Tips to make shopping good for everyone

It's no secret that I work as a part-time cashier at WM. I really enjoy my job most days. However, I come across a few people who could use a few tips on how to be nice to their cashier. Yes I know that there are some cashiers who need to find new jobs. Customer service is not their strength, but there are good ways and bad ways of dealing with those people.

So here are my top 13 tips on how to treat your cashier.

1. When your cashier greets you, please respond. It's just rude to not say anything. This means you should not be talking on your cell phone. If it's not an emergency, save it until you are out of the store. Besides, the other customers aren't interested in what you did last night nor are they interested in what you are going to have for dinner tonight.
2. Don't get mad at me when you're in a rush (i.e. are going to be late for an appointment or work) and the guy in front of you needs a price check or needs a new bottle of bleach because the last one exploded. It's not my fault that you didn't give yourself enough time to get to work AND shop before going there.
3. Don't yell, curse or talk down to your cashier. I'll work slower and I will tell you don't need to use such language in order to make me speed up, give you a sale price when it isn't clearly marked or give you $1 off on a coupon that isn't valid.
4. If I ask to see your credit card or ID it's because that's my job. In addition, there are laws I have to follow. If you aren't 40, don't get upset when I say I need to see your id for cigarettes or alcohol. That's the law. When I ask to see your credit card, it's for your own good. People do steal them still. Don't give me a hard time, just pass them on over.
5. If you don't have your ID or are using some one else's check or credit card, the sale is NOT going to happen. I don't care if you promise me your mama told you to use her card or that your ID is lost. I plan on keeping my job and WILL follow the rules.
6. If you'd like to use cloth bags, it's a great idea to let me know BEFORE I start putting stuff in the plastic ones. Even if the cloth bags are at the bottom of your cart, I can still put the stuff to the side, pack your bags later and not waste the plastic bags.
7. If you only have $20 to spend, don't act shocked when it comes to $20.75. No I don't carry an excessive amount of change in my pocked to give you. Please add things up as you go and remember, unless you live in New Hampshire, there is sales tax.
8. Have your money ready. I don't mind accepting change, but don't decide to dig around for it and keep the other people in line behind you waiting. If there's no line, there's no issue and you can take your time.
9. Keep conversations friendly and generic. I'm not your shrink and cannot solve your problems. I do however, enjoy chatting with you, but I don't want to hear your life story nor do I want to hear about how certain body parts are oozing.
10. Don't make too many demands. We'll be glad to double bag things if you ask nicely. We'll be glad to wrap up glass items and not pack your bleach with the milk. But requesting large bags for a pair of gloves is ridiculous.
11. Price checks do take time. Remember there is a person out there searching for the item you have that doesn't have a UPC. I cannot just type in the price based on your memory. Like I said, I want to keep my job and have to follow the rules. If there person is really slow, I'll tell them you have been waiting a long time and that they need to hurry up.
12. Sure the customer is always right, except when they aren't. If the item was in the wrong place and is not on sale, take that up with my supervisor. In the same way if your coupon is expired, that means you cannot use it. Don't even try. There's nothing I can do about it. Sorry.
13. Please know I try my best to be friendly and serve you as quickly as possible. If I do a great job and you enjoyed your service, let my supervisor know or just come back to my line again and again (I do like regulars). If I was rude to you, don't yell at me, just go and tell my supervisor, they have great ways of dealing with bad cashiers (like coaching them, firing them or moving them to a job that doesn't require customer service).

And as always, thank you for shopping your friendly WM store. =-)