a question to all those who work

this question is for all of you who work face to face with customers  
how do you react when a customer askes you for help or askes a question but the second you try to help them  
they start talking to some one on the phone  
  
im only asking this because it happened to me to day and my boss shouted at me because  
i told the customer in question that i would return to help them when they finished there phone  
call and they complained saying that i just walked away even through they were not paying attention  
and i was very busy  so please tell me how you would handle this situation
 

I would have done the same. I don't think you did anything wrong. Though that's never happened to me before because I work in the back of a Bowling Center with no one.

Should have yelled whatever said answer what have been in their face.

Would of smacked the phone out of their hand and then bitchslap them.

Politely stand there, do nothing, and wait for them to finish their conversation. Once they are done talking on the phone, help the customer with their query and then continue on doing what you were doing before. It sucks, but it's the only right thing to do, because if you tell them you'll be right back and help them as soon as they are off the phone, then the customer can and probably will interpret that as rude and you ignoring them. It blows, but it's the only thing to do. Also, you standing there waiting to help them and answer their query, which they have already asked you, while they are talking on the phone places pressure on them to end the telephone conversation and get off the phone.

Thats why I'm not in customer service anymore. I was the boss and I couldn't handle shit like that. In retail, you really get an idea of just how many scumbags are out there. The customer is not always right, the customer is always a douche.

God, what kind of asshole calls and complains about an employee. Probably a recently fired person who feels the same should happen to everyone else. 
 
I've never honestly understood "customer complaints" unless you just want the guy who did something "so awful" to you to loose his job.

"God, what kind of asshole calls and complains about an employee. Probably a recently fired person who feels the same should happen to everyone else.  I've never honestly understood "customer complaints" unless you just want the guy who did something "so awful" to you to loose his job. "

"  I work in the back of a Bowling Center with no one. "

" @gingertastic_10 said:

"  I work in the back of a Bowling Center with no one. "

i envy you "

You know what pisses me off more? When a customer needs something on the shelf that I know is in  the back room,  I go back there and grab it for them. Only to go back and find out my customer isn't there anymore >_>

I've been there before - several times.  But as much as it sucks, you should always wait for the dumbass to get off the phone to avoid having them bitch to your manager because you walked away.  Remember, they were crazy enough to ask for help and then jump on the phone, so they are also crazy enough to bitch about you walking away.  
 
Thankfully most times a customer would just mute the ringer or apologize, tell the person on the other line that they will call back and then let me continue.

Back when I worked at Gamestop, I just did what they asked me to do. It may have been a different situation, but that is what you are being paid to do. 

i hate seeing people do that. i don't have a job but i know kind of how it feels. i hate going somewhere like walmart, best buy and seeing someone say can u help me and then their phone goes off. i kind of want to slap the person. i hate people on cellphones in general. i hate seeing them talking to someone  while shopping. 
 
when i worked at a place where i made popcorn and things when i sold it there were a lot of people who would say can i get this and that and then their cellphone would go off and they would answer it i would wait there while a big line was waiting to their food.

stand there and look at them super impatiently.
 
Basically just do what your boss wants next time and wait for them, if he bitches then well just remind him he yelled at you for the opposite reason last time, and ask him directly what he expects of you in that situation.

" Politely stand there, do nothing, and wait for them to finish their conversation. Once they are done talking on the phone, help the customer with their query and then continue on doing what you were doing before. It sucks, but it's the only right thing to do, because if you tell them you'll be right back and help them as soon as they are off the phone, then the customer can and probably will interpret that as rude and you ignoring them. It blows, but it's the only thing to do. Also, you standing there waiting to help them and answer their query, which they have already asked you, while they are talking on the phone places pressure on them to end the telephone conversation and get off the phone. "

The customer is always right. Plus, it gets you out of doing anything for at least a minute or two. Why the hell would you complain?

Most places have this 'the customer is always right' policy.  So basically your the customer's bitch. 
 
I would have done exactly what you did.  You were doing your job trying to help her and she pretty much blew you off.

I hate it, but if you work at a place with a "Customer's always right" policy, you have to deal with it. Plus, @Jayge is right. You get to take a short break! :D

You just have to stand there and take it, this happened to me a few times, very annoying but there's nothing you can do about it.

"@SJSchmidt93 said:

"God, what kind of asshole calls and complains about an employee. Probably a recently fired person who feels the same should happen to everyone else.  I've never honestly understood "customer complaints" unless you just want the guy who did something "so awful" to you to loose his job. "

I absouletly agree!   The customer is always a dick. "

" Thats why I'm not in customer service anymore. I was the boss and I couldn't handle shit like that. In retail, you really get an idea of just how many scumbags are out there. The customer is not always right, the customer is always a douche. "

The customer is always right. That's what they say at least.

" @yakov456 said:

" Thats why I'm not in customer service anymore. I was the boss and I couldn't handle shit like that. In retail, you really get an idea of just how many scumbags are out there. The customer is not always right, the customer is always a douche. "

Unfortunately, customer matters first between the worker and the buyer. "

I usually punch them in the face, works like a charm.

only chuck norris can count the to the number of how many scum bags there are lol

I would let the finish there phone call, then help them.

" @Karmum said:

" @yakov456 said:

" Thats why I'm not in customer service anymore. I was the boss and I couldn't handle shit like that. In retail, you really get an idea of just how many scumbags are out there. The customer is not always right, the customer is always a douche. "

Unfortunately, customer matters first between the worker and the buyer. "

Exactly, that is why I no longer work in the industry! Nothing like being beaten down over a 20 cent price difference on a product. Eat shit and die granny. "

My friend hated working at Office Depot.  He hated that people would always address him as Jim.  Not so bad since that is his name, but they would only state his name after starting their questions.  In the middle of these questions, these customers would pause to (also probably adjust their glasses) look at his name-tag, say his name, and then continue with the rest of these questions.  Maybe a bit condescending (especially to my friend...ya gotta know him).
 
One day and from then on (I don't know how this got by the mangers), he decided to take the name-tag printer and call himself "Diesel."  From what I hear from him, the awkward silence between these normal questions and the realization/utterance of that name was pretty priceless.

" Politely stand there, do nothing, and wait for them to finish their conversation. Once they are done talking on the phone, help the customer with their query and then continue on doing what you were doing before. It sucks, but it's the only right thing to do, because if you tell them you'll be right back and help them as soon as they are off the phone, then the customer can and probably will interpret that as rude and you ignoring them. It blows, but it's the only thing to do. Also, you standing there waiting to help them and answer their query, which they have already asked you, while they are talking on the phone places pressure on them to end the telephone conversation and get off the phone. "

Your boss is an idiot. If someone starts a phone call right after they ask you a question, your priority is to then help a customer who isn't busy yappin to someone on another line. And then, like you said, go back to that customer once they are finished with their call.
 
I used to work at a bar, and the rules were "If you're on the phone, you're not a customer". Good rule if you ask me.