Attention SHoppers ~ FYI

[dv8grl]

When your out shopping., the clerk who is ringing you up does NOT care about your life., so please, stop feeling the need to tell the clerk your personal business.
Especially nowadays with so many stores cutting back on hours, one clerk is now doing the work of two sometimes three. The clerk has things to do!!!!!!!!!!!! They do not have time to stand there and listen to your stories! They don't care that you have to go to the dentist., they don't care that your buying this or that for your POS good fo nothin' son, they don't care that you hate your boss, they don't want to know that your grandbaby is datin' some loser,. They really don't want to hear about it!
A quick, polite, transaction is all they want.
Hello, Find everything ok? Yes.
Excellent, that'll be $8.16.
Did you want that on your debt or credit? Debt, please.Ok, Please enter your PIN. BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP
Would you like a bag? No.
Thank you very much, Here's your receipt, Have a good weekend. You too, thanks. You're welcome, thanks again.
THATS IT!
That should be all thats ever said, unless you didn't find what you were looking for and in that case, the clerk will help you find it, and they don't want to hear a story of why you want it!
They want to provide customer service., but that does NOT entail being your friend or your counselor.

THEY DON'T CARE!
LEAVE THEM ALONE!
CARRY ON WITH YOUR BUSINESS!
MOVE ALONG!

[gmyers]

Okay. Sounds like someone had a bad day.

[dv8grl]

No, just sick of fricken' story-time.
Its not story-time!
I'm sick of it when customers do it to me & I'm sick of being in line behind someone who feels thats its story-time & goes on & on to the clerk about crap NO ONE CARES about!
If you feel the need to tell someone your stories, then either find a friend or get a therapist.

[cpbaby]

I would so much rather get in the line of a friendly check out person than the ones who look/act like their drawers are crawling where they dont need to be. Even if I have the short, sweet, and to the point conversation you think we should stick to, when it is in a nice tone, it makes my day easier. Im sure the clerk is appreciative when I am nice back, too.

[buglebe]

Sounds like you work at most stores I go to. It's sad things have gotten to this point.

[Quaker_Parrots]

You know what? I had rather have a clerk who is nice enough to care than someone like we got yesterday who was short, snippy and threw our groceries down the belt.

I was nice enough to call her manager on my way home(thanks to the phone # on the receipt) and let him know Mary Lou was stressing out, and maybe should be sent on break, I even told him I wasnt trying to be mean. Evidentally I wasnt the only one to say something because he said it had already been taken care of.

[shadowcats]

You know what? I had rather have a clerk who is nice enough to care than someone like we got yesterday who was short, snippy and threw our groceries down the belt.

I was nice enough to call her manager on my way home(thanks to the phone # on the receipt) and let him know Mary Lou was stressing out, and maybe should be sent on break, I even told him I wasnt trying to be mean. Evidentally I wasnt the only one to say something because he said it had already been taken care of.

because this is a horrible way to feel about your customers , they are the ones who keep you in your job , if you treat them the way your attitude suggests , i d steer clear of any store you worked at . and you d be out of a job stat. you ought to thank God you have the opportuntiy to make someones day a little brighter and share the joy of being able to go out into the world and do your own thing, there are others out there suffering and that you would even think this way shows that your heart is not where it should be. im not perfect and i dont profess to ms goodie two shoes , and i do a lot of stupid things and probley will keep doing stupid things its in our nature, but i try to treat everyone with love and kindness , now matter how i feel , becasuse that one time you act or say or do something mean to another could mean making that one person hurt them self or others, we see it so many times in the news. ive worked for years in walmart and sometimes ive been sick inside with grief , but i always tried to make others i worked with at least a little happier than when i met them even if it ment taking that time to chat or share their stories with them . cause i remember how it feels to have some one treat me like dirt, and i dont ever want to make some one else feel that way . i cant alway succeed but at least i try.
may be you ought to look for another job out of the public sector if you feel that way, but what ever you do please try and step back and see what is making you feel like that and realize that your attudude is going to make you sick in your own heart and who knows that stranger you snub may be the angel that judges you

[freeby4me]

Nothing wrong with a little friendly back and forth but life stories need not apply. When you get your reciepts and your bags, its time to exit stage left.

[jasmine]

I live in a small town, so a little friendly chit-chat is sometimes nice, but I don't hold up the line.

[dv8grl]

I am proud of my customer service skills, I am from the old school, where you greet eveyone with a hello and give the same level of sevice to eveyone. I have gotten awards, perks, bonuses for my customer service. This has absolutely nothing to do with customer service it has to do with story-time.
People always come in and say your so nice, your always so friendly., Perhaps I'm too nice, so people feel the need to tell me these personal details., I just don't get it.
The customer service you get from most places these days is horrendous, I have to agree. Maybe thats why when they come to my store and I smile & greet them, they think I am there friend, because no one ever does that anymore.
Friendly chit chat is one thing.
Gosh I sure am glad its Friday! Yay, I hear that. Have a Good-Weekend.
That is proper behavior!
I hope you have a good weekend. Well I probably won't because my good for nothin' son and his crack head girlfriend are droppin' my grandbabies off, probably won't even leave no formula or diapers for'em.
That is NOT proper behavior!
When people tell me things like that, I just stare at them with a blank look on my face for about 5 seconds and then say Thank You., Have a good day.
WHAT THE F AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY TO THAT!?!?!?!?

I have never gone to a store and told the clerk anything about my personal life, because I know that they really don't give a rats ass. HATE TO BREAK IT TO YA., but THEY DON'T!!!!!!
You would feel sick and disgusted if you had to hear some of the stories that I am forced to listen to., meanwhile, there is a line of customers who also have better things to do than listen to your crap. Sick, sick stories., stories that fricken give me nightmares., yet just because I work where you shop, you feel the need to tell me this?!?
So next time just stick to the business at hand. Think about the customers behind you, for once think about someone other than yourself.. I know its hard., but you are not the most important person out there.


Do YOU go to stores and tell the clerk your business?
Why?
Do you think they care?
Thats all I'm sayin' Think before you start blabbing on about your babies daddy or some bullsh!t.

[ahippiechic]

If you smile at me, ask if I found what I needed and say "Thank you, come again', that is all I need. I say 'Hi' when I get up to the register, then usually nothing else until the cashier says thanks, then I say, 'you too, have a good day' or something similar as I'm grabbing my bags to go. I don't need chit chat and I'm sure the cashier doesn't either. Not to mention the people who are in line behind me.

You can be friendly/nice without all that unnecessary crap.

Growing up in small town this hardly ever happened tho, it usually went like this...
Hiday! How's your grandma doing today?
dunno.
She ever get her tomatas planted?
dunno
I seen your grandpa at the feed store yesterday
don't care
did your son git to go to the game on friday?
dunno....
How's your husband?
dunno

I HATED that crap. Made me shop in another town where people didn't know me, lol!
If you wanna chit chat, call me on the phone, come visit etc.

[sunniekiss]

I am sorry but while I don't expect to have a long drawn out with a cashier, being friendly is what I do expect.
Did you ever stop to think that maybe this person who is trying to strike-up a bit of a conversation with you is lonely & maybe you might be the only person they speak to all day. Besides the conversation can't last very long, only until they are finised ringing up.
Has our country come to the point where being cold to someone is the norm?

I dunno...maybe I a a bit cluded on this subject. A rude cashier at Target cost them my business.

[freeby4me]

I am sorry but while I don't expect to have a long drawn out with a cashier, being friendly is what I do expect.
Did you ever stop to think that maybe this person who is trying to strike-up a bit of a conversation with you is lonely & maybe you might be the only person they speak to all day. Besides the conversation can't last very long, only until they are finised ringing up.
Has our country come to the point where being cold to someone is the norm?

I dunno...maybe I a a bit cluded on this subject. A rude cashier at Target cost them my business.

She is nice and polite.

I can see not going back to a store because they're not polite but to not go back because they werent enthralled with a lifetime personal story seems over the top.

[ahippiechic]

She didn't say to be rude at all. You can be friendly/nice without telling someone all your BS. And if the cashier is the only person you talk to all day, then that person needs to get out more, because it's not a cashiers job to be your chatting buddy.

[jasmine]

You can be friendly/nice without all that unnecessary crap.

Growing up in small town this hardly ever happened tho, it usually went like this...
Hiday! How's your grandma doing today?
dunno.
She ever get her tomatas planted?
dunno
I seen your grandpa at the feed store yesterday
don't care
did your son git to go to the game on friday?
dunno....
How's your husband?
dunno

I HATED that crap. Made me shop in another town where people didn't know me, lol!
If you wanna chit chat, call me on the phone, come visit etc.

hey now, were not hicks chewing tobacco, and riding our horses through town LOL.
I'll have you know that we have a mcdonalds and a walmart LMAO
and over 50 businesses, population about 3500.
But it is kinda different here I guess, if I do know the cashier, and no one is behind me in line, and my kid isn't screaming his head off (ugh),we'll exchange some conversation, nothing dramatic or over kill, I will not stand there forever and talk. You can usually tell if the cashier is in the mood to talk or not though. But even at that, it's rare I'll talk, I usually just go in the store and do my business, and get out.
If it's busy, it's just a thank you.

I'd hate to be a bartender, or even a waitress.
I use to be a waitress and people would even bring me family pictures to share stories about. I was always kind. If I was busy, I just politely told them, sorry, gotta keep a move on things today, were busy.

[ahippiechic]

I said nothing about tobacco chewing nor riding horses thru town, lol! But some people did both where I grew up. I lived on a farm until I was 9 then moved to 'town'. Population 1,000. Today the pop. is around 1500 there. But no Walmart. No Mickey D's but they did get a Burger King a few years ago. No motels, no taxi's, no buses etc. Lots of horses in town on Sat. too because the Amish usually came to town then.

[ElleGee]

I'm a "hey how ya doing" type person ,however,I have too much crap to do during the day without the person in front of me telling their whole life story to the cashier..


It's called "Let's effing go already ffs, I got shiz to do!!!"

[gmyers]

I guess I'm lucky most of the time they ask how you're doing, you respond and thats about it. But they will talk to you if you talk more to them. I like friendly tellers.

[sunniekiss]

I never said the OP was rude. The jerk I had at Target last week was downright rude & for no good reason.
And yes sorry to say there are people who are alone like many senior citizens. People are shy & don't make friends easily I suppose. While I don't think it is the right time/place to discuss your last visit to your GYN to a perfect stranger in line/ringing you up at Wal-Mart & as much as you want to scream I DON'T GIVE A CRAP I guess I would say a simple 'sorry to hear that can I asist you any further?' but then that is just me.
And if one more person tells me I am too much of a softie I am gonna smakc the crappers out of them. *LOL*
Nah it is just tha I have an 80 something Mom who forgets that she told me the same story 10 times already.

[jeanea33]

I hate going to the store and the cashier is telling me all their personal business. Our walmart here seems to have a ton of them. Once had to hear about my cashier needing to use the restroom. Another I heard about her wedding and even know that her father wouldnt be walking her down the isle because he's a loser. Many complain if they get less hours that week. I dont have this problem anywhere else here. So I rarely go to walmart, its not worth it.

[whatever]

I hate going to the store and the cashier is telling me all their personal business. Our walmart here seems to have a ton of them. Once had to hear about my cashier needing to use the restroom. Another I heard about her wedding and even know that her father wouldnt be walking her down the isle because he's a loser. Many complain if they get less hours that week. I dont have this problem anywhere else here. So I rarely go to walmart, its not worth it.

I was just going to say I see both sides of this issue because I have ran into cashiers who feel the need to tell me their life stories when I the customer am NOT in the mood or time to hear it. So while I feel for you dv8......it does go both ways. We have ALOT of them at the walmart I go to.
And if someone is trying to make small talk into therapy I would just say well I hope you have a friend you can talk to as you can see I have alot of customers who are waiting. Or something in that manner.

[ttistin]

I don't like to talk when I go to the store. I get what I need, tell the teller Hi, and then a thank you and I am on my way.

[G'maDebbie]

ok, here it goes, and flame me if you want too, but I have to get this off my chest...I was a cashier for 15 years in a variety of different stores, gas stations, etc, so I know where you are coming from, BUT......
Did you ever stop to think that these people are paying your paycheck? Who cares if they have deadbeat kids, husbands, wives, etc....let them speak their peace and move on. If you are behind this person and have things to do, maybe you should have left a little bit earlier to give yourself time....are you gonna complain because you have things to do and the fatal accident on the highway held you up? There is NOTHING you can do about it. People these days are in too big of a hurry to get to the next red light....you gonna run that red light or are you gonna wait until it turns green?

[evrita]

I go in to a store after work in my uniform and boy the conversations I get. I have just been talking to people for 8 hours why do I care to hear about your medical problems and NO i cant tell you who was just in the accident

[ElleGee]

If you are behind this person and have things to do, maybe you should have left a little bit earlier to give yourself time...

I do leave early. I also have a chronic pain disorder that makes it hard to stand for long periods of time... I don't have the time to stand there and listen to this person's life story.. I don't complain about how I am in pain and blah blah blah blah. It's no ones business and I am sure no one wants to hear it..

So what if they are paying your paycheck.. That doesn't give them license to take up everyone else's time.

[tsquared]

ok, here it goes, and flame me if you want too, but I have to get this off my chest...I was a cashier for 15 years in a variety of different stores, gas stations, etc, so I know where you are coming from, BUT......
Did you ever stop to think that these people are paying your paycheck? Who cares if they have deadbeat kids, husbands, wives, etc....let them speak their peace and move on. If you are behind this person and have things to do, maybe you should have left a little bit earlier to give yourself time....are you gonna complain because you have things to do and the fatal accident on the highway held you up? There is NOTHING you can do about it. People these days are in too big of a hurry to get to the next red light....you gonna run that red light or are you gonna wait until it turns green?

I totally agree with you. Always hate when you go to a store and all you are are a number to them. It has been proven people are more at ease when the cashier knows their name and visits with them. Sides some of the stories i hear make me laugh and make my day go a lot quicker.

[gmyers]

I think people are in way too much of a hurry now. I think thats why everyone has high blood pressure and health problems. They never take the time to enjoy life. Its just rush, rush, rush, all the time.

[nightrider127]

I like a nice, friendly cashier. I actually like it when I'm asked did I find everything I needed, told to have a nice day.

I don't think anyone should be forced to stand in line behind someone while they tell their lifes story or problems. If you have no one to talk to besides a cashier, you need to get out more, make some friends.

BTW, I don't want to hear someone screeching on their cell phones and holding out a hand with money in it and having the cashier count out whatever amount he/she needs to complete the transaction. And yes, it happens and happens a lot. Get off your damn cell phone for a couple of minutes, hand the cashier the money and pick up your conversation once you leave the store.

[pepperpot]

I can see both sides, but if I had to choose, I'd choose a friendlier cashier than a non-friendly one.

What irks me worse is when a cashier ignores a customer. Even worse than standing in line behind Mrs. No-Friend chatting....are two cashiers chatting and not taking care of a customer nor acknowledging them at all.

[gmyers]

I can see both sides, but if I had to choose, I'd choose a friendlier cashier than a non-friendly one.

What irks me worse is when a cashier ignores a customer. Even worse than standing in line behind Mrs. No-Friend chatting....are two cashiers chatting and not taking care of a customer nor acknowledging them at all.

That happened to me at walmart. She watched me unload a full buggy of groceries then walked off and wouldn't ring them up. She was standing there talking to the next cashier and looking at me. I waited and waited but she didn't come back to the register. I load all my groceries back in the buggy and go to the next lane and she comes back as soon as I leave and starts ringing peoples groceries up again. Made me so mad I almost reported her.
I think that was down right rude.

[jasmine]

I can see both sides, but if I had to choose, I'd choose a friendlier cashier than a non-friendly one.

What irks me worse is when a cashier ignores a customer. Even worse than standing in line behind Mrs. No-Friend chatting....are two cashiers chatting and not taking care of a customer nor acknowledging them at all.

I have had cashiers like this before, that don't look at you, don't smile, don't say a dang word, so I (yeah sarcastically) say, hello, how are you today? Then when it's over I say, and you have a nice day too!! blah!

[nightrider127]

I can see both sides, but if I had to choose, I'd choose a friendlier cashier than a non-friendly one.

What irks me worse is when a cashier ignores a customer. Even worse than standing in line behind Mrs. No-Friend chatting....are two cashiers chatting and not taking care of a customer nor acknowledging them at all.

I don't like this either and trust me, it has happened to me too. Not long ago, a cashier at Walmart actually held up the line for over 5 minutes waiting for a customer to come back in with money because he supposedly couldn't find his money. She was very arrogant and you could actually tell that she loved the power she had to hold things up. And before anyone says anything, it was either her line or the one other line that had a ton of people in it with cart loads of stuff to check out. She was the only express check out and the self serve registers were all closed.

Oh, and the customer never did come back in.

[fleabones3]

I am a friendly person, I do enjoy talking. I will talk to people in line with me, and the cashier. but i dont stand there holding the line up. Once my purchases are rang up and paid for and loaded I am out of there. If the cashier cant stand there and ring up my stuff and have a few friendly words,then thats her problem, not mine. She gets paid to be friendly and ring stuff up, not that hard of a job. Who wants to have a sour puss of a cashier? There are already way too many grouchy, stuck up rude, snobby , cranky people. If more people took the time and effort to be friendly, offer a smile and a few kind words a friendly ear, maybe your day would be a little easier

[dv8grl]

Again.. Not a customer service issue.
I say thanks, have a nice day, I ask if they found everything, I do everything that a clerk is supposed to do., a clerks job is not to be councelor.
I think most clerks, LIKE I'VE SAID just want a quick polite transaction. If that entails a little chit chat, thats fine, but don't think that just because you shop there, you have the right to tell the clerk your life story!

END OF STORY!

[IthinkNOT!]

My take is this:

while I like getting a friendly cashier in a store, I also see the cashiers side too.

When I was a cashier I had ppl telling me their whole life story. It held up the line for one thing. And for another it was kind of embarrassing. I was raised in an old fashioned family, they believed that no matter what was going on you portrayed to the outsiders (anyone outside the family) that everything was just wonderful. You didn't spread your business in the street. I know that ppl are more open now, and that most anything is open game for convo, but I really don't know how to respond to ppl when they tell all. THere were sometimes that ppl told me things that I was almost embarrassed FOR them.

[evrita]

I guess I am out of the norm here I like a cashier to be polite but not tell me thier whole life and I am not going to tell them mine. A hello how are you today me good yourself? Like i said before I go in after work I have a high stress job and I get wow you look tired well yes I am and then they go on and on about the place I work for and I cant be rude because I am in uniform so I smile and nod.

One sunday I was cashing out I had done almost 60 hours I had a cashier tell me you look tired I said I am i still have to go home and et supper and the bagger said well at least you dont have to work the weekend. I said I am glad you like to make assumptions I just got off a 12 hour shift I am here shopping going home to unload cook supper and what are you doing after ? She shut up I said I would think twice before you jump to conclusions not everyone has weekends off and I walked out.

[jerseybarb]

I don't like this either and trust me, it has happened to me too. Not long ago, a cashier at Walmart actually held up the line for over 5 minutes waiting for a customer to come back in with money because he supposedly couldn't find his money. She was very arrogant and you could actually tell that she loved the power she had to hold things up. And before anyone says anything, it was either her line or the one other line that had a ton of people in it with cart loads of stuff to check out. She was the only express check out and the self serve registers were all closed.

Oh, and the customer never did come back in.

Thats why I go to Krogers or Meijers

[OkeDoke]

I go to self check out and sometimes that's a mistake too! If there is a problem you have to wait for a clerk which is busy talking to an other employee.

[cpbaby]

I go to self check out and sometimes that's a mistake too! If there is a problem you have to wait for a clerk which is busy talking to an other employee.



I dont use the self checkouts....I have NEVER had good luck with them and usually end up either walking off from it or throwing it all back in my cart and going to a regular checkout.




Best thing I have EVER seen in a store.....Was in a Kroger. They had a few lines open, but they werent busy or anything, this woman came up to the Express Lane with a cartful of stuff. The cashier told her she would have to go to a regular checkout, this lane was only for (whatever their min is). The lady argued that she was in a hurry and the cashier told her that EVERYONE was in a hurry, but the rules were X-amont of items, PERIOD.

I have been in WalMart and been told by THEIR cashiers that even if the sign says EXPRESS/20 ITEMS OR LESS, they cant turn anyone away, no matter how many items are in their cart.

[wobblypops]

Idle chit chat is fine. In my small town it will take me am hour (sometimes) to get a few items because everyone knows everyone & we all stop in the isles & play catch-up. I have a few csahiers tell me that they love it when I come through thier lines because I am always smiling, friendly & can make them laugh.

I was having a really bad day one time & my normal cashier picked up on it. I guess I wasn't smiling and she reached out & touched my arm & asked me if I was alright because I wasn't my normal laughing, smilely self. Now that's what I call a nice employee & I may pay more to shop at this little local store but I have come to the point where I would rather be around a nice & friendly employee then someone who wants nothing but a pay check.

[Bliss]

I don't do small talk or carry on a conversation w/the cashier. I don't like to hear strangers hard luck stories or how their appointment went with the gyno. I sure as hell am not going to stand in line telling stories...It's not the time nor the place to be telling people your life history. No one really gives a damn. People have their own problems than to listen to others whine & complain about there's. Get a therapist if you really need to be heard.

People in line will always start telling me their life history. I don't pay any attention to what they are even yacking on about. I just smile and shake my head.

I'd rather use the self checkout, it's quick, easy & no one is blabbing in your ear.

[missteena]

Hmmmm I usually seem to have the opposite problem. I just try to get through the line as quickly as possible and the clerk just wants to chat about no good BS or comment on something I am buying...shut it and let me pay for my crap and get out.

[missteena]

I go to self check out and sometimes that's a mistake too! If there is a problem you have to wait for a clerk which is busy talking to an other employee.

No joke. I've stood there for whole MINUTES before looking right at them and they are just all involved in conversation.




I have been in WalMart and been told by THEIR cashiers that even if the sign says EXPRESS/20 ITEMS OR LESS, they cant turn anyone away, no matter how many items are in their cart.

So now we know...I always wondered and it really irritates me when I seriously have ONE item and I have to wait for a million dumbies in front of me to unload their cartloads of stuff. And everyone already knows Walmart NEVER has enough lanes open.

What a pain in the biscuit. That is why I tend to do my shopping anywhere else BUT Walmart these days.