So last year I worked in a supermarket, on the checkout, and since leaving that job and moving to a new city, I've gotten into this habit of being weirdly friendly to anyone behind a counter.

Does anyone else do this? A lot of people I know just sort of ignore the person at checkout, so I'm curious. How friendly are you to the person bleeping your groceries?

Once you've worked in customer service, you kind of know how horrible some people can be. There is a person behind that counter, bleeping your groceries. I worked as a cashier - I like to be acknowledged too, especially when it's my job to talk to you. I was told talking to the customer helps the time go faster, even if it really doesn't. It gives them something to do, so the wait as I ring up their stuff doesn't seem as long. Being ignored, no matter who you are or what you do, is not nice. Intentionally ignoring someone who is currently helping you is even worse.

I worked behind the counter for a while, it's really an eye opener. If only I could have everyone be a cashier for a week, then maybe people wouldn't be so rude all the time.

It makes sense that you'd be more inclined to be friendly with them after knowing what it's like to do that job.

'chicks'?

Ahuh, I work as a checkout chick and I go out of my way to be nice to them since I know what crap they deal with. One of the things I hate the most is when I greet people and they just look at me and don't say anything back ESPECIALLY when I ask them a question, it's just simple manners to answer back right? Apparently not. So I always answer them because they probably have the same feelings as me. It really makes your day 100x better when the person you are serving actually acknowledges you instead of looking down at you.

I agree. Once you work in customer service, you know how horrid it is. I worked in food service, but my job was working with the peopel. I was trained as a cashier and I also made food to the customer's order at the counter with them telling me what they wanted.

So, Id o catch myself being very nice. Sometimes I feel like too nice. but usually after I say something to them knowing how theyf eel with it being so busy, I get them smilinga nd happy

I work as a register monkey at one of my jobs. and you know what. If I'm having a crappy day or if something has set me off, yeah I'll be a shit to the register monkey on the other side. I know what it's like, but still, somedays are not good days to be around Longcat.
Overall I try to remain polite and not make things more difficult or be crazy rude to other register monkeys.

Originally Posted by Pearl

'chicks'?

Uh, yeah. It's just what I grew up calling anyone who works behind a register. It's kind of weird, I know, but it's stuck in my head.

The thing that bugs me the most about talking to people during some sort of transaction is the tendency for other people to say "hey, how you doin'" when they really just mean "hey." I never know whether to waste my time with replying to a question that most people don't even know they ask. ):

Yeah, when I worked at the supermarket I usually said something like "Have you had a nice day so far?" because it felt nicer. It also helped me to pay attention to the customer. I had a bad habit of drifting off, or accidentally making conversation with the person bagging the groceries.

I don't think you hit the point of "weirdly nice" until you're offering to help them scan your items or bringing them a canister of tea. I try to be sociable with everyone (unless, of course, I'm familiar with them). Though, I'm not always entirely successful.

Speaking of being rude to checkout clerks, I always make a point of using all of my spare change when my best buddy is working the cashier or when someone I know is waiting behind me. I make a point of being a big, old jerk toward the people I like.

Depends, I typically let them start it but if they are in the mood I'm friendly. Some people just want to go home...

My job is sales, though I work for a secondhand furniture charity and my job entails more than just taking money. But I'm super nice to the customers, and they respond really well because of that =3 They like me :D But I'm the main sales person and it's nearly always me they deal with, so I get to know people. Because while furniture isn't something anyone's going to buy every week, we have a nice amount of returning customers, and many greet me by name and ask how I am and so on.

Because I'm in sales, and am naturally nice to my customers, I really notice the service I get elsewhere, and am always a bit taken aback when the person serving me is surly. Being a grouch isn't gonna improve your day, so why be like that o.o

Also, wtf is the matter with their employer, letting them be like that! I'd fire their asses! I've had no training in customer service, but it shouldn't take training to know to be polite and pleasant...

Oh I hate grouchy people... grouchy customers are the worst though... cause you can't escape...

Proper customer service requirements: look like you care... about your job at least...

I'm nice, even to people I cordially dislike. That's my job. I don't know why other people in retail can't seem to grasp this simple fact ><

I also give some customers a whole load of shit xD But only if I know that some banter is what they're looking for. One lady, Mrs. Sealey, adores it when her husband tries to get one over on me, because I usually manage to shoot him down She was telling other staff members how she loves me because I always have an answer to his crap xD

Another guy, who, honestly I don't know how his wife puts up with it! But he'd stay and swap barbs all day. I laugh and smile and shoot responses back at him, and am hugely grateful when he leaves, he's so irritating >< He bought this glass of those glass pebbles over to the counter and asked how much they were. I said £1, each His face He lost points big style that day, I asked him if he wanted it wrapping, then made out I was going to wrap each stone individually, and he said no! I was very disappointed at him losing out on that opportunity. He went off to look at something else, and his wife started showing me photos of him in fancy dress, in a pink dress and a blonde wig. We teased him so much about that he left xDD

Yeah, I dispense my own brand of customer service.

I dunno... I just wonder why the ones with manners don't get hired in their place... because you'd think they'd want to keep their customers...

Depends on the size of the company? Well known fact the bigger somewhere is the less they care.

Sad how that works... but I guess if they're hiring a bunch of highschoolers it's no surprise they don't expect much...

It's always the bottom line that matters. And it's always cheapest to recruit some school leaver than an adult who might actually have some skill at the job. And it's pretty rare for anyone to be willing to pay for training either.

How did our race get this idea that is was superior : /

My field is the complete opposite... they want like 15 years experience and most people who get in still have no idea what they're doing

I worked for a grocery store for 3 years as a cashier, and a month on the customer service desk. Since I've quit, not only am I nice to anyone behind the counters, but I organize my groceries to make them easier to scan, and I bag my own groceries. It's a job that no one really appreciates until you've been there. Much like food-serving, which I have also done. Just two days ago, the cashier the helped me said she figured I worked in grocery before, and a lot of people take on the whole "bagging their own stuff" thing whenever they've stopped working for whatever reason. People don't realize how truly repetitive and exhausting a cashier job is.

Good for you for being one of the cool people who realize it's tough. =P

Originally Posted by ~LONGCAT~

I work as a register monkey at one of my jobs. and you know what. If I'm having a crappy day or if something has set me off, yeah I'll be a shit to the register monkey on the other side. I know what it's like, but still, somedays are not good days to be around Longcat.
Overall I try to remain polite and not make things more difficult or be crazy rude to other register monkeys.

register monkey cracked me up, LONGie!

now every time i check out i will think, 'register monkey!'

Oh gosh I didn't notice the register money thing... >.<" now I'm going to picture cashiers as monkeys

eee well i try to be nice to everybody but I have a lot of family members that work in jobs that deal really heavily with people and they always have all these stories about how mean and stupid and downright rude some people can be ; ^;

I try to be nice to a lot of people who have jobs like that (ex. waiters/waitresses, cashiers, janitorial staff, bus drivers, we even take ice water out to the garbage pick up guys ESPECIALLY after a hurricane ((haha i live in florida, it's always so hot here and hard on those boys, i'd bet))).

I just think that if I can be nice and make their job easy then it makes it easier for them to be happy. unfortunately the sad truth is that it's always easier to remember the ones who made it hard for you than it is the ones who made it easy... ):