I had a customer before I even had my tray set up. That's okay. Things were quiet for a little while then the students came in for lunch. Well, they must have brought their friends with them!!
There must have been a hundred of them. Only about 75% spent money, but apparently, when you're a teenager you MUST shop with an entourage. They are quite talkative as well. It gets pretty loud, I'll tell you.
Now, when the students are in we also tend to have some adult customers who have chosen lunch time to get their grocery shopping done. Its usually people that work in the area and run over on the lunch hour. That's fine. I like to be busy.
Notice I said busy!! Not run off my friggin' feet! At one point I looked up and the line up was halfway down the aisle!
I called for another cashier. No one came. Now, we had one on express and two that were on regular cash, plus one person in the office. The Express girl had to take a lunch so, the girl on 4 moves to one and I stay where I am.
Great. Now all the people that have more than 8 items are stuck in my big line. This is NOT the first time that I have not had support while I was being rushed off my feet. I HATE to have customers waiting. I still did not get another cashier. So I called again. Well, now I get a page pick up the white phone. I am very busy and don't really have the time to answer the freakin' phone, but I do. As I grab it, I end up pushing the speaker button. Unfortunately the words that came over the whole store intercom were "what you see is what you get."
OUCH!
I knew that it was meant as 'the hours have been cut so much that we don't HAVE anyone else', but that is NOT the way it sounded to the customers. I was not aware it went over the speaker until my next customer mentioned what a good job I was doing and that 'what you see is what you get' seemed rather harsh.
I agree.
I know people have to take their breaks and lunches, but why in heaven's name would you have 50% of the available cashiers on lunch ? ? ? ? ? ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! NO ONE available for back up.
I kept apologizing to my customers and explained to them that they should fill out a customer comment card. I told them it would be appreciated. The management does NOT appear to want to listen to us, but they sure as hell better start listening to customers.
We are not just chasing them away but are going after them with a big burning club. Also we are pissing a lot of people off with this buggy crap. First off they sprung the 25 cent deposit on them overnight. No warning that we were switching or anything. No signs outside, just suddenly a gadget that you have to stick a quarter in to unlock your buggy. THEN, we have three different SIZES of buggies. They are a bugger to put away as they will only nest with another buggy of equal size.
* * * * *
And I know prices are going up, but seriously, a 15% increase overnight?? They are starting to sound like the oil companies. A lot of items that are on sale are coming off the sale with a higher price tag on them. Do they really think people won't notice? I hear it at the counter all the time.
Now, I have heard from my customers that the cashiers at the 'enemy' have pretty much a rude lot of cashiers. BUT the difference is, that they have enough cashiers.
Most people want to get home after work. So where do you think they will go? They actually spend more for lots of items at the other store but they do NOT wait in long line-ups.
They had better turn this around pretty soon. And they are going to miss out on the opportunity to open a store where I suggested.
Apparently they prefer to sit on their butts and wait for the world to revolve around them.
Good Night ! ! ! ! ? ? ? ? ? ?
