I have never worked in retail but it is good to know they receive training on the front line.

[Wilbur ★]

 

[jsharr ★]

Amazing how much grocery shopping has changed since the 1960s, isn't it?

Do they have grocery stores in Canada or do you just go out and shoot some meat and dig up some plants in your wool pants and flannel shirts?

[Wilbur ★]

17 minutes ago, jsharr said:

Amazing how much grocery shopping has changed since the 1960s, isn't it?

Do they have grocery stores in Canada or do you just go out and shoot some meat and dig up some plants in your wool pants and flannel shirts?

Yes.  I think Cheese will find great comfort in this video though. 

[Johnny Come Lately Name]

11 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

I have never worked in retail 

.....and thank your lucky stars for that. 

Nothing is more soul-sucking and destructive to your faith in humanity.

[maddmaxx ★]

I have worked in retail and the better stores used to train their employees well.  I've been to school with the Sharpe microwave chefs (interesting) assorted manufacturers of televisions and other electronic equipment (actually less interesting) and a couple of appliance manufacturers.  (the least interesting of all as they spent most of their time explaining why their products had different sku numbers in our store than others.  (cheaper)

 

I'm not convinced that the employees in big box stores get that today however.

[jsharr ★]

1 hour ago, maddmaxx said:

I have worked in retail and the better stores used to train their employees well.  I've been to school with the Sharpe microwave chefs (interesting) assorted manufacturers of televisions and other electronic equipment (actually less interesting) and a couple of appliance manufacturers.  (the least interesting of all as they spent most of their time explaining why their products had different sku numbers in our store than others.  (cheaper)

 

I'm not convinced that the employees in big box stores get that today however.

[Zephyr]

4 hours ago, jsharr said:

Amazing how much grocery shopping has changed since the 1960s, isn't it?

Do they have grocery stores in Canada or do you just go out and shoot some meat and dig up some plants in your wool pants and flannel shirts?

It's summer here.  We don't wear pants in summer, silly

[parodybot]

27 minutes ago, Zephyr said:

It's summer here.  We don't wear pants in summer, silly

then you need to shave your legs and do some manscaping because it damn sure looked like you were wearing wool pants in the picture @jsharr showed me.

[bikeman564™]

4 hours ago, F_in Ray Of Sunshine said:

.....and thank your lucky stars for that. 

Nothing is more soul-sucking and destructive to your faith in humanity.

I never have either, I wouldn't want to deal w/ Joe Public. Customers I deal w/ are corporate level.

[groupw]

I have worked retail off and on over the years. Training varied wildly. I worked at a box store for a couple years ending in 2007. Training for the full time employees was actually not bad. I learned a lot about various products and could be somewhat knowledgeable in most parts of the store. On the other hand, part time people got very little training because they often had to fill holes when full timers weren't there. It wasn't fair to them, but the store had no choice. 

As far as customers, I had far more good experiences than bad. You often determine how the experience is going to go by how you respond to the customer. 

[MickinMD ★]

Back before bar codes!  I wasn't a supermarket cashier but worked the counter/cash register in a fast food place in the 1960's.

Some things you were taught:  sometimes a customer would make sure the cashier saw them waving a $10 or $20 bill around while ringing up to total. The cashier would, to speed things up, begin to grab the change out of the register they know they'd require before the customer handed them the bill.  So the customer would simply keep the bill in his hand as he held it out - an untrained cashier would often simply put the change for the bill right into the customer's hand without taking the $10 or $20.

Another trick was to give you a large bill then, as you began counting out the change before giving it to him, the customer would say he forgot he had a smaller bill, ask to substitute the smaller bill and get you to give him the original bill back, but in the distraction continue to collect change for the larger bill. Amazing how new often new counter workers would fall for that.

[groupw]

We were taught at the record store to take their money and keep it on the ledge above the register drawer. If they said they gave you a 20, hold up their 10 and say you mean this? Only had 1 person try it with me and that nipped it in the bud. 

[sheep_herder ★]

21 hours ago, jsharr said:

Amazing how much grocery shopping has changed since the 1960s, isn't it?

Do they have grocery stores in Canada or do you just go out and shoot some meat and dig up some plants in your wool pants and flannel shirts?

Why in the heck would you wear a flannel shirt, if you were wearing wool pants?

[groupw]

1 hour ago, sheep_herder said:

Why in the heck would you wear a flannel shirt, if you were wearing wool pants?

Hipster

[ChrisL]

I worked retail for a little while after I did the cop thing.  I didn't mind working the floor but didn't like cashiering.  I once inadvertently gave out too much change and my till was short $10.  The 19 YO manager calls me in her office and demands I empty my pockets. Why? Your till is short.  How much? $10.... OK so assuming I have $10 In my pockets, how do you know I didn't already have it?  I said look, if you want to fire me for theft or for making a mistake or for being a jerk fine, Im not emptying my pockets.... Didnt cashier anymore after that...

[jsharr ★]

2 hours ago, sheep_herder said:

Why in the heck would you wear a flannel shirt, if you were wearing wool pants?

It is Canada, they are not as fashion conscious as we are.