So, people actually DO listen ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Today was like old home week for me. I had a customer that when I asked if he wanted me to bag his stuff he started to say no. He then looked at me and said "I know you. You're the Tetris lady!!!!

I said oh, you mean the way I bag. He said yes, you can get so much in there. He said he was glad to have me pack his groceries for him.

Then I had a young lady that started to smile when I was getting ready to finish her order off. She started out by saying, "When I first moved to Hamilton, in 2008, I came into this store for the first time and I came through your register. I asked for some directions and you were so helpful to me. I've never forgotten that. Thank you." She thinks of that every time she comes in the store.

* * * * *

I had a young lady whose credit card wasn't working for some reason. Behind her was a man with two pies, each about $7.99. After the second time, I told her it wasn't working. She asked if she could try again. I said you can but its been declined twice. It was a card from China and I've had them work before but for some reason her's wouldn't. Anyway, she said to me, "so I can't get this?" I hated to tell her no, but what else could I do? Then the man behind her, with the pies, said "I'll pay for it. Put it on my order."

I said "are you sure?" And he said "yes, I believe in Karma". She was flabbergasted (there is no other word to describe it) and you could tell she just didn't know what to say. She was so touched.

As a matter of fact, so was I. I actually got the warm fuzzies because of what he did. I felt my face flush with pride for him. What a wonderful thing to do!

* * * * *

We had some major flooding in the store couple of days ago. What a M E S S !!! It was just gushing in at the top of the front window. They had a WetVac, some mops, paper towels and finally they found some (lots) buckets. Of course I heard a rumour that the school next to us could really put our real estate to good use. I would HATE to see something happen to our store.

I have written to the people at their head office in Montreal to ask about opening a brand new store in Burlington. There is such a definite need for one there and I want to see my store in there before some other schmuk gets the space. It is a perfect place for a store. Nothing near it but a ton of apartments, so where can the customers go?

It has a good age range of people.
There is not another grocery store for miles around there.
It has a school behind it.
There are retirement living buildings.

* * * * *

Anyway, its late. I'm off to bed.

What do YOU think?

Do you think it is important for customers, some not all, to have a sort of relationship with their cashiers?

I do.

I'll tell you why from a customer point of view first.

I like to go into a store and see a familiar face and know that my products will be bagged properly, or that I will be served in a polite and timely manner or that some one will be, if nothing else, civil to me. I like to see a familiar face in case I have to come back for some reason.


And now from a cashier point of view.

I have several elderly customers that can't carry heavy bags. They really appreciate having the weight split up between two bags if that is what they are getting. Or among several bags if they have to carry them up stairs. They also like having their cold items together, their produce together, their meat in plastic bags. Those are all things I was taught when trained to be a cashier back in 1968. One customer I have ALWAYS wants double bags and not much in them. Another wants very few items in each of several bags. They seem to be very pleased that I remember that.


An awful lot of my customers seem to wait in my line to see me. Whether its the service, the personality or the never knowing what I will say next I don't know. I think at the end of the day they like to see a happy face and someone that recognizes them in the line up. I couldn't tell you how many people I have had that have told me I made their day better.

* * * * *

I know I haven't got all the story straight but I will get it and amend this. 


The other day we had a wack job customer. Luckily I didn't get her. She was two registers down from me. Apparently she was buying some food items for a funeral so wasn't in the best of minds at the time. But that is still no reason to be rude to the cashier.

She bought a bunch of tuna and said it was on sale. Turns out she had picked out the sodium reduced or something and that one was NOT on sale. The regular was. Cashier offers to get the other kind and the customer was not impressed with having to wait. She was also PO'd that we didn't have the flour she needed. The quote was "and of course you don't have the flour I need."

Then she starts in on how we charge 3% for using debit, (????) and we don't give that back. (again, ?????). Its something to do with credit cards charging some amount somewhere for the pleasure of using their cards.

She also started to tell the cashier how she wasn't very smart and should know these things, etc. The cashier even had a second customer come through and even though she was finished with 'crabby pants', she hung around, still haranguing her. Finally I called over and asked if she had a key, to give her a chance to get away.

She was relieved and told me she was about to go down this woman's throat.


I know I haven't got all the story straight but I will get it and amend this. 

* * * * *

I am on my way in this afternoon for 4 hours. I hope I am on express but I don't think so. I'm starting a 1/2 hour too soon. That mean's I will be working a  regular register, so I hope I am working with people that know how to work.

Something else I'll tell you.

I really want to talk to our manager about whether we can work on manners and packing a little bit with some of our employees. It seems to have been forgotten that with competition what it is, the difference comes down to service and perception.

Where have I been ? ? ? ? ! ! ! ! !

Wow, I sure took a long time off. What up with that?

Its now coming into the time of year where we get our huge influx of students. Should be at its worst this weekend. Thank goodness I'm not working. I would rather work three Christmases back to back than work the week prior to the 'RETURN OF THE STUDENTS'.


But to be fair I'd rather work student return time than work Easter. Now THAT is some holiday. The orders are always over $300.00, sometimes over $400.00. And so many people. And stressed???!!!. It is such an important time of the year and so many people get together. More so, than at Thanksgiving and Christmas.


I just realized SO busy because of being closed on Good Friday AND Easter Sunday. So everyone has to cram their shopping into those few days. And, because a lot of what they want has to be fresh, they are left with Saturday!!!

Wow it only took me four years to figure that out.

* * * * *

We have a few new cashiers in. One has worked at a grocery store before and has five years experience. So she just has to learn the finer points of our 'system'. She's good with customers which is important to me.  Bagging...??? not so sure on. I'll have to watch a little longer.

* * * * *

Okay now to the part where I bitch. (might as well. I get told this is more of a complaint forum than anything).


We had this bus that we apparently rented to bring elderly people to the store to shop. I think it was once a month, but I don't know. (I'll check and add the info later).


Anyway, I had an early shift yesterday so was there for these people to come in. I was told to remind them that this was the last day for the bus.

?????


Turns out, we can't afford it anymore. It doesn't bring in enough money. Okay, I understand that. One of the patrons asked how they could keep the bus going and was told "fill the bus". Its a friggin big city transit bus! ! ! ! ! !


How about looking into renting a smaller one? We have a rest home near us that has a bus supplied by a local business owner. Could we maybe rent that? How about a DARTS bus? They are small buses that will deliver people door to door for the same price as the regular bus. What about even approaching a car dealer and asking them if they would want to volunteer their services once a month?


Granted, there are maybe only ten or twelve people using this service, but at least they were using it. SO now we gain the money we were spending on the bus, but lose the money the customers spent in our store. Not to mention the bad publicity of them losing this service. Which do you think will cause more of an image issue????


Oh, by the way, we had coffee and cake out for them. Sorry, but to me you might as well have thrown a pie in their faces.

* * * * *

And last, but not least, there is still no sign that they will put one of our stores in the place I suggested. I KNOW they can make money there. There is N O T H I N G else along that length of roadway.

Do they seriously think customers will stay?????? (or, WTF)

Today was another pleasant day at the grocery store.

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 ! ! ! ! ? ? ? ? ? ?

Why is management so STUPID ?

Remember a couple of weeks ago that there was a late afternoon shift I worked where they had the girl on express and myself working? No other 'regular' cashiers. Sure there were the head cashier and the customer service girl but they have lots of other stuff to do besides help us out.

What had happened is that a girl who was supposed to come in called in sick and the powers that be decided not to replace her. It being summer and all, hours are being cut.

Okay, but how stupid do you have to be to cut them over the supper rush????

Anyway, I get a phone call yesterday afternoon, could I come in ASAP? I told them the earliest I could make it and that was okay. I show up and it was just like the last time. They had, only two cashiers, a snobby girl on express, and a newbie on regular cash. So I was called in for backup. When I get there and am talking to head cashier, come to find out that they will probably be in trouble for even calling me in.

One customer was smart enough to see me heading for the register so he was already there, waiting. So I get to my register, open up, and .... it starts. In no time the customers caught on and from then until three hours later it was nuts. Customer after customer.

I had said at the beginning of the shift that I would prefer to only stay until I wasn't 'needed' any more. That was fine as long as it was my choice. Legally they have to offer me 4 hours minimum. But I was okay with just staying as long as needed. After two hours or so, even though I am only staying three I was 'supposed' to take a break. I looked up and there were so many customers lined up, I asked if I could stay. I didn't need a break for that short of a time and I really, really can't leave with all those people waiting. It is part of my work ethic I guess.

So, in spite of me staying, we actually had two people leave. Two lost customers ! ! ! ? ?  They only have to do the 'tell two people, who'll tell two people' thing before management kills off our customer base. Its freaking summer time. We need every customer we can get. The university and high schools and college near us have pretty much closed down for the summer. That represents a huge amount of customers.

I am not there many hours anymore but I have actually in the past two shifts talked to three people who were in our store for the first time, two of them last night ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

So what kind of an impression do they get if they have to wait a lllloooonnnngggg time to be served?
What kind of impression do they get if the cashiers are so overworked that they are rude, frustrated, and slow?
What kind of impression do they get if there are mistakes at the register and we call to have a price check and no one answers?
What kind of impression do they get when they want to find something, or ask a question or, for that matter, just get customer service and they can't because she is on a register with a huge line up?

A bad one, that's what.

I was able to talk to several people and explained that they need to fill out customer comment cards in order for the management to listen. We can tell them all we want but they don't put any value to our input. Bottom line is the big thing. That is what they care about and apparently all they care about. No wonder more and more people are going to the store over the highway and paying more for the same products and having to deal with rude cashiers as well.

I really wish I could get somewhere there to listen to me. And this stupid place has still not made a move to build a store in the area I told them would be a sure winner. (a vacant lot and no grocery stores for a long stretch of road)

 * * * * *
And the answer to the question is: I just don't know.
* * * * *
After all, I am ONLY an employee. What could I know? 

Karma's a BITCH ! ! ! ! !

So there I am, minding my own business, checking through groceries and talking to the customer. Things are pretty good until . . . . .

 An older lady comes through and, as is typical, had her purse in the spot you'd put a child in. Down below her purse is an envelope, just sitting there. We are asked to clean out flyers etc, from the buggies as they go through our lanes, in order that the papers don't blow all over the parking lot. I picked up the envelope and asked the lady if it was hers. She said no, double checked her purse and again said no. I am about to throw the envelope out when I think maybe I should look inside. WOW ! ! !  $100.00 bill.

I asked the woman again if she was sure. I even showed her what was in the envelope, Again she said no. Very honest!

So I call over head cashier dujour and tell her what happened. She asked me a couple of times how it "went down" and then said that I should be getting it back if no one claimed it within two weeks. I thought that was good timing as I have been wondering why I even work anymore.

Sidebar: It used to be that what I made paid for the insurance, fuel and groceries for us. Now it is barely enough to pay for fuel only 


I mean where and when the hell does it stop.! ! ! ! ! ! ! Its at the point where, if I quit, we don't really lose anything other than transportation for me. 


So anyway, that happened one evening. The next shift I worked I was told that the money would not come to me. That it was considered 'found' money and belonged to the store.

WTF???????

I don't think that is fair or a very good idea. I think it will just teach people to keep their mouth shut and pocket it. That's what I plan on doing. I STILL get paid minimum wage after over 4 years working there. And now, because I was HONEST, you tell me I don't even get that little reward!!!!!????

If it happens again, in the pocket it goes. If its a large amount like I found this time I will tell someone and then take it to the police station and give it to them along with the story.

* * * * * 

Not two days later on, one of the young cashiers took a P H O N Y  $100.00 bill. I had a chance to touch it and knew right away that it was a fake. Then I did my eye ball test. There is some very finely written words at the very bottom of the swirl that goes across the bill. Now they are very, very tiny but can be read with the naked eye. That is one of the first things to deteriorate when they photo shop it. That line was just a blotch of ink when you looked at it closely. Plus the paper did not feel the way it should. It was too soft, like old, old blue jeans.

So I'm not sure what happened to that cashier. Whether they'll be red-boxed, (audit for next time you work) or green boxed (you are audited every shift you work for two weeks), will be interesting.

Anyway, I think it is really great that the company that made over eighty MILLION last year is losing their $100.00 'gain'. And I still make minimum wage ! ! ! And WE are unionized! ! ! !

Karma IS a BITCH.

By the way, why did I not even receive a thank you from SOMEone???? Not really a nice way to treat your employees. Also, I know for a fact that several customers have told the boss how much they think of me as a cashier, mainly because they tell me they talked to him. So why is it that I have not heard a word about this; but you accidentally forget to give a customer their money for cash back, the powers that be are calling you in to the office for 'counseling'.

Update on The Possible Thief

 

This is about the guy from last week that looked suspicious around our salad bar.

Appears he wandered around the store for quite a while collecting items. But, then he went through a register and paid for every single thing!

Head Cashier told me he still made everyone nervous and  that they were very surprised when he paid. The feeling is he may have been checking the store out and decided to be honest. This time.

* * * * *

When I go to work, I get in a zone. I sit in my car for a few minutes to get my mind in the game and then I head in for my shift. I get into customer/performing mode. I am especially like that when I actually have a customer. I ease off a little between customers but when there is one at my register they are my priority. I try to tune out everything else.

We have a few new people, again, and I was lucky enough to have one next to me the other day. I was to sort of keep an eye on him and help when needed. Problem was that he was at the next register to my left, which meant that when we were working his back was to me. I have difficulty hearing when I can't see a person's face. Its probably from all those years working under a huge fan. Anyway, every once in a while he'd ask me to help him with a code or a procedure.

Now, I tend to get involved in my job and am not really good at trying to do my work and someone else's at the same time. Add in the hearing disability, the background muzac, the ambient sounds and noises, and its no wonder I forgot to give someone their cash back.

CRAP ! ! ! ! ! !

This means, I am once again, green boxed.

Side note: If you make a mistake of under $10.00 on your tray you are red boxed. That means you are audited, whether scheduled to be or not, the next day you come in to work .

If you make a mistake of over $10.00 then you are green boxed. That means you are on audit for the next two weeks, starting the day after the mistake.

Don't you think that the red box should be the longer sentence?

Anyway, what I don't like is that now I have to be 'counseled.' That means I get called into the office by the boss and told I have to be more careful, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah.

I can beat myself up pretty darn good without being told that I should. I HATE to make a mistake. I have very high standards for my work and accidentally cheating a customer out of money is a BIG one.

I also don't like the fact that the reason this happened was because I couldn't seem to handle the kid asking me question after question and for me allowing it to disrupt my work.

To be fair he had some pretty odd things to ask me, but I find that when I get into my work I can't just switch to the other person's problem. I have to stop for a second, think of what I am being asked, answer or explain, then get back to where I was with my own customer.

I think with all the back and forth and the fact that I had to have him repeat himself, plus he would turn his back to look at his own computer and I couldn't hear him clearly, I just plain forgot to give the money.

This happened last Wednesday. I was in Saturday and the boss was walking around behind me with his clipboard. Way to make me nervous guy!!

I am not sure what he was doing but I was half way expecting the old "So and So" wants to see you.  I hate walking over to that office.

You already feel bad enough about making a mistake, and letting yourself down. Why do I have to be reprimanded about it? That is why it is called a mistake!! If I'd known I was doing it then it would be called an "on purpose".

I am going in this afternoon, and will probably be 'counseled' today. I would prefer to just say "Look, I know I made a mistake. I was being yapped at by another cashier and it distracted me. I had a little trouble getting back to my own mind set. Can I go back to work now?"

We'll see.