View Full Version : Chatting at the till
Inspired by something I saw on another forum, tell me what your views are on this.
You go in to a supermarket and get your bits and pieces. You head to the checkout and there's someone already at the til. The person serving there is chatting away pleasantly to the customer as they scan the goods.
The goods get paid for and packed away - but they are still chatting.
Would you consider that rude or inconsiderate seeing as you're waiting to be served?
bjorkiii
02-07-2006, 11:25
I would call it irony ;)
Wicked_and_Crazy
02-07-2006, 11:31
i'd say it was inconsiderate. Fine, chat to the customer when they are serving them. Once they have paid they are no longer serving them and should move on.
Thats happened to me before (not in a supermarket) and ive just left the stuff at the till and walked out (via the store manager)
Inconsiderate, they're there to do a job, and while being polite is expected, letting it get in the way of their job is wrong.
Wicked_and_Crazy
02-07-2006, 11:32
I would call it irony ;)
why?
Timeless Stew
02-07-2006, 11:35
why?
It's clearly irony ;)
( It's related Russ's response to another thread)
Wicked_and_Crazy
02-07-2006, 11:37
It's clearly irony ;)
( It's related Russ's response to another thread)
ohhhh a clique joke. Sorry to intrude!
i'd say it was inconsiderate. Fine, chat to the customer when they are serving them. Once they have paid they are no longer serving them and should move on.
Thats happened to me before (not in a supermarket) and ive just left the stuff at the till and walked out (via the store manager)
Similar thing happen to me when the check out person was rude.........I walked out but................. let them scan it all first ;) ;) ;)
Mike
ohhhh a clique joke. Sorry to intrude!
It's wasted on me mate :shrug:
Timeless Stew
02-07-2006, 11:56
It's wasted on me mate :shrug:
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/showpost.php?p=772233&postcount=43
;)
zing_deleted
02-07-2006, 12:02
this happens in asda all the time I just say excuse me can you serve me now please and thats it sorted.Maybe they dont like be but Dilligaf
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/showpost.php?p=772233&postcount=43
;)
errrrrrr.........no?
I think whilst been served its ok but to carry on its a no no unless there are no other customers.
greencreeper
02-07-2006, 12:58
When I do my main shop, I scan and pay for my own goods. I could take my time and talk to myself, though I suspect that would be unwise :p: :D
It does depend on the supermarket - problem is worse in Kwik Save and non-existant in M&S.
MovedGoalPosts
02-07-2006, 13:02
It is probably more the fault of the customer than the checkout staff. My local Tesco is quite big, and getting bigger if they ever get the new mezannine floor installed. But it's also a town centre location. Thus it gets a high footfall rate with both weekly and daily shoppers. It's the daily shoppers that are the problem for checkout delays, they are usually the lonely types, for whom the daily shop outing is their only contact with the world.
Graham M
02-07-2006, 14:06
Wait until youve worked in retail then you'll understand :)
Wait until youve worked in retail then you'll understand :) Does it really get that boring/lonely at a till?
Graham M
02-07-2006, 14:07
yep, give it a go :)
Inspired by something I saw on another forum, tell me what your views are on this.
You go in to a supermarket and get your bits and pieces. You head to the checkout and there's someone already at the til. The person serving there is chatting away pleasantly to the customer as they scan the goods.
The goods get paid for and packed away - but they are still chatting.
Would you consider that rude or inconsiderate seeing as you're waiting to be served?
Depends. If the Cashier has finished serving the customer otherwise, then yes. If the Cashier is helping the customer pack, then no.
yep, give it a go :) I'll give it a miss then thanks ;) Stick with my temporary field engineers job which is quite good.
Graham M
02-07-2006, 14:10
I dont work in retail anymore, rather I work as a Taxi Despatch Controller as I fancied a change, and glad I did :)
I have worked in retail on Saturday nights serving the lottery with a shop full of customers and some of them just want to talk the world to death, there are customers behind waiting paitently but you can slowly see them loosing it with the other customer.
Graham M
02-07-2006, 14:11
Yep it's amusing to watch, I used to do it to customers I didnt like ;) You can see the steam :D
I have worked in retail on Saturday nights serving the lottery with a shop full of customers and some of them just want to talk the world to death, there are customers behind waiting paitently but you can slowly see them loosing it with the other customer. You could just deal with everyone in a manner of 'Job done, Next please' but obviously some of them would get even more pee'd off :)
Graham M
02-07-2006, 14:14
There were a few "mentally odd" but possibly just lonely people that seemed to want to talk and talk it was a lot of hassle getting rid of them. Some would even wait til after youd finished serving! eek!
Yip it annoys the heck out of me, Once I've packed I make a polite exit as other people are after getting there shopping bought and getting home.
There were a few "mentally odd" but possibly just lonely people that seemed to want to talk and talk it was a lot of hassle getting rid of them. Some would even wait til after youd finished serving! eek! Maybe you just had admirers Zeph ;)
Either way i hate it when you're in a rush and someone seems to be taking ages to pay, or just stands their talking... and talking... To the point where i have to make a noise or literally ask to be served. Annoying.
If it is a elderly person I don't mind so much as it is possible that they are lonely and only get out to the supermarket. I am lucky I suppose and tend not to be in a rush when shopping so I can afford to be patient
Wait until youve worked in retail then you'll understand :)
I worked in Tandy's for 18 months, I know what it's like. There's nothing wrong in my mind with chatting to a customer as you are serving them - in fact I'd encourage it. But if there's anyone else waiting, the conversation must politely end IMO.
TheDaddy
02-07-2006, 14:27
Maybe you just had admirers Zeph ;)
Either way i hate it when you're in a rush and someone seems to be taking ages to pay, or just stands their talking... and talking... To the point where i have to make a noise or literally ask to be served. Annoying.
The worst one is at the train station, your train is a couple of minutes away and you are stuck behind some idiot trying to re- new their travel card and their bloody credit card wont swipe :mad:
The worst one is at the train station, your train is a couple of minutes away and you are stuck behind some idiot trying to re- new their travel card and their bloody credit card wont swipe :mad: You won't know how many tmes i have done that. It got to the point where i needed to catch the last train of the day and some old folks were planning what seemed like a months worth of travel.
I skipped the ticket buyiong process, and made it to my destination. I've paid everytime since. I was just NOT missing that train.
Legendary_PSR
02-07-2006, 15:41
yep, give it a go
yep, working on a till is probably the worst job you can have in retail
there was me.....thinking we were going to have posts about how to chat up a checkout operator :D
You could just deal with everyone in a manner of 'Job done, Next please' but obviously some of them would get even more pee'd off :)
It gets to a case where you have to be like that with them.
I don't recommend been on just tills if you are going to work in retail get something like shelf stacking but with the opportunity to do everything. I was lucky and had a supervisor position where I could do anything.
---------- Post added at 16:42 ---------- Previous post was at 16:41 ----------
Anyway back on topic are there more shops than others that this happens? Is it more corner shops than supermarkets or is it the other way around?
I often feel there is too much emphasis on speed when shopping. Get in, get your stuff and get out as soon as is humanly possible.
Whatever happened to spending time, relaxed, have a chat, stop rushing ??
I try whatever I'm doing to be calm and relaxed and above all stop rushing.
Doesn't always work though and sometimes find myself all stressed and cursing.
Next time you find yourself stressed in a rush, try to ask yourself what is the worst that could happen if you don't meet your self imposed schedule ? :cool:
gaffer_gump
03-07-2006, 12:24
If in a supermarket or foodhall / market and they are chatting, just start eating your purchases, that always makes them pay attention to the job in hand :D
Please don't try to use the purchases in other retail outlets though as I don't think Boots would be overly chuffed to see you tryin on the condoms at the tills :nono:
Maybe if we had gone to our local corner shop instead of the huge supermarkets and used them while they were here then those little lonely people wouldn't be looking for someone to talk to in your check-out queue.They would be in their local corner shop instead. :shrug:
Frankly I would rather see people chatting at the check-out than ignoring each other.It's already a too impersonal world and a friendly face and voice is something I'd rather hear than the sound of complete indifference.The secret is for the cashier to help the person finish packing and then to start dealing with the next customer which naturally finishes the conversation. :)
Maybe if we had gone to our local corner shop instead of the huge supermarkets and used them while they were here then those little lonely people wouldn't be looking for someone to talk to in your check-out queue.They would be in their local corner shop instead. :shrug:
Frankly I would rather see people chatting at the check-out than ignoring each other.It's already a too impersonal world and a friendly face and voice is something I'd rather hear than the sound of complete indifference.The secret is for the cashier to help the person finish packing and then to start dealing with the next customer which naturally finishes the conversation. :)
Exactly .. but don't you feel too often the checkout operator rushes your stuff through so fast you hardly have time to pack it all up let alone spend a moment chatting ? All too often if you're prompt paying they start pushing the next persons stuff through before you've packed your own ! That really pi**es me off :mad: and I either take my time finishing my packing and getting my cash / card out or start packing the next persons stuff into my bags. :shocked: That usually stops 'em. :mad:
We should all just SLOW DOWN !!
(Maybe it's our age Incog ;) )
There's nothing wrong in my mind with chatting to a customer as you are serving them - in fact I'd encourage it.
These days it's expected from you to engage in converation even though customers are perfectly happy with being greeted saying "please" or "thank you" and saying "good bye".
But if there's anyone else waiting, the conversation must politely end IMO.
Definately. Most of the time customers are aware that you must get on serve the next person.
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