Cashing notes from the Plug September 7, 2008
Posted by cashierobs in 1.Tags: cashier, draw, errand, note, plug, store, write
add a comment
I recently stumbled across an article from the Plug about someone going from store to store and having the cashier’s write a little note for the next store the person visited. I’ve ran into a few articles from the Plug. Some may remember the story of the author leaving a disposable camera on a sidewalk bench in a town and letting anyone who walks by take pictures of whatever they want. It’s an interesting site – and so are the ideas.
I had a bunch of errands to run and knew that I would be interacting with a lot of cashiers, so why not use it to my advantage, their advantage, our advantage? The premise is simple. One cashier writes or doodles a note for the next cashier, and I am but a mere messenger pigeon.
-The Plug
Here’s the link. Check it out: http://theplug.net/32/cashingnotes.htm
The Ant Complex September 3, 2008
Posted by cashierobs in Cashier Observations.Tags: activities, ant, asshat, complex, customer, deal, dumb, simple, stupid
add a comment
Does anyone work with or know someone who thinks the public they work with is generally stupid? I do. Actually, I used to be one of them.
I call it the Ant Complex; where someone inherently believes that the people around them are not worthy, stupid, or just don’t get it. Indeed, ants.
The Ant Complex usually occurs when a particular person deals with other people who have trouble with ordinary tasks. I had the Ant Complex during my time as a gas station attendant. Nothing was more frustrating to me than the people who couldn’t operate a simple gas pump correctly. Just follow the directions on the screen, I would say.
In my associates case, who has the Ant Complex, he’s an ordinary cashier, but deals with people who sometimes don’t know the difference between credit and debit, how to swipe their card on the payment keypad, simple store policies, or other every day activities.
My associate is always talking to me about how stupid a customer was. He asks why they can’t just understand these simple things. He’s quite a critical guy. It sometimes comes to the point where he’s so critical that he’s complaining about things that only he, as a cashier, should know fully well and not the customer.
Now I see how much of an ass I used to be. Does anyone else have experiences with this attitude?
Five pet peeves about cashiers August 10, 2008
Posted by cashierobs in Cashier Observations.Tags: bad, cashier, customer, experience, five, integrity, peeve, tips
1 comment so far
In appropriate order (and timely fashion, of course), I present you the opposite spectrum of my “Five ways to (not) get along with a cashier” post.
When we shop, one must inevitably face the long-faced cashier behind the register – waiting to take your money and stimulate the economy. There are times where a customer leaves with a smile on his or her face, hoping they get the same cashier the next time they shop because he/she was too funny or did their job just right. But more often than not, there are only average or “not so good” memories of checking out of a store.
- The cashier clearly doesn’t want to be there. It’s an unnerving feeling when a customer approaches a cashier and they can clearly tell from the rolling eyes, the shuffling feet, the blank stare; the cashier really, really doesn’t want to be there. This sucks for customers – simply because it’s no fun when people approach others who are in a shitty mood. Why would someone relate a negative experience with a store they shop at? I don’t need to explain why that’s bad for business.
- The cashier becomes inconvenienced if a customer needs assistance. As per a recent event involving a family member, my mother was dropping off a package at Fed-Ex. There were two employees working at the time. One was helping other customers. The other was just sort of… standing around (doesn’t want to be there). My mother, after waiting patiently for assistance, finally asked the employee if she could be helped. The employee was pissed, yanked my mother’s payment card from her hand and just started pounding a keyboard. My mother called management after the incident. And she probably won’t be going back to Fed-Ex any time soon.
- The cashier doesn’t say anything. Some may remember this from the “Five ways to (not) get along with cashiers“ (number 5) post. It still rings true with cashiers, as it does customers, as it does with any other personal interaction in the day. If someone is going to be in a shitty mood and just displays negativity, then bad experiences follow and that certain someone will be out of a job.
- The cashier is distracted. Okay, this may be excusable in some situations. Another customer needs help, or an associate, or a manager, or something else pertaining to business. But it’s undeniable that this still bugs the person at the register, just waiting to finish shopping and go the hell home. Double the stress if the cashier is distracted about personal matters that they can complete on their one time. Albeit, I’m guilty of several of these matters.
- The cashier lies, cheats, and steals. This one is pretty obvious. I couldn’t think of anything else. Basically, cashiers handle the items a customer purchases. As such, they determine how much the customer spends. There are plenty of opportunities to take advantage of an unsuspecting customer, charge a little extra, or other similar upgrades without the customer’s full consent. This is bullshit and it bothers be greatly when a customer approaches me and wonders why an extra $100.00 upgrade was applied to their credit card or membership. It makes the business look bad, makes the cashier (culprit or not) look worse, and makes customer service look great in their shining white horse.
That is all.
A note on Team Leaders July 23, 2008
Posted by cashierobs in Cashier Observations.Tags: cashier, communication, effective, improve, leader, manage, note, supervisor, team, workers
add a comment
There are many levels of employees than make a business go round. Each person is a separate gear that coincides with another. This philosophy is well known and needs no further explanation. But there is a section of those gears that is not well known and is equally unappreciated.
During my previous semester in college I was taking a class on the sociology of leadership. Many guests spoke in this class, but the one most prominent was a gentleman from England who’s job it was to improve business relations between managers and workers (by the way, did you know that Americans perceive people with a British accent to have about 10 higher IQ points than someone without?).
Anyway, one of this gentleman’s main topics was the importance of supervisors, or team leaders. His case was this:
Team leaders are effectively the connection between management and the workers.
Not a difficult topic to understand at all. But it’s bland and uninteresting without the appreciation of what activities team leaders partake in.
Team leaders train and work with improving skill, mentality, and anything else necessary for a positive working environment in those who work below them. In my case, team leaders are in charge of cashiers or generally anyone else other than managers.
Team leaders provide incredibly important information between management and workers. Management is rarely available for workers and thus rarely know the true environment on the floor, like the workers do. Similarly, workers rarely get opportunity to ask a manager to exemplify on a question of theirs for a particular rule or new promotion. Team leaders are there for the communication gap.
Many team leaders do everything the workers do. And many do similar tasks as the managers. The difference is the position title and the frequency of these actions. The point is that team leaders do them, however frequently it may be. I’m often astounded by the integrity and mentality of my team leaders and that they can handle all the tasks they are expected to.
Of course, not all team leaders act this way. Some are asses and some go the extra mile. I’ve been blessed with the latter and this is just a note of appreciation for them.
And also because I’d be fired already if they hadn’t saved my ass so many times.
Five ways to (not) get along with a cashier July 20, 2008
Posted by cashierobs in Cashier Observations.Tags: along, belt, better, cashier, conflict, conveyor, five, get, headset, heavy, improve, items, membership, phone, talk, tips, word
6 comments
Cashiers got you down? Is it taking a coons age to get from the register to the exit? Just follow these five useful tips to improve the relationship.
- Before approaching the register, be sure to have a membership card ready (if applicable); then throw the card at the cashier before putting items on the conveyor belt. Be sure to look inconvenienced if the cashier asks for a membership when the cart is halfway empty from unloading it.
- Talk on your cell phone or Blue Tooth headset while checking out. To achieve the greatest respect from a cashier, give them only a portion of attention. Cashiers should be happy enough by now that they don’t take advantage of a now semi effective attention span. Finally, purchase a headset so the cashier never knows when they are being spoken to or not.
- Place the largest and heaviest items on the conveyor belt. Since cashiers are always standing in place and never moving, it’s important to consider their exercise needs. Large cases of water or Gatorade can be useful; but toss them onto the conveyor belt to make sure it’s stable and working properly. Placing vacuum cleaners or over sized boxes onto the belt also helps. Don’t forget to add kitty litter and as much dog food as possible and don’t let the cashier use their hand scanner.
- If the cashier isn’t scanning items quickly enough, don’t be afraid to show them who’s boss. If the cashier isn’t up to par with standards, just ask for a new one. A supervisor will be available as soon as they are done assisting all nine underage cashiers with alcohol sales.
- Finally and most importantly: don’t say a word. Ever. Remember, cashiers are not really people. Most of them are barely literate. In fact, it’s probably a good thing by not saying a single word or acknowledging them. Just give them the grocery items, pay for it, and walk away.
Thanks! Be sure to check in for more great tips!
-Disclaimer-
Most customers at my register do not act like this. I can go an entire day without having one of the asses featured above. But when one does appear, it can be either comical or can ruin what was potentially a fine day for a cashier.
