Customer Not Happy About WIC Customer Before Him

[purplecat41877]

Yesterday, a customer had a couple of WIC checks along with a small regular order. A few of the items were not WIC approved so I switched them with the WIC approved items. I rang up a cereal and saw that it wasn't a WIC item and let the customer know and why. I offered to get her another cereal that was WIC approved and the customer in back of her complained about the wait.

I called one of the service desk employees and informed her about the customer's complaint. I finished out the WIC customer so I could get the next customer out of there. I quickly rang up his order and got him out quickly and my service desk coworker covered me for a bit. I brought the pickup and money for change that I needed to the service and got that taken care of.

[Mikaiyawa]

what a jerk... someone trying to get everything to eat that week (and you being a Doll and helping) rather than an entitlement whore and the twit behind being a snot because they are lucky enough to have the cash to feed all the spawn without help.

not all the poor folks are brats, even if we hear about them more than their harder working quieter kin.

Mieka

[Emrld]

I can see the person in lines side of this. . . .

The wait time to check out is increased because this check out involves special circumstances and verifying approved items.

Now you didn't tell us how the second customer complained.
Did they scream about it - that would be an SC reaction
Did they throw their items down and storm out - that would be an SC reaction
Did they sigh loudly - that would be normal human behavior
Did they ask for another lane to open? normal human behavior
Did they politely ask how much longer the checkout was going to take? that would be acceptable

I can understand that as the person running the register you don't control who gets in line in what order. And I know first hand how the next person in line can effect the experience for the person you are currently checking.

You don't know if this person is in a rush or a time crunch that with normal check out wouldn't have been eating up the minutes they had appropriately planned on being used in the store.

So please tell us how did the SC convey that they didn't care for the extra time it took for a WIC customer to check out.

[wagegoth]

It can be annoying to be stuck behind a WIC customer, but I'm not going to blame the checker.

The only time I got angry about it, and not at the checker, was when the woman using WIC and her kids were dressed extremely well, obviously accompanied by the boyfriend/sperm donor/latest baby daddy, and they left the store in a truck with four doors, custom paint job and everything that had to cost in the $40,000+ range.

[smileyeagle1021]

The only time I have gotten irriated with people with WIC/generic food stamps are the people who will buy their food with WIC then buy a few packs of cigerrets using cash... umm, NO, if you can afford ciggerets without using my tax dollars then you can pay for your own damned food without using my tax dollars /endrant.

[South Texan]

A few of the items were not WIC approved so I switched them with the WIC approved items. I rang up a cereal and saw that it wasn't a WIC item and let the customer know and why. I offered to get her another cereal that was WIC approved and the customer in back of her complained about the wait.

Remember when each item had to be rung up as a separate purchase? THAT took forever and was very annoying if you were stuck behind a WIC customer buying lots of stuff. It actually goes faster under the new system, but it still slows down the line. Complaining about it is ridiculous, though, as the system is what it is and the WIC customers need those items.

I can understand the added frustration of the customer behind this WIC customer, however, if the WIC customer did not pay attention to what she was buying and the cashier therefore had to get someone to take the wrong items back and get the proper items. Getting one item wrong is one thing, but having to send back and get multiple items is something else. It is (and should be) the responsibility of the WIC customer to know what is eligible for purchase under the program.

[Sylvia727]

It can be annoying to be stuck behind a WIC customer, but I'm not going to blame the checker.

The only time I got angry about it, and not at the checker, was when the woman using WIC and her kids were dressed extremely well, obviously accompanied by the boyfriend/sperm donor/latest baby daddy, and they left the store in a truck with four doors, custom paint job and everything that had to cost in the $40,000+ range.

Expensive clothing is not an accurate measurement of personal income. I personally have found designer clothing in my local Goodwills, and Plato's Closet specializes in used designer clothing for as low as $5. This specific family could probably have sold that car, so they probably were abusing the system, but their clothes aren't a valid determination of that fact.

I know you didn't mean this personally, but as the daughter of a welfare recipient it can be very frustrating to hear people make generalizations about those who need government assistance. I wore nice clothing, even while on foodstamps and other welfare, because I bought them from a used clothing store and cleaned/repaired them. Personal appearance has little or nothing to do with income or financial status.

This is not meant as a flame or a personal attack, and I apologize if it comes across as one. I'm just pointing out that there are ways to acquire expensive clothing without wasting taxpayers' money.

[powerboy]

The only time I have gotten irriated with people with WIC/generic food stamps are the people who will buy their food with WIC then buy a few packs of cigerrets using cash... umm, NO, if you can afford ciggerets without using my tax dollars then you can pay for your own damned food without using my tax dollars /endrant.

That is how I feel. If you don't need it, then don't use it

[bainsidhe]

I can understand the added frustration of the customer behind this WIC customer felt, however, if the WIC customer did not pay attention to what she was buying and the cashier therefore had to get someone to take the wrong items back and get the proper items. Getting one item wrong is one thing, but having to send back and get multiple items is something else. It is (and should be) the responsibility of the WIC customer.

Absolutely. And the WIC customer gets upset because the cashier tells them their purchase cannot be accepted and they have to find alternative product. Case in point: Don't grab the cutout shapes of cheese for your kids and assume it's acceptable for WIC. Or fruit loops. Read the form that says what IS acceptable. If the store accepts non-WIC merchandise, our state flat out refuses to pay the WIC check and the store is out that money. So essentially I'd be giving merchandise away. I've had customer's ask if they can "substitute" a larger can of formula since none were on the shelf, and when I explained that I'd find someone to get more from the back room, customer decides they couldn't wait and were upset that I wouldn't switch out product in their favor. Yeah, I'm gonna give out a couple hundred dollars worth of formula (those cans are pricey) just because you say so. No way.

For the most part though, the WIC form can get pretty confusing and a good 40-50% of WIC customers come up with the wrong merchandise. Not that they are trying to, they just don't understand the overly complicated and anal-retentive WIC form. Yeesh.

[Ree]

Just a reminder, people. Stick to the topic of the thread, which was a customer getting annoyed at the cashier because a WIC purchase took too long.

This is not fratching, and we do not need one more thread on this site with people making generalizations and offering their opinion about people who use social assistance. I think, after numerous threads on this issue, we know exactly how people feel.

Let's not forget the fact that many of our members have depended on these programs in the past, and some currently depend on them.

Again, let's stick to the topic.

[wagegoth]

Expensive clothing is not an accurate measurement of personal income. I personally have found designer clothing in my local Goodwills, and Plato's Closet specializes in used designer clothing for as low as $5. This specific family could probably have sold that car, so they probably were abusing the system, but their clothes aren't a valid determination of that fact.

Let's just say it was the entire package.

My neighborhood has plenty of WIC recipients, my sister was on WIC at one time, and I can be one of the biggest, bleeding heart liberals around, but, along with everyone on this board who has worked with the public especially, I have seen my share of people working the system.

I did get stuck behind one WIC customer because she was visiting from another county and the type of milk allowed in her county was different from the milk allowed in our county. It can be a stupid system. But I am glad it's there.

And I am so glad they no longer do the one item/one check thing. That took forever! Especially when it was late and there would only be one checker on.

[Whyme]

I've had customer's ask if they can "substitute" a larger can of formula since none were on the shelf, and when I explained that I'd find someone to get more from the back room, customer decides they couldn't wait and were upset that I wouldn't switch out product in their favor. Yeah, I'm gonna give out a couple hundred dollars worth of formula (those cans are pricey) just because you say so. No way.

There are a few customers who say "I substitute it all the time!". No, you don't. Or "XX Store always substitutes it!", then I suggest you go there because it won't be happening here. Our store won't mess with the WIC powers that be. No Substitutes for any reason. I do feel bad sometimes when we are out of the certain formula needed and they truly need it, but it's out of my hands. We did have a CSM buy a desperate mom a can of formula since we were out of the WIC kind. It was store brand and one of the cheaper ones. The mom was extremely grateful.

[Chevy Nachos]

I never minded ringing up a WIC as much as I did stamps. People could buy whatever they wanted on stamps, and I rang out a lot of Doritos and birthday cakes, but with WIC there was a list of approved nutritious items. It just seemed more, I don't know what word to use, legitimate?

[myswtghst]

I think, so long as we're right in assuming the SC got annoyed with the cashier in this instance, that it's a great instance of misplaced anger.

I can see being annoyed with the WIC customer for not being more aware and bringing up things that could not be bought with WIC.

I can definitely see being annoyed with the WIC system as a whole for being so picky and somewhat hard to keep track of.

But there's no reason to be annoyed with a helpless cashier, doing his/her best to provide good customer service.

[purplecat41877]

Thanks, Ree. I really appreciate you stepping in like you did.

Sorry, I forgot to mention that it was an express line. The customer in back of the WIC customer made a big deal about having to wait since I had to leave the register a couple times to get the correct WIC items. I called one of the service desk employees over because the impatient customer was making a big deal about the wait. He even said that he was going to complain.