What do you hate most about certain clerks or cashiers?

I hate when the clerk acts like you should know everything about what you need help with. They’re always pushy and make you feel stupid.

Working retail is soul-crushing work. I try to give them a pass if they are rude or unhelpful.

I hate it when they address me by my first name as if we were friends.

I hate it when they are unbearably stupid.

I also dislike when the cashier says absolutely nothing to you the entire time they’re ringing up your items. Come on! At least say hello and thank you or something.

I’ve done that job.
Some days you can’t fathom what that cashier has been through. And frankly, they don’t get paid enough to put up with some of the bullshit that they put up with.

I don’t like it when they are rude to me, even when I go out of my way to be polite and friendly with them. I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, sometimes a friendly customer is all that it takes to undo a whole day of douchebag customers.

The one I encountered today who ignored the fact that I was standing there with my credit card, ready to pick up the order I had called in and she proceeded to take the orders of two people in front of me. Ummmm, hello??? I called mine in so that I could just grab it and go, without standing in a line! UGH!

Dumping all of my change and receipt in my hand at once.

I was a cashier. The job sucks, but it isn’t that difficult to count back change and be polite.

@ANef_is_Enuf – I agree. In a way, I feel that it is my responsibility to make their awful experience there just a bit more agreeable (or at least try).

@tom_g I feel the same way. I try. I feel that way toward anyone doing a similar job.. servers in particular. I know how ridiculous it can be sometimes, and I never want to be that horrible customer that ruins your day. I’d much rather be the opposite.

I really don’t like it when you ask them for help, and they say sorry, we can’t help you with that.You’ll have to contact the manager.
“Can I have the manager’s number please?”
“No, I’m not allowed to give you that.”

Customers can be ten times worse, and if you want to keep your job, there’s no way out of the interaction. (Well, you can call a manager, but sometimes they don’t help you out that much or it takes them forever to get there. Meanwhile you have an angry person yelling in your face.) If you’re a customer, a bad cashier is a momentary annoyance. The interactions lasts no longer than a few minutes. But if you’re a cashier, you potentially have to deal with other people’s shit for the duration of your shift, every day that you come into work.

Many customers are nice, though. Some of them are even pretty entertaining. We had an old lady who would buy things, use up half, and then demand a refund because the food was “poisoned.” She was really belligerent, but in such an over-the-top way that it was very memorable.

There was another time when a guy with greasy hair and bloodshot eyes stood at the end of my conveyor belt running a toy truck back and forth and staring at me. My manager got me out of there and gave me some task in the shelves, and the guy followed me back there. They finally called the police and got him out of there. Actually, that encounter was creepy as shit.

One time a couple came in to buy vagisil, condoms, and lube in the same transaction. The husband hung back, all embarrassed, but the wife gallantly chatted me up. There was a little strawberry shortcake doll on top of my register and she sniffed it deeply, almost putting the thing up her nose, and said, “Oh, STRAWBERRIES! I love STRAWBERRIES!” in a trilling, singasong voice. The husband went beet red and looked like he wanted to faint.

I had blue hair back then, so this one older (flamboyantly gay) man came up with different puns on the word blue every time he saw me. He called me lil’ blue, rainbow brite, blueberry muffin, smurfette, and miss thang at various times.

As far as asshole customers, they seem to come at the worst times. It’s always something like: you’re working a double shift, your feet are killing you, and you have cramps. Then some old lady yells at you for ten minutes because the machine won’t accept her expired coupon while a line of grumbling customers builds up behind her and the manager is nowhere to be seen. I also can’t tell you how many customers don’t say hello back after you greet them. (It’s worse in waiting tables, though. “Hello, how are you doing this evening?” “Water with lemon, no ice.” Ugh.) I’m so grateful to not be a cashier anymore, and I really feel for anyone who’s working that job.

The cashiers at Trader Joes are consistently too friendly.

“How’s it going today”?

Good, how about you?

“Oh I’m doing great. Getting off in 30 mins, can’t wait to enjoy that beautiful weather we’re having”.

(I simply smile at this point, hoping he shuts up).

“Got any plans for the weekend?”

Not really, just shopping, taking care of other errands.

“No parties happening?”

(Is he actually asking me whether or not I’m “partying” this weekend? Dude, just ring up the groceries and shut up).

Nah, I’m too old for that sort of thing.

(I’m in my 30’s. At this point I’m just saying whatever crap comes to my head.)

“Aw come on, you’re never too old!

When you have little self-control, sometimes it’s better to just stay away.

(OK, I’m really reaching at this point to shut him up. I’ve never had a drink in my life.)

“Aw yeah, I totally understand that…been there myself”.

Etc.

Etc.

Etc.

When I go shopping I don’t want to buddy up with the cashier. At least, not if it’s forced upon me. I’m a friendly person. But, the customer should decide how far the friendliness goes.

@Haleth I remember one particular incident when I worked at a cigar shop. We kept open boxes of cigarillos open on the counter for people to buy individually. A woman came in one night, severely intoxicated. She was knocking things over, stumbling into displays. She has a really large, weeping cold sore on her lip. She proceeded to smell several of the little cigars by curling her lip up toward her nose and rolling the cigar between the two. Then she placed each one of the infected cigars back into the public box. It was pretty horrible. I ended up having to call my boss at 7am to ask what the heck I was supposed to do with 4 boxes of tainted cigars.

Been there, done that for 10 years, but I was in the Seattle area at the time, and most of the customers and clerks I knew were always polite and friendly. When I moved to the NorthEast I was constantly amazed at the lack of civility. I know it’s a rough job, I’ve done it, but sometimes the little things really pall. Like when the cashier, without a previous word to me, without even looking at me simply spouts a number. No “please”, no “That’ll be $12.95, ma’am”, no nothing. I talk to them, I’d love a human reaction to the fact that I’m addressing someone.

One thing that bugs me is when a cashier says, “Hi, how are you doing today?” and you reply in a friendly manner, “I’m doing well, how are you?”

And then no response.

It doesn’t make me particularly angry, I just feel like if someone asks you a question in response to yours, you shouldn’t outright ignore it, especially when it’s obvious that you’ve heard the question. It doesn’t really take that much time to say, “I’m fine, thanks.” at the very least.

I’ll agree with @jonsblond as well, when your hands are obviously full and they just put all the money and receipt into your hand in a pile and then look annoyed when you have to take a moment to sort it all out; it’s a bit frustrating.

I don’t typically have many complaints about cashiers. I don’t expect them to be super friendly and engaging and I don’t expect them to be completely silent either. I don’t mind if they want to talk to me and I don’t mind if they don’t want to say anything. “It’s whatever”, as my boyfriend would say. The only thing that bothers me, as @erichw1504 is if they treat you like you’re stupid for asking a question, which has not happened to me often, but it has before and it’s pretty annoying.

@FutureMemory I had to quit wearing my Twilight t-shirt to our local Kroger, because this lady who alternated between checker and clerk would stop me and talk my ear off about how good the books were but how much the movies suck, and she can’t BELIEVE what Stephenie Meyer did with the fourth book, and it was so horrible and was Stephenie Meyer on drugs when she wrote it because it was so awful and they picked the worst possible actors to be in the movies and ruined too many scenes from the book and Oh, I guess you really like the movie since you’re wearing the t-shirt…

OMG she never shut up about it. The last time this happened (about five months ago) when she asked if I really liked the movie, I looked her straight in the eye and said, “No, I just wanna fuck Robert Pattinson” and walked away. Every time she sees me now, she “half-smiles” and nods hello, but doesn’t really speak to me anymore, lmfao.

I agree with @tom_g, it’s soul crushing. I used to say that if there is a Hell, retail is it. I give all cashiers a break because I was there. You can sometimes see it in their eyes. I’ve worked with bright and sunny people that eventually turned into people hating jerks. It’s hard because in this situation the customer is always right and they abuse that. We aren’t allowed to protect ourselves if worse comes to worse so we get all this verbal abuse and corporations just say: “Smile at them, that pisses them off more.” No it doesn’t.

So many times I have been brought to tears by people that were jerks. I mean real jerks. I had one lady that threw her stuff at me because she thought I refused to help her. I had called out to get her attention, but she didn’t here me. I was pregnant at the time and was sitting at the register ringing people out so I couldn’t help her. I tried getting her attention but she walked off so I assumed she knew where she was going. When she came back she called me useless and unhelpful and said a few other mean things as she threw her things at me.

I had one person tell me they hoped I quit, and another really break me down to the point I had other customers hugging and comforting me.

I’m a fast cashier. I ring out people quickly and efficiently. I never had problems with my register at the end of my shift, just customers. Some people do just wake up angry and looking for a fight.

@JilltheTooth I worked in the Est coast and noticed that customers there are total jerk offs as well. I went to the west coast and people are generally more relaxed here. There is more sun and moderate weather. On the East side, especially NY and New England, it isn’t as sunny and it really affects people.

Has there been a question asked already that requests people retail horror stories from the other side of the register? I’m sure most of us have been some kind of cashier at some point.. I can imagine there are plenty of asshole-customer stories to go around. Thinking it might deserve a thread of its own.

Remember people – this is work is awful. The amount of abuse and horrible pay can turn anyone’s cheery mood into a ball of anger and resentment that can result in less-than-ideal customer service.

Sometimes this helps me with perspective. That cashier who is being less than helpful – that’s someone’s daughter or son or mother. That’s someone is dealing with real problems in his or her life. They are dealing with paying bills and putting food on their kids’ plates. They are possibly suffering from pain and illness or have lost someone close to them.
In the middle of all of this, they trudge to work, throw on some ridiculous uniform and have to deal with crap all day non-stop. We should be surprised and honored when the rare cashier meets us eye-to-eye and we can connect with mutual respect.

I’ve worked some pretty crappy jobs and I have to say that my attitude was 95% of how people treated me. It was my job to be polite, helpful and courteous. Now a small 5% came in pissed off for whatever reason. Many of those people left happier because I was polite, helpful and courteous to them especially.

My experience with a vast majority of front line staff is that they look right through you, don’t greet you and ignore you until the end of the transaction when they give your total. That’s poor service in my book.

I understand that people can have a bad day but when the same cashier treats you the same way day in and day out then it’s their attitude that is the problem.

Here’s what I don’t understand: why don’t these people get that they could be serving someone who has the means to get them a better job? It happens. Every better job I got was because someone observed how I conducted myself at work and approached me.

As I’ve been out and about and I notice great service I make a point of encouraging them to apply at my husband’s company.

@tranquilsea
“Here’s what I don’t understand: why don’t these people get that they could be serving someone who has the means to get them a better job? Every better job I got was because someone observed how I conducted myself at work and approached me.”

Absolutely! That’s definitely happened to me before. Not every time, but it’s resulted in some great opportunities. Once I was working at a coffeehouse and a customer was being especially demanding and difficult. I went out of my way to be friendly and helpful, going above and beyond the help that she asked for, and she offered me a job at her company!

As a manager I’ve scouted people for jobs that way, too.

I got a second job selling women’s shoes for the holidays at Macys recently, and I now understand why some clerks and cashiers are rude. Although I wasn’t rude, I only worked there for the holidays, others had been working there for years and they were bitter.

The way some women got so pissed at us when we were swamped and couldn’t grab shoes for everyone, the way they got pissed if we didn’t know exactly what they were looking for, the way they got pissed if we didn’t have their size…..We just fetched the shoes and suggested similar shoes, we don’t make the shoes and we can’t do everything just because we work there. The managers are there for a reason, so go bitch at them because you’re holding everyone up that needs help.

Like @FutureMemory, I hate it when they’re too friendly, and trying to buddy up to me. I also hate it when they aren’t ringing me up, but keep asking me if I need help. I get how insanely bored they are (and this is why I’m fine if they read a book when they aren’t helping anyone) but please, for the love of God, don’t make it my responsibility to entertain you, because it’s not.
But, the thing I hate most is when I buy something, and they comment on it – Hey, I see you’re buying plastic forks, you have a party over the weekend? No, I don’t have a dishwasher at the moment – just shut up and ring up the damn things! Or, my personal favorite, while getting fudge around Christmas time, one said “Sooooo… you just eat the whole thing”? Either that’s a comment about my weight – NOT appropriate – or you’re confused as to what one would do with a product so obviously from your bakery section, which isn’t really much better. There’s one clerk at my grocery store who does it so much that I will happily wait longer in another line to avoid having to deal with her comments.

@MyNewtBoobs “I also hate it when they aren’t ringing me up, but keep asking me if I need help.”

I hate that too. Some companies make their cashiers do that, though. At my last job, we had secret shoppers come in regularly. One of the criteria was, “did the salesperson greet you and suggest an item?” And we got points taken off and an angry e-mail from the district manager every time someone missed that one. The upper management saw it as a chance to build sales, but the staff (and probably the customers) saw it as a major pain in the ass.

I hate when waitresses or waiters ask “how does it taste?” it seems like an intimate question for some reason, like they are getting inside my mouth. strange, I know

@Haleth I know – I had that with my retail job. But one is fine, two is ok if there’s at least 5 minutes between, what I’m talking about is when it goes more like this “Can I help you find anything?” “No, I’m good, thanks.” “You sure?” “Yup.” <turns around for a minute and a half> “You sure I can’t do anything to help you?” “Yup.” <Goes and straightens something a couple yards away> “Because, really, I’d be very happy to help you if you needed anything.” “No, really, I’m just browsing”. And then they just stand there, stalking you wherever you go, so that they won’t waste even 5 seconds should you change your mind and need help. Which means, I’m officially done looking, ring me up now so I can get the hell out of here, you creepy person!
But, I had the secret shopper thing, too. We had to ask if they’d been in before, and if not, they had to get our full-on store spiel – so here’s the hand scrub, gimme your hands, try it, let me demo the shaving cream, what scents do you like most, oh here’s our chapstick, and our lotion bar that isn’t really a step up from regular lotion, and we make all our soaps just a couple miles away in this process… The whole thing took 15 minutes, and they really didn’t have a chance to say “Right, but I just want a bottle of lavender lotion for my girlfriend and then to get the hell out of here”. It made it so that you were so focused on not getting a bad review from the secret shoppers that you couldn’t actually be a good clerk, much less sell enough to them to a) make some actual money and b) create a long-term customer. Course, this was also the place that thought it would be a good idea if we demoed the lotion bar massage-style, which always seemed to me more like essentially molesting the unwilling customers. They’ve since gone out of business, and I can’t imagine why, what with their insanely high-pressure, stand-at-the-door-handing-out-samples, stalk you in the store and then molest you techniques…

I hate when they give you that look that you’re doing something wrong. And I hate when they comment on what you bought.
@erichw54 I agree with your first comment. Sometimes, I do know nothing, and am solely looking for assistance in the area I am ignorant in.

“An employee is told that the customer’s always right and, in fact, the customer is usually a moron and an asshole.”- Curb Your Enthusiasm

@FutureMemory I love Trader Joe’s for all of the reasons you mentioned. I’m a generally friendly person and I enjoy pleasant conversation, even with total strangers. It makes me feel like I’m dealing with human beings rather than machines, or even enemies.

I hate it when a cashier rings you up, and you can’t see their register display and they just stand there staring at you, instead of saying, “That will be $3.98 please.” Also, my eyesight is not what it used to be, and it really irks me when I see young clerks doing that to elderly folks. I’ve even had to go so far as to ask them how much I owe. Some of them, have actually turned their (previously out of view to me) display around and have pointed at it, and still not said anything to me.

I used to work at a restaurant and I would always kindly say, “That will be $3.98” and then I would say, “And that’s out of 20”, or whatever they handed me so they would know exactlly what they handed me, because sometimes people are mistaken. That way, we both knew. Then I would count back the change to them, so both of us knew exactly what transaction was taking place. Then I would say “Thank you.” I don’t recall the last time any of these polite and useful things were done towards me.

I also hate it when cashiers are bullsh*tting with another employee or talking on the phone, but completely ignore me, and then put out their hand waiting for the money, without ever saying a word to me. All they had to say, is “Hi, I’ll be with you in a moment” or “Sorry, hello, how are you, that will be $3.89”

And I hate cashiers that clearly see you walk in or standing at the counter while they walk back and forth continuing whatever they are doing without ever acknowledging that you are there needing assistance. I realize that people are busy, but when I worked in that capacity, I would always look up and say, “Hi, I’ll be right with you or I’m sorry, I’ll be there in just a moment.”

And I hate cashiers and baggers who completely ignore me when I say “Thank you.” to them.

I don’t expect anyone to put on a great big fake smile for me, all I expect is that people use common courtesies like asking if the customer needs help, counting change back correctly, saying please and thank you and asking may I help you, or acknowledging that you are there by saying hello, I’ll be right with you and then saying thank you after the transaction has been completed.

But I think the worst thing that I have ever seen, and I see it quite often, is when some young cashier mumbles something to an elderly person who can clearly not see or hear very well. Then instead of getting a little closer to the senior and repeating the statement in a slightly louder (not shouting) voice and looking the senior in the eye, and maybe using terminology that is more understandable, they just shout the same jargon laced statement at the senior and then shake their head in disgust and just stand there. It makes my blood boil.

Sometimes all it takes is to realize that most seniors don’t see or hear as well as younger folks, so sometimes you need to get a little closer to them and go eye to eye with them, so they know you are speaking to them (peripheral vision is often non-existant and low hearing is often a problem for seniors) and maybe try to speak in real or easier to understand terms instead of using jargon.

The example that comes to mind most often is when it comes time for the senior to use their debit card. I’ve seen cashiers just stand there or mumble “Debit or Credit?” (which probably sounds like Decka to the senior) and I can clearly tell that the senior didn’t even hear them. The best clerks will say, “Would you like to use your credit card or you ATM card? Ok, then just slide your card right here in this slot. Ok, now punch in your pin number or secret code. OK. Now push this green button. Would you like some cash back? Ok, then push this red button and we’re done. And here’s your receipt and here’s your ten dollars. Would you like any help out with your groceries?” You have no idea how much that tiny little exchange is worth to a senior who is having a little bit of difficulty. This technique is also very helpful when working with folks who have developmental disabilities.

The rest of the clods in line who are sighing heavily and mumbling under their breath can just shut up and calm down and try to use a little bit of compassion. All of us will be old someday and it would be a blessing to know that when that happens, people will not look at us with disgust and might just try to be friendly and kind.

Sorry for this rant, it’s just that I’ve seen this terrible treament of elderly folks way too often and it breaks my heart.

@MyNewtBoobs Oh my god, that sounds so obnoxious. I know what you mean, being more focused on not flunking the secret shopper reports than actually being a good salesperson. That whole sales pitch is ridiculous. At least ours weren’t so bad. If someone is buying prosciutto, suggest the fig spread, or is someone is buying a pastry, suggest a coffee, that kind of thing. It’s definitely annoying if someone asks to help you multiple times. They should find some other way to occupy themselves.

@Kardamom See, I’m not sure it’s friendly or not – probably more introvert or extrovert. Plus, you probably chat more with them, encouraging them. It’s when you keep giving them one-word answers, and they keep trying to make conversation that it becomes an issue.

Loong fingernails that curl around like fangs creep me out. Really? Do your really think they look good? Just wondering.

@worriedguy those creep me out more in the medical field than on the other side of a cash register. Ever see someone try to wipe a butt with nails like that? Just as pretty as you’d imagine.

@worriedguy Especially when they have little designs painted onto them (and the polish is chipping off) and you can see the yellow coloring on the underneath side. Yikes!

Here’s another thing I dislike: I went to a food place once and the cashier said the final price as a question. “Six dollars?” and so I was like “uh…yeah?” She didn’t have an accent or anything, so I couldn’t just excuse her for that. :P

Speaking of commenting on what you bought (which I don’t mind really, especially if they’re just commenting on how it’s good), reminds me of one time my parents hadn’t gone grocery shopping in a while and so I went with my mom and we bought of ton of stuff (family of six, haven’t grocery shopped in a while, there’s going to be a lot) and the cashier was like “This lady bought all the food!” I was dying of embarrassment, but my mom was just laughing especially she knew that cashier, but man, that was embarrassing as hell…

@DominicX we routinely raise eyebrows at Costco as we only shop once a month (on purpose) and our bill is usually in the $800 range. Most people ask if I have teenagers at home.

Sometimes the clerk barely tells you the price. They stand there silently and you have to read the total off of the cash register. I also appreciate when they tell me “Thank you.” I will tell them in return “Thank you,” however, I have stopped thanking them if they don’t thank me.

I don’t usually have problems with cashiers.They would have to be outrageously rude for me to have a problem and I can’t really remember that happening.
As for the baggers at the grocery checkout…if I am asked one more time if I want paper or plastice,I’ll snap into my own ‘Nam.SHOULDN’T HE KNOW BY NOW??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !#$%^&<strong>)(</strong>&^%$#!#$%^&<strong>(^%$##$%^&

I don’t it when clerks obviously are learning on the job. It’s not their fault they are brand new, but I hate being their test case.

The ones that act like they hate their job are the worst.

Stupidity. If you question the amount of change they give you, all they can say is “that’s what the computer says.”

@tranquilsea “Here’s what I don’t understand: why don’t these people get that they could be serving someone who has the means to get them a better job? It happens. Every better job I got was because someone observed how I conducted myself at work and approached me.”

At my second job I consistently worked harder than any other person. I went above and beyond what was needed and I was told this. I worked there for 6 years and got passed over for promotions constantly. I followed the rules. I was helpful and even got letters sent to my job from customers telling the manager that I was the best person they have dealt with and to promote me. Never got it. Instead I got the managers dumping more work on me because they I’d do it and not complain. I had more experience than the majority of people that worked there and still nothing. It was 5 years before I got the promotion I needed. Not to mention it took me storming into the manager’s office throwing a fit.

I did get offered a job at a construction company, but I was 8 months pregnant. The guys said they loved my work ethic.

I’m reading through these replies, trying to think of an example of bad clerks and I realize how fortunate I am in this city. Customer service is really exemplary here. Cashiers are almost always friendly and professional; great representatives for the businesses that employ them.

That said, I do have one complaint. When I went to an electronics store with a male friend, I was looking to buy a new wireless router and some cables. I had done the research, it was for my own use and I knew what I wanted. The male clerk addressed all his questions to my friend. Even when my friend said “Dude, I have no idea. I’m only along for the ride.” the clerk continued to address him instead of me. I walked out without making a purchase, I was so irritated.

I especially like it when they are trained to be nice to people or risk losing their job. The ones who don’t are not around long.

I just thought of another one that isn’t the cashier’s fault but it’s an obnoxious business policy. At Albertson’s, the cashier always asks “Did you find everything you were looking for?” but they are completely unprepared for any answer other than “Yes, thanks.”

The few times I’ve said something like “No, I didn’t find the brand of sour cream you used to carry.” the cashier looks confused and just mumbles “Sorry.”
It’s a useless interaction.

@Blueroses Lol I’ve had that happen, too, at various places. It then takes an extra 15 minutes for them to establish what you already know – they either don’t carry it any more, or they’re temporarily out of it, but either way, you aren’t going home with it tonight. And you can’t say “Really, it’s ok, I’m in a rush, so I’ll just come back another time” because by saying you couldn’t find something, you inadvertently said “Look, you promised me the Grail, and if I don’t get it, I’m suing you all” instead of simply answering a question.

I actually get along with most of them.

@Ajulutsikael you’ve mistaken my intention in what I wrote. I was talking about the chance encounter with outside people who may notice how well you work and offer you a job. Is it a guarantee? No. But it does happen.

You sound like a great employee, one that I would love to have. Sorry your company didn’t promote you.

I’m irritated by clerks who either don’t know how or don’t bother to count back my change to me. I don’t like being handed a wad of who-knows-what and being told it x amount.

I feel like crap every time I approach a service counter and the clerk ignores me to continue a personal phone conversation or a face-to-face one where they don’t even bother to make eye contact, give me a nod of acknowledgment, nothing.

When in a big box type store where clerks often get stuff down off high shelves, it annoys me that they avoid as much as possible to be asked to help. I want to know what they were hired for aside from roaming the aisles, talking on their cellys.

I’ve been in customer service 4yrs now and people treat me like crap in every way you can think of. I have to be on my toes constantly to find ways to diffuse, deflect and creatively solve problems managers are unavailable/too busy to handle. Like someone else posted above, I’ve been hired away from more than one company now by a customer who felt well treated.

What @Blueroses said. Did I find what I was looking for? If I say no are they going to stop the transaction to try and find it? The only right answer is yes. I get put off at Walmart when we get home and discover the cashier didn’t put all of our stuff in our cart before leaving. So we have to dig out the receipt and call customer svc to see if our stuff we bought at register so and so is still there. We live out in the sticks so it adds to the pain…pain I tell ya.

I hate hipsters. Smug bastards.

Something else that isn’t the cashiers fault, but is store policy, is when they ask if you would like to save 10% on your purchase by applying for a store credit card. I absolutely hate being asked this. I hate it when I tell them no, then they ask “are you sure, it will only take a minute?”. We are in bankruptcy, even if I wanted a card, we can’t get one. Take my first no as an answer and please quit asking me.

I was getting really cranky at the deli counter of a grocery store. The girl was rude, didn’t seem to be paying attention to me and didn’t seem to care about what she was doing. For once, I realized I was on a road to give it right back and decided to respond instead of react.
I said, “it seems like you’re having a bad day, is everything alright?”
She told me that they had just cut back hours and everyone was upset.
I felt like such a jerk for getting cranky in the first place.

@jonsblond Hell yes.

@woodcutter: We’re convinced WalMart installed the bag carousel to purposely reclaim items customers don’t bother coming back for.

@jonsblond I hate when stores ask me if I want one and persist, especially seeing as I don’t look anywhere near adult age, so why would I get one?

@mangeons Just tell them you already have one. That usually shuts them up pretty quickly. ;)

@jonsblond They ask me if I have one, then when I say no (because I’m fifteen, why would I have a credit card?) they ask me if I want one. I should think it would be obvious!

@Neizvestnaya that’s what we think also, and of course to get the most speed and efficiency out of their help. Of course the latter is all but lost when they keep half the checkouts closed.

@woodcutter: What is the point of having double stacked registers running from one side of the store to other when only 2–3 have lights lit up.

@Neizvestnaya Wallyworld has their special success formula in regards to how many people they will work at one time vs. how many projected patrons vs. expected pissed -offness of said patrons. They got it all figured out.

If they are rude, then i dont like them. I try to be kind, and polite where ever i go.

You know what I do like about Wal Mart cashiers? I haven’t had one be rude to me yet and I usually go late at night to do several weeks worth of shopping at a time. They must cringe inside to see my cart coming through but never have they harumphed about it. Granted some of the clerks are very very slow in motion and maybe medicated to some degree but they are consistent. I’d rather have that than nasty attitude.

@Neizvestnaya I agree with you. They are always nice to me too, and they always say hello to my daughter and make small talk with her. My daughter can ramble on forever. If they are annoyed, they sure don’t show it.

@jonsblond: I’ve been curious as to what kind of training and troubleshooting they go through in order to maintain that demeanor. I’ve worked in customer service for 5yrs now and still haven’t mastered the way to not get flustered now and then.. it’s my job to be the one not to act badly when all the shite hits the fan. It sucks.