Go to the register!!!!

[drjonah]

Ok so my new job is as an assistant manager for a national pharmacy chain with 3 letters in it's name. I work in the front store and once in a while I have to run register. Our registers are 3 counters, the closed ones have big signs saying 'Next register please' and the open register does not.

For some reason, this intimidates quite a few of our customers. They'll stand FIFTEEN feet away from the register with a lost look on their face and then get mad because nobody is waiting on them. From the best angle that I can see the registers when I'm doing work, if I don't see anyone at the counter, I keep working.

What is it about counter registers that make people want to stand as far away as humanly possible. This isn't a case of they are waiting in line, they are the ONLY one at the checkout but won't 'belly up to the bar'

[dalesys]

...What is it about counter registers that make people want to stand as far away as humanly possible? ...

There might be a monster under it and they're waiting for Susan Sto Helit and her poker?

[vikingchyk]

What is it about counter registers that make people want to stand as far away as humanly possible. This isn't a case of they are waiting in line, they are the ONLY one at the checkout but won't 'belly up to the bar'

I've had this problem at Three Letter Pharmacy - I think it might be non-sucky customers who are confused by the lack of guidance. A lot of places use a single queue line for counter-type checkouts, and call out for the Next Customer. The lack of a designated queueing place and "Please Wait Here" sign is confusing. Well, for people trying to be non-sucky What do I do? Help me, I'm sooo confuuuused...

It's worse at TLP when there are two or more cashiers open, and people don't know if they make one line or multiples. I've seen some snarling when someone tries to make a new queues when the existing queue assumes it's a one-queue system "Hey, buddy, the back of the line is over there!"

[Rosco the Iroc]

The counter running down one whole wall and honestly If I saw the cigarette case I knew I was in the right place. When it got righteous I lost a land mark. Now I have to hunt for the register sandwiched between piles of other stuff. The main isle tables don't help to funnel people. AGGHH But I go into those places so little I'm one of those people who have to survey to figure it out.
Other chains are about as bad.