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  • Checks..

    Anyone still deal with large amounts of these frustrating pieces of paper?
    Die a little inside everytime someone waits right till before I ring up the sale to tell me they're going to pay by a check.. because then I know on a day where theirs only 2 staff that we are going to be dealing with a huge line of customers due to the ridiculous processing time (about 10 Minutes at the moment). Most people are angels about it, but many are total SCs and eventually just walk out after ive attempted to get it validated for over 10, sometimes 15 minutes.

    Only reason I am having a mini-rant about them is the fact we had a junkie come into our store this afternoon who had obviously stolen someones identity, and was high at the time of entrance.. I followed her around as she pointed out random items to purchase without much care of price or quality.. thankfully she wasn't violent (judging from her exposed arms she was doing meth or heroin), but pretty much knocked down a whole lot of shit and staggered around the store. Ringed up the sale, she brings out a ratty, dubious checkbook.. at this point I signal to my co-worker to be ready to call the cops just in case she goes a bit crazy (as I knew the check would be rejected). She makes a huge excuse for not having Photo ID, but she's carrying around pages and pages of ratty documents (she also had junk food with her, spilled a whole heap of crap out of her bags and left a pool of oily matter on our glass counter).. she scrawls the check amount, it goes through the vaildator and sure enough it gets rejected due to fraud/cancellation.. at this point I essentially tell her that it didn't go through and for her to leave the store.. which was quite a risk I must admit with many other customers milling around watching her behavior.

    Thankfully she was a mellow junkie and left quickly (not without leaving her junk at the store, then breaking the plastic bag it was in). I'm just relieved she wasn't violent for getting an obviously stolen check rejected..

    Thats my general experience with the checks I do see at my store.. I made this thread cause I'm curious what sort of hell everyone else here goes through with checks..
    - Boochan

  • #2
    A lot of places won't take checks anymore. I personally reject all checks coming in to my hotel and have ever since the day I started working for one some three years ago now. Good reasons being:

    1) The info on checks these days are generally outdated. You can't get a hold of people if the address is old and phone number that's been preprinted on the check is no longer in activation/belongs to someone else now.
    2) It's really really really easy to get a bad check.
    3) "You don't need my I.D."
    4) Company policy is WE DON'T TAKE PERSONAL CHECKS. We don't take bank checks. I.O.Us or Money Orders and nothing, NOTHING written out to Cash.

    Cash or Credit, please.
    Ridiculous 2009 Predictions: Evil Queen will beat Martha Stewart to death with a muffin pan. All hail Evil Queen! (Some things don't need elaboration.....) -- Jester

    Ridiculous 2010 Predictions: Evil Queen, after escaping prison for last years prediction, goes out and waffle irons Rachel Ray to death. -- SG15Z

    Ridiculous 2011 Prediction: Evil Queen will beat Gordon Ramsay over the head with a cast-iron skillet. -- FireHeart

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    • #3
      Checks are still good for a lot of things. My grandmother uses checks. She cannot get down how to use the debit card. My work takes checks. If they don't go through, tough shit for them. We have a fee of $50.00 to any return check.
      Under The Moon Paranormal Research
      San Joaquin Valley Paranormal Research

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      • #4
        Cheques, to me, are completely pointless and unnecessary when in any sort of retail environment.
        We used to accept them at my work for our store CC payments, but have since stopped taking them.
        We've never taken personal cheques for purchases, but will accept certified cheques, since, as it's been explained to me, the money has already been withdrawn and set aside so unless they stop payment it won't bounce.
        However, whenever anyone asks if we take cheques my answer is always a swift "no".

        You know what needs to die in a fire, though? TRAVELER'S CHEQUES!
        Yes, I know they're supposed to be safer than cash, and I know they're supposed to be easier than your credit card when traveling, but seriously, I want every person who brings them to me to spontaneously combust, then watch as their ashes blow away with a light wind, never to be seen again.
        I get the reasoning behind them, but clearly the person who invented this system has never worked a register in a massive big-box store that doubles as a friggen tourist attraction for the neighbouring country.

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        • #5
          Kinko's took 'em when I was there, and it really wasn't a big deal to us. Maybe our system was set up better or something, I dunno. But it really didn't take much more time or effort to process than anything else.

          The only time it sucked was when it was some loser we knew had a habit of passing off bad ones and we had to tell him no, find a different way to pay. But that didnt' suck because it was a check, it sucked because it was a SC.

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          • #6
            Quoth rerant View Post
            Cheques, to me, are completely pointless and unnecessary when in any sort of retail environment.
            Cheques refuse to die in the US, for some reason.

            No one uses them in stores in Canada, anymore. SC's here have embraced the debit card. Did you know that Canadians use our debit cards more often per capita than the residents of any other country?

            Personally, I suspected as much, due to the number of debit card morons I get in a day.

            Cheque, debit, credit, cash, it doesn't matter, the SCs always find a way to make a simple payment an ordeal of epic proportions.

            If you have to ask, it's probably better posted at www.fratching.com

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            • #7
              Checks arent so bad in my store unless they have a block code on them. Thats when many turn in to SC's and they have to call headquarters to find out why. Most will go out side or use their phones to find out. But when they have someone over the phone tell them that theres no block they come in and throw hissy fits. So I run it again and if still the code pops up I send them to customer service.

              Comment


              • #8
                Quoth RecoveringKinkoid View Post
                Kinko's took 'em when I was there, and it really wasn't a big deal to us. Maybe our system was set up better or something, I dunno. But it really didn't take much more time or effort to process than anything else.
                Its not bad now that our validation machine (uses our phone line to crosscheck routing number and account number and if their has been any fraudulent activity with the account/the account is open with money in it, etc) actually works since we called the company and finally got authorization to get a replacement one (When it comes to equipment like this, and general maintenance my store has been severely neglected for all but the past month or two).
                As mentioned at the start, we get maybe one or two a week, all from schools or small businesses.. its just the fact that it takes a long time for our system to dial out, and the fact we pretty much have to probe these customers for their details to be placed into our system, as well as scribbled on the back of the check to keep the auditors happy. A "quick" check transaction for me would be about 5 minutes.. worst would have been around 20 to 25 minutes during the time the machine was broken when we had to call them and get an authorization code.

                I don't know why my particular chain has to support them.. I guess its an all or none thing as many stores probably get something like 5 a day. In businesses they've generally been replaced by Business Credit Cards (AMEX mainly) and well I don't think they've been used by consumers here in large numbers for 15 years or more. People don't have many problems with debit cards here.. though I generally swipe them and press the account buttons (Checking/Savings/Credit) for them as many get confused and screw up easily if I don't do it for them.. even though the pin pads are large and very clear to read.
                Last edited by Boochan; 03-19-2008, 02:41 PM.
                - Boochan

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                • #9
                  Quoth rerant View Post

                  You know what needs to die in a fire, though? TRAVELER'S CHEQUES!
                  Yes, I know they're supposed to be safer than cash, and I know they're supposed to be easier than your credit card when traveling, but seriously, I want every person who brings them to me to spontaneously combust, then watch as their ashes blow away with a light wind, never to be seen again.
                  I get the reasoning behind them, but clearly the person who invented this system has never worked a register in a massive big-box store that doubles as a friggen tourist attraction for the neighbouring country.
                  It seems my company frequently has issues with fake travelers checks. There always seems to be memos being sent down advising cashiers to keep an eye out for them.

                  I only use checks when sending payments through the mail. For retail purchases I use my debit card now.
                  Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Study hard. Be evil.

                  "I never said I wasn't a horrible person."--Me, almost daily

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                  • #10
                    Quoth Irving Patrick Freleigh View Post
                    I only use checks when sending payments through the mail. For retail purchases I use my debit card now.
                    Ditto. I also used checks when writing off rent to my old landlord, but my new landlord prefers cash so whatever. (my roomie, X, thinks the new landlord is trying to avoid paying taxes on the renters income; eventually the IRS is going to notice that additional $14400 a year coming from nowhere.)

                    Other then that; the check book sits in a metal box at home, waiting to be used.
                    Ridiculous 2009 Predictions: Evil Queen will beat Martha Stewart to death with a muffin pan. All hail Evil Queen! (Some things don't need elaboration.....) -- Jester

                    Ridiculous 2010 Predictions: Evil Queen, after escaping prison for last years prediction, goes out and waffle irons Rachel Ray to death. -- SG15Z

                    Ridiculous 2011 Prediction: Evil Queen will beat Gordon Ramsay over the head with a cast-iron skillet. -- FireHeart

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Quoth Evil Queen View Post
                      Ditto. I also used checks when writing off rent to my old landlord, but my new landlord prefers cash so whatever. (my roomie, X, thinks the new landlord is trying to avoid paying taxes on the renters income; eventually the IRS is going to notice that additional $14400 a year coming from nowhere.)

                      Other then that; the check book sits in a metal box at home, waiting to be used.

                      I hope you realize that it's a bad idea to pay your rent with cash no matter what the landlord says.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Quoth rerant View Post
                        We've never taken personal cheques for purchases, but will accept certified cheques, since, as it's been explained to me, the money has already been withdrawn and set aside so unless they stop payment it won't bounce.
                        Fraud with counterfeit cashiers checks is going up. Seems they've gotten really good at making fake ones, so they're not nearly as safe as they used to be.

                        Quoth rerant View Post
                        I get the reasoning behind them, but clearly the person who invented this system has never worked a register in a massive big-box store that doubles as a friggen tourist attraction for the neighbouring country.
                        The group that came up with travelers' checks came up with them in a time before the charge card. These days, it's actually probably safer to have a prepaid charge card for payment, and the ATM for backup if you need cash, than to actually use travelers' checks. And it's certainly less annoying for the clerks.

                        Quoth Evil Queen View Post
                        Ditto. I also used checks when writing off rent to my old landlord, but my new landlord prefers cash so whatever. (my roomie, X, thinks the new landlord is trying to avoid paying taxes on the renters income; eventually the IRS is going to notice that additional $14400 a year coming from nowhere.)
                        Quoth Bright_Star View Post
                        I hope you realize that it's a bad idea to pay your rent with cash no matter what the landlord says.
                        Ditto. I do hope you're getting fully written and signed receipts for your rent payments. Otherwise, paying rent in cash is a really good way to get screwed if your landlord turns into a devil or has some other issues come up. Cash payments allow no way for you to cover your ass.

                        Also, if the guy gets cash, he can just pocket the overage and use it to buy toys and never deposit it anywhere, so nobody has any way to trace that he's getting it. Not hard at all to do that unless you buy too many high-ticket toys and your income statements can't possibly cover them.

                        ^-.-^
                        Faith is about what you do. It's about aspiring to be better and nobler and kinder than you are. It's about making sacrifices for the good of others. - Dresden

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                        • #13
                          I had one old lady write a check for her purchase which was for example was $63.21. She wrote her check for $63.20 when she realized this SHE WROTE A CHECK FOR 1 PENNY! Despite having probably 1 dollar worth a pennies in her purse. I will ocsanioley use checks for mail-in payments when necessary or to give a large amount of money to a person or charity that my not accept credit/debit. DUE CHECKS, DIE!

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                          • #14
                            If you see an employee writing a check at work, it's pretty well known that they're doing it because there's nothing in the bank and they're hoping payroll will hit the bank before the check.

                            Unfortunately, I'm very guilty of doing this - if I write a check on Tuesday, it won't hit my account until Friday, and by then my payroll is already in the bank (direct deposit). I've seen my boss doing it a few times too. The general consensus at work seems to be if you see anyone under 50 writing a check, they're floating the purchase. Doubly so if they're getting cash back. We're paid bi-weekly - you start seeing employee checkbooks come out around Tuesday or Wednesday.

                            If you're an employee and you bounce a check, you get a slap on the wrist the first time, can't write a check for 3 months the second time, and you're fired after the 3rd one.

                            On the plus side, our check authorization is really quick - the receipt printers scan the routing/account numbers from the check, an authorization is obtained online (I think it's either ISDN or a fractional T-1, same connection that credit cards use), and the register says "Approved", "Approved, cash back limit reached" (in which case you have to wait 2 weeks before getting cash back again), or "Declined". I've managed to get the limit reached message once.

                            The entire process takes about 20-30 seconds total once you hand the check to the cashier - most of that is the printer scanning the check's routing/account numbers, then printing an endorsement on the check after approval. Pretty typical grocery store setup, except our registers are less than a year old and pretty damn quick (Pentium 4, I believe, based registers from NCR).

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                            • #15
                              Quoth bean View Post
                              If you see an employee writing a check at work, it's pretty well known that they're doing it because there's nothing in the bank and they're hoping payroll will hit the bank before the check.

                              Unfortunately, I'm very guilty of doing this - if I write a check on Tuesday, it won't hit my account until Friday, and by then my payroll is already in the bank (direct deposit). I've seen my boss doing it a few times too. The general consensus at work seems to be if you see anyone under 50 writing a check, they're floating the purchase. Doubly so if they're getting cash back. We're paid bi-weekly - you start seeing employee checkbooks come out around Tuesday or Wednesday.

                              If you're an employee and you bounce a check, you get a slap on the wrist the first time, can't write a check for 3 months the second time, and you're fired after the 3rd one.

                              On the plus side, our check authorization is really quick - the receipt printers scan the routing/account numbers from the check, an authorization is obtained online (I think it's either ISDN or a fractional T-1, same connection that credit cards use), and the register says "Approved", "Approved, cash back limit reached" (in which case you have to wait 2 weeks before getting cash back again), or "Declined". I've managed to get the limit reached message once.

                              The entire process takes about 20-30 seconds total once you hand the check to the cashier - most of that is the printer scanning the check's routing/account numbers, then printing an endorsement on the check after approval. Pretty typical grocery store setup, except our registers are less than a year old and pretty damn quick (Pentium 4, I believe, based registers from NCR).
                              It isn't possible to float a check anymore ever since "Check 21" started. Oh you can try but you're more likely to have a "bouncer" if you do.

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