Here's your sign

[CarcinogenCrunchies]

One day our store's card processing service had a major issue, and we could only accept cash until it was resolved. I hurried to print up some large signs that said, "CASH ONLY. CREDIT, DEBIT, CHECKS AND FOOD STAMPS TEMPORARILY DOWN," and post them on all the gas pumps, doors and registers. I tried to keep wording to a minimum and even highlighted the main points in yellow, hoping that might draw people's attention. Of course, it didn't work. For the next two hours, I dealt with these people:

- People who walked in and asked, "So does that mean I can't use my credit/debit/food stamp card?"

- People who produced a card for payment and, when the signs were pointed out to them, replied rather proudly, "Oh, I never read signs."

- People who stopped at the door to look at the sign, then came in and proceeded to try using a card or a check.

- People who gave me a stubborn look and said, "This is all I have." (I wanted to say, "Well, that changes everything! Gee, I wonder why the techs at the card processing company didn't try saying that when the system went down.")

- This exchange took place with one customer:
S(tupid)C: I'm trying to get gas. It won't take my card.
ME: I know, I'm sorry. Our card system is down at the moment. They're working on it.
SC: Well, I think I might know what the problem is. I found this stuck in the slot where I put my card.

He hands me one of the little flags we stick in the card readers at the gas pumps if they aren't working. It tells people to please pay inside. I had put these out in addition to the printed signs.

ME: Actually, we are having a problem with our system right now, and we can't take any cards at all.
SC: Oh. Well, you should probably put up a sign or something!

[Sandiercy]

You actually put up a sign??? We all know that no SC worth his name reads signs.

[smileyeagle1021]

Ye gods, the problems I have with signs...
I swear, the most popular activity at our resort, and I don't care what the guest surveys say it is, is ignoring signs.
We have one at the desk "Paper's available" with a list of the prices... our shrinkage is outrageous because people just grab them off the rack and walk away, the few we do catch will say "oh, no one told me it wasn't free"... umm, yeah, that is what the sign is there for.
Our players club is open 7am to 11pm, it is adjacent to the registration desk, so at first we thought we could get away with just doing next window please signs, and you'd be amazed how many people would just stand there waiting for someone to help them... apparently that we were the next window never occured, but in fairness, I can understand not making that leap. So we put up a sign "Please see registration with assistance with the players club." Now we get two type of people, the people who completely ignore it and still wait expectently at the players club desk and the people who come over right after reading it "can you help me with my players club card here." No, we just put that sign up to tease you, here's your sign.
Across from the desk we have a very large sign pointing you towards the bathrooms... yet I still get people who will stare at the sign, turn to me and ask where the bathrooms are... they're out in the bushes, here's your sign.
And my personal favorite, one of our restaurants even has 24/7 in its name... it has it very prominently on its sign... I've gotten calls from slot techs saying they needed to know what time it closed so they could tell the guest

[EricKei]

SC: Oh. Well, you should probably put up a sign or something!

Me: You mean, like the one you are holding right now?!

...

Excuse me for a moment, I need to reboot my brain due to a mental BSOD x.x

[It's me]

Personally, I blame advertising. I am of the opinion that print ads are so ubiquitous that people start to just tune stuff out and literally don't see them... and warning signs get lumped in with them.

[MadMike]

People who produced a card for payment and, when the signs were pointed out to them, replied rather proudly, "Oh, I never read signs."

I had a co-worker who was like that. She had me doing some research, and when I completed it, I emailed her with what I found. About an hour or so later, she called me and asked how the research was going. I told her I had finished it, and I had emailed her the results.

Her reply was, "Oh, I don't have time to read email!" But apparently she did have time to make unnecessary phone calls.

[dalesys]

... that print ads are so ...

iniquitous, implying that their product will instantly clear zits, haul your ashes, and solve all your problems that don't even exist...

that Gresham's Law has triumphed again.

[BrenDAnn]

I think the only way to get an SC to read a sign would be to write FREE in huge letters at the top, the continue on with "Now that I have your attention..." of course then they still wouldn't read past FREE, so...No, that's a bad idea too. By the way, I feel your pain-- credit cards went down at C-Store Saturday night when I was working! Pain in the arse it was!

[MoonCat]

I think the only way to get an SC to read a sign would be to write FREE in huge letters at the top, the continue on with "Now that I have your attention..." of course then they still wouldn't read past FREE, so...No, that's a bad idea too. By the way, I feel your pain-- credit cards went down at C-Store Saturday night when I was working! Pain in the arse it was!

I can attest to this. The only word they read is FREE. Then when told the qualifying elements that enable said item to be free, they ask, "Well, why doesn't it say that??"

Me: Ma'am/Sir, are you looking at the promotional ad right now?
Customer: Yes!
Me: And what else does it say after the part about it being free?
Customer: ......Oh.
Me: (And since I'm on the phone with them, they can't see this part )

[pzychobitch]

I think the only way to get an SC to read a sign would be to write FREE in huge letters at the top, the continue on with "Now that I have your attention..." of course then they still wouldn't read past FREE, so...No, that's a bad idea too. By the way, I feel your pain-- credit cards went down at C-Store Saturday night when I was working! Pain in the arse it was!

Same thing happened to me bout 7-8 months ago when I worked the day shift. I can attest to how painful it was!

[Dadeo]

And my personal favorite, one of our restaurants even has 24/7 in its name... it has it very prominently on its sign... I've gotten calls from slot techs saying they needed to know what time it closed so they could tell the guest

I worked for a place who's NAME was "24 hour company". To be fair, they started out open 24/7 but, in their infinite wisdom, they decided that they would only open 8am-midnight. When I had to explain this to customers, I'd just say "Of course we're open 24 hours... just not in a row."

[Teefies2]

Completely a thread-jack, but just wanted to point out that Bill Engvall ("here's your sign") is my cousin.

:-D

[smileyeagle1021]

I can attest to this. The only word they read is FREE. Then when told the qualifying elements that enable said item to be free, they ask, "Well, why doesn't it say that??"

Oh, you should see the kaneption that people throw when told that indeed the print on the back of the coupon is important. Yes, including that part that says blackout days apply... double bonus points if the big print on the front even says "Sun-Thur only", and they are there on a Saturday.