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cell phone etiquette (or lack thereof)
what is the best (NOT rudest/biggest slam) line you or any barista you know has ever used when dealing with a customer on a cell phone?
it is a point of commiseration all baristas share: customers who can’t be bothered to keep their conversations either outside or to a courteous low volume so that the rest of the zip code doesn’t know all the sordid details of that person’s life as they wait for their beverage.
i’m interested in gathering a working collection of some effective tactics to help the community as a whole share tips that can help those of us who work behind the counter in diffusing such situations. does the place you work post some sort of diplomatic warning sign at the door or counter for would be cell offenders? is there some secret you have mastered to help you rise above rude cell phone behavior? maybe you just have a little story to share about a cell situation that worked out better than expected.
obviously, i’m working hard here to set up some avenues for baristas to revisit their own feelings about what is commonly viewed as an unchangeable annoyance. again, i’m NOT looking for the slickest thing you’ve ever said to belittle a customer, or how you rudely skip all customers talking on their cell phones. let’s think positively, people, since we all have suffered the same fate and would love to know how better to deal with it.
i remember once a customer in my line during the height of the morning rush was waiting patiently in line when his cell phone rang. he was the first person waiting in line, ready to be served as soon as a register opened, yet when his ring rang he so astonishingly and refreshingly and old school politely excused himself completely out of the store to take his one minute call, at which point he actually got back in line at the very back of the line (maybe 12 deep at that point) and patiently awaited his turn to come again. i was so invigorated by this amazing display of cell phone manners that when he finally did reach the register i, as the manager, very prominently and within earshot of the next three or so people in line thanked him for practicing such stunningly cool cell phone etiquette and promptly comped his order. he smiled as if to say, “thanks for noticing, but i didn’t do it to be the center of attention,” which only underscored my point. after positively reinforcing such great social etiquette so publicly, we began to see more and more of this type of courteous cell phone behavior sprouting up in my store (although i don’t recall comping anyone else’s orders after that…sad ain’t it?) for that brief moment my store was an oasis of positive cultural change and i’m proud to say i was there to witness it.
your turn to share a moment or strategy…
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We had ordering/payment challenges with cell phone users in our drive thru kiosk, and placed a small prominent sign up stating:”THANK YOU FOR NOT USING YOUR CELL PHONE WHILE ORDERING/PAYING FOR YOUR ORDER”. Our cell phone customers got the message and obliged us. Don’t have nearly the amount of problems. Dave
Good tip, Dave. Thanks for sharing.