Category Archives: Cashiering/Taking the Order

Bagging a bit better

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IMG_0937My brother bagged groceries in high school.  He was good at it and proud of his skills.

He knew how to sort groceries coming down the belt so he could bag more efficient.  Separating the boxes from the cans, the produce from the meat, the fragile from the durable.  He knew how to build a foundation layer in the bottom of the bags so they would be stable in the car and on the kitchen counter ( back when only square bottom craft paper bags were in use). He knew how to double bag to prevent tearing and bagging meats and produce so that condensation and contamination were not an issue.  Of course, he bagged so eggs would not be broken and bread would not be crushed.

My brother’s success as a bagger led to his next position as stocker and 40 years later, he still earns a comfortable living working for a union grocery store.  But this post is not about my brother.

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Not so much as a smile – Part 2

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IMG_0909While having my bad experience in the bookstore two days ago, I spotted a travel book that looked interesting but that I decided to take a pass on.  Once I got home, I realized that the book would have been a welcome addition to my travel library and I decided I should go ahead and buy it.  This called for a return to the scene of the crime.

So yesterday I stopped back at the bookstore while I was out running some errands.  The plan was to run in, grab the book and be on my way.

The store was quiet when I went in.  I found the book quickly and headed towards the registers.  Just like the day before, I was greeted by great spring weather framed by the front windows and two cashiers having a friendly conversation.  Luckily my cashier from the day before was not one of them.

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Respect the product, respect the customer

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Version 2

I stopped by an area department store the other day to make a purchase.  What I bought does not matter since this post is not about me but rather about the two customers  in front of me at the checkout counter.  I found an interesting contrast between their two service experiences.

 

After making my selections, I wandered to the cash wrap and got in line with my fellow customers.  (This particular department store is one that uses a centralized cash wrap in each area off the store.)  Two cashiers were ringing up people’s purchases and, between the two of them, they were making short work of the people waiting in line.

The two customers in front of me in line wore professional clothing and each were purchasing a blouse and a pair of pants (on hangers).  They were called up to the registers at the same time, so I took the opportunity to observe the two cashiers work head to head.  The cashier on the right was professionally dressed and had a warm, friendly and professional demeanor; let’s call her Right.  The cashier on the left was casually attired and was terse with customers; let’s call her Left. (It was just a coincidence that correct cashier happened to be on the right.)

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Great serve at the soft serve

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Dairy Queen sign

(Taking the time to read this post will renew your faith in customer service.)

With six hours of driving and at least one lengthy stop ahead of us, we were on the road at 5 am.  That meant we were out of bed and moving at 3:45 am. While I am a morning person, 3:45 a.m. is early by anyones standards. In the rush to get on the road, I sometimes forget things and today was no different.

About an hour into the drive and well clear of Portland, we realized we forgot something. Going back would mean losing at least an extra two hours and include the likelihood of getting stuck in the Portland morning rush hour.

The item would be replaced in route.

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Iffy Swiffer – Part II

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Version 2

It seemed only fitting that, unlike the sunny day when I went in to buy my Swiffer Wet Jet, the day I went back to return it,  was rainy and cold.  I generally do not like returning products (even though the store was at fault in this situation).  Maybe that’s because making a return reminds me that I failed at my first attempt at a purchase.

I was prepared for the worst given how many stores deal with returns.

When I walked back into the store, I was relieved to see my cashier from yesterday was working and thankful that the store was quiet. Figuring that I could make the exchange process simpler, I went to see if the store had gotten more Wet Jets in in the previous 22 hours.

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What is wrong with this picture?

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Version 2

What is wrong with this picture? You don’t see it? Not sure? What is wrong will become clear by the end of the post.

Several weeks ago I was taking an evening walk when I had decided to stop by my neighborhood bookstore for a quick visit. Entering the store I saw that many of my neighbors apparently had the same idea as the store seemed unusually busy for a weekday night. Wandering through the store I found latest edition of a favorite magazine of mine, a book on the Top 10 Things to Do in Paris for an upcoming trip, a used book on backpacking I had been looking for and Oliver Sack’s autobiography, On the Move. Checking my watch I realized that I needed to get home so I gathered my new found treasures and headed to the cashier line. There I joined 5 others already waiting.

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The Odd Question

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“Did anyone help you with the vest?”

The question was met with a confused look from the customer. So the cashier did what many Americans do when they are met with an uncomfortable silence, he repeated the question again but slower as if to encourage comprehension. “Did   anyone   help  you  with   the   vest   today?” Looking around to see if there was someone else the cashier may have been talking to and continuing to look confused, the customer finally offered “No, I don’t think so.”

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