Ring Bell (or Just Bellow) for Service.

[brighty18]

Poll Ring Bell (or Just Bellow) for Service

Unsurprisingly, I have thoughts on this issue.  You may read them in the comments. And, yes, I do realize that things are different in different regions or cultures, for example, encountering an empty store in Boston would be different than in Taos. 

Comments

[aries11]

Having visited many smallish establishments in my time, there's really a different answer for any occasion. Usually the biggest factor that determines whether I wait or not is time. If it's a weekend afternoon, and I'm just kind of out and about and came into the place on a whim, I'm willing to stay and wait. However, if I'm, say, on my lunch break or the next train I need is due any second, I'll turn around and leave, hoping that whatever I came into the store to find is available somewhere else.

I realize I should've clicked "Other, please explain" for this next part, but another thing I'm apt to do - and again, this partly depends on how much time I have - is to just start browsing the store and focusing on particular items, hoping maybe that while I'm browsing, the clerk will show up.

[brighty18]

Yeah, I totally get the difference there, and I'm very much with you on that. I will call out if I'm in a hurry, but what gets me as most of the people who are clearly NOT in a hurry (as evidenced by their decision to stay and talk and talk), but yell out anyway.

[brighty18]

Okay, so here's the deal, I work in a small office and used to work in a small store, and sometimes, yes, I am alone. This has made me realize some things. First off, it is virtually impossible to be at your desk/behind the counter at all times. There are other tasks that need to be done and often this requires that you be somewhere people cannot immediately see. Also, sometimes you just need to pee or go get a drink of water/snack. The body has needs, right? Second, nine times out of ten you can actually hear or see someone come it. In the case of the store, there was a very loud, very obvious bell on the door. That said, sometimes it takes more than ten seconds to stop what you're doing and make you're way to the front. Third, it is highly illogical that someone would just take off from an office or store, leaving the door unlocked, and just disappear, so be a little patient, okay?

Please do not immediately begin to yell. Frankly, this makes you sound like a crazy person and could well freak the hell out of whoever is in

[whitestar]

Ha ha! I do the things you don't want a customer to do. I think 'too bad, you aren't there, how do I know you heard the bell?' I'm going to yell. If it's a small office I may take a peek around the counter to take a look in a door to see if someone is there. How do I know if the boss isn't doing some hanky panky with the clerk? Serves them right to be surprised, lol. I'm there for business and it's their job to attend to me.

[maystone]

It's all dependent on the situation. There are times when I will call out because I'm not sure anyone on staff knows there's a customer on the premises. I will also poke around but only in the public areas, again depending on the kind of store and how interesting the products are or how bored I am

[brighty18]

Interesting. Until I read your response it had not even occurred to me that someone might think I was somewhere where I could acknowledge them and simply be choosing not to answer. Seriously, that thought NEVER even crossed my mind - mostly because I've never encountered that before. Thanks for pointing that out, though.

If I am in a back room or something and position in which I can get away with calling out to a customer, I will do it, but that's been expressly forbidden in a few places I've worked. Generally, I just make it back out in less than a minute.

[nerak_rose]

I don't much like to draw attention to myself and I can be awkward, so I don't like calling out to see if anyone's there. If I can see from the outside that the store is empty, I'll make sure to make noise as I enter it to prevent this kind if situation. And if that doesn't work, walk around the store until someone comes back. Make noise. Touch things. Shuffle. Anything but actually use my voice.

[brighty18]

I totally get that!

[kittylefish]

i work in a restaurant during the day when it is closed. the side door is open for deliveries, and the office is at the top of the stairs. as you say, sometimes a girl needs to go the bathroom, or in my case, is on a flurry of phone calls. if someone says hello from downstairs and i hear them, i holler come up. sometimes i don't hear. i don't mind if they walk up the stairs, and if i realize it, i turn and wave if i'm in the midst of phone flurry. but sometimes, i am at the ladies, which is downstairs, or i've had to go downstairs with a vendor for some reason - to check a liquor order or something. show a new guy where the walk in is. some such nonsense

[brighty18]

See you TOTALLY get where I am coming from. No, just because something is a place of business does NOT mean that someone needs to be there 24-7. Yes, a girl needs to pee... or answer the phone... or deal with other people... or do other aspects of her job.