I am still counting out money to someone else and get huffy when I tell them to back up and take a hike. Or rather get their asses in line.

Or they ask you questions while you are talking to someone else, counting out money or throw their crap in your window when you have a CLOSED sign up. Some guy just moved my sign out of the way after I counted out and expected to be waited on. Jerk.

I would never interrupt anybody like that. Some ppl need manners.

[Emrld]

I know that it is first come first serve . . .but there are occassions that it can be acceptable to interupt . . .like you have a young child with you and need to find the restroom. If I am the one being helped I am not offended for that interuption.

The person laying on the floor having an asthma attack is also acceptable for stoping with the person you have been helping. (I have been the person having the asthma attack and two clerks with customers choose not to stop and help me)

If you need to reach something where the clerk and customer are standing I don't see anything wrong with saying "Excuse me I just need to reach ______"

But, you are right for the everyday . . .day to day it isn't the right thing to do.

[LingualMonkey]

I know that it is first come first serve . . .but there are occassions that it can be acceptable to interupt . . .like you have a young child with you and need to find the restroom. If I am the one being helped I am not offended for that interuption.

The person laying on the floor having an asthma attack is also acceptable for stoping with the person you have been helping. (I have been the person having the asthma attack and two clerks with customers choose not to stop and help me)

If you need to reach something where the clerk and customer are standing I don't see anything wrong with saying "Excuse me I just need to reach ______"

But, you are right for the everyday . . .day to day it isn't the right thing to do.

My opinion is that if I'm in the middle of helping someone and you're going to interrupt me, you'd better be bleeding or on fire. Or both.

Examples one and two above qualify. Number three...I'd wait for a lull in the conversation.

[Mike Taylor]

I had an international customer get testy with me last Sunday because he had to wait while I wrapped up taking care of the customer ahead of him. He got doubly so when I told him I had to escort the iPod he wanted to the front of the store (they are a high theft item). He told the cashiers we had "the worst customer service ever".

[PepperElf]

or throw their crap in your window when you have a CLOSED sign up

that's tip money then right?

[LibraryLady]

Unfortunately, they don't see things that way.

For some unknown reason, there are people who are incapable of seeing anyone else. They are there. You are there. Their needs must be attended to immediately. Others must just drop by the wayside before their amazing presence. I think they believe a bit of fore-lock tugging might be in order.

We see this in the Library all the time. I'm helping a teen get the information she needs for her report. She Emailed us and made an appointment. We're ready to help her.

An older person wanders in out of the blue with a laundry list of strange things he wants to see. He's outraged that a young girl should take precedence over him.

I'm sorry sir. The young lady made an appointment. You didn't and we DO have limited staff here.

It doesn't matter. Age should prevail over youth. Do you think her research is more important than mine?

Well, looking at the crazy list he sets before me, I would have to say that I DO think her work is more important. She has an assignment to complete and his list looks like the ramblings of a crazy old coot but I can't say that.

[Kiwi]

Best ownage of a manager I ever witness was one of the BIG WIGS (Reginal Manager) coming to the store.
She berated my wonderful manager about everything, nothing was quite good enough.

My D manager called me over (I was the longest standing employee in the craft department) and asked me to verify that we were infact ALWAYS busy and never had enough payroll hours to give adequate customer service. I tried to tell the manager that I opened on a Saturday and usually had customers from the MOMENT I opened (she thought I should be facing for the first hour) but the manager blew us both off. Being from corp HQ she didnt have to dress in the drone outfits we did and therefore didnt look like an employee.

A customer comes up and snaps SURELY IT CANT TAKE TWO OF YOU TO SERVE ONE CUSTOMER, GOD THERES NEVER ANY FREE STAFF!!!!! in a very snarky and impatient tone.

The Queen herself (oh sorry I mean the RM) drew herself up as if she had been slapped when I said "excuse me, this is the Reginal manager and we were just discussing staffing levels, do you have any feed back for her?" and let the customer rant.

I got told off by the RM afterwards but it felt so freaking good to have a customer validiate what we had just said.

[KellyHabersham]

I had quite the frustrating experience with that one day at Macy's - a woman needed to get a watch exchanged and resized, no other customers were in the area at the time, but as soon as I started taking links out of the watch.......a blond guy in a sun visor, an older couple, and a woman with teen girls all showed up and wanted to be helped at the same time. The blond guy was the only one who was cool about it......the other two "groups" got kind of snarky with me, I think one of the Fine Jewelry people came over to help with the older couple, but the woman with the girls stomped off in a huff because I didn't drop everything to assist her.

[MadMike]

Is it just me, or are people that crippled to realize that your busy with someone else and can't exactly help them right away?

They realize. They just don't care. For some crazy reason, they think they should come before everyone else.

[hotelnpa]

I was on the phone taking a reservation and a guy walked in wanting a room. I looked up for a moment and made eye contact with the guy and noddled my head. Any sane person would see that I was helping a customer on the phone and I thought he read my body contact as "Be with you in a moment."

I mean, obviously I wasn't taking a personal phone call because the I talking about room rates, bed types, etc. Out of the blue, the guy waiting screamed "HELLLOOOO!!!!!!!!" The guy on the phone said "What was that?"

The jerk gave me the finger and stormed out. He screeched out of the parking lot almost hitting a guest. He was only standing there for 45 seconds and the call was ending. I was giving the guy his confirmination number when this happened. I was a little shook up afterwards to say the least.

[AnaKhouri]

When I am helping a customer and another customer demands my attention (especially talking to me when I am in the middle of a sentence), I ignore them.

I know it's fighting rudeness with rudeness but I can't help myself. If I am ringing someone out and they ask a question I will tell them I will help them when I am finished, but if I am actually conversing with another customer, they will be ignored until I am finished.