OT/ Please help. Anyone ever been a cashier?
I decided to pick up some part time work on the weekends to have time away from the step kids and earn a little spending money. I got hired as a cashier in a large retail store and I start tomorrow. The only problem is I have never been a cashier before.
My normal job entails sitting behind a desk at home and making spread sheets. I am super nervous because I get very anxious around people I do not know and have little friends outside of church. I have been battling with anxiety and self esteem issues most of my teen and adult life.
Any tips on how to be the best cashier I can be? How to deal with unruly costumers? How to processes electronic coupons on cell phone? I haven't had a chance to really learn the store to answer costumer questions. And Any tips on how to just relax?
I know I may seem to old for all of this but I would prefer advice and not judgment. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to reply to this post. I sincerely and gratefully appreciate your input.
- WWSMD's blog
- Log in or register to post comments
Comments
Depending on where you work,
Depending on where you work, you might be too busy to be anxious. I have found that once I actually START any kind of task, the anxiety over it goes away.
Your first few weeks, if anyone is nasty or frustrated, just explain you are new. Everyone has been there and hopefully they will cut you some slack.
Otherwise, you can just try to do whatever you can to make the customer happy. If that doesn't work, call in a manager. They are trained to deal with the tough ones.
Personally, I only had maybe one or two tough customers in the year and a half I was a cashier.
I was a cashier for a few
I was a cashier for a few months when I was 18. They'll train you on how to use the register, don't worry about that too much. The main thing you need to remember is to smile and be as friendly as you can be. Even when the customer is being a total b****, just smile and be friendly. Oh, and if your store has a credit card program, try to get as many people to sign up for a credit card as possible.
Learn from the co-worker who
Learn from the co-worker who knows the most and does the best (this is not always the manager or supervisor).
It's guaranteed that you'll
It's guaranteed that you'll get nasty customers. I used to then go to my "over the top friendly" mode. It sometimes made my day to see them getting angrier and angrier while I kept my cool and was uber polite.
Just remember to breathe ..
Just remember to breathe .. ask a lot of questions during your training. Take notes if you need to in a small notepad you can keep nearby or in your pocket.
If you feel overwhelmed, ask for help. Wear comfortable shoes.
Strike up small talk when/if you can .. it puts people at ease and helps pass the time.
Best of luck to you!