# "Because I'm busy waiting on the customers who are in line, Sir" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 13, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969 "2009-09-13T23:02:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/161 "2009-09-14T22:14:09Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Actually, it is. Or was when I worked at a gas station a few years back.Clearly you _don’t_ understand. Well, not every gas station has the same equipment. I think we can assume that for **alphaboi** it’s tied into the register as well, since that’s what he’s said. But it isn’t that way at every station and even at this station other cashiers have allowed the very behavior this cashier will not. So maybe they could post a sign? PLEASE GET IN LINE TO PRE-PAY FOR GAS. Then they could just point to the sign. ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/162 "2009-09-14T22:17:19Z")
[QUOTE=Koxinga] As I opined before, the ability to just assume the guy’s a d\*ck and blowing him off is petty luxury afforded to the wage slave. If you actually owned the business, I’m guessing you’d go out of your way to offer great service even if 9 times out of 10 it doesn’t seem to pay off, 'cause it means real money to you. [/QUOTE] Well, my relevant experience is mostly in restaurants, so it might not be directly applicable, and anecdotes != data, and all that. I can tell you, though, that when I went from $2.13-plus-tips server to assistant manager to general manager – with a decent amount of my pay in the latter position tied to the success of the business – my attitude toward appeasing the unjustifiably self-righteous never changed, and sales certainly didn’t suffer for it. In fact, chasing off the consistent complainers resulted in giving away a fuckton less free food every month than the previous GM’s “leave no squeaky wheel ungreased” policy, with no noticeable decline in sales to offset it. Feel free to believe me or not, but I know all too well what the books, and my paycheck, had to say about it. Besides, as with **Northern Piper** ’s tale of feeling appreciation radiate from the poor folks who didn’t feel compelled to place themselves above everyone else, I’d like to think that **alphaboi** won a special place in the hearts of those in his line. > [@](#): > > You can roll your eyes at that all you want, but IME that’s precisely the difference between people who find themselves stuck in peon jobs and those who don’t. No, I detest the rolleyes smiley and refuse to invoke it. I’ll note that it’s easy to create a policy of 100% Customer Satisfaction when you’re not the one whose basic human dignity rides on its fulfillment, but I suppose you’d just chalk that up to the attitude of a “peon”? I’ve already explained why I believe the OP’s actions to be optimal from an overall service standpoint. It has nothing to do with delaying anyone’s break, either. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/163 "2009-09-14T22:19:28Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > If you’re working toward your break, then you’ll get your break, congratulations. If you’re working toward increasing business, and going the extra mile to do so, then it won’t be too long that you won’t have to be a wage slave anymore. Nah, you’ll still be a wage slave – just one who works through her breaks. ---
**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/164 "2009-09-14T22:20:13Z")
[QUOTE=Jodi] Well, not every gas station has the same equipment. I think we can assume that for alphaboi it’s tied into the register as well, since that’s what he’s said. But it isn’t that way at every station and even at this station other cashiers have allowed the very behavior this cashier will not. So maybe they could post a sign? PLEASE GET IN LINE TO PRE-PAY FOR GAS. Then they could just point to the sign. [/QUOTE] Although it’s rare that I’ll use cash to gas up, everytime I’ve done so in the past, oh, 5 years or so, the clerk hasn’t used any other piece of equipment except his register/POS to complete all aspects of the transaction. Maybe I live in some Super Awesome Future Space-Age area of the world, but I haven’t seen a cashier use a separate machine to activate the pumps in ages. I’d bet there is a sign – probably one that says “CASH CUSTOMERS PRE-PAY INSIDE” or something like that? You know, pay? As in, pay us money to complete this transaction? ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/165 "2009-09-14T22:20:25Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > It works like this: Someone lifts up the pump. Register starts to flash showing you which pump is picked up. You can allow the pump to fuel, and risk them stealing gas and running away by allowing it access. Or, you prepay the pump for $20. Which is a transaction. Which is done on the register. Nothing you say is true now. It may have been true 15 years ago, but it is not now. Since that does in fact date the last time I worked the register, I certainly don’t dispute it. But how is this a rationale for not explaining to the old guy that he is asking to do more than he thinks he is? If he too thinks things still work like they did 15 years ago, at what point is it reasonable for someone to explain why now he needs to wait in line, even though he didn’t have to before, and even though he _still_ doesn’t have to for some cashiers? Never? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/166 "2009-09-14T22:20:33Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > I’m not with the OP on this one. It’s like people who buy the newspaper when there’s a line, it’s reasonably common for them to put a quarter on the counter, say “just the paper” and walk out. What is the purpose of making someone wait 5 minutes to conduct a 5 second transaction? You don’t significantly inconvenience the people in line, and get a paying customer out the door post haste. But that’s not asking to cut in front of someone. That’s basically saying, “Here, you can do this when you’re done with everyone.” For those of you whining about having to wait in line once again, ever stop and think about the people BEHIND you? ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/167 "2009-09-14T22:23:40Z")
> [@atomicbadgerrace](#): > > I’d bet there is a sign – probably one that says “CASH CUSTOMERS PRE-PAY INSIDE” or something like that? You know, pay? As in, pay us money to complete this transaction? Oh, are we back to ignoring the possibility that he might think leaving you money to turn the pump on is something short of a full transaction? Because like I said, if that’s the assumption, then he’s obviously an asshole, and hey, gold star for treating him like one I guess. My position is predicated on admitting that there might have been a misunderstanding, a miscommunication between the two of you. If that’s right out as a possibility, then well done you and congrats on your fine defense of customers’ rights. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/168 "2009-09-14T22:24:06Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > For those of you whining about having to wait in line once again, ever stop and think about the people BEHIND you? Yup. I’d like a system that keeps me warm without either my or other people having to wait. In the summer, pay at the pump does this. In the winter, it does not. More tills that are staffed would help, and not having to pay in advance certainly helps (I am now realizing my good fortune in this respect). ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/169 "2009-09-14T22:25:33Z")
> [@Jodi](#): > > Since that does in fact date the last time I worked the register, I certainly don’t dispute it. But how is this a rationale for not explaining to the old guy that he is asking to do more than he thinks he is? If he too thinks things still work like they did 15 years ago, at what point is it reasonable for someone to explain why now he needs to wait in line, even though he didn’t have to before, and even though he _still_ doesn’t have to for some cashiers? Never? Seriously, Jodi, at what point IS it reasonable to explain to a fully grown man why he has to wait in line? When there are signs outside that say “Cash customers must pre pay”, at every gas station I’ve ever been in? When there are lines of people waiting to pay for things? When people wait in lines all over the world in order to pay for things? I think you’re giving him too much benefit of the doubt. He’s not a stranger in a strange land, he’s an asshole who wants preference over people who are standing in line already. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/170 "2009-09-14T22:25:46Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > But that’s not asking to cut in front of someone. That’s basically saying, “Here, you can do this when you’re done with everyone.” But that is arguably exactly what the old guy thinks he’s asking for too. “Here’s my $20, turn on the pump, you can cash out the transaction when you’re done with everyone.” And please point to anyone in this thread who is “whining about waiting in line.” ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/171 "2009-09-14T22:27:18Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > Seriously, Jodi, at what point IS it reasonable to explain to a fully grown man why he has to wait in line? When there are signs outside that say “Cash customers must pre pay”, at every gas station I’ve ever been in? When there are lines of people waiting to pay for things? When people wait in lines all over the world in order to pay for things? I think you’re giving him too much benefit of the doubt. He’s not a stranger in a strange land, he’s an asshole who wants preference over people who are standing in line already. I wouldn’t go so far as to necessarily call him an asshole, if he thinks gas stations work like **Jodi** does. At best he is clueless, though; there’s a line, the cashier is asking him to wait in line, he’s clearly the odd man out here. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/172 "2009-09-14T22:27:26Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > Seriously, Jodi, at what point IS it reasonable to explain to a fully grown man why he has to wait in line? When there are signs outside that say “Cash customers must pre pay”, at every gas station I’ve ever been in? When there are lines of people waiting to pay for things? When people wait in lines all over the world in order to pay for things? I think you’re giving him too much benefit of the doubt. He’s not a stranger in a strange land, he’s an asshole who wants preference over people who are standing in line already. Like I said, if there’s no explanation other than he’s an asshole, who could possibly argue that the situtation could have been improved upon? Customer marches out enraged after declaring he won’t be back. Good riddance to him and his money! Stellar work all round. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/173 "2009-09-14T22:31:02Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I wouldn’t go so far as to necessarily call him an asshole, if he thinks gas stations work like **Jodi** does. At best he is clueless, though; there’s a line, the cashier is asking him to wait in line, he’s clearly the odd man out here. > [@OP](#): > > Me: “The line’s over here sir (points directly ahead to line of people).” > Old Guy: “I just want gas” > Me: “Hello, just the coffee? (to next person in line)”. > OG: “I’m not waiting in line” > Me: “Have a nice day (to coffee person). Sir, the line’s over here”. > OG:“PUT twenty on three! (drops double-sawbuck over counter)”. > OG: “My pump’s not working” > Me: “I didn’t turn it on yet sir, you need to wait in line”. > OG: “Just turn the DAMN pump on” > Me: “Your total is $4.40, do you need matchs? (to woman at register)”. > OG: “What’s your problem? Why won’t you turn the pump on?!” > Me: “Because I’m busy waiting on the customers who are in line, Sir”. > OG: “GIVE ME MY DAMN MONEY! I’M NEVER COMING HERE AGAIN!” > Me: “(picks money up and hands it to him) Credit or Debit? (to girl with 3 bottle’s of soda)” > OG: “(storms out cursing)” I dunno, I definitely would. It doesn’t sound like he’s just oh-so-confused about the pay to pump system. That’s been around for at least 10 years. It sounds like he’s an entitled asshole. But, then again, he could just come from a place where social niceties like standing in line are alien to him and so is not screaming at people in public. But somehow I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/174 "2009-09-14T22:33:10Z")
> [@Jodi](#): > > And please point to anyone in this thread who is “whining about waiting in line.” Well I’ll whine about waiting in line. I don’t like it, I take my business to places where I usually do not have to wait, and I am quite happy to pay a premium. Quite simply, I would rather work a few minutes longer than wait in line a few minutes longer. I no longer live in a large metropolis, in large part because I found far too much of my life being spent in lines. In line for the bus, in line for the train, in line for the subway, in line for the lunch deli, in line for the subway, in line for the train, in line for the bus, or for a change of pace, in line in stop and go traffic – arrrgggghhhh! I despise waiting in line. Whine, whine, whinge, whine, whine, line, whine, line, line, whine. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/175 "2009-09-14T22:36:35Z")
Plus I am sure he was in a hurry to get home and, you know, do…stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/176 "2009-09-14T22:37:18Z")
Heh. Well, _that_ got off track quickly. Anyway, **Jodi** , I think we just have different customer service philosophies (or more to point, different definitions of what constitutes “good” service). I’ll agree with you wholeheartedly that it’s a damned sad state of affairs that service people can’t engage customers under the assumption that all involved are reasonable people with good intentions…I just find that it’s untrue far too often to ignore. In all probability, the customer from the OP isn’t really a bad person, but the nature of the customer service interaction hardly ever offers the chance to find out. So, I’ll call a truce with you, but I reserve the right to remain cheesed at **Koxinga** for the “peon” comment. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/177 "2009-09-14T22:41:43Z")
> [@Roland\_Orzabal](#): > > Heh. Well, _that_ got off track quickly. Anyway, **Jodi** , I think we just have different customer service philosophies (or more to point, different definitions of what constitutes “good” service). I’ll agree with you wholeheartedly that it’s a damned sad state of affairs that service people can’t engage customers under the assumption that all involved are reasonable people with good intentions…I just find that it’s untrue far too often to ignore. In all probability, the customer from the OP isn’t really a bad person, but the nature of the customer service interaction hardly ever offers the chance to find out. The sticking point, I think, is that there was a busy line. The OP had to devote all his attention to getting the people in line on their way and out the door. I don’t think it’s reasonable to start holding a conversation with someone at that point, and make no mistake, if the OP tried to explain the situation it _would_, at the very least, have been a conversation with the man trying to understand why he couldn’t do what he thought he could do. If there were only one or two people in line and things were a bit lazier, maybe it could happen, but the big thing for me is there were a ton of people ahead of this guy that needed to be served first and served quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/178 "2009-09-14T22:43:36Z")
> [@Roland\_Orzabal](#): > > Heh. Well, _that_ got off track quickly. Anyway, **Jodi** , I think we just have different customer service philosophies (or more to point, different definitions of what constitutes “good” service). I’ll agree with you wholeheartedly that it’s a damned sad state of affairs that service people can’t engage customers under the assumption that all involved are reasonable people with good intentions…I just find that it’s untrue far too often to ignore. In all probability, the customer from the OP isn’t really a bad person, but the nature of the customer service interaction hardly ever offers the chance to find out. I think that where I got cross-wise, to be honest, is that “How can we re-think this event and respond differently to reach a better outcome?” is not the right mind-set for a Pit thread. There really isn’t any way to have that conversation with people who are invested in bad outcomes and confident of how things _will turn out_ (badly) or how people _willbehave_ (badly). ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/179 "2009-09-14T22:45:40Z")
> [@Jodi](#): > > I think the where I got cross-wise, to be honest, is that “How can we re-think this event and respond differently to reach a better outcome?” is not the right mind-set for a Pit thread. Ah, martyrdom. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969/180 "2009-09-14T22:49:46Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > (bolding mine) > > **Jodi** I wrote that sentence in post #116. You quoted in in post #121. Hell, I still can’t believe Jodi is assuming that every single gas station in the country uses the exact same POS system. I worked summers and holidays for five years at two different Chevrons using both the older LCD/keyboard system and the new touchscreen system. I personally know of only one Chevron still using the old system and that’s in Socorro, New Mexico. But right there is an example. And at one point I know Chevron was thinking of rolling out two different systems depending on how much the franchisee wanted to spend but I don’t know if the second system ever became available. That said, on the new POS it is possible to open the pump to a certain amount without running a transaction. The pump will then stop and the transaction is run up as normal. This mostly got used when the customer wanted to use a credit card inside and stop it at a certain amount but did not want to run a preauthorization (generally they’d be back to buy merchandise.) I’d hold onto the credit card inside and the customer would go out to pump and then come back in to sign. I’d also sometimes do it with a cash payment, but that was more often a keying mistake on my part and I would run the transaction after the pump was hung up. So Jodi is making assumptions based on knowledge that is 15 years old, based on technology that is probably at least one generation out of date, and is generalizing from the equipment used at one franchisee of one company. As I said before, although I could just turn it on for a certain pump to stop at a certain amount without running a transaction, why should I reward bad behavior? And as for signs, ask anyone who has worked in customer service. People do not read signs. The amount of times I had to tell a customer to not bring in a propane tank despite the big signs on the doors saying “Leave propane tanks outside.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-im-busy-waiting-on-the-customers-who-are-in-line-sir/509969.md?page=10)