Not that I have anything against anyone on this board, I just need to vent.

I am getting quite tired of cutomers that treat Cashiers as servants to do their bidding and no one elses. Cashiers are humans too, and frankly, while we are in the service industry, we will NOT bow down to you. We will do our job, and if you are nice to us, we really appreciate that much more than any comment cards or such. So, some basic principles to remember when going through a checkout:

1) the cashier is most likely stressed, so keep yourself non-confrontational and P-O-L-I-T-E. I am a cashier, and from first hand experience, barely even 25% of customers will say "please" and/or "thank you" to a cashier. We *REALLY* appreciate customers that are polite. I make it a point that when a polite customer returns to my till, and if they stay polite, I will start being a little more fun with them, ie asking them how their day was, what the weather is like, mostly small talk and toss a few jokes around. If you can get a relationship going with a cashier, I guarantee that the cashier will WANT to put you through their till.

2) Do not try to "help" the cashier by telling them how things work. We are trained professionals, we know our job, and we really, REALLY hate it when a customer starts whining about how we're doing things wrong. For example, in our store, the debit card pads have the scanner at the top, so that you swipe the card with the stripe upwards. You will not believe how many times I've heard "they built it wrong" or "are you sure you know what you're doing?" Well DUH! I've only worked at the store for 3 years, of COURSE I know what I'm ing doing.

3) Never treat a cashier as stupid

4) For GODS SAKE, NEVER *EVER* make the joke that if something doesn't scan that "it's free." You may think you're being funny, and the cashier may smile (forced, I will attest to) but we have heard that WAY TOO MANY TIMES.



Okay, I feel better now... I'm gonna go have some root

 

Ya might want to add a little Prozac in your root.

I agree with you.

 

Sorry to hear that, but don't even think about working as a teller at a bank.

I don't know where you live, but I've honestly never encountered any of the things you've mentioned. I've only encountered friendly small-talk with every customer while waiting in line.

Many cashiers in my area have been working since the day I moved to this city.

 

1) I don't want you to make jokes with me and ask me how my day was. I want you to scan my goods as quickly as possible so I can leave and do something more entertaining than standing in line waiting for you to finish scanning my goods. If I could build a machine to do your job better than you, you'd be history.

2) Since when have cashiers been considered skilled labor? Try to avoid delusions of grandeur. You're not "trained professionals," you're the bottom rung of retail sales.

3) What if they are?

4) If you're going to make stupid jokes to that make us stand in line longer, you're going to have to endure our stupid jokes in return.

- Warren

 

try working at a restaurant too-
especially korean bbq restaurant.
allthough i haven't had any "horrible" experience yet,
people can get really rude when i cook those stupid "kalbi" for them.

but i hear ya- i once was a cashier at this golf range...
people, be nice to cashiers!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by chroot
[B]1) I don't want you to make jokes with me and ask me how my day was.

 

A long time ago I worked at a fast food establishment that will remain nameless. It was a good first job to have because it teaches you how to be polite with people in service jobs. By being subjected to every type of self-centered irrational humiliating behavior imaginable, it teaches you WHAT NOT TO DO when you're "on the outside." Unfortunately too many people in our society do not experience this, so therefore I believe they have not paid their dues.

When I observe this behavior in a line it still drives me crazy. People often purchase food by starting their conversation with the cashier thus:

"YEAH I'LL TAKE A ...."
"I NEED A ...."
"GIMME A ...."

No hello, good morning, how are you, in fact no minimal social ritual at all. The customer is in fact behaving as if the cashier is not human. Then they wonder why the human is not polite in return. Might I suggest the following:

"Hello. May I please have...."

I suspect those of you who are critical of LV's rant have not paid your dues yourself.

 

doctor toilet attacks again!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by CBeyond
[B]A long time ago I worked at a fast food establishment that will remain nameless.

 

OKay Lord V, I try to start out polite, then see how I am treated. I don't know what type of store you cashier in, but let me ask one thing of you (and all the other cashiers out there). If you have people in line, and have to answer the phone from the public, tell the caller there are people you are helping in front of them and put them on HOLD! I can't tell you how pissed I get, when I am standing there with money in hand, waiting on some idiot talking on the phone to someone that won't get in their car and come down, and may never buy a thing. Years ago, at a hardware store I got so mad, after the conversation went on and on and on, that I reached over and cut off their call. I'd do it again, too.
It felt good.