Just recently I obtained a job at a local department store. I am an entry level sales associate, my primary job being cashier. As a cashier, I have to check out peoples items-be it one item or one hundred- as quickly and efficiently as possible. And of course, my goal is to make the customer happy.
I know I'm not perfect, and neither are my customers. But I want to make everything go as smoothly and pleasantly as possible. As a cashier, these are a few things I want you, my customer, to know:
1) Smile and look me in the eyes. It makes me feel more like you consider me a real person, not just a machine. This makes me feel better about myself, and you, and makes me more inclined to go the extra mile to provide excellent customer service.
2) Please don't talk on your cell phone when you're checking out. It is both rude and distracting and makes it difficult to tell when you're talking to me. Having to wait for you to finish your conversation also holds up the line.Ask the person you're talking to to hold on; or even better, end the phone call altogether.
3.) I am only human. If I make a mistake, please don't snap or yell at me. I know what I'm doing, and I can fix it for you. Please be patient.
4) I only have two hands. Please don't shove your money or card at me when I'm ringing up your items.
5) Please read signs carefully. It makes you look stupid when you come up to us telling us that something is priced wrong when in fact, you just read the wrong sign or didn't read the small print.
6) Unless you're elderly, handicapped or injured, please put your grocery bags into your cart yourself. It just creates more work for the cashier and holds up the line.
7.) Please use the plastic dividers. Just because you know which items are yours, doesn't mean that I do. This way I won't have to take more time to ask what items belong to you or delete any wrong items.
8) If you don't want an item, please give it to me. Don't hide them in other displays. Refrigerated or frozen items warm up and go bad and some items can leak. It also makes much more work for sales associates to fix displays and find and return goods to where they belong.
9) If you open a food item, you have to pay for it. Taking the contents of the package without paying is theft. Just give me the packaging with the bar code on it, and I'll ring it up.Of course, it is preferable that you wait until after the item is paid for to consume it--what happens if you credit card is declined or you don't have the money after all?
10) I really appreciate it when you help me bag your items.It makes the whole process move a lot faster. However, if you want me to bag your items for you, don't tell me how to bag them. I know what I'm doing. If you don't like it, do it yourself.
11) I hate checks. Especially business checks. We have to go through a long process-- you writing down everything, me writing down your driver's license and expiration date and getting check approval, then typing it all up and endorsing the check... if it is at all possible, please use cash or card on busy days.
12) If you are angry at someone else, do not be rude and snap or yell at me out because of it. I probably have nothing to do with it. Its not my fault. I'm not your punching bag. I'm being polite, I don't deserve it.
13) When a new line opens up, don't rush over in front of someone because you're "busy". It's very rude. Let the next person in line go--they've been waiting longer than you.
14) Don't just leave your hand carriage on the desk or conveyor belt and stare at me. It's not my job to unload it, and the whole process would go much faster if you started it unloading it before your turn.
15) Please don't just leave your cart by my register and walk out with your bags. At least give it to me so I can put it away and it won't be a trip hazard.
16) Please don't angrily yell the price of an item if it's missing a working bar-code or SKU number. I have to verify the price of the item just in case you're wrong. And please, don't complain and roll your eyes if we have to send someone to look for the SKU number or look myself. It's not my fault the tag fell off.
17) If you saw your item listed as one price and it registers at another price, understand that we have to call for a price check. We can't adjust the price just because the customer said so.
18) Don't flirt with me while I'm working. It's creepy. And embarrassing. I don't mind if you compliment my hair, or tell me I'm doing a good job. But don't ask if you can call me later.
2) If you have forgotten something, either cancel it or complete your transaction first, then go back to get your other items. Don't make everyone behind you wait for you to finish your shopping.
23) Please have some control over your kids. Don't let them run around wrecking havoc, knocking down displays, hiding in clothes wracks and check out booths. Don't let them slobber all over something then make me ring it up or let them steal my pen. It's not my job to babysit your kids,be a responsible parent.
I try to be nice and polite to you, so please, be polite to me too.
Fellow cashiers, What else would you like your customers to know?
I know I'm not perfect, and neither are my customers. But I want to make everything go as smoothly and pleasantly as possible. As a cashier, these are a few things I want you, my customer, to know:
1) Smile and look me in the eyes. It makes me feel more like you consider me a real person, not just a machine. This makes me feel better about myself, and you, and makes me more inclined to go the extra mile to provide excellent customer service.
2) Please don't talk on your cell phone when you're checking out. It is both rude and distracting and makes it difficult to tell when you're talking to me. Having to wait for you to finish your conversation also holds up the line.Ask the person you're talking to to hold on; or even better, end the phone call altogether.3.) I am only human. If I make a mistake, please don't snap or yell at me. I know what I'm doing, and I can fix it for you. Please be patient.
4) I only have two hands. Please don't shove your money or card at me when I'm ringing up your items.
5) Please read signs carefully. It makes you look stupid when you come up to us telling us that something is priced wrong when in fact, you just read the wrong sign or didn't read the small print.
7.) Please use the plastic dividers. Just because you know which items are yours, doesn't mean that I do. This way I won't have to take more time to ask what items belong to you or delete any wrong items.
10) I really appreciate it when you help me bag your items.It makes the whole process move a lot faster. However, if you want me to bag your items for you, don't tell me how to bag them. I know what I'm doing. If you don't like it, do it yourself.
11) I hate checks. Especially business checks. We have to go through a long process-- you writing down everything, me writing down your driver's license and expiration date and getting check approval, then typing it all up and endorsing the check... if it is at all possible, please use cash or card on busy days.
12) If you are angry at someone else, do not be rude and snap or yell at me out because of it. I probably have nothing to do with it. Its not my fault. I'm not your punching bag. I'm being polite, I don't deserve it.
13) When a new line opens up, don't rush over in front of someone because you're "busy". It's very rude. Let the next person in line go--they've been waiting longer than you.
14) Don't just leave your hand carriage on the desk or conveyor belt and stare at me. It's not my job to unload it, and the whole process would go much faster if you started it unloading it before your turn.
15) Please don't just leave your cart by my register and walk out with your bags. At least give it to me so I can put it away and it won't be a trip hazard.
16) Please don't angrily yell the price of an item if it's missing a working bar-code or SKU number. I have to verify the price of the item just in case you're wrong. And please, don't complain and roll your eyes if we have to send someone to look for the SKU number or look myself. It's not my fault the tag fell off.
17) If you saw your item listed as one price and it registers at another price, understand that we have to call for a price check. We can't adjust the price just because the customer said so.
18) Don't flirt with me while I'm working. It's creepy. And embarrassing. I don't mind if you compliment my hair, or tell me I'm doing a good job. But don't ask if you can call me later.
19) I have a name tag, but please don't' call me by my name. I get caught off guard and freaked out when strangers know my name.The name tag's there for two reasons: mainly if you want to complain about bad service, or if you want to write a letter to corporate or customer service praising someone for going above and beyond.
20)
23) Please have some control over your kids. Don't let them run around wrecking havoc, knocking down displays, hiding in clothes wracks and check out booths. Don't let them slobber all over something then make me ring it up or let them steal my pen. It's not my job to babysit your kids,be a responsible parent.
I try to be nice and polite to you, so please, be polite to me too.
Fellow cashiers, What else would you like your customers to know?
Very good advice!
ReplyDeleteWriting checks (number 11) is the worst. I don't care how old you are please use a debit card. Also please don't "extreme coupon shop" one or two is OK but don't get out of control. It holds up the line for the other customers. Good article.
ReplyDelete-John P.