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AWww, I sowwy, I kiss da boo-boo now.
Oh my ... I'm getting punchy. Is it time to go home yet?
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Why do stores...
- Thread starter gingersmom
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Oh my ... I'm getting punchy. Is it time to go home yet?
It was Zayre's but where I lived that was the biggest joke. They never did it! They also had a promotion at holiday time that had a helper in a Santa hat who was supposed to help with finding things. That was a joke too!
Around here all the HP spaces are always taken. It used to bug me because I could never get a space anywhere near the door. And now that I entitled to use one I can still never get one.Originally Posted by ReesesPBC
I feel the same way about handicapped parking spots, which is ironic seeing as I utilize them. But I mean c'mon, our local walmart has about 20. It's not like we're all traveling in a convoy to get there at once
My biggest peeve is the spots are full but I almost never see a disabled person in the store.
True sometimes you can't always tell but I would expect to see at least one wheel chair or maybe a cane or two.
Now that's an idea! I've never used them because I feel like my using it will probably take away someone's job.
But heck if the prices were lower that would change my mind.
Where I live, Wal-Mart and some of the groceries have installed these blasted "Self-Check" lanes -- have you ever used one of these things?
I'm not stupid, I can operate electronic equipment, I can even set the time on my VCR... but these self-check machines turn me into a raving lunatic in seconds! The persnickety little sensors that don't sense anything, and that infuriatingly placid computer voice that keeps telling you to please place the item here or there or somewhere else -- well, I'll tell you where I'd LIKE to place the item, lady!
Woah...
Deep breath... violence is counterproductive...
Okay, I'm over it now. But do ya know what I mean?
I'm not stupid, I can operate electronic equipment, I can even set the time on my VCR... but these self-check machines turn me into a raving lunatic in seconds! The persnickety little sensors that don't sense anything, and that infuriatingly placid computer voice that keeps telling you to please place the item here or there or somewhere else -- well, I'll tell you where I'd LIKE to place the item, lady!
Woah...
Deep breath... violence is counterproductive...
Okay, I'm over it now. But do ya know what I mean?
I can relate!! lol Wal-mart is notorious for being a disaster for everything. I don't even know why they have all those registers in the first place. Half of them are never in use.Originally Posted by GingersMom
Yeah, what's UP with that?!? I waited 20 minutes to GET here, give me a freaking second to stow my receipt before you shove me out the door!
I'm always apologizing at the grocery store as I'm fumbling to stow my receipt and meanwhile the next person's items are literally rolling into the bags holding MY stuff! And there I am apologizing, like it's MY fault I'm in the way!
Oooo, now I'm even more ticked, LOL!
I hate it when they don't have enough baggers and there you are trying to bag your stuff and you still haven't paid yet. When you go back to pay the next people in line are in YOUR way at the register with their cart and all their crap!
I'm going to play devils' advocate here...Originally Posted by kittylover4ever
One big pet peeve of mine is when the cashier rings you up and starts ringing the next person before giving you a chance to put yoru change/credit card etc back into your wallet, gather your purchases etc! I mean, for cryin out loud, GIVE ME A SECOND, WILL YA??????????
When I'm cashiering at my store (or any store where I've cashiered in the past) I don't rush people. Period. But I do get some customers who want to rush the previous person... had one this week... I was finishing up with one lady at my register and handing her the bag... this other b**** (best way to describer her, honestly) waltzes up and puts her basket down and starts unloading it... our cash counters are NOT that big (and half of the space gets eaten up by all the extra outdated :censor::censor::censor::censor::censor::censor::censor:' machines we have). the lady I was finishing with glanced over at the B****... if looks could kill... I just ignored the B* until the other was gone.
Since we're listing shopping pet peeves... here's one from the 'other side' of things... treat us retail folks with a touch of respect. yes, we make less than most people who shop in our stores, we get cr***y hours and such, most of the time we don't get health insurance... but we're still HUMAN BEINGS who have earned more than enough respect. we get sworn at, verbally p*ssed on, ordered around like we're slaves, bought and paid for. We're not. Granted, not everyone treats us this way... usually only those who've NEVER worked retail in their lives. I believe every American should be required to work a retail job for a minimum of 6 months... then maybe, JUST maybe, they'll understand why we don't all smile and cow-tow to 'all them rich folks' ...
Also, keep in mind that lots of people in retail call in sick for whatever reason... they may be short staffed on cash-trained folks... or they may not have anticipated how many they'd need. they don't have the ability to see the future and know how many cashiers they'll need at any given time... Managers can work register, but usually have to keep themselves open in case of someone needing assistance... seriously... there may be more than what you see going on... we all work our tailfeathers off so you CAN shop whenever you feel like it. we would all MUCH rather be sitting on our couches at home. And for the most part, we don't really CHOOSE to work retail... we take it because it's all we can sometimes get... we do very physical work so you have some convenience. Be nice to us, please. (this is all coming out because we've had some wacky customers at the store this week... including one who cursed at one of our Home Dec ladies because the fabric SHE wanted wasn't part of the sale at the time... she used a few choice words).
it's not a perfect world... retail is not a perfect system... but it's what we have... and your fellow human beings work in it...
A.
Me again... every store has a daily sales goal... the personnel budget is XX percentage of that. A good example: I was Asst Store Manager at a small stationery store in CA... the personnel budget was small... the managers salary and my salary ate up MOST of that allowance... literally... guess what? I had many days I worked 12-15 hours days BY MY SELF... no extra money for help... lunch? Does the Chinese place next door deliver?
At my current store, I'm just one of the Fabric Wenches (hey... should tell my friend about that name... muaahaahaah!!!), meaning Not Management. I see what our Mgrs do by about 4pm... if we're not even close to sales goal for the day, they start making a list of who to send home. Usually they do that if it's quiet. What if they send a chunk of ppl home and then we get slammed at 7pm? Tough. We have lines, impatient customers who curse at us for being understaffed (we have about 150 people on payroll), and stuff to put away... but if the budget isn't there, we can't do anything about it. They do their best, really. But they can't make cashiers appear out of thin air.
A. (Retail Wench Extraordinare)
I agree with rub there. I get overly annoyed at the way I am treated sometimes at my store. My favourite is having money thrown...at me..not. And alot of times i get the pushy customers rushing the next. or having all of their stuff tossed ontpp of my hands..or being hit in the head..with a broom handle..ect..
that being said.
I ususually use the self check out at most stores now,cause I think alot of places hire..dummies.
I like my local target
dont shop at walmart anymore.
And I like my local petstores, lol Grocerys and anywhere else igenerally use the self check if its offered.
that being said.
I ususually use the self check out at most stores now,cause I think alot of places hire..dummies.
I like my local target
And I like my local petstores, lol Grocerys and anywhere else igenerally use the self check if its offered.
And why do they always wait to open another line just as you unload your cart?
The closest WalMart to me is pretty good about long lines. I usually shop the early mornings and if things get busy they will direct customers to the service desk and they check you out there (if you have nothing that needs to be weighed).
The closest WalMart to me is pretty good about long lines. I usually shop the early mornings and if things get busy they will direct customers to the service desk and they check you out there (if you have nothing that needs to be weighed).
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Totally and completely. I use them as often as possible to avoid dealing with the REALLY REALLY SLOW cashiers. Then I get stuck standing there waiting for a manager to come from the complete opposite side of the store a 1/4 of a mile away to reset the machine that is telling me there is an unauthorized object in the bagging area. That object is the item I just scanned!
Yup, I can relate to that to. Hello, EXCUSE ME?! Wait your turn, people, I DID!Originally Posted by Duchess15
I hate it when they don't have enough baggers and there you are trying to bag your stuff and you still haven't paid yet. When you go back to pay the next people in line are in YOUR way at the register with their cart and all their crap!I often have to remind them to move so I can pay. I don't want them seeing my debit number as I'm entering.Anyone else have this problem??
Oh, and along those lines, how about the people standing in line behind you that stand practically on your heels invading your personal space? So close that you can actually feel their BREATH on your neck? Oh, I hate that SO much!!!
I treat people equally. I am very polite. I apologize for things that are NOT my fault. I have never, EVER been rude to a cashier, but I can't even count how many cashiers have been rude to me over the years!
You say you would all much rather be sitting at home on your couch, well, I'm sorry, but THAT is exactly the attitude that I get from most retail cashiers! It seems as if I am putting them out by causing them to actually have to WORK to ring in my items. So sorry to make you do your JOB! (Please know I'm not picking on you personally, Rub.)
And I remember the days before scanners, when people actually had to RING IN THE ITEMS BY HAND. Back in those days, cashiers smiled at you, acted like they appreciated your business, and thanked you for it, then said , "Have a nice day!"
That is now the extremely rare exception, in my experience.
Maybe 'sitting on the couch' isn't the best option... a 'better paying job' is one other option... a job where we're not working until all hours. You're probably one of the lucky ones who gets off work at 5pm or so. We're working so you can have the CONVENIENCE of shopping after you get off work. Fifty years ago (give or take) those stores closed up shop pretty darned early too. They didn't stay open until 9 or 10 pm. And many of them were NOT open on Sunday. Tough Luck.
Yes, there are plenty of nice customers... there are plenty of us nice retail folk as well... but understand one thing: stores typically offer low pay, you honestly can't expect to get intelligent folk applying for work in your store. Assuming you have a decent education, would you work for minimum wage? that's what a LOT of stores pay their people... you wouldn't be happy either, I suspect. yes, we're grateful to have work, but when you can't make the rent AND the bills at the same time, it makes for unhappy people. Living Wages are a nice dream... and those folks (read: idiots) up in D.C. seem to think that roughly 6 bucks an hour is a living wage... I'd like to see THEM try to live on that... ain't gonna happen. (Granted, Oregon understands a little... their M.W. here is 7.80/hour. Still not enough to live on, but better than US M.W.)
Yes, I'm educated... I have a BA degree. I've done many jobs and most of them I haven't been happy with. I didn't want to do retail when I moved to Portland, but after applying and applying for other jobs (and not getting called in), signing up with temp agencies (and not getting any assignments), I finally broke down and applied at the fabric store... who did actually CALL me in AND hire me. Although we do have the occasional Grumpy Goose worker, for the most part we all kick a** at customer service. the store owner (who does show up... nice guy, too) is Old World. I've heard many, MANY people walk into our store after going to JoAnns or some other chain fabric shop and compare us to them, extolling the virtues of our non-chain store.
That said, we DO get Grumpy Goose customers too. We have older registers, we have to key everything in. our credit card machines are the old noisy kind.
Scanners? HAH! I'd love a scanner, at least for the non-cut items. we have notions and foodstuffs. we do spend time with our customers. I chat with mine, no matter where I am in the store. Am I a dying breed of retail clerk? Maybe. The ones taking over are the children of my generation and the generation right before me (I'm 34). Guess who raised them to be cold and rude? (Not me, I don't have kids, thank God).
That bit of b****iness aside, the lack of customer service abilities isn't usually the fault of the clerk... it's the store management not training their clerks to be polite and giving a care. If you don't like how clerks in a particular store are behaving, instead of complaining to the general public, ask to talk to the store manager. Seriously. THEY'RE the ones who need to know what's wrong. Then maybe, JUST maybe, it can be worked on WITHIN that store. Complain to the people who can actually DO something about fixing the problem. If it's a chain of stores, then write or call the main office. Tell THEM.
Will be back after my other job (Yes, I did finally get a second job, in a field where I WANT to work, but it's only XX number of hours/week, so I have to continue at the store for now).
Amanda (tired after working two jobs in one day... blech)
I am in a small town but have to agree the store here has 5 or 6 will look next time and get this only 1 ever open... I was in a line 2 days ago forever and am thinking ok I see 6 works someone else open a register... I wanted to scream HELLO does anyone else know how to work a register lol
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Oh, yes, I'm one of the "lucky" ones - I work 45+ hours a week, 9 hour days, unpaid lunch time, most of which is spent at my desk working, and do MOST of my shopping on the internet as a result. My schedule is 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., not counting the days when I work late. The other night I was here until 7:00 p.m. and I do NOT get paid extra for going over 40 hours.
Yup, I'm REALLY lucky.
My best friend works in retail for CVS, so it isn't like I have zero clue about retail, or about what it is like to stand on your feet all day. Been there, done that myself. I used to waitress at two full-time jobs.
I would do an 8-hour day at one restaurant, then run across the street and put in another 8 hour shift at the other place. I know all about the service industry, trust me.
That's good advice. However, lots of folks open threads to rant about things that bother them on TCS, and I am well within my rights to do exactly the same. This is MY rant thread, and I can complain about my pet peeves to whomever will take the time to read it. Lots of other folks feel exactly the same way that I do.
I'm sorry that you wound up in retail, if you aren't happy there, but the only person who can make things better/different for you is you.
Feel free to start a new thread that complains about CUSTOMERS. I'm sure that there are a lot of folks working in retail that would jump right on that bandwagon with you. In fact, I have some stories of my own about customers: I work in sales and while it isn't standing behind a register, I have all kinds of problem clients.
I'm not a cashier but I am the last line of defense for customer service when the phones are going crazy in our mail order department. By occupation, I am a marketing manager, do graphic design and web design. But, I also have to pick up the phone from time to time and take an order from a customer.
Most folks are decent but I do get the occasional angry person taking their bad day out on me.
Example, this one woman didn't know what dress size her child wore but she knew her height and weight. I told her the best way to determine it would be to get her measurements -- our dresses aren't sized on height and weight. She YELLED that she had never had such a hard time placing a simple dress order. Before I could barely get out that she could try a certain size and return it if it didn't work out, she accused me of talking over her -- she was on a cell phone. Static happens. After I got her more of her items ordered and got the payment info and was trying to confirm all the details, she hung up on me (the phone did not cut out, she hung up, it went out clean). Thank you for your order B***ch.
Sorry. Didn't mean to hijack. I just think that sometimes we can't control a certain situation and we all need to try to not take it out on service workers.
Most folks are decent but I do get the occasional angry person taking their bad day out on me.
Example, this one woman didn't know what dress size her child wore but she knew her height and weight. I told her the best way to determine it would be to get her measurements -- our dresses aren't sized on height and weight. She YELLED that she had never had such a hard time placing a simple dress order. Before I could barely get out that she could try a certain size and return it if it didn't work out, she accused me of talking over her -- she was on a cell phone. Static happens. After I got her more of her items ordered and got the payment info and was trying to confirm all the details, she hung up on me (the phone did not cut out, she hung up, it went out clean). Thank you for your order B***ch.
Sorry. Didn't mean to hijack. I just think that sometimes we can't control a certain situation and we all need to try to not take it out on service workers.
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Maybe this thread should be moved to IMO, as there are folks here who may be starting to take my personal rant as an irritated customer personally, and that wasn't the intent.
As a salesperson, I provide killer customer service. That's why I have repeat clients that actually refer other companies to work directly with ME. I have consistantly beaten my sales goals as a direct result of having happy and satisfied customers.
I have a quote on my desk by a person named Willa A. Foster. It is there so I can see it and take it to heart every work day. It reads:
"Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution; it presents the wise choice of many alternatives."
As a consumer, I get good customer service about 35% of the time, when it truly should be more like 95-100% of the time.
Because I am (and have been) on both sides of the equation, I feel that I am entirely within my rights to be grumpy about cashiers that provide lousy customer service.
This thread was NOT intended to upset anyone who WORKS in customer service - again, I WORK IN SALES/CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR A LIVING.
As a salesperson, I provide killer customer service. That's why I have repeat clients that actually refer other companies to work directly with ME. I have consistantly beaten my sales goals as a direct result of having happy and satisfied customers.
I have a quote on my desk by a person named Willa A. Foster. It is there so I can see it and take it to heart every work day. It reads:
"Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution; it presents the wise choice of many alternatives."
As a consumer, I get good customer service about 35% of the time, when it truly should be more like 95-100% of the time.
Because I am (and have been) on both sides of the equation, I feel that I am entirely within my rights to be grumpy about cashiers that provide lousy customer service.
This thread was NOT intended to upset anyone who WORKS in customer service - again, I WORK IN SALES/CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR A LIVING.
am not upset at all. Everyone has there own
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Yeah, but lots of people tend to take blanket generalizations personally, and then feel like they are being attacked.Originally Posted by momof3rugratz
am not upset at all. Everyone has there own
I just wanted to clarify that this was not my intention.
What I really hate is when the cashier hands me change, cash and coins, and hands me this fifty foot long receipt all in one handful. I do not put receipts in my wallet with the money! Why can't they just put it in the bag or hand it to me separate? Otherwise I'm standing there trying to get the money in the wallet without the change falling all over the place because its on top of this huge receipt. Ugh!
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CarolPetunia;1686376 said:
Ugh I hate stores that keep you waiting in line forever. Walmart in my area is almost always like that.
The part the gets to me is they hand you your change and don't count it out for you...like I'm just supposed to say ok, I trust you to give me the correct change? Uh. No. I know people are waiting but I'm gonna count my change...it won't take that long...and they should have done it to begin with...
Geeze..
Hilda>^..^<
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