It is not secret that retail, or working with the general public is a line of work that makes you wonder about 75% of humans. You learn to bite your tongue, fake a smile, and do not let a few rude people ruin your day. I have gathered the top five things that happen to me every shift.
1. When Customers Harass You After You Clock Out
There is absolutely no way I am working off the clock, I need to be paid to deal with any kind of inconvenience you have. This is also the number one way to piss a customer off, they believe that since you are in the building you are to slave to their every need to all of your capability. So, if you spot an employee, keys in hand, putting on a jacket walking towards the door, they are dead to you, act like you never saw them. Do not be rude, they have been there for eight hours, I am sure someone else can direct you towards organic dried bananas or whatever it is that is life or death that you find.
2. You Do Not Know More Than The Employee
Believe it or not we are trained and know the ins and outs of the computer systems and know what they can and cannot do. This means that if five of your thirty seven coupons do not scan, that is because they are from a fake website you paid $5.99 for to get scammed, sorry Charlie I cannot make the computer work differently I am a human. Do not even try to tell me that another store let you do this or that, go back to that store then, this is not Burger King.
3. Employees Do Not Control prices
"That is not what the sign had it priced"
I actually guarantee that is was, but okay. I will go ahead and run across the whole store to tell you exactly what I already knew. Also, if something is too expensive why did you put it in your cart? I am not going to lower the price I do not own the store.
4. No, I Cannot Look In The Back
All that is back there is empty boxes. I am sorry we did not have thirty bags of dill pickle family sized potato chips on the shelf. I will be sure to let them know that Becky that comes in on Tuesdays loves those and we will be sure to order double. Thank you for asking me in the middle of ringing up someone else's groceries, and for starring at me until I am done.
5. If We Are Closed, Get Out
Why do you need groceries after 11 P.M. the lights are dim, the registers are closed, why are you browsing through your coupons right now? You are actually the only thing keeping me from going home, so excuse me if I stare. Have some respect for some that did not get off at 5.
