How to Make a Cashier Cry

[SilverOrb]

After all the horrible stories I have from my job (more to post later) you'd think that I'd be pretty tough skinned. Apparently NOT enough.

So this happened to me a good amount of time ago. At my store, the cashiers have about a million things we need to ask the customers, or we get in trouble. The current flavor of the week was to push donations. You know, those little sneakers or balloons that you buy and sign, that we later put up on display.

Somehow I manage to smile and be polite, even when I want to hurt people. Anyways, buy comes through my line. Always been a little gruff, but I didn't think much of it, dealt with worse. I do my little spiel, and ask him if he'd like to donate, and that is where things got ugly.

The "gentleman" proceeded to yell. Well, maybe yell wasn't the right word, lets say scream. "How DARE you try to sell me those @&*@ing things! I do not come into a store to be solicited to! I wanna know what makes you think you have the right to do that!"

And on and on and on, screaming at the top of his lungs. He got right up in my face. I was sure at a few points he was going to hit me. Customers are staring, the brand new cashier next to me is terrified, no one does a thing. He then proceeded to go over to the Customer Service desk and scream further about how I had no right. Thats the point at which I turned off my light, went to the bath room, and cried.

I mean, who screams at people for that? (It wasn't like I was even adamant about it. ONLY thing I said was "Would you like to donate to *****)

Silver

[Fiyero]

The "gentleman" proceeded to yell. Well, maybe yell wasn't the right word, lets say scream. "How DARE you try to sell me those @&*@ing things! I do not come into a store to be solicited to! I wanna know what makes you think you have the right to do that!"

The shop is private property, if the manager (or head office) ask you to say things to the customer it is their right, it is the customer's right to ignore it or decline.

[Foxglove8778]

I guess he was off his meds that day. Sheeeeesh!

[friendofjimmyk]

This is just freakin' terrible! What an ass!

[texasbelle5]

He should have been escorted off the property and banned for life. There is no excuse for people to act like such an ass.

Just say "no thank you" and it's over.

[tollbaby]

My coworker (and technically superior to me) Mary at an old workplace of mine once SCREAMED at me that if I dared put a christmas bow on her door or solicit her for our annual United Way campaign, she'd have me fired.

....

that was a COWORKER!!!!

[Bright_Star]

More than once I've had customers who were just like that one make me cry. I would stand there crying from the stress & they'd get even angrier. I mean WTF!!
I'd have to get a CSM to take over so I could walk away & compose myself. It's not easy being on a register ringing stuff up while some moron is yelling at you for whatever & you're trying to not take it personal.

[gunsage]

When I worked as a cashier (well, gas station attendant, but you get the idea), I had customers curse at me, threaten me, KNOCK OVER THE CHANGE MACHINE IN A FIT OF RAGE, pull a gun on me to rob me, attempt to BS me, and much more. It's a crappy job, but for the most part, people are intelligent enough to stay out of your face. The last time someone got in my fact like that had to have been a bully in high school. I'm quite a bit different than what I was back then...and back then, I WAS A WRESTLER.

To be frank, if someone ever got in my face, regardless of the reason, on/off duty, etc., I'd warn them once. If it didn't stop, HEAD BUTT. Just a thought.

[going gaga]

I mean, who screams at people for that?

There are jack asses everywhere, but there is no need to act like that to anyone,let alone someone who is just doing their job.
Hope you get a better day tomorrow..

[SilverOrb]

Head butting sounds like fun!

Actually, the store SAID that they'd ban him, but I don't think he ever bothered to come back anyways. He was sort of out the door before anybody really got moving, they just couldn't believe it. Of COURSE security wasn't around.

[mattm04]

I have never had anyone scream at me for that, but I had one SC lecture me on how to provide good Customer Service when I asked her if she wanted to buy a "sneaker." It wasn't the yelling and screaming, but the condescending lecture that lasted about 5 minutes. After she finished i told her I was sorry she felt that way but it is Corp. decision to run the programs, etc. She told me I was rude and she WOULD file a complaint against me. Two of the customers behind me talked to the GM to tell them how professional I was. Mrs. SC never complained.

[tropicsgoddess]

What an asshole. There was no excuse for him to act like that, you were doing your job!

[RammsteinGirl]

Heh, SilverOrb, sounds like you work at the same retail chain I do. We have a million things we have to push.. Smart Plans (our store's warranties), Sears Credit Cards, and currently we're promoting the March of Dimes.

I just don't understand what is so hard about saying "no thank you." Most people do understand that we have to ask them these questions or lose our job, but some people I guess just think we're out to give them a hard time. There was definitely no excuse for him to treat you like that.

[Namrepus221]

We're supposed to be "pushing" these Shamrocks for Muscular Distrophy now.

We've sold about $56 worth of them give or take.

Our corporate office wants us to push them now cause we aren't selling enough.

I am openly refusing to do it. I'm not gonna ask someone to donate and risk them getting pissed off. If they wanna do it, they'll do it.

I mean seriously. Is there any incentive for us to push them? Do I get a bonus if I sell the most?

[AdminAssistant]

At my old store, we were just finishing up a summer campaign for...March of Dimes, I think. No sooner than that had happened, Hurricane Katrina hit. Our store (along with a lot of others) chose to run a campaign for the Red Cross. Most people were more than happy to help, or at least respectfully decline, usually with "I already donated", etc. But one guy went totally nutso because we were asking him for money AGAIN. How dare we even ask for one precious dollar!!!

One thing I frequently noticed was that those who were crabbies about asking for donations looked like the ones who could most afford it. I loved the kids who'd hand me quarters to donate. The cuteness made up for the suckiness of others.