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I think we've got this backwards ....

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  • I think we've got this backwards ....

    So management has instituted some new "Let's Make Our Customers Happy!!!" guidelines. I suspect some of them are intended primarily for the holiday season, since (I'm told) it usually becomes mass chaos, and Christmas cheer is noticeable by its absence.

    One of these guidelines: if there is a screaming or crying kid with the shopper, we give the kid a Kinder Egg.

    Me: "Um, okay ... and what do we give to the kids who are waiting quietly and patiently for the shopping to be over ... ?"

    ************************

    Also, I believe that the federal government (Canada) plans to ring in the new year by banning all single-use plastics. This includes shopping bags AND produce bags. THAT is going to be entertaining ... especially for people like the nitwit who came through my line tonight and bought (I kid you not) $700 worth of food ... and did she bring in any bags or bins? Did she, hell ...
    Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
    ~ Mr Hero

  • #2
    Quoth Pixelated View Post
    Me: "Um, okay ... and what do we give to the kids who are waiting quietly and patiently for the shopping to be over ... ?"
    Then you tell them they're good boys and girls and give them Kinder Eggs - and tell management they were screaming and crying. ;-)

    Comment


    • #3
      Out of curiosity does the single use plastic ban include things like plastic forks/spoons/knives? Or containers, like for food?
      https://www.youtube.com/user/HedgeTV
      Great YouTube channel check it out!

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      • #4
        Quoth TheSHAD0W View Post
        Then you tell them they're good boys and girls and give them Kinder Eggs - and tell management they were screaming and crying. ;-)
        Brilliant! Although they might start to wonder why we are going through Kinder Eggs so fast ... but still. I love it.

        Quoth telecom_goddess View Post
        Out of curiosity does the single use plastic ban include things like plastic forks/spoons/knives? Or containers, like for food?
        Hmmm ... okay, I found an article that says the ban will go into effect in 2021. I'd better tell my coworker that -- the one who's been telling all her customers that as of THIS new year we will no longer have plastic bags ...

        "[Prime Minister] Trudeau has said that Canada’s plan will 'closely mirror' the European Union’s. In March, the European Parliament agreed to ban almost a dozen single-use plastics by 2021. The EU’s ban includes single-use cutlery, plates, straws, ear swabs, plastic balloon sticks and drink stirrers. The Canadian plan will likely include those items as well."

        This is from an article in Chatelaine.

        I'm not sure about food containers, although plates are mentioned. And yes, certainly people could wash and re-use plastic cutlery -- but most people don't.

        Thank goodness for Google ...
        Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
        ~ Mr Hero

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        • #5
          Quoth telecom_goddess View Post
          Out of curiosity does the single use plastic ban include things like plastic forks/spoons/knives? Or containers, like for food?
          Of course plastic forks/spoons/knives are included. You have fingers, use them.

          That's what we did before forks/spoons/knives were invented. And for a while afterwards, every one provided their own. Just like some people are doing with straws today.

          Now where did I put that camping utensil set?
          "I don't have to be petty. The Universe does that for me."

          Comment


          • #6
            Yikes, it's a terrible idea to give kids food these days. Let me count the reasons why... Allergies, intolerances, maybe the parent said no and is holding their ground (yay!) maybe the kid just does NOT need more sugar, maybe the kid is tired and cranky and sugar would not be helpful, maybe they don't need to be rewarded for crying... I feel like there's more.

            Anyway, there's a reason most places give out stickers and not lolly pops anymore. My town banned plastic bags years ago and if someone doesn't bring their one bags and doesn't want to pay a nickle for paper bags, then their groceries just go back in the cart, loose. I've seen that lots. We have produce bags, though. You don't tend to see those floating around the side of roads or caught in trees, at least.
            Replace anger management with stupidity management.

            Comment


            • #7
              Quoth Ironclad Alibi View Post
              Of course plastic forks/spoons/knives are included. You have fingers, use them.

              That's what we did before forks/spoons/knives were invented. And for a while afterwards, every one provided their own. Just like some people are doing with straws today.

              Now where did I put that camping utensil set?
              Fingers are definitely an option, as is providing your own. There also seems to be some plant-based cutlery out there ... I dunno, maybe if you're still hungry when you've run out of food, you can eat the cutlery ... ?

              Quoth notalwaysright View Post
              Yikes, it's a terrible idea to give kids food these days. Let me count the reasons why... Allergies, intolerances, maybe the parent said no and is holding their ground (yay!) maybe the kid just does NOT need more sugar, maybe the kid is tired and cranky and sugar would not be helpful, maybe they don't need to be rewarded for crying... I feel like there's more.

              *snip*
              You raise some good points there. I can't answer for my fellow workers, but I would always ask the parents, very sotto voce, if the child can have chocolate before offering it. In fact, it's what I do even with stickers.
              Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
              ~ Mr Hero

              Comment


              • #8
                Quoth Pixelated View Post
                I can't answer for my fellow workers, but I would always ask the parents, very sotto voce, if the child can have chocolate before offering it. In fact, it's what I do even with stickers.
                This was my policy when I worked at the wholesale club. I wasn't ever handing out food, but if I rang something up at my register and the kid started clamoring for it, I always looked at the parents for my cue. If they give me a nod, then I hand it to the kid. If the parent shakes their head, I put in the cart and say, "Sorry, but your Mom/Dad says no."
                PWNADE(TM) - Serve up a glass today! | PWNZER - An act of pwnage so awesome, it's like the victim got hit by a tank.

                There are only Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse because I choose to walk!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Quoth Ironclad Alibi View Post
                  Now where did I put that camping utensil set?
                  buried in the shed. behind the tent, backpacks, and sleeping bags, in that tote on the bottom of the stack with the ugly spider and web all over it.
                  This is a drama-free zone; violators will be slapped. -Irving Patrick Freleigh
                  my blog:http://steeledragon.wordpress.com/

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Quoth SteeleDragon78 View Post
                    buried in the shed. behind the tent, backpacks, and sleeping bags, in that tote on the bottom of the stack with the ugly spider and web all over it.
                    The spider can have it all; I'm off to the outdoors store ...

                    Latest update on these new policies:

                    I'm ringing up a customer's purchases.

                    Customer: "HOW much is that shrimp?" (Note: the shrimp is de-shelled, or whatever it's called.)

                    Me: "$7.99"

                    Customer: "No, no, it was in a bin that said $5.99 per package."

                    I call the seafood department. Am waiting for a callback when Supervisor comes over and asks what's up. I explain it to her.

                    Supervisor: "Okay, ring it in for $5.99."

                    Seafood calls back and says it's $7.99. It's the shrimp with the shells still on that's $5.99 a package.

                    Supervisor: "No, just give it to them for $5.99."

                    So I do.

                    Later I go and ask an even higher-up person about this. She says yes, in future, if something like that occurs again, I'm just to give it to them for the price they quote.

                    Me: "Um ... you does realize, right, that we're going to get scammed all over the place once the scammers realize this is happening?"

                    Higher-up person: "Oh yeah. I know it. But this is what corporate has ordered, so ..."

                    I shrug and say "Okay then" and walk away.

                    Now, there are SOME restrictions on this, which are up to the discretion of the cashier (thanks, corporate!) If the person says "Oh, I know the tag says $7.99 but it's actually $1!" -- at THAT point I get to call over a supervisor and let them sort it out (in other words, if the 'sale' price is truly ridiculous, then I don't have to automatically honour it. Otherwise, I do.)

                    And at some point I also have to call up the relevant department and tell them ... I dunno, that I've just sold some of their product for the wrong price because the customer insisted? I'll get that cleared up later on, but with Christmas coming on, I'm likely not going to have TIME to call people at the other end of the store (who will also be slammed with cranky customers) and explain the latest officially-sanctioned SNAFU.
                    Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
                    ~ Mr Hero

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Quoth Pixelated View Post
                      Me: "Um ... you does realize, right, that we're going to get scammed all over the place once the scammers realize this is happening?"

                      Higher-up person: "Oh yeah. I know it. But this is what corporate has ordered, so ..."
                      This is exactly the sort of thing where you really want this in writing. Otherwise it'll be used as an excuse to fire or demote or otherwise cause you issues.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Quoth Pixelated View Post
                        Fingers are definitely an option, as is providing your own. There also seems to be some plant-based cutlery out there ... I dunno, maybe if you're still hungry when you've run out of food, you can eat the cutlery ... ?



                        You raise some good points there. I can't answer for my fellow workers, but I would always ask the parents, very sotto voce, if the child can have chocolate before offering it. In fact, it's what I do even with stickers.
                        I carry a set [fork, knife, spoon of a really nice heavy plastic I got at some point in the last couple years, and a nice pair of Japanese style chopsticks [the short pointy ones]] in my messenger bag in a zippy bag. I always have alcohol swabs, so a bit of water on a napkin and a swipe of alcohol and they are good to go.

                        I actually do this because chemo made anything eaten with metal and some plastics taste absolutely nasty.

                        At home, for my convenience [again, chemo and radiation was knocking me for a loop and all I was doing was nuking prepared meals for myself] we use the good screwtop plastic leftover containers, and I found 2 brands of 'paper plates' one made using sugar cane processing waste and one using ground bamboo instead of standard paper. Much solider, and using recycled materials is always good in my books =)

                        If you check on Amazon, they have a whole bunch of options available. We favor the 32 oz pho bowls and the little 8 oz dip bowl, and the 9 inch paper plates.
                        EVE Online: 99% of the time you sit around waiting for something to happen, but that 1% of action is what hooks people like crack, you don't get interviewed by the BBC for a WoW raid.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Quoth TheSHAD0W View Post
                          This is exactly the sort of thing where you really want this in writing. Otherwise it'll be used as an excuse to fire or demote or otherwise cause you issues.
                          We had a written notification of the overall changes. It did mention the price issue, although not to this level of specifics.
                          Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
                          ~ Mr Hero

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Quoth AccountingDrone View Post
                            I carry a set [fork, knife, spoon of a really nice heavy plastic I got at some point in the last couple years, and a nice pair of Japanese style chopsticks [the short pointy ones]] in my messenger bag in a zippy bag. I always have alcohol swabs, so a bit of water on a napkin and a swipe of alcohol and they are good to go.

                            I actually do this because chemo made anything eaten with metal and some plastics taste absolutely nasty.

                            At home, for my convenience [again, chemo and radiation was knocking me for a loop and all I was doing was nuking prepared meals for myself] we use the good screwtop plastic leftover containers, and I found 2 brands of 'paper plates' one made using sugar cane processing waste and one using ground bamboo instead of standard paper. Much solider, and using recycled materials is always good in my books =)

                            If you check on Amazon, they have a whole bunch of options available. We favor the 32 oz pho bowls and the little 8 oz dip bowl, and the 9 inch paper plates.
                            I'll look into those, thanks!

                            I had this cookbook for several years many decades ago during a bout with cancer. It was great because among other things it included recipes for shakes and smoothy-type drinks that would give you pretty much a meal's worth of nutrients in a very small package. They were priceless for people who had little to no appetite.
                            Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
                            ~ Mr Hero

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Quoth Pixelated View Post
                              "[Prime Minister] Trudeau has said that Canada’s plan will 'closely mirror' the European Union’s... The EU’s ban includes single-use cutlery, plates, straws, ear swabs, plastic balloon sticks and drink stirrers. The Canadian plan will likely include those items as well."
                              Dear Lord, are people supposed to re-use Q-tips?

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