Return SC

[the toy guy]

I had this gem today:

We had a fairly small staff (for a Saturday) today, which meant that I frequently had to pull customers from the front registers. Since these registers are the only ones capable of processing returns, I have to make sure that the customers I'm pulling aren't making one.

I went up to the front and brought the woman who was next in line over to my register in electronics. The guy behind her followed us over and got in line at my register. I finished ringing the woman up, and the guy stepped up to my register.


SC- "I need to make a return."

Me- "Returns have to go through the front register over there."

SC- "I waited in line for ten minutes!"

Me- "I'm sorry, sir, but I can't help you here."

SC- "Then why did you bring me over here?!"

Me- "I didn't bring you over here, sir, I brought her, and I made sure that she had a purchase first."

SC- "Well F**K YOU !" *storms off, accompanied by the stares of customers standing nearby*


What I don't understand is why he thought that I could do a return for him. I didn't speak to him at all before he came over, and I've never been to a store that did returns at departmental registers. Yet he assumed that I could process it and acted like it was my fault that he'd wasted his time.

[Ljt09863]

something you could try, is when you bring over a customer, makes sure to say,"as long as you have NO returns" loudly, so anybody around can hear. that may divert the SCs...for about 2 seconds...

[PepperElf]

and i'd suggest a big sign of "This register cannot process returns".... but then... ah forget it, they won't read the sign anyway...

[IEatCustomers4Breakfast]

...and I've never been to a store that did returns at departmental registers...

Just to throw this in there... at my store, we have to do returns on the registers in the photo department.

[bainsidhe]

During the last Black Friday, Target was calling through the lines that they could check out ppl with ONLY A COUPLE ITEMS at the service desk. Yeah, that didn't work very well with the hordes flocking and knashing at each others' throats. So instead they started sending employees through the lines to grab specific customers and tell them to check out at the service desk. I checked out in 5 minutes, I was pleased

[Tito]

ah forget it, they won't read the sign anyway...

You beat me too it! I was getting ready to say the same thing, that SCs don't read, so having a sign would do no good.

[Apathy]

Ah, getting yelled at for happenstance. One of my favorite pastimes.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

During the last Black Friday, Target was calling through the lines that they could check out ppl with ONLY A COUPLE ITEMS at the service desk. Yeah, that didn't work very well with the hordes flocking and knashing at each others' throats. So instead they started sending employees through the lines to grab specific customers and tell them to check out at the service desk. I checked out in 5 minutes, I was pleased

Inviting people to check out the service desk is one of those good deeds that often doesn't go unpunished.

The service desk people really ought to be more specific and offer to check out people with a few small items. Otherwise somebody with a cart full of 40-pound bags of dog food, pails of cat litter or 24-packs of soda waltzes right up. Hey, she said a few items....

And then the service desk person either has to leave the desk and go around the counter and hope the scanner gun reaches far enough, or try to lift these heavy items out of the cart over the counter and fuck their shoulders and back right up. After all, the Almighty Customer should never be made to do this heavy lifting themselves.

Give SCs an inch and they'll take the whole yardstick and try to put a mile on layaway.

[kiwiwinelover]

they started sending employees through the lines to grab specific customers and tell them to check out at the service desk.

I'll play an SC right now, with my question of why couldn't they have put those employees on tills? *ducks* sorry! :

[SilverOrb]

I'll play an SC right now, with my question of why couldn't they have put those employees on tills? *ducks* sorry! :

In big stores of the K- Fart variety, all employees are trained on register. However, said employee may then be shuffled back to the obscurity of shoes or intimates full time, places without registers. Trust me, useing them to grab a few people out of line is much more time saving for the customer than putting them on a register.

I've been in a situation where I've had new cashiers on both sides of me AND heavy lines. It would have been faster to at least have one of the girls just bag for me. Trying to run your own busy lane AND theirs is WAY too much trouble... More than it is worth.

[froglet]

I'll play an SC right now, with my question of why couldn't they have put those employees on tills? *ducks* sorry! :

Plus, who is to say that since it was Black Friday, they didn't have every possible register manned already...

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

At my store, every register is up and running on Black Friday, at least during the initial rush. This includes pharmacy, optical, service desk, electronics counter and the jewelry counter.

[kiwiwinelover]

Ok

Thanks guys, I'm unfamiliar with the big shopping days, etc in the States so now I understand... but what's the bet that a few customers have asked the same question as me, when all the tills are obviously manned?

[simplyanother]

something you could try, is when you bring over a customer, makes sure to say,"as long as you have NO returns" loudly, so anybody around can hear. that may divert the SCs...for about 2 seconds...

I do that. Still doesn't prevent returners from coming to my line. I see someone fiddling with a bag or a receipt, I ask them if they have a return and direct them where they need to go.

I'll play an SC right now, with my question of why couldn't they have put those employees on tills? *ducks* sorry! :

I was going to reply to that but...:

Plus, who is to say that since it was Black Friday, they didn't have every possible register manned already...

Exactly.

On busy shopping days, we have every register open.