Off the belt today...
The Basics of Checkout
So here goes, today the cashier perspective. At our store we host at our registers. We do this when we do not have a customer in line to be available to answer questions and to let you know we are open and available. We're not there because we're bored. We're not there to trick you by our lane not being open yet these are the two most common comments we get.
Let me lay out the scenario for you.
I am standing at the end of my register because I have just finished with one customer but do not yet have another. I greet customers as they shop should they make eye contact, direct people who can't find items, etc. I see a customer coming with a full cart who looks like they're trying to find a checkout. Before I can ask if they are ready to check out they announce from 20 feet away, "You look bored." (Well, in fact I am not but I smile and ask if they're ready to checkout.) They then reply, "Are you open?" (No, I'm trying to trick you.) "Have you been waiting for me?" (Yes, all my life, you specifically.)
Alternatively, I ask if they are ready to check out. If they say yes I say, 'I can help you here on Register 8'. I then walk around the rear to my side of the register to prepare to ring them up...I do not see them at my register. This is because they have followed me behind the register into the next lane which is not open. I tell them to go around, perhaps repeating the register number in hopes this may guide them. Disoriented, they wildly scan their view upward to confirm that the lane they are now in is closed and see that my lane light is on, not the lane they're in. Did they expect me to hop over the belt to the register?
Also, if the cashier is standing at their register and their lane light is on you can assume they are open. On the flip side, if the light is off and they are finishing up with a customer who already has all their stuff on the belt, assume they are not open...that's what the light is for. (Insert lightbulb here.)
In our store we have a few simple questions we ask to help us process customers orders quickly and efficiently. We ask if they found everything they needed, if they have reusable bags, if they brought coupons, how they want their bags packed, etc. Let's take these one at a time.
1. Did you find everything you needed? The answer to this question is yes or no. Not the following... a)'You're price on bread is higher that the store down the road.' (thanks for the update,why are you here then?) b) I hope so. c) 'I didn't find a sack of money and/or a million dollars.' (always the response of men who think they're super witty and original) d) 'and then some.'
2. Do you have reusable bags? The answer to this question is yes or no. Not the following...
a) 'what?' b) 'I left them in my, car, house, garage', etc. c) 'Don't you have bags?' (Is this a serious question?)
3. Do you have coupons you'd like to use? The answer to this question is yes or no. Not the following... a) 'I wish.' b) 'not unless you have some you want to give me.' (has anyone ever had this happen before?) c) 'They expired yesterday.'
4. How heavy would you like your bags packed? We ask this if you have brought your own bags. Otherwise, Stores have standard bagging practices knowing the amount of weight their bags will hold, to prevent cross contamination of meats, cleaning products and fresh, refrigerated/frozen items. All our employees are trained to do this, you do not need to let us know what items should be bagged together. The answers may vary but should basically be light, medium or fill them up, not the following... a) 'I guess just put everything in them.'(what the hell does that mean?) b) 'regular' (who's regular, yours or mine?) c) direct us on every item you purchased as to which bag it needs to go into and with what other items.
At the beginning of each lane there is a sign asking the customer to please leave their heavy items in their cart for us to scan manually so they do not have to lift it. FYI, that is also code for...the people helping you cash out today would prefer not to lift your and everyone elses cases of beer, water, pet food/litter, ice melt, rock salt, etc. a hundred times today. These items take up valuable space in the bagging area as well and do not need to be up there. Please follow directions not.... a) 'That's okay, I can get it.' (we are not actually interested in whether or not you can handle it) b) 'I need the exercise.' (we do not...join a gym) c) 'I don't mind.' (We do.)
Occasionally there will be an item that was stocked but was not registered into the computer system. When it does not scan we either ask you how much it was or send someone to check the price. Your comment should not be..."I guess it's free today!" No. No it is not. I don't know where this lame response began but it is used by a multitude of customers and should stop immediately.
Lastly we ask, "Would you like carry out service today?" It seems obvious that we mean help carrying your groceries out to your car. The answer, again, should be yes or no. Not the following a) "What?" accompanied by a look that suggests we just asked if you're a prostitute on the side. b) 'I think I can handle it.' (is that a yes or a no?) c) 'Do I look that old?' (you're just asking for it with that one) d) 'Only if you come home with me and help me bring them into my house.' (Um, no, that's not the offer.)
One final thought on checkout. Please do not assist the bagger! We have a rhythm, a plan and bagging standards we are expected to follow. If you start overpacking bags with random items that do not belong together, grabbing items the bagger has planned for certain bags, and generally interfering it only messes things up. If your bag is overpacked to a weight the bag can not handle don't be surprised when your items spill out in the parking lot. Let your bagger do their job. I have had more people throw a bag with bread and chips into the bottom of their cart without my knowing and then I go to put in a bag with canned goods or heavy items and I have to stop and rearrange the cart. There is a thing called cart placement, it does not include throwing crushable items into the bottom of the cart.
Though you may not realize it there are systems in place. They are not there to confuse or annoy you and hopefully we are good enough at our jobs to let you know how things will work the most efficiently and give you the best checkout experience we can provide. This will only work if you cooperate. Paying attention to register lights and reading the signs we have put out for you will go a long way.
Happy Shopping!
The Basics of Checkout
So here goes, today the cashier perspective. At our store we host at our registers. We do this when we do not have a customer in line to be available to answer questions and to let you know we are open and available. We're not there because we're bored. We're not there to trick you by our lane not being open yet these are the two most common comments we get.
Let me lay out the scenario for you.
I am standing at the end of my register because I have just finished with one customer but do not yet have another. I greet customers as they shop should they make eye contact, direct people who can't find items, etc. I see a customer coming with a full cart who looks like they're trying to find a checkout. Before I can ask if they are ready to check out they announce from 20 feet away, "You look bored." (Well, in fact I am not but I smile and ask if they're ready to checkout.) They then reply, "Are you open?" (No, I'm trying to trick you.) "Have you been waiting for me?" (Yes, all my life, you specifically.)
Alternatively, I ask if they are ready to check out. If they say yes I say, 'I can help you here on Register 8'. I then walk around the rear to my side of the register to prepare to ring them up...I do not see them at my register. This is because they have followed me behind the register into the next lane which is not open. I tell them to go around, perhaps repeating the register number in hopes this may guide them. Disoriented, they wildly scan their view upward to confirm that the lane they are now in is closed and see that my lane light is on, not the lane they're in. Did they expect me to hop over the belt to the register?
Also, if the cashier is standing at their register and their lane light is on you can assume they are open. On the flip side, if the light is off and they are finishing up with a customer who already has all their stuff on the belt, assume they are not open...that's what the light is for. (Insert lightbulb here.)
In our store we have a few simple questions we ask to help us process customers orders quickly and efficiently. We ask if they found everything they needed, if they have reusable bags, if they brought coupons, how they want their bags packed, etc. Let's take these one at a time.
1. Did you find everything you needed? The answer to this question is yes or no. Not the following... a)'You're price on bread is higher that the store down the road.' (thanks for the update,why are you here then?) b) I hope so. c) 'I didn't find a sack of money and/or a million dollars.' (always the response of men who think they're super witty and original) d) 'and then some.'
2. Do you have reusable bags? The answer to this question is yes or no. Not the following...
a) 'what?' b) 'I left them in my, car, house, garage', etc. c) 'Don't you have bags?' (Is this a serious question?)
3. Do you have coupons you'd like to use? The answer to this question is yes or no. Not the following... a) 'I wish.' b) 'not unless you have some you want to give me.' (has anyone ever had this happen before?) c) 'They expired yesterday.'
4. How heavy would you like your bags packed? We ask this if you have brought your own bags. Otherwise, Stores have standard bagging practices knowing the amount of weight their bags will hold, to prevent cross contamination of meats, cleaning products and fresh, refrigerated/frozen items. All our employees are trained to do this, you do not need to let us know what items should be bagged together. The answers may vary but should basically be light, medium or fill them up, not the following... a) 'I guess just put everything in them.'(what the hell does that mean?) b) 'regular' (who's regular, yours or mine?) c) direct us on every item you purchased as to which bag it needs to go into and with what other items.
At the beginning of each lane there is a sign asking the customer to please leave their heavy items in their cart for us to scan manually so they do not have to lift it. FYI, that is also code for...the people helping you cash out today would prefer not to lift your and everyone elses cases of beer, water, pet food/litter, ice melt, rock salt, etc. a hundred times today. These items take up valuable space in the bagging area as well and do not need to be up there. Please follow directions not.... a) 'That's okay, I can get it.' (we are not actually interested in whether or not you can handle it) b) 'I need the exercise.' (we do not...join a gym) c) 'I don't mind.' (We do.)
Occasionally there will be an item that was stocked but was not registered into the computer system. When it does not scan we either ask you how much it was or send someone to check the price. Your comment should not be..."I guess it's free today!" No. No it is not. I don't know where this lame response began but it is used by a multitude of customers and should stop immediately.
Lastly we ask, "Would you like carry out service today?" It seems obvious that we mean help carrying your groceries out to your car. The answer, again, should be yes or no. Not the following a) "What?" accompanied by a look that suggests we just asked if you're a prostitute on the side. b) 'I think I can handle it.' (is that a yes or a no?) c) 'Do I look that old?' (you're just asking for it with that one) d) 'Only if you come home with me and help me bring them into my house.' (Um, no, that's not the offer.)
One final thought on checkout. Please do not assist the bagger! We have a rhythm, a plan and bagging standards we are expected to follow. If you start overpacking bags with random items that do not belong together, grabbing items the bagger has planned for certain bags, and generally interfering it only messes things up. If your bag is overpacked to a weight the bag can not handle don't be surprised when your items spill out in the parking lot. Let your bagger do their job. I have had more people throw a bag with bread and chips into the bottom of their cart without my knowing and then I go to put in a bag with canned goods or heavy items and I have to stop and rearrange the cart. There is a thing called cart placement, it does not include throwing crushable items into the bottom of the cart.
Though you may not realize it there are systems in place. They are not there to confuse or annoy you and hopefully we are good enough at our jobs to let you know how things will work the most efficiently and give you the best checkout experience we can provide. This will only work if you cooperate. Paying attention to register lights and reading the signs we have put out for you will go a long way.
Happy Shopping!
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