I use to unload truck and stock until I moved to a cashier position. Since I’d be on the sells floor with customers instead of the back room I decided to cut my hair and shave.
Other cashier: “wow, you look really handsome now!”
Me: “did I not before?”
Other cashier: “………”
During one of my grocery shopping runs, I spend enough to qualify for a “get $10 off on your next visit if you spend $50 or more” coupon. Unfortunately, I forget all about it until it has almost expired. I’ve already done my grocery shopping for the week, so I decide to visit the store and give the coupon to someone. I talk to the first person I see.
Me: “Excuse me. Would you like–”
Person #1: “Not interested!”
He scurries away. Hmm, I guess he thought I was a panhandler. Okay, skip the chitchat; get straight to the point. I try again with the next person I see.
Me: “Hi. I’ve got a coupon for $10 off that I can’t use. Would you like it?”
Person #2: “No, thanks.”
Really? You don’t want to save ten bucks? Maybe she thought I was a scammer. I try yet again to offer the coupon to the next person, a woman who’s with her husband.
Me: “Hi. I’ve got a coupon for $10 off if you spend $50. I can’t use it; would you like to have it?”
Person #3: “We won’t be spending that much, but thanks, anyway.”
Person #3’s Husband: “We won’t?”
Person #3: *Firmly* “No.”
Me: “Okay!
As I walk away, I hear the husband say:
Person #3’s Husband: “Are you nuts? We’ll definitely be spending at least $50! Why didn’t you take the coupon?”
I was finally able to give the coupon to the next person: a harassed, tired-looking young woman who was thrilled to get it. Phew!
I’m supervising the checkouts in my supermarket. There is a section of about eight to ten checkouts where the customers can scan, pack, and pay for their items themselves.
It’s a busy day and all the regular checkouts have fairly large queues. I can see one gentleman getting frustrated and he decides to enter the self-service checkouts.
The checkouts have a weighing mechanism built into them so that the shopping you have in your basket at the beginning matches the weight of your bags at the end.
This customer keeps placing items on the floor and the automated checkout keeps telling him to place the shopping in his bag… It’s not rocket science!
One of my checkout girls who supervises the self-service checkouts explains the process to the customer and he huffs and puffs and mumbles under his breath. This goes on for about five minutes and he is really getting angry!
Finally, he scans his last item and tries to scan his coupons to get money off some of the items he purchased. Again he fails miserably and really begins shouting at my member of staff, who is fairly new and very timid but polite and very good at her job. He is getting quite aggressive and is making personal remarks about the lack of service the assistant is providing.
I am just about to step in, but she waves me away and gestures that she is okay and is handling the situation.
Finally, the customer pays with his card, turns, and shouts at the checkout girl again and exits the store.
She looks at me and smiles and points down to the bagging area and we both start laughing; Mr. Grumpy Pants paid for his shopping and left it all behind!
He never came back for his shopping!
(I’m a personal shopper at a store. A new shopper is hired. Right away, it’s obvious that she’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Still, she seems like she can do the job, and there is a bit of a learning curve, so we’re patient with her and help her out if she has any questions. One day, she has a question and asks if I can come to dairy.)
Me: “What’s up?”
Coworker: “So, we’re out of [Half And Half that has “organic” in the name]. What should I do? Give them the store brand?”
Me: “No. We never give a customer non-organic for organic unless they’re okay with it. Give them [Other Brand of half and half that also has “organic” in the name].”
Coworker: “Oh. Is that actually organic or is it just the name?”
Me: “It’s organic.”
Coworker: “Really? How can you tell?”
Me: “It… it has ‘organic’ in the name.”
Coworker: “But isn’t that just the name of the brand? It’s not really organic, right?”
Me: “Okay, you see how the price tag is purple? A purple tag means that the product is organic. It’s like that throughout the entire store.”
Coworker: “Oh! Okay. That makes sense.”
(I really hope this was just a brain fart on her part, but I seriously doubt it.)
I am bagging at a store. An older customer does not seem to understand the card reader, so I have to basically press the buttons for her.
Me: OK, it is asking for your PIN. You go ahead and take care of that.
Customer: What’s that?
Me: Your 4 digit security code; enter it now.
Customer: (screaming) OH! IS THAT THE (says PIN) NUMBER?!
Me: Yes, but you should probably keep that to yourself.
Customer: (giggles) Oh, sorry!
