Signs, Signs, Everywhere the Signs.

[MrDelirious]

Except that it's the SC's that are breaking my mind.

Hello CS. Background: I'm 18 and work as a cashier at the University bookstore. That'll cover it for now, I think.

~~~~~

Obviously, we sell a lot of textbooks in the beginning of the year. We also get a lot of returns of said textbooks. We cannot accept these returns at the front cash registers. I'm not sure why - I think it's a silly system, but a lot of the system is stupid here. There is a sign in front of our store that proclaims "TEXTBOOK RETURNS MUST BE MADE DOWNSTAIRS AT THE BUYBACK WINDOW." There is a sign just inside the store the proclaims "TEXTBOOK RETURNS CANNOT BE DONE INSIDE, PLEASE GO DOWN TO THE BUYBACK WINDOW."

Does this stop every other person on 8/31 (last day for returns) from saying "Can I do textbook returns here?" You know that it does not.

~~~~~

On certain days, I'm not there long enough to justify having a cashbag. As such, I can't accept cash payment. After having to turn away a few customers , I decide to make up a sign. I tear off some receipt tape and write in all caps "NO CASH AT THIS REGISTER, SORRY." I then tape the sign to the front of my register. I turn away customers at a higher rate than before. The hell? I take the sign down, highlight it, and put it back. The following happens:

Customer comes up, looks at sign, looks at me, puts items on counter.
Me: Hi, how are you?
Them: Good.
Me: How will you be paying today?
Them: Cash.

[seeress_83]

It's a basic law of the universe:

Customers cannot read signs.

It should be inscribed on a granite tablet somewhere. Seriously. Where I work, the trashcans beside the gas pumps are badly designed and hard to see. The doors say "Thank you, push here" on them. NO ONE CAN FIND THEM. So we made up some fluorescent pink signs with bold black writing that said "GARBAGE CAN" and taped them to the doors on the garbage cans. People STILL couldn't see it even with me saying "You see the neon pink square out there? Push on that." And they can't read the out of order signs for our restroom...but that's another thread entirely

[TerranRich]

Don't even get me started on signs. At the Home Depot, customers would frequently go into the employees' area (break room, training room, lockers, etc.), which is basically a recessed part of the wall that leads to a hallway. Just 10 feet further down is a HUGE sign, up above, that reads "<-- RESTROOMS" in HD's traditional stencil-style font.

It got so bad that I took one of our bright orange posterboard signs, and wrote "RESTROOMS -->" pointing further down the store. Oh, how I wish it actually worked. Idiots.

[SuperB]

At one point, people seemed to be more stupid than usual and my mom, who was working at the time, put up a couple extra signs. Besides the usual "restroom for customers only" and "leave bathroom light on" (no one was able to find it if it was turned off), she also added; "No open alcohol containers allowed on property", and "Pay before microwaving product", someone came through and was snickering at the signs.
I told him what they were - idiot signs - because we get so many....

[delorean623]

I was working a small time stationary store and we had the cash out of one of the registers stolen. (There isn't really any kind of a story there, luckily)
Our owners are incredibly cheap, and didn't want to take 100$ out of petty cash (which easily could have been done, with lots to spare) to put the drawer back in action.
3 signs, all on red paper, saying "THIS REGISTER IS OUT OF ORDER, PLEASE USE BACK REGISTER" didn't stop people from just standing there. They'd get all huffy when I didn't run up there because they were standing at the counter. When they'd finally come back to where I was and complain, I'd make a comment about the huge signs they apparently can't read. That would always shut 'em up pretty quick.

ALSO

That store used to carry legal forms. OVER 5 years ago. If a day goes by without a call or someone coming into the store to find one, I'm shocked. We had a sign on the door saying this, but they'd just read it and come in "Do you have power of attorney?" "No, we stopped carrying legal forms 5 years ago" "<huffy> Well. Where can I find it, then?" "No idea." and they'd get mad at me. We finally just took the sign down.... amazingly, fewer people asked after that point (fewer meaning one per day instead of 2-3)

I definitely want the business of someone who comes in once every 5+ years for something that used to cost 1.35. That's a greeeeeeeeat customer!

[BookstoreEscapee]

, MrDelirious!

You're young...you'll learn, SCs can only read signs when they are in their favor. In other words, if it says SALE, they can read it. But if there are restrictions to said sale, they suddenly become illiterate and/or blind to that part of the sign. And if the sign is completely against their own interests, it may as well not exist.

[MrDelirious]

, MrDelirious!

You're young...you'll learn, SCs can only read signs when they are in their favor. In other words, if it says SALE, they can read it. But if there are restrictions to said sale, they suddenly become illiterate and/or blind to that part of the sign. And if the sign is completely against their own interests, it may as well not exist.

Mmm, Indeed. Customers have Selective Literacy.

SC: Yeah, I'd like to return this.
Me: Okay, do you have the receipt?
SC: Yup.
Me: Let's see...ah, sorry. You can't return this after 30 days.
SC: It doesn't say that!
Me: Actually, the whole policy is on the back of the receipt here...
SC: *yoink!*
Me: Bwoh-...kay...
SC: *huffily reads back of receipt for 6 seconds* It's not on here. *toss*
Me: Actually...*scans* Yeah, here it is. *highlight*
SC: Well...so, I can't return it?
Me: 'Fraid not, sorry.
SC: *huffy walk off*
Me:

[Andara Bledin]

, MrDelirious!

You're young...you'll learn, SCs can only read signs when they are in their favor. In other words, if it says SALE, they can read it. But if there are restrictions to said sale, they suddenly become illiterate and/or blind to that part of the sign. And if the sign is completely against their own interests, it may as well not exist.

I second that

Also, SCs can read any sign that has the word Free on it. Well, actually, they can read the word Free, but any other words are iffy.

^-.-^

[mattm04]

We had a roof leak a few weeks ago, the caulk around a hole where refrigeration pipes come through failed. The water followed the pipes about 60 feet to a point near the frozen food cases. since it was a major leak it was a high priority call that would get a crew out the same day. In the mean time we had to close off a section of the store by putting bright yellow "CAUTION" tape up around the area and vacuum up the water ever few minutes. The number of customers who would see water dripping from the ceiling, and try to walk trough the nasty brown puddle amazed me.

When A SC sees the words "SALE" FREE or anything similar they usually ignore the rest of the sign and argue with the cashier. Normal customers admit they may have made a mistake.

[hotelnpa]

People turn into complete idiots when they stay in hotels.

To get hot water for the oatmeal and tea for the breakfast, you have to use the "HOT WATER" lever on the coffee pot. You simply hold your bowl or cup under the dispenser, pull the lever and steaming hot water comes out. There are signs indicating for hot water, use the hot water lever on the coffee pot. Simple enough, you think? Nope. This one guest screeched "You guys need to have hot water if you are going to serve oatmeal" and threw the bowl with the oatmeal on the ground.

We also have a sign telling guests to pull up on the lever to dispense milk. Some people try to push down on it and some stare at it like it's some complicated mission.

[AKWalMartCartGuy]

, MrDelirious!

You're young...you'll learn, SCs can only read signs when they are in their favor. In other words, if it says SALE, they can read it. But if there are restrictions to said sale, they suddenly become illiterate and/or blind to that part of the sign. And if the sign is completely against their own interests, it may as well not exist.

never put up signs that say 50% off, and then another 50% off because people will scream to a manager and get it free(50+50=100% off right ) i didn't witness that one, and it was at a different store, but i haven't seen double 50% off sign since then lol

[edible_hat]

To steal a bit from Jimeoin (the Irish stand-up comedian)...

I went into a place where they sell those signs, and it was a madhouse. They were having a sale. 50% off 50% off signs. All all ____ must go signs must go!

[SuperB]

To get hot water for the oatmeal and tea for the breakfast, you have to use the "HOT WATER" lever on the coffee pot. You simply hold your bowl or cup under the dispenser, pull the lever and steaming hot water comes out. There are signs indicating for hot water, use the hot water lever on the coffee pot. Simple enough, you think?

It always amazes me that that little red lever is so elusive to people. I've even had the mensa members push the button that starts the coffee when trying for hot water. (and then walk away of course leaving a huge mess for me to clean up)

[Nekojin]

I've even had the mensa members push the button that starts the coffee when trying for hot water. (and then walk away of course leaving a huge mess for me to clean up)

I worked at an AM/PM where they had an idiot-proofed system to prevent that from happening. It still happened now and then.

In defense of people ignoring "Restroom out of order" signs - I've been in many restaurants and businesses that kept a "Restroom out of order" sign up to filter customers - keep out the punks who graffiti up the walls (and worse - much worse, sometimes), and let in the good paying customers. It doesn't really work, but they seem to think it does. At this point, that's one sign that I willfully ignore, and ask for the restroom anyway. If it's genuinely out of service, fine, but I want confirmation that they're not just trying to drive away SCs.

[Andara Bledin]

Personal anecdote on the "restroom out of order" thing:

About 20 years ago, I my family used to live in a place where the best place to get gas was an AM/PM that was owned by an immigrant family. Their restroom always had an "out of order" sign on it, and if you asked, they'd tell you it was out of order.

This would happen, even after you watched the customer of the same nationality leave the supposedly out of order bathroom and return the key to them.

^-.-^