Yeah, I'm just a lazy putz.

[SecurityWench]

Okay, so a guy comes through my line and I go through my usual spiel as I ring him through. We get into discussion about things and it eventually ends up on jobs as I'm bagging his groceries.

I'm nodding and smiling until he says, "I work really hard at my job. I mean it's not like being a grocery store checker where you guys do nothing all day."

....

By now I'm biting my tongue so hard I'm tasting blood. Okay, who has just rung up your huge cart of groceries with a smile on her face even though I have massive allergies that make smiling hurt my face? Who just bagged all your items for you? Who just placed them in your cart for you? Who just had her lunch break 3 hours late because I had to go in for other people so that we could have an even schedule?

I may be on a lower rung than you on the job ladder, but don't you DARE accuse me of doing nothing. This job is hard work. You do it yourself if you think it's so easy!

Maybe I'll just say nothing. Maybe I'll ask you to put half my cart back. Maybe I'll get angry at you if you don't put a birthday card into my cart for me. And you know what? You can't say anything nasty to me, because I'm the customer, and you're working for the highest-ranked customer service store in Austin.

Now go empty my cart for me. And don't forget that 40 pound bag of dog food.

[SG15Z]

Yeah I've gotten those people. Yeah they pay us to do nothing. Has he met Corporate?

[Can I Help Your A$$?]

As Miss Manners would say (about a normal conversation), say, "Oh! What an interesting assumption!

...I'll think about that while I'm scraping my callouses tonight!"

[Anakah]

I HATE when people do that!

For instance one day: The line just went down and I was fixing my drawer and taking a breather. This woman comes up and says: I'll give you something to do since you look bored and are doing nothing.

I wanted to scream. A second ago I was getting bitched at for only having two cashiers and the next min I am lazy because the got down?

I know how you feel. What nerve do they have to say that kind of crap??

[bainsidhe]

Damn I hate that. I usually pretend the person was joking "Ha ha, yeah right. That's pretty funny, it's a lot harder than it looks". Usually the person has the smarts to catch on. Those who don't tell me how they've worked retail before, how their current job is soooo much harder, etc etc etc. At which point, I usually shrug and say something like "Well, every place is different".

It's easier to brush off such comments when you consider the people are just plain crazy

[Mnemjian]

Speaking of Miss Manners, this guy needs to read her book. Who even says that to somebody even if they for some reason really believe it to be true? Just plain rude really

[Evil Queen]

Better her book then Dear Abby's. Sheesh.

[HawaiianShirts]

Those who don't tell me how they've worked retail before, how their current job is soooo much harder, etc etc etc.

Ha! I've worked retail for four years. I've done CSR stuff, worked in a university testing center, and I've done pizza delivery. I have an office job now (well, sort of... I do sit at a desk for about half of my workday). Compared to all those other jobs, this one's a breeze! I think if I were to tell a cashier that my job was so much harder than hers or that it must be nice to have an "easy" retail cashier job, I'd be struck dead on the spot.

[Phone Jockey]

I accidentally made a comment about how someone thought I was a "checkout girl" or something when in line having my groceries checked. I was SO embarrassed b/c I sounded like I was being condescending & it wasn't very nice. Sorry checkout people/cashiers. I think you're awesome.

[Boggles]

I once had a customer complain to me that he was working too many hours My reply was "I serve you every morning on the way to work. Every evening on the way home from work and every Saturday when you take the kids shopping. "

"yes but you don't actually do much. "

"well, the work is easy enough but it's administering the numpty beatings that wear you out. ". *wanders off with an evil grin*

[Rapscallion]

Of course, then you have to put up with me turning up with my mother to clean out your till...

Rapscallion

[KabeRinnaul]

I HATE when people do that!

For instance one day: The line just went down and I was fixing my drawer and taking a breather. This woman comes up and says: I'll give you something to do since you look bored and are doing nothing.

Those were always my most hated, too. At one point I was working on a list of phrases that customers should be banned from saying.
- "You were just waiting for me!"
- "Since you're not doing anything..."
- "You look like you could use something to do."
etc.

I think I started a thread on it at one point, even. But that would have been back in July, I think.

Edit - I did, actually. But it was closed.

[Rapscallion]

Threads automatically lock after six months.

Rapscallion

[Dips]

My MIL uses the "Oooh. You look bored!" line. She's a perfectly nice lady, she just has no idea how much that "joke" rubs people the wrong way. If I'm with her, I'll just give the employee a quick look of apology (where my MIL can't see it) to lighten the mood a bit.

She used to wait tables at one of those big posh resorts in the 50s. You'd think she'd remember just how unfunny these jokes were when her customers told them to her.