Texting/chatting at work

[Rekrul]

I was at the DMV the other day. Anyone who has been there knows it sucks. Big time.

I finally get to the counter to renew the registration on my car and wait for the lady to process everything. She is typing and clicking away when out of nowhere she stops and picks up her cell phone. I quickly realize she is reading a text message. Not such a big deal, for all I know it could be important. She smiles and starts texting back. Now, that's a problem. I bite my tongue simply because it's the DMV and if I lay into her it will only prolong my visit. She sets her phone down and gets back to work when about 60 seconds later she's picking up her phone again to read her new message.

At that point I was very tempted to ask the cow in front of me why she thought that I wouldn't mind her doing that and what made her think there was nothing wrong with it. Again I kept my mouth closed, it's the DMV after all...

I don't know what makes her think it's ok to do that. She is not giving the "customer" her undivided attention, which is rule number one in any customer service position. Not like I feel as though I am a "customer". It's not like the DMV has competition, but that is besides the point.

It lead me to think about how much company time is wasted daily, not only in the US, but worldwide, and the effects it has on the economy.

Things like that happen everywhere in this country, no doubt. Be it texting, talking on the phone, chatting, or posting in forums. It makes me wonder how much better our economy would be and how many jobs would be kept internal rather than farmed out overseas if people would stop fucking around so much...

Any thoughts or similar experiences?

 

[STDiva]

I was waiting to be seated at a restaurant, and the hostess was texting and not paying attention to the line growing at the door. So when she finally saw us, I pretended to be texting on my phone. She got frustrated and then I asked her how she liked it. She was embarrassed and apologetic, and we exchanged numbers!! So now I was the one texting her while she was ignoring customers. Ha.

 

[feller469]

why aren't state employees required to follow some sort of health regimen? Taxes payers are paying their salaries and for their benefits.

 

[busenbust]

If you/one has a job to do, then do it - and do it well

 

[StanScratch]

Happens way too often where I work. I work in a retail environment, and at least making eye contact with the customer is quite necessary.
Unfortunately, many spend hours a day on their cell phones with friends, or texting. It reached a point where management put up a rule that absolutely no cell phones were allowed on the sales floor. But, that rule had been in place before, and was not enforced. I fear the same will happen this time.

 

[JB88]

I used to do it at my job, (IT Help Desk) but I had a lot of down time throughout my day, so I didn't think it was that big of a deal. I knew a lot of people that did it, and even some of the upper level supervisors and bosses did it too, so it was just kinda excepted in our work environment, at least in our department, however, it really does frustrate me when other people do it, especially people who work in fast paced environments, but everyone knows going to the DMV sucks, you never know what to expect there.

"The DMV, or as I like to call it "Satan's A**hole" - Dane Cook

 

[Hot Mega]

After the second text break, I would have had to be an asshole. As soon as she got done I would gone to the information desk....(yes, I would have waited at that point) and asked for the manager....Then relayed exactly what you're stating here to him or her....

As if a wait in effin' DMV isn't long enough....

 

[Ace Bandage]

I do it during my prep period only. I'm pretty sure my principal and hordes of parents would have a problem if I did it during class. The students, on the other hand, would probably think it was cool and ask if they could do the same.

 

[ChefChiTown]

Cell phones are an excellent piece of technology and can come in handy during emergencies, but...all they do is make people extremely rude and inconsiderate. Seriously, people need to stop texting. Not only is it annoying and extremely fucking lazy, but when people do it AT WORK, it pisses me off to no end.

 

[gunslingingbird]

I tend to do it a lot at work, especially if I'm working something mellow like a rock 'n roll show. On corporate events and conventions they're a lot more uptight about stuff like that, but for rock 'n roll they usually don't care. Well, most people who aren't on the Jonas Brothers' road lighting crew. I worked with one guy on that show who was a complete asshole about anyone even reaching for their phone.