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I work in a relatively small games store. We have three registers. The registers also double as our store computer systems and are used for many things besides ringing up sales.
They can be used to record shipments, receive stock, do inventory, item searches, corporate email communication, printing labels, etc.
Translation: If someone is at the register, that doesn't necessarily mean they can process sales.
Unfortunately most SCs seem to not/notice or care, even when someone is standing at the other register, waiting to ring people out.
If a person was standing there doing nothing, I can understand a customer expecting to be served, but when the person there is obviously in the middle of something, it should be common courtesy to ask if they can do sales. Sadly, common courtesy, as this site will tell you, is severely lacking in today's society.
I have seen the following in my time at the several games stores I have worked at:
- Yesterday, several SCs were pestering my assistant manager who was in the middle of receiving inventory, you'd think the collection of boxes and labels surrounding her would be a dead giveaway, but there were at least around ten, TEN people who just assumed that she was open and started either asking her questions or slapping games down on the counter in front of her, only to get a bit razzed when told she is busy and they will have to wait for the open register.
- One time I had a pile of Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS games on the counter in front me, trying to sort out a large trade we'd taken. An SC just slams a game down on the counter, sending games flying every which way, including a few that got knocked right off the counter to the floor, before saying to me "just this one, I'm in a hurry." You don't say, douchenozzle. Well, unfortunately I'll have to pass you on to my coworker down there since I'm busy.
- I was doing an inventory count and having an employee check on some numbers for me. Another employee was ringing out sales and had maybe four people in line. I was standing near the register but NOT directly in front of it and not in a manner that made it appear I was accepting customers.
Me: Ok, how many of game X do we have?
SC:(causes me to miss CW's answer) Excuse me.
Me: Just a moment ma'am. How many was that, CW?
CW: 5
SC: (louder) Excuse me!
Me: ONE moment ma'am. CW, can you check title Y and title Z for me?
SC: HEY!
Me: (gritting teeth) How may I help you?
SC: (slams game down....why do they always do that?) I need to get this one and my daughter wants to know if you have a certain game.
Me: Not a problem, unfortunately I'm in the middle of something on this computer, you'll have to go over to register 2.
SC: You mean you aren't open?
Me: Not at this time, sorry.
SC: But you're standing right there!
Me: Yes, because I need to use this computer to do what I'm doing.
SC: So you can't help me?
Me: Not right now, my CW will be happy to assist you.
SC: *grumbles* fine.
and I saved the best for last, this happened not to me, but a CW of mine. I was in the store at the time but organizing shelves, so I had a ringside seat for this.
similar situation as above, but when it got to the part where the employee was explaining to the SC that the computer was tied up, this happened...
...the SC reached over the counter slightly and hit the ESC button a bunch of times and said "There, now you're not in the middle of anything, ring these up"
CW:
CW: Two things sir. One, DO NOT touch my computer system, you do not work here, that's virtually the same as trespassing. Secondly, I want you to know that you just cost me about an hour of work because now I have to start what I was doing all over again since you just booted me out of that screen.
SC: That's what they pay you for isn't it? Not my fault your computer system sucks. (throws games down) This is all I need for today.
CW: I'm not serving you sir.
SC: What did you say?
CW: You have interfered with store business and have been rude to me, I refuse to serve you.
SC: That's BULLSHIT! I'm the customer, you have to serve me. It's the LAW, you have to SERVE me!
(evidently someone had alerted manager D to what was going on and he came out of the back at this point)
D: Is there a problem here sir?
SC: Yeah, this lazy ass girl won't ring out my games. She's refusing to serve me, but she can't do that because it's ILLEGAL.
D: (to CW) Please go in the back and wait for me there. (to SC)
Not according to any law I know of sir.
SC: WHAT?! Bullshit, I'm the customer, you have to serve me!
D: No we don't sir. This is a private business, we have the right to refuse service to anyone...and on that note I'd like to ask you to please leave my store.
SC: I'm not going anywhere until you ring out my damned games.
D: (crosses his arms) I'm not doing anything of the sort sir.
SC: Bullshit, you ring up my damn games and you ring them up NOW!
D: Sir, this is your final warning. Leave my store or I WILL CALL THE POLICE.
SC: You wouldn't dare.
D: (picks up phone and starts to dial)
SC: Ok, I'm going, I'm going. Bunch of retards they got working here....*stomps off*
D basically told CW that she didn't do anything that was against policy or the law and let her take a few minutes to compose herself from that encounter. Thankfully that dude was about the worst of the worst, but sometimes it's so difficult to get work done when you have SCs badgering you at an unavailable register.
I have mentioned to my store manager that they should either send us some "REGISTER CLOSED" signs or allow us to set up a computer terminal in the back room to help with this, but I doubt much will change anytime soon.
They can be used to record shipments, receive stock, do inventory, item searches, corporate email communication, printing labels, etc.
Translation: If someone is at the register, that doesn't necessarily mean they can process sales.
Unfortunately most SCs seem to not/notice or care, even when someone is standing at the other register, waiting to ring people out.
If a person was standing there doing nothing, I can understand a customer expecting to be served, but when the person there is obviously in the middle of something, it should be common courtesy to ask if they can do sales. Sadly, common courtesy, as this site will tell you, is severely lacking in today's society.
I have seen the following in my time at the several games stores I have worked at:
- Yesterday, several SCs were pestering my assistant manager who was in the middle of receiving inventory, you'd think the collection of boxes and labels surrounding her would be a dead giveaway, but there were at least around ten, TEN people who just assumed that she was open and started either asking her questions or slapping games down on the counter in front of her, only to get a bit razzed when told she is busy and they will have to wait for the open register.
- One time I had a pile of Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS games on the counter in front me, trying to sort out a large trade we'd taken. An SC just slams a game down on the counter, sending games flying every which way, including a few that got knocked right off the counter to the floor, before saying to me "just this one, I'm in a hurry." You don't say, douchenozzle. Well, unfortunately I'll have to pass you on to my coworker down there since I'm busy.
- I was doing an inventory count and having an employee check on some numbers for me. Another employee was ringing out sales and had maybe four people in line. I was standing near the register but NOT directly in front of it and not in a manner that made it appear I was accepting customers.
Me: Ok, how many of game X do we have?
SC:(causes me to miss CW's answer) Excuse me.
Me: Just a moment ma'am. How many was that, CW?
CW: 5
SC: (louder) Excuse me!
Me: ONE moment ma'am. CW, can you check title Y and title Z for me?
SC: HEY!
Me: (gritting teeth) How may I help you?
SC: (slams game down....why do they always do that?) I need to get this one and my daughter wants to know if you have a certain game.
Me: Not a problem, unfortunately I'm in the middle of something on this computer, you'll have to go over to register 2.
SC: You mean you aren't open?
Me: Not at this time, sorry.
SC: But you're standing right there!
Me: Yes, because I need to use this computer to do what I'm doing.
SC: So you can't help me?
Me: Not right now, my CW will be happy to assist you.
SC: *grumbles* fine.
and I saved the best for last, this happened not to me, but a CW of mine. I was in the store at the time but organizing shelves, so I had a ringside seat for this.
similar situation as above, but when it got to the part where the employee was explaining to the SC that the computer was tied up, this happened...
...the SC reached over the counter slightly and hit the ESC button a bunch of times and said "There, now you're not in the middle of anything, ring these up"
CW:
CW: Two things sir. One, DO NOT touch my computer system, you do not work here, that's virtually the same as trespassing. Secondly, I want you to know that you just cost me about an hour of work because now I have to start what I was doing all over again since you just booted me out of that screen.
SC: That's what they pay you for isn't it? Not my fault your computer system sucks. (throws games down) This is all I need for today.
CW: I'm not serving you sir.
SC:
What did you say?CW: You have interfered with store business and have been rude to me, I refuse to serve you.
SC: That's BULLSHIT! I'm the customer, you have to serve me. It's the LAW, you have to SERVE me!
(evidently someone had alerted manager D to what was going on and he came out of the back at this point)
D: Is there a problem here sir?
SC: Yeah, this lazy ass girl won't ring out my games. She's refusing to serve me, but she can't do that because it's ILLEGAL.
D: (to CW) Please go in the back and wait for me there. (to SC)
Not according to any law I know of sir.
SC: WHAT?! Bullshit, I'm the customer, you have to serve me!
D: No we don't sir. This is a private business, we have the right to refuse service to anyone...and on that note I'd like to ask you to please leave my store.
SC: I'm not going anywhere until you ring out my damned games.
D: (crosses his arms) I'm not doing anything of the sort sir.
SC: Bullshit, you ring up my damn games and you ring them up NOW!
D: Sir, this is your final warning. Leave my store or I WILL CALL THE POLICE.
SC: You wouldn't dare.
D: (picks up phone and starts to dial)
SC: Ok, I'm going, I'm going. Bunch of retards they got working here....*stomps off*
D basically told CW that she didn't do anything that was against policy or the law and let her take a few minutes to compose herself from that encounter. Thankfully that dude was about the worst of the worst, but sometimes it's so difficult to get work done when you have SCs badgering you at an unavailable register.
I have mentioned to my store manager that they should either send us some "REGISTER CLOSED" signs or allow us to set up a computer terminal in the back room to help with this, but I doubt much will change anytime soon.
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