In need of a good wait

[jjllbb]

Lately my store has been getting a lot of bad surveys about having to wait in line so management has been stressing a 1:1 line strategy.

I'm sure most of you out there know that waiting in line for 1 second or more = SC.

So,

I'm checking out a customer. Out of the corner of my eye I see a gentleman walking down my check lane to form a line.

I dart a look behind me and notice that the cashier directly next to me is completely free.

As soon as he comes to a rest behind my customer I say "if you'd like, sir you can check out at service, Debbie is free"

The guy gives me a and huffs "I'M HERE 10 SECONDS AND YOU'RE JUST SENDING ME AWAY!"

I was totally flabbergasted. I kind of said "well...i just..thought you..wouldn't want to wait.."

But he was already walking over to the other register-

where he slammed all his things down on the counter and promptly left in a rage!

WTF??!

[dbblsanta]

We have the exact opposite problem at our store. Our customers are like sheep; they will all queue up in the same two lines, even if we have four others open. I can yell "Ma'am! You can come here; I'm open!" get eye contact with her and receive a stupefied glance.

I then have to add one some adjectives: "Ma'am in the green shirt with blonde hair! Register 5 is open with no line. You can come here!"

In the worst of cases I have to actually go up to them and point them out to my register.

Then I always get a "Wow no line! Must be my lucky day!"

[jjllbb]

"Wow no line! Must be my lucky day!"

That's the kind of reaction a SANE person would expect! My guy was some kind of weirdo.

[dbblsanta]

That's the kind of reaction a SANE person would expect! My guy was some kind of weirdo.

Definitely. Some people like to get off on playing the "victim." It makes them feel better about themselves in some sort of sick way.

In my case, people are just idiotic sheep. It doesn't make a difference how hard I yell, if nobody else is in my line, then gosh-darnit it must be closed right? Everyone else must be in this line for a reason dagnabbit!

[Hyena Dandy]

HOW DARE YOU TRY TO IMPROVE MY SHOPPING EXPERIENCE?!

[Gaki]

That's so strange, we've been getting strange people who will walk over to a register that is OBVIOUSLY CLOSED and just standing over there like someone is just going to walk over and open the register for them even though there's some huge line for the other two.

The first incident was before I came in one morning. The guys reserve the lottery register for me because they go do the heavy lifting around and all the other chores while I stay up there and do lottery because I'm THE BEST at it, no joke, I'm SPECIALIZED in it...as though it were rocket science. (Though I will admit to a trainee, Daily Numbers are the DEVIL.)

My CW has a large line and checks this one guy out, he takes the stuff he bought and goes to stand by the lottery register (where CW cannot see him, no less) and we tend to assume that if you're not in a line, you don't really need much and you're just getting situated. We've been yelled at enough that they don't need help that we just leave them to their private stupidity. Well, CW has a line thoughout all of this, and it's one of those never-ending lines. Our roving manager is there at the time on the other register again with another line. After ten to fifteen minutes the guy starts screaming.

SC: I HAVE BEEN F-CKING WAITING OVER HERE FOR F-CKING HALF A F-CKING HOUR, WHAT THE F-CK KIND OF BUSINESS DO YOU THINK YOU'RE RUNNING HERE, I DEMAND F-CKING SERVICE. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOREVER FOR YOU F-CKERS, I WILL GET MY ATTORNEY AND I WILL HAVE YOUR JOBS!!!!
CW: .......
RM: ......................
All the other people in the store: ......
SC: I DEMAND TO SEE A F-CKING MANAGER!!!
RM (who is about 18 and is frakin' awesome most of the time): Sir, I AM the manager.

He leaves in a huff and a rush never to be heard from again.

The second time was literally RIGHT before I came in another time to get on lottery but this time it was a female coworker with a line. He pretty much went over and stood there then practically yelled at her, "Uh HEY, can I get some SERVICE??!!?!?ELEVENTY?!?!????!!!!111one!!!"

What did she say? Oh yeah: "Sir, you can get into a line and I'll get to you when I get to you."

LOLZ. NO MANAGER ON DUTY, DOUCHENUGGET, WHAT'RE YA GONNA DOOOOO?! xD

[CaptainThrifty]

As soon as he comes to a rest behind my customer I say "if you'd like, sir you can check out at service, Debbie is free"

A suggestion (from experience): Say, "Sir, if you don't feel like waiting Debbie is free (pointing), otherwise I'll be glad to help you once I'm done here." Basically tell them at the same time You're happy to have them in your line but you're also looking out for them. I know it's a subtle difference, but it seems to work with my customers (before they become SC's )