Ban mobile phones, retailers say No mobiles while ordering take-away coffee: Phil Xu from Katipo cafe in Bondi. Photo: Edwina Pickles The consumer is always right. That is, until they start talking on a mobile phone. Workers in cafes, video stores and hairdressers across Sydney are refusing to serve customers who are talking on their mobile phones, saying it is rude and they deserve more respect. In many stores signs have been erected to remind tech-savvy customers of their modern-day manners. But Russell Zimmerman, executive director of the Australian Retailers Association, said in today's economic climate retailers shouldn't risk snubbing customers, even if they are on the phone. "Business is pretty tough and I don't think that a retailer can afford to ignore any customer," Mr Zimmerman said. "To simply say, "I am not going to serve you if you're on your mobile phone" is a little bit harsh." On Wednesday, global headlines were made when a shop assistant at a Sainsbury store in Britain refused to serve customer Jo Clarke, 26, while she was on her phone. After complaining to the store, Sainsbury's has since offered Ms Clarke an apology, throwing in a few gift vouchers for good measure. But Australian stores and retailers are less apologetic about their mobile phone bans. Café owner Phil Xu from Bondi's Katipo has no problem turning away customers who are on their phones. "It's human respect," Mr Xu said, who took over the café four months ago. We are here to provide a service... it's not a supermarket. Mr Xu said he will ignore customers who come into his small Bondi Road café until they put their mobile phones away. The café"s no-phone policy was enacted four years ago by the previous owner; not only to gain the proper respect for the staff, but to eradicate simple ordering errors by customers who were not concentrating on what they were asking for. Owner of hairdresser Noddy's on King, Phil Galbraith, said he will move onto other customers if one of his clients is talking on their phone. "You're working on a tight time frame," Mr Galbraith said. People who are on their phones are rude. Mr Galbraith said before the phone ban, customers would disrupt the ambiance of the salon by talking loudly and often about grocery shopping. Six months ago the Leading Edge video store in Dee Why also stopped serving customers on their phones, erecting a sign at the counter that said: "If you are on your mobile phone you are not ready to be served." "We just had quite a few customers coming up who would flick the DVD in front of us and continue to talk on their phones," the store's manager Natalie Wendon said. DVD stores are a dying business and customer service is our key focus. We respect customers and expect them to respect us the same way. But time-poor consumers are not so happy about the no-phone policy. Sophie Coles, 25, was asked to leave a retail store in Sydney after talking on her phone. "I was browsing clothing and the shop assistant said, "While you're talking on your phone can you leave," Ms Coles said. I wasn't even talking loudly. It was just really awkward.