Ticket offices that don't allow mobile phones

[TUC]

For a number of years I've noticed that Arriva's information/National Express agent's office in Middlesbrough had has a sign stating that mobile phones are not allowed to be used by passengers in the office. I've seen a similar sign at a couple of other similar locations.

Whilst i can well understand why it would be ill-mannered and cause delays to take a phone call whilst being served, banning even the use of phones whilst someone is waiting in a queue seems strange. Moreover, it's perfectly likely these days that a passenger may need to refer to some information on their phone in connection with the query that they have.

Has anyone else come across a similar restriction, or can cast any light on why such restrictions might be in place?

 

[Clip]

Yes - Ive seen these restrictions in banks, post offices, sporting offices and lots of other places.

Its generally so people don't speak on them rather than browse the web because even if they are not being served their voices can carry and therefore distract others including those serving.

If you really cant put down your phone for 5 minutes whilst you queue then maybe get someone else to go for you.

 

[GatwickDepress]

There's signs pinned to the ticket windows at Milton Keynes Central asking passengers not to use mobile phones as they disrupt something or other - I think it's the system used by clerks to talk to passengers.

 

[trainophile]

Hard luck if you need to show the clerk the evidence of the Advance ticket you want to purchase from him/her.

 

[DarloRich]

Does the mobile signal not interfere with the hearing induction loop?

 

[Antman]

I seem to recall seeing a notice on the ticket office window at Stratford that people wouldn't be served if they were talking on a mobile phone which seems fair enough, the height of bad manners if you ask me!

 

[TUC]

I seem to recall seeing a notice on the ticket office window at Stratford ethat people wouldn't be served if they were talking on a mobile phone which seems fair enough, the height of bad manners if you ask me!

I agree it is bad manners to use a phone whilst someone is serving you, but I still have an isdue with notices like thst, It does smack of a certain arrogance that exists in some public sector and ex-public sector services of almost treating the passenger as if the person behind the counter is doing them a favour by serving them rather then seeing them as a valued customer.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

If I couldn't use my phone to browse this forum while waiting at the post office I'd go mad!

 

[Clip]

I agree it is bad manners to use a phone whilst someone is serving you, but I still have an isdue with notices like thst, It does smack of a certain arrogance that exists in some public sector and ex-public sector services of almost treating the passenger as if the person behind the counter is doing them a favour by serving them rather then seeing them as a valued customer.

Or what you really meant to say was 'I agree with these signs because people using their mobile phone whilst be served by someone else is the height of ignorance and rudeness'.

 

[TUC]

I agree it is bad manners to use a phone whilst someone is serving you, but I still have an isdue with notices like thst, It does smack of a certain arrogance that exists in some public sector and ex-public sector services of almost treating the passenger as if the person behind the counter is doing them a favour by serving them rather then seeing them as a valued customer.

Or what you really meant to say was 'I agree with these signs because people using their mobile phone whilst be served by someone else is the height of ignorance and rudeness'.

No I meant what I said. Customers may well be being ignorant by using a phone when being served but staff thinking it is appropriate for them to put up signs lecturing customers in a patronising manner is the height of ignorance and rudeness.

 

[Clip]

Right you are then.

 

[Antman]

No I meant what I said. Customers may well be being ignorant by using a phone when being served but staff thinking it is appropriate for them to put up signs lecturing customers in a patronising manner is the height of ignorance and rudeness.

I totally agree, two wrongs don't make a right

 

[321446]

The thing is, it doesn't matter if you have flashing neon signs or a flunky in a orange velvet suit politely asking people to finish their call before approaching the window, while giving them a gentle massage and a £20 note for inconveniencing them and a written apology from the TOC director, people will still do it and they and others will still get offended by being told what to do by some jobsworth.

Even a gentle reminder from the people behind them being held up by their faffing about because they want to get on with their day falls on deaf ears or illicit a mouthful of abuse. Happens in shops, cinemas, passport checks, ticket office queues.

So then. What is the solution? Obviously an attempt via a polite notice causes huge offence and them being pampered to wastes my day but that's obviously not important to those who object. Solutions please.

 

[TUC]

The thing is, it doesn't matter if you have flashing neon signs or a flunky in a orange velvet suit politely asking people to finish their call before approaching the window, while giving them a gentle massage and a £20 note for inconveniencing them and a written apology from the TOC director, people will still do it and they and others will still get offended by being told what to do by some jobsworth.

Even a gentle reminder from the people behind them being held up by their faffing about because they want to get on with their day falls on deaf ears or illicit a mouthful of abuse. Happens in shops, cinemas, passport checks, ticket office queues.

So then. What is the solution? Obviously an attempt via a polite notice causes huge offence and them being pampered to wastes my day but that's obviously not important to those who object. Solutions please.

But the OP wasn't about not using phones whilst getting served (which I agree causes delay). It was about signs prohibiting their use even whilst waiting in the queue.

 

[321446]

So then. What is the solution? Obviously an attempt via a polite notice causes huge offence and them being pampered to wastes my day but that's obviously not important to those who object. Solutions please.

Yes. I know. Forgive my misguided attempt at levity . So your solution is.....? One sign on the door, a bit of common, rather than a sign on every desk. Forget it. I was never here.

 

[Holly]

There is no excuse for rudeness towards customers.

The sign should read something like -

As you reach the head of the queue, if you are still using a mobile phone,
then please give up your place in the queue to the next person behind you.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There is no excuse for rudeness towards customers.

The sign should read something like -

Where is the "like" button when you need it on this website?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Whilst i can well understand why it would be ill-mannered and cause delays to take a phone call whilst being served, banning even the use of phones whilst someone is waiting in a queue seems strange. Moreover, it's perfectly likely these days that a passenger may need to refer to some information on their phone in connection with the query that they have.

In the good old days of my youth, when you had to enter a telephone box, usually painted a bright shade of red, with a large metal box inside with "A" and "B" buttons to press, in order to make a telephone call. there never seemed to be this particular problem.....

 

[causton]

As someone who works in a booking office where on all but the accessible window, the microphones don't work, the speakers don't work, and all you can hear is the station announcements and people in the queue behind the person you are trying to serve, sometimes you have to ask the people in the queue to be a bit more quiet! However unless they are distracting me serving the current customer, I don't think any of us in the booking office will tell people in the queue to get off their phone simply for talking. As long as it's not while we're trying to serve them, because then they tend not to listen to your questions...
"If you could just put your card in the bottom. No, not swipe, in the bottom, no, not in the side, no, it's not contactless, please put your card in the bottom"
"Single or return?" "Double" "Okay..."

 

[Clip]

As someone who works in a booking office where on all but the accessible window, the microphones don't work, the speakers don't work, and all you can hear is the station announcements and people in the queue behind the person you are trying to serve, sometimes you have to ask the people in the queue to be a bit more quiet! However unless they are distracting me serving the current customer, I don't think any of us in the booking office will tell people in the queue to get off their phone simply for talking. As long as it's not while we're trying to serve them, because then they tend not to listen to your questions...
"If you could just put your card in the bottom. No, not swipe, in the bottom, no, not in the side, no, it's not contactless, please put your card in the bottom"
"Single or return?" "Double" "Okay..."

I wouldn't waste your time. Apparently asking people not to use their phone is rude whilst using it in a queue is not. Get that eh?

Get off our property if you don't like it I would say but that is not customer friendly is it? We should paint their nails and give them massages whilst they wait. Phone calls are more important that anything else now you know

 

[maniacmartin]

Perhaps if more stations served people queueing within a more timely manner, such as the targets laid out in their Passenger Charters, then people wouldn't feel their time is being wasted and result to doing other things such as phone calls whilst they wait,

 

[Clip]

Perhaps if more stations served people queueing within a more timely manner, such as the targets laid out in their Passenger Charters, then people wouldn't feel there time is being wasted and result to doing other things such as phone calls whilst they wait,

Very true but not everyone has simple ticket enquiries either as well as those who may not be too good with their hearing - did anyone consider those too? - so where do you draw the line?

I think asking people not to use their phone whilst waiting is a simple and polite request.

I struggle to see why anyone has a problem with it.

 

[razor89]

Perhaps if more stations served people queueing within a more timely manner, such as the targets laid out in their Passenger Charters, then people wouldn't feel their time is being wasted and result to doing other things such as phone calls whilst they wait,

I don't see how this excuses rudeness towards the ticket office staff, none of which will have any control over the staffing levels of said ticket office.