I've been a checkout lad for 5 months now. Second job, juggling it with uni study. It sure does look different compared to when you're the customer. I love my colleagues, essentially a simple recipe to meet new friends and I think its them that make my day at work, and my "Line manager" is among the most sweet, sympathetic people I've ever met, but here's my list of gripes, lets see who else can relate:
-Customers that act like its your fault when the screen show them a different price when you scan a product / 'hey thats supposed to be on sale!' -.....i seriously dont have a clue and dont care tbh, if it is on sale, it would be in the system.
-Customers that do not respond when I smile and say "Hey hows your day
". It's rude and you can be sure I won't be saying anything else to you for the rest of the transaction
-When a barcode can't be read ("product in look-up.....") and the customer is like "So i can get that one for free right
) ".....idk if you're being serious, but its not funny (because they always say that) and theres no away I'm giving my job away (i.e., fired) over some wonky Halloween wand. *calls supervisor*
-Customers that bring their own bags......I'm happy to pack your own bags, but if you then proceed to tell you EXACTLY how this and that should be packed... I'm not your babysitter, nor the person to decorate your bag as if its a christmas tree. I'm here to scan your items. And finally - if you give me your bags AFTER I've scanned over half your stuff and its in plastic, errmmm, yeah, you can deal with that. And finally - can you just do me a favour and take all of them out for me? i.e., they give you one bag, but inside it is like 100 others....
-If I don't ask you for your rewards card (refer to point no. 2), don't get pissy at me. The rewards card doesn't have to exist, its a privilege (and don't tell me the reward is crap/takes too long to reach, I KNOW IT IS, but i
ts not my fault and I can't do anything about it), and really - its your responsibility to remember. I don't have to ask you. Its not official company policy. If the receipt is out or you've already tapped your PayWave card and you suddenly pull your rewards card out of your butt, too bad - theres nothing I can do about it and i dont care! But if you're nice like the vast majority are, ofc I will make sure I ask you asap. As well as make sure your bags are packed in top-notch condition.
-What is the point of the express lane when in reality, anyone can just rock up? On my second day at work, I was on express, when an old man came round with a trolley of 150 items or so. I then proceeded to tell him politely I'm sorry sir this is express, max 15 items only (because thats the rule is it not?). He got angry and said well you're doing nothing, you can serve me! I told him rules are rules and as an employee, I'm here to enforce them (I thought thats doing the right thing?). He rolled his eyes and went off. A day later, a supervisor told me he had gone out of the way to write a complaint about me, and she said NEVER say no to the customer, they are ALWAYS right. ALWAYS. Im sorry, thats kind of pathetic.
-Scan-rate. Why is this a thing? Is it literally to guilt trip people for not scanning at break-neck pace? I'm from the UK, and they dont have scan-rates in their Woolies counterpart over there. One week in, I started at 9, supervisor was like its ok, could be better (then I read this thread and I'm like oh damn its bad), now I'm at 14 and I'm comfortable but still, it shouldn't be something at the back of your mind every time you are serving someone. which leads me to......
-It feels awkward and VERY repetitive, when theres gaps between customers....
and you keep signing on and off to save your scan rate! Seriously - get rid of the scan rate, OR, only have it start as soon as you begin scanning an item.
-We should be allowed to have our own "Sorry , lane closed" signs. When you are working a 5 hour shift, unless you go during your tea break, I'm gunna probably need to pop to the loo quickly during my shift - I'm not 5 years old, I shouldn't have to ask my supervisor can i go to the toilet (like I'm still at school), and we should be able to be trusted with using the signs! Same thing applies for the end of the shifts - three times now, I've gone home late by a rather whopping 15 minutes because the supervisor forgot to put the sign there, and the customers just keep rocking up. Only did I manually tell customers I'm sorry I'm closing after this guy, did I get to finish that transaction and just LEAVE but yeah, its happened a few times.
But otherwise, seriously, I'm happy with the job. i get about 10 hours consistently each week as a casual, I love my line manager, the vast majority of the customers are nice and pleasant to talk to, each shift is never the same, and I feel like my wrists and forearms get a bit of a workout.