No, moron, I cannot make change!

[BowserKoopa1]

We have a policy at work that we are not supposed to open the drawer to make any kind of change. We do this to avoid short change artists.
Almost every time I get a customer who wants me to open the drawer to make change for them, I explain it to them, and they look at me and give me some sort of attitude.
The other day I had a lady come through my line. She asked for cash back. The customer behind her asks me to break a ten.

Me: Sorry, sir. I am not allowed to.
SC: I just wanted a five and 5 ones.
Me: I can't do it, sir. Company policy.
SC: That's stupid.
Me: I agree with you ,sir. But I will get into trouble if I do it.
SC: Whatever, dude.
Me: I apolozie, sir. I'd do it if I could, but I will get into trouble if I do, and I am not going to get in trouble for that. I have to follow the rules, or I get in trouble.

He continues to look at me. Then the next thing that happens really pisses me off.
The lady who had gotten cash back asked me to break her ten into 10 ones. Why? Because she didn't understand our policy either, and she sympathized with him. She said that because this was her transaction that I should make change for her since the drawer was open already. Technically she was right, so I went ahead and did it for her.
I was mad but did not show it. That stupid lady practically called me out and made me look stupid in front of that guy! When the f*** are customers going to stop giving me attitude about this?! Its not my fault, and I still wouldn't make change for them even if it wasn't our policy! I'm about ready to snap at the next customer who does this to me! Why don't customers understand that I'm breaking rules by doing this and that I could get into trouble?! Of course, what do they care?!

[Evil Queen]

I don't blame the lady for wanting to be nice to someone and break their ten for them. I know, company policy is you can't do something, but the lady saw a loophole and used it. Wouldn't you do the same, be it the same situation or not?

[Demonoid Phenomenon]

I used to hate this.
I would usually try the "I'm so sorry, but I'm very low on change and can't spare any ones/fives/tens/whatever."
It was more often than not a LIE, but it worked most of the time.

And get this...
I once had a customer ask for change and after explaining that I was very low and I couldn't help her out (which was true at the time), she told me that I could go to the bank for more.

Umm.
Yeah.
And so could YOU, you goddamned moron!
Of course, I didn't say that out loud.

[BowserKoopa1]

Try this one.... I had an employee from another store come up to me and wanted cash back. I was extremely low on change and told him I would have to wait for my supervisor to bring me more money. He was very rude and impatient, and he was holding up the entire line. I was this close to telling him off, and that his customer service skills sucked because he wouldn't let anyone else go.
Finally, my supervisor brings me a bunch of change, and then this moron does 3 seperate transactions. The maximum cash back you can get is $40, and he did this twice. Then this last part really wanted me to smack him right across the face.... he uses the $80 ($40 from the first 2 transactions) to pay for the 3rd transaction!

[Evil Queen]

Now that is asshattery. Why get money from the cashier if you're just going to get paying it back in the same visit? I would understand if he got the money back, left and returned because he forgot something and figured if he's got the cash he might as well use it...

Why can't you send these people to the Customer Service desk?

[rerant]

I just tell people flat out that no cashier is allowed to make change unless you make a purchase.
Not if the drawer is already open, not if you beg, not if you bribe us. Never.
If people give me the, "Well what am I supposed to do now!?" line I tell them where the closest bank is.
Seriously, it's not our problem that you need change.

[Sparky]

Could you possibly talk to management about what a problem it is and ask them to print up signs? I know CSs don't read, but at least you'd have something to point to.

[Jadedcarguy]

Try this scenario on for size:


I sit at the service counter for the shop. I do not have a cash drawer.

Me:

SC: Real Dumb.


SC: I need change for the soda machine.

Me: I don't have change in here. You want the cashier counter about 20 feet to the right.

SC: <points to service writer> See that guy? He told me to come in here, so GIVE ME CHANGE.

Me: Sir, I'm pretty sure he pointed to the cashier, not me, since I have no cash drawer in here. The cashier, not more than 20 feet to my right, has a cash drawer.

SC: Just give me change, man! I want a soda. You gotta be able to break a 5!!

Me: I don't carry cash. Sorry.

SC: Who doesn't carry cash?!? That's stupid!

Repeat ad nauseum until I hop the counter, physically walk the SC to the cashier counter, and ask the cashier to give him change.

WTF, people?

[bainsidhe]

Our store doesn't give out change, also due to quick-change artists. Regardless, the number if people who ask for entire rolls of quarters is irritating. One woman told me she was going to go to <competitor> because they were more generous. Are you kidding me? One roll of quarters was all the quarters I had. Back off.

And yes, not giving out change is a real hassle. But I also remember being told that our store lost $700.00 during the month of January to quick-change artists either confusing the cashier or grabbing money directly out of the drawer (they play it off as being "helpful" when they're really just stealing). Think about it, $700.00 in one month That's reason enough not to make change, if you ask me.

[Anthony K. S.]

I can only speak for myself, but . . .

I don't blame the lady for wanting to be nice to someone and break their ten for them. I know, company policy is you can't do something, but the lady saw a loophole and used it. Wouldn't you do the same, be it the same situation or not?

Well . . . No.

Not if the cashier might get into trouble for it.

Not all managers care about what is technically correct. I have known managers who expected employees to always "follow the rules," and that didn't allow for taking advantage of any loopholes.

In some places, and with some managers, a cashier really might get into trouble, get written up, or even get fired for something like this.

If there is even the possibility that the employee could get into trouble, then no, I wouldn't do it. Absolutely not.

I don't expect employees to risk their jobs for me, I don't expect them to do it for anybody else, and I would look down on anybody who did.


Also . . . These policies are in place for a reason. In this case, to prevent the store from losing money to short-change artists.

By arguing with employees over these policies, the customers make it harder for the store and employees to enforce them . . . and that makes it easier for the short-change artists to ply their trade.

Looking for and taking advantage of loopholes in the rules does the same thing . . . It makes it harder to enforce the rules, and makes it easier for people to commit the kind of fraud that these rules are in place to prevent.

And when stores lose money to this kind of fraud, you know what the result is. Higher prices, fewer employees, less and slower service...

Given the choice, I would rather see that guy go through the inconvenience of having to go somewhere else to get change for his $10 bill today, than have to pay higher prices for what I'm buying tomorrow.

Just my

[depechemodefan]

I see Evil Queen's point. The woman asked for $10 back, but as $1 bills, to exhange with the guy. You did have to give her $10. And you did state that it was store policy not to open the register just to give change. And maybe the woman's whole attitude wasn't "I'm going to show the cashier up!" but trying to be a nice person.

But we know how SCs are. He doesn't see it as a woman helping him out but as a cashier being a hardnose and being one upped.

The library I work at is in downtown, where there are maybe 100 banks in walking distance. We only have a register so people can pay fines.

SC: Can't you give me change? You have money in the till, don't you?

Yeah, sucks to have to go 100 feet to get change, but you should have thought about that anyway, considering you parked at a meter. And also, you went to a library, not Kinkos, in fact you bitched that the copier dosen't take coins anymore, that you had to get a library card (or a computer use only card, which trakes 30 seconds to get) to add money to it. OH, you remembered when the copiers let you put a bill in and it gave you change to feed the meter? Well damn, I remembered when there was no internet. I guess you have to go to the bank to get change then.

[mattm04]

I work in a supermarket with a bank in the store. It is open 7 day a week(unless it a holiday)

we have the no change policy also. I did a transaction for a guy gave him his change from the transaction. Just before I close the drawer, while his change is in my hand he drops a $10 on the top of the drawer and wants ones. I gave him his $10 back, told hem we can not give change. He argued with me that I have him change form the transaction. Eventually the MOD got involved and he still refused to go th the bank. He actually complained to the GM the next day, he was told the same thing. He then called Corp. was told the same thing, then he called the GM to complain again.

[kiokushitaka]

We're also not allowed to make change. Mostly because we need all the change we have for all the jerks that like to pay for $20 items with a $100 bill... which is always annoying in the opening shift... >:\

I usually direct people to the Wal-Mart next door, which has a bank inside.

[VenomX]

I am now very blunt to people asking me to break a bill.

No.
We are NOT a bank.
Next!

[BowserKoopa1]

The point is, is that many customers don't give a crap whether or not we get into trouble. All they want is their stupid change (they never ask for coins at my job btw). A twenty will spend the same as 2 tens, so I don't see the big deal.
I've also seen many cashiers, myself included, at other jobs where we tell the customer politely that we cannot open the drawer to make change. Next thing you know, the manager pulls you aside and tells you the customer said you were rude to them.
As for customers reaching into the register, I've been told by my managers to slam the drawer shut right on their hand. I'd do that alright, and I'd break their hand too doing it because I can be pretty mean. When it comes to crooks and thieves, I won't be lenient on them.