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Dude, Don't Yell at the Bagger

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  • Dude, Don't Yell at the Bagger

    This is from a while back when I worked at the first Kroger I was employed by (transfers so rule). One morning I came in at 1030am after working a closing shift (11pm). The office manager assigned me to a checklane to cover for a cashier's lunch. I start taking customers and the second customer I receive is a male subject who has WIC. I wave one of the baggers over to assist me, as I am starting to get a small line. This particular bagger is mentally challenged. He has learned a certain way to do things and does it pretty well (he has his days, though). Apparently this customer didn't believe so. This conversation ensues:

    SC - dipshit customer
    ME - my wonderful self
    BG - Bagger (doesn't say too much)

    SC: *Looking at bagger, asking nicely* Hey, man, could I get this bagged a certain way?
    BG: I don't understand.
    SC: Could you bag this *explains way*
    BG: I don't understand
    SC: *yelling towards bagger, eyes bugged out* WHAT?! I WANT THIS A CERTAIN WAY? CAN YOU NOT UNDERSTAND ME?
    ME: *looking right at the male subject, putting on my "listen here" voice* SIR! You DO NOT talk to my staff like that. You got it?
    SC: *attempting to say something stupid*
    ME: *cutting him off* No. You don't understand. Your order is completed. It is bagged, please remove yourself now.
    SC: I WANTED IT *certain way*
    ME: I don't care. Your order is done. Good day.
    ME: *turns to apologize to next customer*
    SC: *leaves, angry*

    Well, apparently not too many customers have seen a clerk stand up for a co-worker before. Right after that, the self-scan clerk came over and asked, very quietly, if I needed to step outside for a minute. I took her up on it and walked in the back room. Later, I talked to the office manager and she couldn't believe the guy yelled at the bagger. The only thing she said was "well, I knew something bad happened, when I heard you raise your voice a bit.". Idiot guy never complained to management or anything.

    I know, there is a better way to handle situations such as that. I just don't take too kindly to people yelling at my co-workers (even when the co-worker is wrong*).

    * - I handle it a bit differently. I'll actually get the customer to calm down and talk normally.
    Answers are easy...it is asking the right questions which is hard.

  • #2
    My feelings about this are directly dependent on how obvious the bagger's handicap is. People are particular about their groceries, and that's just a fact of the business. I don't hold it against anyone.

    However, if he was yelling at an obviously retarded person, that was totally unnecessary. He should have just bagged it himself.

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    • #3
      People today are not very patient with people with handicaps today. The fact that this guy who is mentally challenged got himself a job is really cool. So big deal he bags the groceries a different way that works for him BFD. I would have told this asshole of a customer to see if he can bag groceries any better. Bagging groceries under pressure is difficult enough.
      Boogity, Boogity, Boogity Let's Go Racing Boys

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      • #4
        Quoth Shengirl View Post
        My feelings about this are directly dependent on how obvious the bagger's handicap is. People are particular about their groceries, and that's just a fact of the business. I don't hold it against anyone.

        However, if he was yelling at an obviously retarded person, that was totally unnecessary. He should have just bagged it himself.
        It is easy to tell that the bagger is handicapped. If not for looking at him, you can tell by how he speaks. I don't remember which kind of disability he has, as it has been almost two years since I worked there, but, it's noticeable.
        Answers are easy...it is asking the right questions which is hard.

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        • #5
          Quoth daleduke17 View Post
          It is easy to tell that the bagger is handicapped. If not for looking at him, you can tell by how he speaks. I don't remember which kind of disability he has, as it has been almost two years since I worked there, but, it's noticeable.
          In that case, seriously, the guy was a dick. It's not that hard to say, "Nevermind, kid, I'll take care of it," and smile. Or even to ask you to do the bagging instead.

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          • #6
            Quoth Shengirl View Post
            In that case, seriously, the guy was a dick. It's not that hard to say, "Nevermind, kid, I'll take care of it," and smile. Or even to ask you to do the bagging instead.
            Exactly. One unwritten rule in that store, at least while I was there (hopefully still is), was don't mess with the mentally challenged kids (there were two at the time). If someone did, there was going to be trouble. The rest of the staff would look out for them. The idiot customers who would try, usually got told very sternly (yet politely) to cram it.
            Answers are easy...it is asking the right questions which is hard.

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            • #7
              Sometimes I feel like asking people if the world really is going to come crashing down if their stuff isn't bagged a certain way. You're just going to go home and take it all out, anyways. So long as I don't have soap or insecticides in with my food, and my delicate stuff isn't smashed, I could care less.

              When I worked at Wal-Mart, several of our cart pushers were mentally handicapped. I used to get fuming mad at the stupid old men who would wave them off when they would try to tell them they weren't supposed to go in the cart area.

              I realize the rules at Hell-Mart have changed and customers are pretty much expected to go in there and get their own carts, but this was when they had a huge yellow sign stating "NO CUSTOMERS ALLOWED IN CART CORRAL". People would act like just because the employee asking them not to go in there was in the most literal sense, retarded, that the rule didn't apply to them.
              The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.

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              • #8
                Here's what a lot of dumb or sucky customers don't think to do: If there is no bagger, or a swamped bagger, or in this case, one that seems a little slow maybe and isn't doing it the way you want, POLITELY step in and help!

                Standing there yelling does not help. Rolling up your sleeves and getting to work does.

                That's what I do. And I never, ever have an issue. I suck at it, but I am more than willing to help out. After all, it's my crap, and I'm going to be the one carrying it and unpacking it.

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                • #9
                  Maybe I missed something, but...

                  It's OK to yell at a bagger as long as said employee is NOT noticably handicapped in any way?

                  There are times when I don't hear well (it was worth it, though. MetallicA concert--M2K tour). I'll have to ask people to repeat themselves...sometimes more than once.

                  I should think that it's not OK to yell at employees, no matter what*.



                  *Certain stories in "Sightings" come to mind.
                  Unseen but seeing
                  oh dear, now they're masquerading as sane-KiaKat
                  There isn't enough interpretive dance in the workplace these days-Irv
                  3rd shift needs love, too
                  RIP, mo bhrionglóid

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                  • #10
                    Becky, what I meant was more something along these lines: A person is pretty OCD about how they're groceries are packed. A bagger comes up and starts packing them otherwise.

                    Customer: "Hey, buddy, can you do it X way?"
                    Apparently functional employee: "I don't understand" ::does not cease bagging, does not wait for clarification, just continues doing it wrong and not caring, even after the customer makes multiple attempts at polite correction::

                    At that point, I'd be a pissed customer, too. Because it would look like the bagger was being willfully ignorant about something stupid. After all, bagging to a customer's specifications requires so little extra effort, I usually would consider it a given in good customer service. That extra step to make a satisfied shopper.

                    That being said, I'm not that picky about MY bags. I just have a lot of customers who are.

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                    • #11
                      My mother is extremely particular about how she wants things bagged, so on the occasions that I was shopping with her, I would always do the bagging. (Our grocery is always understaffed on baggers, so it's easier for me to just start doing it before they get to us.)

                      Every now and then I would get a bagger who just will not understand my "No, I'll do it." and following variations of the same. My mom is standing right there, so it's not like I can call her a bitch. Eventually, I give up, and within 10 seconds she's chewed them out. *sigh*

                      That said, despite her being generally sucky, she is always super polite to handicapped workers and not in the condescending way, either. If she gets frustrated, she holds the sighs and rolled eyes until we have left. If they can't do what she needs done, she politely asks for them to let me do it.

                      If she can do it, anyone can.
                      The icon is a bunny with a spiked collar from some carpet ad.

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