To get really p**d off at overly chatty & annoying checkout assistants?

[applecrumple]

Don't know about anyone else, but when I go food shopping I want to get my stuff through he checkout as quickly as possible & I don't want to be held up by the assistant asking inane question such as "so, any plans for the weekend"? "yeah, none of your damn business!" I wouldn't mind so much if it didn't mean them slowin down how quickly they scan the items. Anyone else get really annoyed by this??! Grrr!!!

Have non of you 'chatty kathy' types been caught in a situation where you've been talked at when you're feeling upset or unwell for some reason (like if your squirrel has just died or you've been diagnosed with something painful and persistant)?

Piles?

Yes, piles, or perhaps an ingrown toenail or terminal sneezing.

If somebody had been chatty towards me after first dh had died I would probably have choked the living shit out of them

Well yes, I'd imagine you would have HH.

People don't know this stuff about people though, they're just doing a job, you're just someone esle though the till that hour, just smile and respond, it makes the time go so much quicker and hey - IT'S NICE!

"Talking to you is fine but they also need to learn when the customer doesn't want to chat and shut up accordingly"

there's another thread going about the same thing at the mo so this one will get my short answer:
in the supermarket I worked in we'ld get keel hauled for "shutting up accordingly" , don't shoot the messenger!

YABU but thankfully you are in the minority, most half decent people don't mind a bit of chat and actually for some people especially the elderly who may live alone sometimes the supermarket cashier is the only person they talk to all day and it can really make a difference to their day if the cashier is friendly and has a little chat.

A good checkout operator will pick up vibes pretty quickly as to whether you are "up for a chat" or would rather be grumpy. The only thing worse than being forced to make small talk is being ignored and made to feel like you are an inconvienience! I find hairdressers who insist on chatting teh whole time far more frustrating!

YABU but so am I - I hate small talk with strangers. I know that I am in the minority in this though, so I do my shopping online and try to be polite when I have to go out in the Real World. I would quite like to set up some kind of commune for the chronically antisocial where it's considered polite to avoid eye contact, ignore passing acquaintances and go all day without saying a word to anyone if you want to (except "excuse me please" and "thank you", because I draw the line at bad manners). Until such a commune is established, though, you've just got to smile and nod and be polite to the person who is just doing their job and trying to be nice to you.

I have never been asked about my plans for the weekend by a checkout assistant, neither do hairdressers chat inanely to me about my holiday plans. I reckon I must have a 'fuck off' face.

I like it, having a bit of an inane chat, it kind of wakes me up (usually on my work lunchbreak - so is a good thing, takes my mind off work crap) and makes me feel like they see me as a human being. Worse when a surly person serves you and barely acknowledges you.

However I do hate when you get to the till in New Look or wherever and they say 'Did you find everything you needed today?' Am always slightly tempted to say 'well I was looking for a neon pink and yellow spotty jumpsuit but these maternity jeans will have to do'

I know they're told to say it and probably feel like idiots, so I just smile and say 'yes thanks - nice day today isn't it?'

I hate it when they pass through my trashy magazines, and they stop to read the front cover then start a conversration about whatever it says while slowly handing it over. Fuckofffuckofffuckofffuckinggiveittome!

But yes overly chatty ones FUCK OFF.

Another thing - I was in at a checkout the other day and the woman in front and the cashier obviously knew each other. Her bags were packed, card and recipt in hand, me waiting and they were STILL fucking talking. I waited some more, and some more, eventually I pushed my trolly forward, which meant hers was shoved out the way and I carried on going round and putting it at the end as though she wasnt there. She fucking carried on talking! SHUT UP! GO AWAY! It would be slightly forgivable if they were nattering 16 year olds but they were 40ish.

I love chatting whilst I pay in shops!

At our local Asda in particular the staff are all very friendly and chatty and I've had wide ranges of conversation at the checkout. It brightens my day up, it brightens their day up to chat, I really can't see the issue.

YABVU

use the self service checkouts then op, if they have any, or get this
I serve a lady every day, she has a fuck off face and an attitude to go with it, i am nicest and chattiest to her out of all my customers, just because i know she can't fucking stand it.

I would far rather have a checkout assistant who chatted than one who called across to the assistant in the next checkout and chatted her up while ignoring me-petulant face-

Personally I can't stand being served by anyone who can't exchange a few pleasantaries - I love small talk . I purposefully avoid shops where you are ignored or, at best, grunted at. I was in a shop yesterday and the person behind the till just sat reading a book - how rude.

I agree that sales staff should be able to get the 'vibes' from customers and work out whether just a 'good-morning' is necessary or an in-depth discussion.

But if you don't like exchanging small talk why don't you shop on line or use the self service check out.

Lequeen................ All you have have to say is your going to work....

I work on a checkout and find most customers kind and friendly but some are not and when the grumpy ones leave I ponder to myself.''I bet they are fun to live with''

ha spice17, last time i was in New Look they asked me the same and was sorely tempted to go off on a rant about how "of course i didnt find what i was looking for, which would be a dress suitable for a wedding i'm going to in 2 days which actually fits a short, curvy, breastfeeding woman, who now has a pot belly due to cs, and is actually desperate to find something nice to wear that doesnt make me look like a sack of spuds thankyou very much." i didnt though, i was vair polite (not her fault my figure has gone to hell, damn it)

instead i went home and ranted to the cat (only one in at the time!) who was very disinterested and proceeded with licking her bum.

its a bit irritating though, as if they dont have what you're looking for what the hell are they gonna do? make a dress?

I agree that the 'did you find what you were looking for' questions is ridiculous. However what I think is a sad reflection on society is that so many people (not just shop assistants) have to be issued with a list of 'standard questions' to ask, because the ability to make 'small talk' seems so sadly lacking for so many people.

I just loathe those callers who ask 'how are you today' - when they clearly don't care how you are feeling, I am sorely tempted to say 'I have just been diagnosed with a terminal illness' to see what their response is.

My DH is a senior trainer but he has to practice sales roles situations with highly paid professionals who have no clue how to judge an individual situation and make the appropriate conversation. .

I don't mind a tiny bit of small talk but I don't like being asked "what I are you doing for the rest of the day/weekend". Annoys me a little and I really don't want everyone behind me knowing my whole life story. Normally though they talk about my two year old and are quite sweet to her whilst I am packing. But now I am thinking perhaps I shouldn't encourage that since they are strangers and it sends mixed messages! Oh dear, now my mind is working overtime! What annoys me more is the endless paper vouchers I have to stand and wait for and "just to let you know you've saved 2p on your shopping at Sainsbury's today".

Yanbu! I sometimes have to shop with my 4dc and when I get to a checkout I would rather just pack my stuff and pay, not hold a long conversation whilst trying to keep an eye on my four horrors darlings. I don't necessarily think its annoying, but I do think some go quite over the top.

Oh fgs, just smile and nod. You don't have to tell them your life story! How miserable are you?

I posted on the other thread too. We live in an automated disposable society. Shop online or use the self service check out if you really hate the chatty supermarket staff. In this day and age there is zero need to interact if you don't want to.