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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Supermarket checkout chit chat - Love it or hate it?

155 replies

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 30/09/2014 13:17

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?

OP posts:
aprilanne · 30/09/2014 17:24

well at the other end is aldi .god i detest the place .all mine say is cash or card .then actually scan another customers shopping before they even give you reciept to mind you to bugger off .they might be cheap .but god you get what you pay for . tesco give me the impression you are not a pest but a customer so i don,t mind a bit of chat .

Original poster
TaliZorahVasNormandy · 30/09/2014 17:24

First You could have with them when they ask that question and suddenly have a contraction.

OP posts:
Quangle · 30/09/2014 17:25

Hate chitchat - not because I think the person behind the till is not worthy but because I don't like chitchat. I try to be polite but I don't want to enter into conversations really at all. And I actually think it's nicer to stick to "Good morning" and "thank you" rather than "What have you been up to today". Actually that question makes me want to cry.

for this reason I absolutely hate going to the hairdresser. Two hours of chitchat - awful.

Good luck with the job hunt OP - you sound very receptive to people.

ithoughtofitfirst · 30/09/2014 17:25
Grin

Ahhhhhhh on'y jokeeeeeeen. YOUR FACE!

Original poster
TaliZorahVasNormandy · 30/09/2014 17:32

I have to admit, when we get the babies in the charity shop, I do have a squee over them, mainly because my 7 yr old went and grew up.

Also I dont mind the question, "Did you find everything you needed?" because theres a chance to get it for them.

OP posts:
Rafflesway · 30/09/2014 17:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Antiopa12 · 30/09/2014 17:33

I do like to talk with the cashiers. They are human beings and just trying to do their job. My DD recently worked on the till and I could not believe how much micromanagement and petty monitoring the till staff were under, time spent on each customer monitored, how fast items were scanned, whether the latest offers close by were offered and now I have just noticed on the BBC news website that staff in sainsburys had to try to up sales from each customer by 50 p. Its all target orientated now . I feel sorry for the staff, just let them get on with the job.

Rafflesway · 30/09/2014 17:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ithoughtofitfirst · 30/09/2014 17:34

Love it when people fuss over ds. Aaah look at his hair.

Afro.

Proud.

Rafflesway · 30/09/2014 17:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bellossom · 30/09/2014 17:36

Hate hate hate. I avoid one assistant now after she asked my opinion on sanitary towels I was buying. Clearly wrong time of the month so shut up and scan please love. She comments on the shopping every single time.

Original poster
TaliZorahVasNormandy · 30/09/2014 17:39

Raffles Its not, I had to deal with Americans getting business class flights, some of them were not nice and I worked there til I was 8 months pregnant. Asking those stupid security question was sodding nightmare. I'm glad I wasnt BAA, they got it alot worse than we ever did.

Actually, I had a pilot have a go at me once for sitting down on the jet bridge at 5 months pregnant because everything expanded, including my feet.

OP posts:
TheOriginalSteamingNit · 30/09/2014 17:42

Don't hate it but hate that it's a forced thing. Unless there are some excellent actors who've missed their vocations, I think you can tell when someone is a genuinely chatty person and is being friendly at the till, and when they've taken a deep breath before asking 'you doing a bit of shopping today then?'. Chatty people: lovely. False chat that I have to struggle for a sensible reply to, not so good.

usualsuspect333 · 30/09/2014 17:47

'Shut up and scan please love' nice attitude you have there for someone doing their job.

Jamrollypolly · 30/09/2014 17:52

I love chatting to the staff in my local sainsburys they are really lovely (one of the main reasons I shop there). In tesco the staff make me feel like the conversation is fake and they have been told to do so by the company. Op things happen for a reason I'm sure there is something better out there for you, tesco are not well known for looking after their staff.

Original poster
TaliZorahVasNormandy · 30/09/2014 17:53

I know Jam My ex used to work for them, but 2 years on JSA, but beggars cant be choosers.

OP posts:
DertieBertie · 30/09/2014 18:03

I don't mind it within reason, but there was one time I was at a Holland and Barratt and a man just WOULD NOT STOP TALKING TO ME. After a few minutes I had to cut across him to say I needed my (3!) items and was catching the bus. He said I was being a bit rude, could I not just chat for a bit and enjoy life! I very slowly asked him if he genuinely thought talking to him, a total stranger, for a few more minutes was worth me missing work, and that if the answer was yes I would go without my purchases. He scanned them up in a huff and let me leave.

Makes me wonder what idiot gave him customer service training!

Whippet81 · 30/09/2014 18:13

It's nothing to do though with treating people as human or not - I'm quite happy to say hello and be asked if it's still raining because they're about to finish their shift or something - but it does piss me off when I'm asked personal questions at the till with a queue of people over my shoulder - I don't think there's any need to ask a stranger what they have been doing all day or what they are going to name their unborn child.

whattodonext2014 · 30/09/2014 19:06

In Sainsburys where I used to live the young man at the checkout asked me what I was up to that night - I took this as a direct comment on my meal for one, bottle of wine and soppy film groceries and got all embarrassed and flustered as a result. After a couple of visits I realised that all staff had been told to ask this and actually didn't care what my answer was. Neither scenario made me want to shop there again. Maybe this is a ploy to encourage people to use the self-checkouts?

sunflower49 · 30/09/2014 19:12

Generally, I hate it. Occasionally I'm happy with it when it happens, usually prefer if it doesn't.

Haven't explained that very well. I'd rather it didn't happen at all because most of the time I don't like it. However if I'm in a good mood, sometimes I'm happy for it to happen. If that makes sense!

JillySuper · 30/09/2014 19:13

Bit of idle chit chat - fine. Cashier stating the bloody name of every sodding item as he scans it - not fine. I did have to Grin to myself though when he got to the economy box of tampax and sort of mumbled " oh, some of those"........

Original poster
TaliZorahVasNormandy · 30/09/2014 22:28

Jilly What was he doing, pretending he walked at argos and repeated your order back to you.

OP posts:
ithoughtofitfirst · 30/09/2014 22:35

I have never encountered commenting on individual items. That sounds wearing.

I get 'oooh nice healthy shop'

With a body like this?!?!? Oooooh yeeeeeee

Original poster
TaliZorahVasNormandy · 30/09/2014 23:32

I think its rude to comment on a persons shopping and asking personal questions.

I'm obviously not cut out for Tesco.

OP posts:
Original poster
TaliZorahVasNormandy · 30/09/2014 23:33

Oh and another thing, the woman who interviewed me, started telling me about how she likes to go out drinking, oh ok love.

OP posts: