- Greeting
just as much as it is our job to greet you and be friendly, that courtesy should be returned. Its really not that hard to say "good thanks, and you?". - Conversation
Its not hard to hold a conversation with a checkout chick, in fact more often than not, we can talk AND pack, AT THE SAME TIME!!! But, we don't want to hear about your life, even just a quick chat about the latest band/football game/V8's race whatever, is fine, if you feel the need to converse. - Baskets
A lot of customers buying a few items will often put their shopping in a shopping basket (gee who'd ahve thunk it?). But, these customers don't always take them OUT of the basket when they reach the checkout, they'll just leave a bunch of awkwardly placed items in a basket on your register, and expect you to deal with them.
Pro-tip: don't do that. Most operators these days will just pick the basket up, dump your shit on the register, chuck the basket to the end of the conveyor, and start scanning. Why? The look of horror on a customer's face is worth it. We're not meant to empty your basket for you, its an OHS issue, ya know, the whole reaching thing. May not seem like a major issue, but if you do our job 4 hours straight, chances are, your shoulders will hurt like all buggery too. - Conveyor Organisation
This is about how you put your groceries on the conveyor belt.
Firstly, don't throw your shit there haphazard like, its really awkward for packing. Put things in categories, ya know, cold food, meat, fruit and veg, cans, boxes, soft items, pet food and non-food items. Its just easier.
Don't stand bottles up, they fall over, also don't lie them sideways so they roll. Thats just retarded, on their side, veritcally, means they'll stay in one spot and wont move. Makes my life easy.
Also, don't put ALL the heavy items on the far end of the register, or in the middle, it weighs it down unevenly, and stops it from moving. - Price Checks
Don't ask us if something is 'x' amount, we don't know. That's what grocery workers are on the floor for. We can do a price check sure. But if you disagree, I still have to get a grocery worker to come to my register, take the product, find it, check the price and come back and tell me.
Also, NEVER tell a checkout chick how much EACH and EVERY piece of fruit and/or vegetable costs per kilo. We don't know, the register does, and the code we put in will tell us the price.
And on that note, we also don't want to be told what every piece of fresh produce is called either, we're trained to know. In fact, chances are, most of us are smarter than you. - Multi-buys
Many supermarkets these days have a thing called "multi-buys" or two for one deals. This is when you can by a multiple amount of the same product for a discounted price, or buy one and get one free.
Firslty, READ the ticket. It's annoying having someone come up and complain that the bread they bought is a 2 for $5 deal, and when we check, its actually the bread next to it.
Secondly, don't interrupt me halfway through scanning to tell me that "those cans of tuna are meant to be 5 for $4", when I've only JUST started scanning them. The register corrects it, once the four items have gone through dickwad, otherwise it would just be a standard special wouldn't it. Oh look at that, the items are now highlighted in red, and discount has been applied.
And LOOK at that red writing before you want to abuse me for the multibuy not going through properly, because chances are, it probably did, but you're too self absorbed to care. - Mobile Phones
Yep, just like high school. I want them banned at checkouts. Do you know how fucking RUDE it is to answer your phone, or WORSE make a phone call, just as your shopping has gone through and we're up to the payment stage? Not only does it stall the queue, but its really rude of me to tell you to put your phone down, and pay for your groceries. Its also really hard for me to actually convey how much you need to pay me. - Knowing everything about the job
Pro-tip, you know shit about my job, and if you do because you're a checkout operator as well, you're likely not to tell me how to operate my checkout. So, in short. No "back when I was a checkout chick we used to......" or "No, you CAN do this, you just WON'T". None of it. At all. Its not on. When you were a checkout chick 20 years ago, things were different. That girl over there did this for you last week did she? Well she broke the rules, and I should probably report her. - Cash out and change
Ok, this may seem like a simple task for some people. Apparently the question "would you like some cash out?" requires some deliberation, and/or restating for some customers. When you swipe your card, you'll be asked the question, and you answer it. Simple.
Also, if you want your cash out/change broken up in a particular way, tell the checkout operator before they get it out of their cash draw. There's nothing more irritating than having to having to enter in passcodes and operator numbers to open the draw so you can get that 20 changed into 2 10s. If all else fails say "can i get 50 out, in two 20s and a 10?" or something similar. - Leaving the checkout
Don't just grab your shopping and go, say thanks and bye!! Its just polite. - Interruptions
If I'm in the middle of serving someone, don't come up to the end of my register to ask ANY of the following:
"Can change this to a dollar for the trolley?" - stand in line, or wait at the service desk.
"Where do you find......" - same as above, OR ask a grocery worker, its what their for.
"Do you know where such and such is in the plaza?" - no i dont.
"Can i have a plastic bag?" - no, you can't.
randomly speak gibberish at me, till someone tells me you want to know if i speak Italian, or whatever. And when i say no, continue yelling at me. I think the fact I had no idea what you were intially saying means that your gonna have to speak English if you want my help. But again, stand in line, then feel free.
So there you have it. Not hard when you think about it. Just common sense. Good luck!
