"How dare you be courteous!"

[hinakiba777]

I spent the end of summer 2007 working at a grocery store. One of the big rules of the store was that we needed to place the last bag of groceries in the customers shopping cart. The main reason was make sure the customer hadn't forgotten anything. However, the last bag rule was also just a courtesy to the customer. By placing the last bag in we show that we're with you from the beginning of your shopping trip to the end. Plus, a lot of people forget their last grocery bag from some reason. The managers watch closely to make sure we do it. It could be grounds for discipline if we don't accomplish this task.

One afternoon a woman was going through my checkout with a man. When I reached for the last bag I found it was missing. I asked the woman if her companion had taken it. She told me he had.

"Alright," I said with my usual smile. "Before you leave today I'd just like to tell you about a service we offer that you may not be aware of. Here at *ABC Grocery* we like to place the final bag in the cart for you. It's just our little way of showing that we're there for you. Also, it just helps us know that you haven't forgotten anything while shopping. I hope you have a great day."

The woman nodded and left.

Later on, when the rush had died down, my manager came over to speak with me. She then informed me that the woman from earlier had called to complain. She'd been unaware of the service and was very upset that I'd told her about it. She told my manager to talk to me. She specified that I hadn't been rude or negative, simply that she was very angry I'd told her about this last bag rule.

It was the the single weirdest complaint I'd ever gotten.

*False name

[ArcticChicken]

Aaaalll righty then

[myswtghst]

People are special. Really, really special.

[theredbaron47]

Some more special than others.

At least she didn't get you in trouble.

[Peppergirl]

Ok - clearly the woman was a loon. My question, why would the manager even bother to bring it up to you in the first place??? Because she told the loon she would talk to you?

Jesus Christ on a cracker. Common sense and (most) managers just don't mix, do they?

[bainsidhe]

Soooo, complaint aside, which is more sucky? The fact that it's mandatory to place the last bag in the cart or the fact that the cashier must recite to the customer about the last bag scenerio. Please don't misunderstand, I'm not putting you down. I am very thankful my store doesn't require us to load up customers' carts. I strain my back enough, thank you. But to be forced to recite a scripted comment about the "last bag" policy just seems, well, annoying. As a customer, I wouldn't have thought you sucky and would have appreciated the gesture, but I would have been wondering WTF.

[rerant]

Reminds me of the lady who called me a "snotty bitch" today when I told her she had forgotten her credit card on the little signing table.
Um... ok? Next time I'll leave it there, let someone steal it and put you so far over your head in debt you'll be back and forth trying to sort your life out with banks for months.
I think that would justify calling me a snotty bitch.

As a customer, I wouldn't have thought you sucky and would have appreciated the gesture, but I would have been wondering WTF.

Same. I think it's even more bizarre that management would discipline employees who didn't follow through with a teeny tiny task like putting a bag in a cart.
I see their reasoning behind it but that doesn't stop it from being silly in my mind.

[SportinGoods]

Maybe she thought you intimidated her with your facts and/or logic?

Customers are a double edged sword sometimes, if your not nice enough they complain, and if you are too nice they complain.

[cinema guy]

Same. I think it's even more bizarre that management would discipline employees who didn't follow through with a teeny tiny task like putting a bag in a cart.
I see their reasoning behind it but that doesn't stop it from being silly in my mind.

Sometimes it easier for management to spot check one single activity than keep tabs on the whole range of employee activity. It isn't ideal, but it can be the way some managers do things.

[Bright_Star]

I don't understand why she was angry. IF you hadn't said anything then she'd bitch BUT because you DID say something then she bitched? I think people like that complain over stupid things just to hear their own voice.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I agree that the fact that you had to mention it would have me going , too. I mean, I sure wouldn't have complained about it to anyone, but I would have been thinking "Okay, that's just plain annoying."

It's nice that your store does that, because you're right, if a bag gets left, it's probably going to be the last one. But drawing attention to it if the customer has clearly taken care of it for you is...I dunno...kind of bizarre.

[hinakiba777]

Soooo, complaint aside, which is more sucky? The fact that it's mandatory to place the last bag in the cart or the fact that the cashier must recite to the customer about the last bag scenerio.

The sucky part aside from the complaint is placing the last bag in the cart.

The reason the management get so uptight about the bag rule is shoplifting. Some people will hide small items in the bottom of their carts so that they can sneak them out. You know the little flat space between the wheels and the bucket of the cart. Anyway, it's store policy for us to look for BOB(Bottom of Bin) items. We have to make sure that no ones stealing. We're trained to make the little speech about the bags in case people as why we Need to put their last bags in. IT wouldn't do well to tell them that we are on the look out for shoplifters.