I snapped

[Anakah]

I had the worst night ever. It was busy and I was pretty much by myself. I had one other cashier but she had another window in the back for the employees and was busy back there.

Now I have bitched and moaned about the VIP line but this went over the top and I just snapped.

I was in the far left window where the VIP line is almost right infront of. The real line isn't as visible as the VIP if you're coming from a certain angle AND it is really hard to explain to the people why I need them in the other line.

I got people coming from both sides. I had a bunch of people just randomly lining up in which ever line they walked up to and I couldn't tell who was there first or what. It was complete chaos and I've never been so upset. I'm usually really good at handling things but it was ridiculous!

I had both lines yelling at me and none of them could figure out WHY I kept asking if any of them had priority cards or if they'd PLEASE go into the other line.

I heard one person say: I don't see any VIP's!

What, you think they don't look like you and wear red targets on their backs!?

It was the most annoying night ever. It's hard to help anybody when its just a huge cluster fuck of people gathering around me. I got claustrophobic from it and demanded they all step back and get into the line.

Finally I had it and yelled for my co worker who was busy but I was getting frantic. Imagine ONE cashier with a slew of people gathered around yelling about who is first and why they have to get out of the VIP line.

I had one lady say to me: If you would just explain to us why we had to move...

I wanted to scream at that point. I explained it repeatedly and as nice as I could.
Me: Ma'am I did explain it and it's also ON THE SIGN!!!

Yes, folks I told a customer to read a sign. And then I walked away from her before I exploded.

I can't stand being crowded and yelled at. I don't get paid enough for it and I get to look forward to that all next week. I am actually dreading my job now. If anybody has any ideas on how this can be avoided or work easier, let me know so I can pass it on.

[Lots42]

Makeshift bullhorn and repeating the exact same sentence over and over until they behave.

[vstorevigilante]

People don't read nowadays. This proves it, and I'm sure we all have stories about clearly marked signs. I feel for you, I really do. Nothing is more frustrating than a clusterfuck (I love that word, thank you for using it ) of silly people milling like bees in front of you and NOT LISTENING. I'm impressed you didn't tell them off! Telling someone there's a sign is actually incredibly controlled, considering.

[tollbaby]

Think of it this way - no matter how many of them there are, or how loudly they yell, you can only serve ONE person at a time. So even if they refuse to line up properly, your job doesn't change. You serve one customer at a time until they're all gone, or your shift ends

You have the power here. You can (I assume your boss would have a fit, but meh) just close your window if they don't behave, and then what will they do? I'm not suggesting you do that, but have a bit more confidence - you're the one in charge. They want a service that only YOU can provide

So don't let them get to you. They can yell and scream all they want, in the end, they *need* you *hug*

[Dave1982]

Assuming I'm picturing this right....you had people clustered around the window each yelling about who was first in line?

Do you guys have security guards who could help restore order if something like this were to happen again?

[Jay 2K Winger]

Ugh, reminds me of something that happened once at the movie theater.

I think these teenagers had been blocked from theater-hopping, as in they'd bought their tickets to a PG-13 movie, but were stopped at the door to the R-rated movie they actually wanted to see. Unlike theater hoppers where we CATCH YOU IN the theater, these cases are allowed refunds on their tickets.

So there's me, the only one in the box office, having to deal with this sudden influx of teenagers asking for refunds. Several crowded in front of me, others coming up to the side window, waving their ticket stubs, while I'm trying to fill out the refunded-ticket envelope. I finally look up and snap, "ONE AT A TIME, PLEASE!"

To their credit, they quieted down, and to save time, I just lumped all of the refunds into one envelope, even though they were all from separate transactions.

[Green_Fairy]

ah signs...here are some awesome signs... that people no doubt ignore. good luck with next week! i really hope it gets better...