Turn your light off then

[Kogarashi]

Brief annoyance while grocery shopping last week.

I got up to the registers with my heaping full shopping cart and two children and got in line behind one other customer. As I shuffled things around and waited for space to clear on the belt, the customer in front of me said, "She's closed." I blinked in surprise at the other customer because I always check register lights before getting in line (having been a cashier myself), and sure enough, the light was still on. So I glanced at the cashier.

"I'm closed," she says, with something of a snotty tone.

I raised an eyebrow at her and then, not keeping the annoyance from my voice, replied, "Maybe you should turn your light off then, so you don't get more people in line." The cashier made a face as I pulled back out and got into the next line, with a much more polite cashier.

It took another five minutes or so for the snotty cashier to actually turn her light off.

[Anakah]

I had the same problem yesterday. There is this woman who works at our local "grocery" (I use that term loosely) store who always treats me like crap when the hubbie isn't around. Well, it was fairly busy yesterday and I had like two items and I got into her line. I stood there for a few then she looked up at me and told her current CUSTOMER: "Here, put this out."

CLOSED.

It was extremely rude for her to have the customer do it and she was rude about it. Normally someone would apologize and put it up before you had waited quite a few. She gave me a snotty smirk and went back to what she was doing. I grrowled whatever under my breath and went somewhere else.

Yeah sometimes the customers aren't psychic either... I guess that one really does go both ways.

[mikoyan29]

Back in my cashier days I would turn my light off as soon as I was told to go on break or whatever. If there wasn't someone waiting to replace me, I would take whoever was in line. Every so often, I would take a couple more if they only had a couple items.

but on the flip side, when I'd open a new register, I would go up to the person that would be next in line in the other line and bring them over.

[Andara Bledin]

Well, it was fairly busy yesterday and I had like two items and I got into her line. I stood there for a few then she looked up at me and told her current CUSTOMER: "Here, put this out."

Oooh... I'd so report her to her manager. That's just not unacceptable.

^-.-^

[Crescent Cat]

That's just not unacceptable.

So . . . that'd make it acceptable then, ne?

*is shot*

On a opposite note, I've been to places where there's only one line with the light on so I stand in that line. The only person ahead of me was unloading his or her groceries so I would wait patiently until I heard an annoyed huff. Upon turning I'd see another cashier looking at me as though I were stupid and informing me that his line was open.

I would then respond by saying, "Well, maybe you should turn your light on so that people would know."

I'd also be sure to have a word with that person's supervisor afterward.

[Mnemjian]

What terrible customer service. I would be really offended by that because it seems like they have a problem with serving you, specifically. I was at "Dress for Less" once and the lady in front of me was having trouble finding her card or something so it took about 5 minutes, but I wasn't in a hurry so I just waited. There were other lines open, though. When the lady gets done, the cashier tries to tell me that he's closed and can't help me (not politely either). I was kind of shocked because I had just been standing there for a while, could he not have said something? I guess he was annopyed at the lady for taking so long, but it was hardly my fault. Luckily for me, his manager was behind him and sharply told him to help the customers remaining in line. He did so (grudgingly). If a cashier has to close, they need to LET PEOPLE KNOW. Nothing is ruder than letting a (non SC ) customer stand around waiting for no reason...

[Chromatix]

In Finland, it seems to be the done thing to ask the present customer to put the "Next checkout, please" sign on the end of the conveyor.

But - and this is probably the key thing - that customer still gets served. The sign is for customers who haven't put their goods on the belt yet.

[EvilEmpryss]

I've seen cashiers nice enough to have the last person in line, whether they have their stuff on the belt or not, stick the sign in their basket so no one else will get in line, and then take care of everyone before going on break.

Sure beats the times when I hear "I'll take the next customer in line" and then have three people further back than me in line race me to the newly opened checkout. I could kiss the ones who play fair and say "No, *she* was the next one in line, you jumped ahead of her to get here" and then help me first.

[jjllbb]

On the flip side, today I was doing "pulls"(aka taking excess money from registers that weren't being used) and i had a lady fly down the lane that i was in.

Before she did any waiting I quickly said "I'm sorry ma'am! This register is closed."

And she yelled back at me in a huff: "We'll maybe you should turn off your light then!!"

I pointed up. "The light isn't on ma'am."

I had a good laugh.

[casey13]

Some stores will lock cashiers out of the system at 6 hours.

[mikoyan29]

Sure beats the times when I hear "I'll take the next customer in line" and then have three people further back than me in line race me to the newly opened checkout. I could kiss the ones who play fair and say "No, *she* was the next one in line, you jumped ahead of her to get here" and then help me first.

That's why I always went out and grabbed the next customer. I wanted to make sure the folks waiting the longest got first priority (as it should be). If I announced, there would be the mad rush for the line.

[Andara Bledin]

So . . . that'd make it acceptable then, ne?

*is shot*

>.<

Stupid typo...

^-.-^

[Kogarashi]

I'll chalk my encounter up to a cashier who really was closing down and just, for some reason, didn't turn her light off until she'd cleared all her customers out. I guess she thought she couldn't turn it off until her current customer was done? Which is stupid, if you ask me.

When I was a cashier, we too were to turn our lights off as soon as we were told we'd be closing our line to go somewhere else. That way you don't draw in the customers who are paying attention to the lights, and have something to point out to the customers who aren't paying attention. (And still get snapped at for it, but that's another peeve.)

And as for Anakh's and others' situations, where they'd been waiting a while already, we cashiers were supposed to check out the rest of our line when we turned off our lights, and merely turn away anyone who'd gotten in line after that point. When I had a "Closed" sign (many eons ago), I'd have a customer put it at the end for me because I couldn't reach, but I still took care of the rest of my line regardless.

On the flip side, today I was doing "pulls"(aka taking excess money from registers that weren't being used) and i had a lady fly down the lane that i was in.

Before she did any waiting I quickly said "I'm sorry ma'am! This register is closed."

And she yelled back at me in a huff: "We'll maybe you should turn off your light then!!"

I pointed up. "The light isn't on ma'am."

I had a good laugh.

::busts up laughing:: Oh that's awesome.

[labgirl27]

In her defense (about the light, I mean), I've had an issue at my store when I go on break and my manager tells me NOT to turn off my light, just in case...it does create a lot of issues.

However, that does not excuse her snottiness. When this happens to me, I politely tell the next customer that I am closed, and if they see my light is on, I explain the circumstances to them.

Usually they're much sweeter after that, although some people still get mad *shrugs shoulders*

[BethB]

I will shut off my light unless a replacement comes along, and finish up with all those who were in line. sometimes a few sneak up but I'm too nice to say "i'm closed". I just ring them through real quick. but I've noticed a trend when I work. When my light is off, I still get a steady stream of people coming to my line who don't see my light is off...BUT when my light's on and I'm waiting for the next customer I always get "are you open?". Is there a parallel universe??