Supermarket checkout chit chat - Love it or hate it?

[TaliZorahVasNormandy]

Not really a AIBU.

I've just had an interview for tesco for the checkouts, they had me shadow someone for an hour. Apparently I didnt interact enough with the customers, I chatted with some, did polite, Hello/do you need help packing/goodbye stuff. But I'm aware some people really dont want the chit chat.

So Mumsnet, do you love it or hate it?

One time I was buying rather a lot of alcohol and the check out assistant said: 'ohhh are you having a party?' very loudly.

I didn't want to say 'no, it's just for me to drink alone in the evening,' in front of the queue so I found myself pretending that, yes, I was throwing a party!

Depends on my mood. Sometimes I'll natter away and other times I will barely say a word. I do always thank whoever served me though.

I went to the hairdresser recently and I laid back to get my lovely hair wash with head massage, hoping to close my eyes and relax for ten minutes and the very new, very dopey 12 year old who was shampooing me immediately started up in a very monotone voice with:

'erm….have you been anywhere on your holidays recently?'

It was so stilted, so cliched and so obviously trotted out on autopilot it was embarrassing and I wished she'd just STFU.

I was buying some jam making equipment in a shop and went to the one till where the girl never speaks apart from "that's xyx pounds please" and she said

"ooh, are you making jam?"

Yes. (no, I like to buy a jam funnel and the jam pot covers for my secret fetish)

"what flavour?"

errr Blackberry.

"Ooh I love blackberry jam, are you putting apple in it?"

um, no.

"I bet your house smells nice"

Smile.

"Does your house smell nice?"

Um, yes, it will do. Awkward smile thinking STFU and let me go.

"Nice to have home made jam in winter"

Smile fading now. Inside I can hear me screaming STFU.

She admires the jam funnel again then puts it in a bag and pats it.

I pay, leave the shop, and OH says "you told me she never chats?!"

I also agree with the poster who said they hate it when the cashier ignores them (no acknowledgement at all - just starts scanning) or worse - chats to colleague on next till throughout the check out process and doesn't even request payment, leaving you to ask 'so how much is that?'

I loooooooooathe forced chit chat. Loathe it. In my head I'm thinking 'Shut up, serve me, and let me get the jeff out' and 'I hate the fact your bosses make us both go through this pathetic charade'.

You have all made me feel a lot better now, I was feeling shit about it, but now I think, some people really dont want the chat or this intrusive from of customer service.

I just want a bloody job, not a day of harrassing customers.

I absolutely hate it. Will actively seek out self service tills just to avoid people!

Fairy I do that too.

Customer service should be about, treating them with respect, getting them what they need and making it as unstressful as possible.

Not making them chat about nothing important because we have been told too.

there are 2 things I want from checkout staff - a hello at the beginning, and at the end eye contact and then actually saying 'that's £45.70 please'. Hardly any of the staff I get ever actually tell you the total. Irritates the shit out of me.

Other than that, no - nothing. I can't focus on DD and packing with a cashier wittering on at me.

Hate it! Hello and general pleasantries are fine but generally no I don't want a chat, I want to pack up and go home.

I also don't want to stand behind someone in the queue who is involved in 'the chat' (esp at 8 months pregnant after having dragged myself round the store). Plus the big chatterers take longer to scan the items.

There are at least 2 checkout operators at my local asda that I avoid due to this. Don't even start me on bag packers!

If we were social butterflies we wouldn't be chatting here on MN

I'm neutral about it. I don't particularly care if the cashiers chat with me or not. As long as it isn't too intrusive. I just sort of zone out and nod blankly unless I actually have something to talk about or they have something interesting to say.

I must say since being pregnant I have noticed this loads - yesterday in a clothes shop I had the whole 'ooh when's it due?' 'Do you know what it is?' And the worst 'have you got any names yet?' Erm well maybe but why would I tell you before my family? I was buying an overnight bag and she said that she hoped it wasn't for my stay in hospital because if I have only two weeks left I should have packed by now as it could be any day now so I ended up telling her I was having a c-section ffs.

Just been to Tesco and again have had the whole set of questions again.

Best was a couple of weeks ago when the young lady exclaimed 'oh my god you're pregnant!? Is it a girl?' When I said no she then asked....'oh is it a boy?'

Part of me thinks 'stop being such a miserable bitch Whippet' but I'm really happy just to smile at each other and say hello and pleases and thank-yous.

Best was a couple of weeks ago when the young lady exclaimed 'oh my god you're pregnant!? Is it a girl?' When I said no she then asked....'oh is it a boy?'

You should have said "No, just had a really big breakfast, gonna be in the toilet for a while getting this one out"

Just to throw them off a bit.

I love it, but I'll chat with anyone, anywhere. Don't mind if they're only doing it because they have to either, you can see the relief on their face when you respond positively, it must be awful having to do it and getting blanked by people.

I like aldi, fast efficient, maybe a quick comment but it's in and out. I went to Asda yesterday and good lord I was irritated by the long drawn out conversations the lady was having with every customer.

I also hate the hairdresser chat.

I'd prefer not to have an overly chatty cashier. Standard pleasantries yes, but other than that I'd just like to get on.

Having said that, I find the mardy ones who don't even do the pleasantries are also the ones who fling all my shopping down really fast, squashing it all up because I can't pack fast enough to keep up. That really makes me cross.

I don't mind a bit of chit chat as long as it's unforced and natural. Can't stand when you can tell that the poor cashier is only asking what you're up to because some idiot manager makes them.

Cashiers and hairdressers should read the customer, don't make people chat if they don't want to.

I'm a talker, just like NamesNick and I will happily chat to the checkout person if there is something to talk about. To be honest I will talk to anyone about anything given half the chance. Not working outside the home tends to do that to you.

It's the inane "what have you being doing today?" by the teenage lad, who obviously has no real interest in how a middle aged woman has spent her day. It's a bit cringeworthy and throws me every time. I'm fairly sure that an honest answer of "sitting in front of the tv knitting" will kill the conversation stone dead.

I'll chat - but i don't want to be interrogated!

Some of the cashiers in our local T do not know the difference. If the chat comes smoothly then all well and good. You can tell when you're actually talking with someone and it's flowing, and when, in fact, they are just answering your questions to be polite cant you?

I got grilled recently on my marital problems in the past! I kid you not.

Cashier - lovely baby!
Me - thank you :)
C - is she your first?
Me - no, i have 3 older DCs.
C - girls or boys?
Me - girls.
C - small gap?
Me - between the first 3, yes.
C - oh ... all by the same dad?
Me - no (wondering why i was answering)
C - oh. All different dads?
Me - (too surprised to think of something to shut her up) no - i've remarried.
C - Does the older one's dad see them much? .....

????? This was enough for me and i pretended not to hear and got on with the packing and payed. Good grief!

Well, my local Tesco don't even offer 'hello' and 'would you like a hand to pack' so you will be doing better than them.

I like a 'Hello' with eye contact and a smile and a 'would you like a hand to pack?'. Then just getting on with it until the: 'that will be XXX £'s please'.
A 'thank you' is nice too. But no chit chat is needed.

It's a 2 way street though. I also think I should look at the cashier, smile and say hello. I do a 'thanks' at the end too. It's only polite.

Hope your job goes well.

Hate it! Haven't got the energy or inclination for mundane question and answer sessions
A general hello, do you need help packing is sufficient.
My local Tesco is ok, most of the cashiers are miserable don't chat but the Sainsburys cashiers are very chatty, I just wanna pack, pay and go
I don't want to tell you what my bottle of gin or bunch of flowers are for thanks,
OP, I think you should show your interviewer this thread to prove that most people don't want to chat!
Good luck

I should email Tesco CEO and beg them to stop making their poor cashiers harass the customers and let them decide how chatty they want to be.

I think what would make you really good at this job is if you can sense when someone is/isn't up for chit-chat and respond accordingly. Sometimes I'm happy for a bit of "lovely weather - let's enjoy it while it lasts " and other times I really can't be fucked. Start with eye contact and a smile. Don't continue your conversation with your co-worker at the other till. If I start the conversation or it happens naturally = good. If you try to force it/talk about how often I buy wine/get a polite "no thanks" to your offer to help with my packing before I crack on with the job, then it's probably best to avoid the chit-chat and just get on with it. It's nothing personal. I avoid a woman in our local supermarket who peppers the conversation with the word "darling" as she just gives me the absolute rage. I feel bad because she's just trying to be friendly/polite, etc but it's over-familiar/forced/insincere. "Need help with your packing darling" "no thanks" "no problem darling" "darling" "darling" "darling" FUCK OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friendly fine , running commentary on my shopping not so fine.