I Counted the Money

[purplecat41877]

The other day, a customer requested a large money order. It wasn't large enough to require a form to be filled out but it was large enough to require a pickup right after the transaction so the register wouldn't lock out. I rang up the money order and got the pickup slip. The customer gave me the money and I put it in front of me.

I was able to count the money by putting it a certain way and glancing at it. I put the maximum amount allowed for a pickup with a pickup slip with the amount and keyed it into the register.

The customer didn't believe that I counted the money even though I did. I had to count the money out loud so she would know that the money was being counted.

I vaguely remember telling her that I counted the money. She didn't hear me count it when I did so she believed that I didn't count it even though I did.

I count the safe the same way. I glance at the coins and wrapped bills and they're counted. If the bills are loose, I'll put them on the weighing machine with the machine set on $1. Then I multiply the number of bills by the denomination.

[AdminAssistant]

When I was the Admin at TJ Maxx, I used our bill/change counter constantly. I loved that little thing. I got really fast at counting by hand, of course. But the day's deposit would've taken a LOT longer without the weight-counter-thingy.

[Bramblerose]

I would have asked for a count, too. But then, I count back change the old fashioned way. It's not a lack of trust, it's a faith in Murphy et al. Double checks are a Good THing.

[Dreamstalker]

I could tally rolled coins and larger bills pretty much by looking at them/fanning the bills, but my boss at the game store never believed me (and then yelled when I "took too long" counting it per his instructions).

The only problem/major slowdown was counting the loose change. A coin counter would have cost too much though

[Ree]

You knew you counted it, but I can understand the customer wanting to actually see you count it.

I always made a point of letting the customer see me counting, because there is always going to be someone who won't trust and wants to see with their own eyes.

[Dreamstalker]

I always count out change from larger bills (50 or 100) into the customer's hand and make sure they see me do it. During the holiday season at my first bookstore job, I would actually have customers thanking me for ensuring they got the proper amount back (important for some if you're gift shopping and budgeted everything out). I would always count out change from any bills if there was a child making the purchase, knowing how crushed kids can be when not having quite enough money for that last little gift.

Of course, when counting out change for customers at the game store, I'd get complained at even if that customer was the only one in the building...

[MoxisPilot]

I always expect transactions to be counted out to me - there's too much questionability if it isn't counted out verbally to me, and then, if I count it back, I come up ten dollars short.

Avoid mistakes and cover your ass. Always count it verbally to the customer.

[purplecat41877]

One time, at my first retail job, I counted the money back to a customer and she got offended. She told me that she knew how much she was getting back and that she didn't appreciate me doing that.

[SpyOne]

I would have asked for a count, too. But then, I count back change the old fashioned way. It's not a lack of trust, it's a faith in Murphy et al. Double checks are a Good THing.

Amen to that.

the story I tell is from the movie The Professional (aka Leon):
At one point, the central character is getting his friend/manager to get some equipment out of storage for him. The manager gets the case and hands it to him, and he just puts the case down beside his chair while they talk.
"Aren't you going to check it?"
"No. I trust you."
"The one thing's got nothing to do with the other."


When I ask another cashier to sell me ten ones, I watch them count out ten ones, then I count them again right in front of them, and say loud and clear "and I get ten."
That way, I know that they think they handed me 10 ones, and they know that I agree they handed me ten ones, and if either of us comes up wrong at the end of the day, we double-checked the transaction so it probably wasn't when I bought ones that something got messed up.

I do the same in my personal life: If I owe you five dollars, and I put five dollars in my pocket to pay you pack today, I am still going to count those five dollars right in front of you before I hand it over, so we both know there wasn't a mistake.
That way, when I later find a one in that pocket, I don't have to wonder if I accidentally only gave you four, and when you find you only have four you know you must have dropped one because you are sure I gave you five.

I am pretty sure my parents convinced me to do that as part of growing up: just handing over a wad of money is for rude people and children.


I guess what I am saying is: you should count the money outloud, and in front of the customer. It isn't about you knowing the money is right, it is about assuring the customer that you know the money is right.

[MoxisPilot]

One time, at my first retail job, I counted the money back to a customer and she got offended. She told me that she knew how much she was getting back and that she didn't appreciate me doing that.

That's not something I've ever encountered; I'd venture to say that she was probably the one square in a box of rounds.

[Enigma]

When counting money I always, ALWAYS double check. When receiving it I count it outloud and too the customer, and when giving it I count it to myself, then to the customer, and then invite them to count it infront of me if they want to. It's not about honesty, it's about covery your ass.

[Delphae]

Whenever I get my cash drawer for the cart, I count it unless I am the one who used it last. The other girls aren't always accurate and I have found it over (gave the money to my boss) and under twice, once by 5 dollars, and on Friday by 20. When my boss who is my father was told, he had one of the other guys count it as well. Of course I was right, and the other guy counted first 45 dollars short, than 30. The girl who had the drawer last had give my dad the 20, and tried to blame it on someone else, saying that she hadn't counted it the day before.

It isn't about trust. I trust the other girls not to steal out of my wallet. It is about making sure that the count is right, and that may take a few trys.

[Primer]

I rang up the money order and got the pickup slip. The customer gave me the money and I put it in front of me.

I was able to count the money by putting it a certain way and glancing at it. I put the maximum amount allowed for a pickup with a pickup slip with the amount and keyed it into the register.

The customer didn't believe that I counted the money even though I did.

Did the customer not know how much they had given you?

[Ree]

I'm guessing they knew, but they wanted her to double check, just in case there had been a mistake.

[edible_hat]

just handing over a wad of money is for rude people and children.

And scammers... I make them put it on the counter so I can count it. Sometimes it's short. They pretend they thought it was correct and they just happen to have the missing money in another pocket.

Still I get some people who just dump a bunch of change on the counter and walk off. If one of those people is ever short, even by $1, I'm calling the cops since I have no option but to assume they knew it wasn't correct.