Generally speaking, it’s a shitty job and like most shitty jobs, customers and management don’t treat the staff well. I’m not inclined to pile on what is probably a difficult day.
If you were in such a hurry, why did you make time to talk to a manager?
The OP got to jump over to an empty lane and probably got checked out quicker even if the other cashier hadn’t been gabbing. Then wastes more of her precious time talking to the manager. Then the manager pages the cashier which means she’ll have to close her lane making a longer wait to check out for everyone else. Sounds like a net loss thanks to the OP, but I’m sure the manager appreciates the tips on appropriate workplace banter.
I think the OP made it pretty clear that the time factor was not really the issue. It was the “inappropriate” subject matter (because she deems herself the arbiter of what is appropriate workplace conversation for these people) and character of the person that really bothered her.
I had a checker once who I had known previosuly as a bartender maybe 20 years earlier. She recognised me but wasn’t sure where she knew me from. She asked me if we had ever slept together. She leaned in when she said it but it was still plenty loud enough for the lady behind me to hear, she was shaking her head in disbelief and rolling her eyes.
Joking or not, it can be taken as a personal insult, let’s try to avoid them.
I certainly hope your response was on the order of “Not yet.”
To the OP, the optimist in me hopes that after the manager paged the cashier to come see him he said something like “That old biddy complained that you were saying inappropriate things… hang your head like you are upset and I’ll scowl at you. As soon as she is out of view we’ll both discretely give her the finger and you can get back to work.”
So I guess I’m to assume that no one here has ever been dissatisfied by poor service and has never complained about any employee *anywhere *ever (this is rhetorical; no need to share how "you let *everything *go and would *never *do such a thing). I feel like there’s a borderline pile on happening over. . . what amounts to nothing. It’s weird how we do that here sometimes. Yes, it sucks to be a cashier, or work in any retail job, frankly. We’ve all done it; it’s nothing new. There are certain duties and expectations and sometimes you just don’t feel like jumping through hoops for the shite pay. Got it. Sometimes you’re the customer and you don’t feel like it’s your problem how the employee feels that day. Got it. It’s the shitty give and take of the day to day world of consumerism. Is it the OP’s tattoo comment? I know we all have thicker (inked) skin than that. Clearly I’m in the minority but I feel like people are really irked about this and I’m not getting it.
Yeah, I’ve been put out with a cashier before. I’ve sighed or looked at my watch or even switched lines. Once, I might even have asked if they’d be much longer. However, what I’ve never done is go to a manager and complain, especially when my problem has literally been rectified before my very eyes. And I also volunteer at a resale shop (which is akin to a consignment store), and let me tell you, folks chit chatting is just par for the course. It’s nothing like trying to hurry up and get in and out of Walgreens on your 30 minute lunch break. I only break out bitching to upper management when it’s slightly more important, like verbally abusing someone or something.
And finally, my previous comment probably fell in a crack somewhere, but it appears to me that many replies here are responding to a general attitude that the OP displays all over the boards. One of quick judginess, and when certain fallacies of her ‘complaints’ are pointed out to her, she just keeps on going her merry way, pulling the same stunts over and over again. No, she may not be on your radar or you disagree with that tactic, but I’m pretty sure that’s at least some of what you’re seeing here.
Earlier today, I saw a friend of mine who works with the public herself, and told her about this (and the reactions of others on this board). She agreed with me 100%, that this was not an appropriate topic to discuss with a customer and that she needed to be actively checking them out on top of it, AND I think she knew exactly who I was talking about, because she is also a regular customer of this store.
Maybe it was one of those “had to be there” things.
:rolleyes:
Well, that’s me convinced. It’s not quite the full “dozens of PMs in support”, but it is pretty close.
Let’s wrap this up folks. Mods?
I think the stuff about the tattoos and other crotchety stuff has us doubting the OP actually had to wait any real length of time. Hell, I’d have no problem believing that she was just checking out at a normal rate. It’s not like the OP mentions a time–something I would expect them to be keenly aware of if the delay was as long they imply.
Sure, you can assume it was a really long time and feel sorry for the OP and think they did the right thing. But a lot of people don’t. I find myself instinctually in that latter group.
Gawd I love hate love hate love hate love hate love hate love hate this board.
No one likes a tattle tail.
But that wouldn’t have been necessary if the first cashier was doing her job correctly.
If it was your (general your) coworker slacking off, would those of you who think it’s fine have still thought it fine? I’ve spent most of my working life in sectors and jobs of the “hurry up and wait” variety, where it’s common to spend time at work reading, chatting or calling your Mom, to the point where the collective agreement specifes which of those activities are OK… but that’s during the “wait” bits, as soon as a “hurry up” bit comes up, anything else gets dropped.
I went back to that store again today, and I didn’t see her but maybe it was her day off or we were never in the same area at the same time.
No…I get the feeling we don’t have thicker skin than that… getting offended online has been the thing now for sometime. Right now, as this posts, I am offending someone, how dare I say that they do not have thick skin, veritable rhinos, they are ( as they poke me with their umbrellas)
FWIW- I will complain about bad service(inappropriate conversation- not my business unless its in earshot of my kids)- but I will just as quickly give kudos to their manager for out of their way, kind service.
Since this involves misbehaving cashiers I bring it here; but if it is a highjack, I apologize. This morning at coffee a fellow told the story of a young man at a major market who brought his purchases to a cashier, who was wearing a head scarf. She told him that before she could help him he had to put the cross he was wearing out of sight. A manager came along and confirmed that he had to do that to receive service. He dropped his goods and walked out, as did those in line behind him. The narrator’s reaction interpretation was “hurray for our side - we won one!” In thinking it over I think it sounds like the stories the bigoted tell to prove they are right. Has anyone heard of this story? I haven’t tried Scopes. Some elements seem highly unlikely.
Cashiers who try to put the bills and receipt in my hand and then pile the coins on top of them are behaving inappropriately. They should put the coins in my hand first!
Maybe I’m being petty, but sometimes I manage to let the coons slide off and all over the cashiers station. Of course the cashier needs to retrieve them all and recount to be sure none are missing. I might happen to mention that if the coins were on the bottom that wouldn’t occur.