Cashiers

[pippinelkhound]

Ok, some of us have worked retail or in some other capacity with the public.

So, I'd just like to say Cashiers are NOT stupid. I'm tired of finding the phrase "stupid cashier" in the middle of a post.

Yes, they can be bored, inattentive, stressed, tired, and cranky. It can be the most mind numbing job in the world.

I've found if I'm polite and reasonable I get good service. If the cashier doesn't know the answer I just ask for a supervisor or head to the customer service counter.

Perhaps before the Cashiers/sales reps get bashed we should consider what a day in their shoes (especially at this time of year) can be like.

[Miss_April]

I agree!

I was a cashier at RCSS and know how demading and stressful the job is, so when a cashier is cranky or doesn't want to take my coupons "polietly" I just think to myself just remember when you were standing there and how all day you had people screaming at you because the cheese wont scan fast enough or the product they picked up doesnt have a sticker and want you to find one with one etc.

So when people call a cashier stupid, thats very ignorant and sad.

[Valiant]

You're absolutely right, except for those times when the cashiers ARE stupid.

For Example:
A couple of days ago, I went into a store, bought a few things, and then asked the cashier if the store carried 'Dove Chocolate purse packs'. (I have a coupon.) She walked over to the candy section, grabbed the entire 4 foot display tower and brought it back to the counter. She then said, 'It's empty'. When I asked her if and when they were getting more in stock, she said 'I couldn't say'; then I asked her what the price was and she said 'I couldn't say'.
I rest my case.

[BOO111]

You're absolutely right, except for those times when the cashiers ARE stupid.

For Example:
A couple of days ago, I went into a store, bought a few things, and then asked the cashier if the store carried 'Dove Chocolate purse packs'. (I have a coupon.) She walked over to the candy section, grabbed the entire 4 foot display tower and brought it back to the counter. She then said, 'It's empty'. When I asked her if and when they were getting more in stock, she said 'I couldn't say'; then I asked her what the price was and she said 'I couldn't say'.
I rest my case.

Just because she did not know the price,or because she did not know if or when they were getting more makes her stupid?

[trucks12trucks]

You're absolutely right, except for those times when the cashiers ARE stupid.

For Example:
A couple of days ago, I went into a store, bought a few things, and then asked the cashier if the store carried 'Dove Chocolate purse packs'. (I have a coupon.) She walked over to the candy section, grabbed the entire 4 foot display tower and brought it back to the counter. She then said, 'It's empty'. When I asked her if and when they were getting more in stock, she said 'I couldn't say'; then I asked her what the price was and she said 'I couldn't say'.
I rest my case.

I think she responded to you that way because she must have thought you intentionally didn't bother looking around for the chocolates yourself first. I know sometimes a customer can’t locate a product, sometimes I cant either, but many just don’t wanna be bothered. This doesn’t make her “stupid”.

If I were a cashier being asked locations of products by people who don’t wanna waste their precious seconds ..I would be a bit annoyed too.
( again I am not saying you did that intentionally )

[Valiant]

If I have to explain this, obviously you haven't read it carefully enough.
I did not ask the cashier the location of the product; I asked if the store had the product.
Does a cashier have to pick up a large display case and carry it over to the counter in order to answer a simple yes or no question? And if the customer asks if stock is coming or the price of the product, shouldn't the cashier make an attempt to do their job and provide a real answer? Cashiers should know what products are sold in the store, and also be able to answer any reasonable questions related to the products. That's just doing one's job, and good customer service, but just brushing off the customer is not smart.

[lekate]

Just because she did not know the price,or because she did not know if or when they were getting more makes her stupid?

Yea, she's just giving you sass because it seems like it was a pretty self explanatory question. Also, most cashiers don't know when stock is coming in, it's not their job, I never know when stock is coming in at my grocery store, I don't have access to that, does that make me stupid? I hardly doubt that.

I was totally going to write a post about this! Ugh, so many people on here are reminding me the reason I switched out of cash! UGH.

Cashiers aren't stupid, just bored to death, ask them a stimulating question, every time I tried to drum up a real conversation, people just got scared of me and wanted to leave as fast as possible. Being ask "how are you" every few mins for 8 hours actually gets draining.

I have more to say, but I'll come back.

[Luisa_101]

You're absolutely right, except for those times when the cashiers ARE stupid.

For Example:
A couple of days ago, I went into a store, bought a few things, and then asked the cashier if the store carried 'Dove Chocolate purse packs'. (I have a coupon.) She walked over to the candy section, grabbed the entire 4 foot display tower and brought it back to the counter. She then said, 'It's empty'. When I asked her if and when they were getting more in stock, she said 'I couldn't say'; then I asked her what the price was and she said 'I couldn't say'.
I rest my case.

Seems like she was more rude than stupid.

[Miss_April]

Cashiers aren't trained to know what products are sold in thier store and have no idea when new shipments come in because that is not their job, their job is ringing through items you want to buy and taking your money. The employes that hold the answers to your questions are the shelf stockers and management they are suppose to know what products are in the store and when there will be new shipments.

Id hate to know someone thought I was stupid because I didn't have the answer to their question because I was never trained on those answers.

[Valiant]

When I posted this, I really didn't expect so much contention. I've lived in this little town for 13 years, and I know this store and the personnel thoroughly. I have never purchased Dove Chocolate; I have no idea what it looks like. There are 5 candy areas in the store. Most of our cashiers know their products, and they also know which days the stock comes in. The manager is only a short distance away from the till, and the usual procedure is to ask the manager if the item is on order and which stock-delivery day it is coming. Cashiers come and go, and the ones that stay are the ones that do their job and keep the customers coming back. Their competitor store gets more customers, so usually this little store gives great customer service, but this particular time, it was lacking.

Maybe it happened because I wear glasses, and use a medical walker.

PS:
Webster's Dictionary:
Stupid: slow-witted; dull.

PS2:
I've worked as a cashier in the city and in town as part of a long life-time of customer service experience.

[lekate]

Maybe because of that saying "the customers always right", people have an inflated belief of what a cashier should be able to do. Too high of expectations really.

[Valiant]

Well, that was just my experience that particular time, compared to the many thousands of times I've dealt with helpful, bright cashiers.

[sarajk]

Kate, in most cases I agree. Lazy or just really don't care would fit the cashiers discription more often than stupid.

But I have to share a Tim Hortons story.

At the time a French Vanilla cost $1.76
A donut 70cents.
I was getting 2 of each. The till came up to something around $8.
I started to get my money out then the little light went off in my head.
I told her that wasn't right. She rang it all in again and came up with the same amount!.

I told her is should cost just under $5. She told me that the till couldn't be wrong twice in a row. I politely suggested she was ringing in something wrong. She insisted that wasn't posible.

I told her if a dount was $1, a french vanilla was $2 then that would only be $6. ( I was thinking she could do simple math if I rounded it up)
Well I shouldn't of thought at all because she couldn't.
She calls over her manager..who apparently also failed grade 2 math.

I was SOOO annoyed that I just left.

I'm sorry, but they were just STUPID. And I'm certain I included other words in that sentence that can't be typed on here.

[Valiant]

Just interjecting here to remind everyone of a couple of things which we all know to be true:
1. We are all human.
2. We have all been stupid.

For Example:
'My name is Valiant, and I have been stupid....'

[lekate]

Kate, in most cases I agree. Lazy or just really don't care would fit the cashiers discription more often than stupid.

But I have to share a Tim Hortons story.

At the time a French Vanilla cost $1.76
A donut 70cents.
I was getting 2 of each. The till came up to something around $8.
I started to get my money out then the little light went off in my head.
I told her that wasn't right. She rang it all in again and came up with the same amount!.

I told her is should cost just under $5. She told me that the till couldn't be wrong twice in a row. I politely suggested she was ringing in something wrong. She insisted that wasn't posible.

I told her if a dount was $1, a french vanilla was $2 then that would only be $6. ( I was thinking she could do simple math if I rounded it up)
Well I shouldn't of thought at all because she couldn't.
She calls over her manager..who apparently also failed grade 2 math.

I was SOOO annoyed that I just left.

I'm sorry, but they were just STUPID. And I'm certain I included other words in that sentence that can't be typed on here.

I once ordered a large double double and another large double double half decaf, the guy tried to charge me for three coffees *smacks forehead*