At the check-out line
I posted this on a social networking site and the comments took the post in a direction I had not intended. So, I'm "moving" the original post here, along with only my comments (edited).
One thing that cashiers in any store would love for customers to have is etiquette at the check-out line.
Oftentimes, customers are on the phone having a conversation while the cashier is trying to do their job. They can't do it accurately unless they're able to talk and conversate with you. Please, put down the phone (tell the person on the other end you'll call them back) and respond to your cashier.
Also, some cashiers are just naturally bubbly and in a good mood. If you're having a bad day or are in a bad mood, the cashier can tell and they want to help you make your day a better one. Not all cashiers are like this, but I am. It actually hurts my feelings a bit when I ask, "Hi there! How are you today?" and all I get is a grunt and a sour puss face.
Another thing is letting your kids be rowdy. If you're letting your child get a candy or a toy that's stationed in the check-out line, have them put the item on the conveyor belt to be rung up with everything else. When children thrust their item in front of everything else, it's considered (by most people) to be rude. I don't think I'll be ringing up anyone in this group at my store, but, when kids do this in my line, I'll take the item and put it on the conveyor belt. Certain grocery items need to be bagged together and this becomes difficult when a candy or toy is getting shoved out in front.
This can also be a safety issue. The child's arm or hand could get caught between some of your items and the cash register, causing harm to the child.
There isn't a set of written guideline for going through the check-out line, but there are many cashiers who feel there is a need for check-out etiquette. Doing your best to follow these guidelines will make your visit more enjoyable and your cashier happy.
This isn't etiquette, but something that other cashiers have brought up to me (they work at different types of stores than I do) that I agree with. If your child is screaming and acting out, the thing to do is not give them the toy or candy they want. This is positive reinforcement for a negative behavior. All this tells the child is that if they act out, they get what they want whether or not they deserve it.
I also wonder why parents give their young children (under 5, including infants) soda and candy. This is bad for their teeth and may upset their stomach. I observed a set of parents giving their infant daughter MOUNTAIN DEW. Last I knew, that much sugar and carbonation could be bad for infants. Is this information incorrect? If it is, please let me know.
Here's a disclaimer: I don't tell my customers what to do or what I think is right. It just makes me wonder is all.
Whenever I'm cashiering and I see a customer come through my line, I show them genuine concern, asking them if everything is all right. If it isn't, I ask them if it's okay for me to ask why and what I can do (even if I don't know them) to help; you know, what can I do to help your day?
ReplyDeleteI'm also not asking everyone to put stuff on the belt how it should be bagged. I've only rung up maybe three people who like to have their items bagged together and they take the time to place them in that order. I don't know about other cashiers you've all dealt with, but when I bag, fridge stuff goes together, freezer stuff, cans, box items, etc. When I bag cans, I try to evenly distribute them so the weight isn't bad. At most, eight cans go into a bag. Whether it's eight or less, I double bag anyway. I also double bag milk, and anything heavy or may be awkward to carry. If, for instance, I have a spindle of six spots for bags, I spin the thing around until all of the heavy stuff is evenly distributed.
You know those survey things that print out at the top of your Walmart receipt? (They do at the top of mine every time I go.) I bet you can go online and do that and, if you remember the cashier's name and/or description, you can COMPLAIN about that cashier. I bet if the cashier gets enough complaints, they'll lose their job or get counseled by their managers for being such a terrible cashier.
I also understand that there are children with ADHD. I understand there are children with Asperger's or Austism. I'm not dismissing these children. I figured that those reading this post would understand that I wasn't talking about those children.
There were some who responded who thought that this post sounded too demanding. I wonder just how many of them have been on the other side.
ReplyDeleteOthers who responded did agree with most of what I said. There were some who agreed with most of it, but not all of it.
I deleted the whole post myself. I didn't like the direction it was going in.
ReplyDelete