It's really the only thing that annoys me about Uscan.
People telling me a customer needs help, when I already know they need help. This comes from everyone. Managers, other associates, even other customers. It doesn't happen all the time, but sometimes.
Example. This is from today. Two ID checks happen on two lanes side by side, at the same time. I choose to go to the first one. Oh, look, it's the sushi chef from the deli and his friend, who also works in the deli. So I say hi and all, and clear his screen. Immediately after I do that, as I begin to turn my head, he says "she needs your help" as he points to her.
Another example. I take some vegetables to hand them off to a produce clerk to restock them. This is only a few steps from the Uscan. 15 seconds of walking. As I walk back, service desk person yells across to me, "they need your help." Really? You think I would just walk away from the Uscan and come back to just stand there completely oblivious that a customer would need help? This same service desk person is the one who covers my shift on the same Uscan cluster during my days off. So they know, or should know, what it's like. I don't understand this.
I always assume a customer needs help when I'm approaching my Uscan. I always assume a customer needs help every 15 seconds. Very easy to spot which one using just my eyes. And I don't even use the handheld. It's one of the basic fundamentals of being a Uscan attendant. Always assume a customer needs help, all the time. Right?
I'm starting to think the other associates think I'm a horrible Uscan attendant and don't appreciate that I've been doing this for 8 months. Or they are the ones who are horrible Uscan attendants. It's the only explanation. Rule number one, customer always needs your help. You've done Uscan before. You know this. You know I've done Uscan for months now, so I definitely know this. The Uscans have loud robot voices. You know that I have ears and I can hear these robot voices. I also have eyes and I can see what is on the screens and what customers are doing. So why did you just tell me a customer needs my help? I don't understand.
Even if I had no idea a customer needs help after I just walked away (or even if I'm just standing there like normal). The first thing I do upon arrival (and always do, all the time!) is scan each lane to see if everything's alright. I even walk up to the customers in case they had a question. If they did, they'd go "Oh here you are, I have a question... blah blah blah." If not, they just ignore me, but they know I'm there. And that takes three seconds. My god, I'll be damned if a customer has to wait three seconds before I realize they need help. You should alert me that a customer needs help so they don't have to wait three seconds of their precious lives.
The other customers, I can forgive. They've obviously never done this. The store managers, I can also forgive. It's their job to make sure a customer is helped, and also they don't work on Uscan. They barely work the registers. I don't think I've ever seen a store manager being a Uscan attendant. The CSMs, I can partially forgive. It's their job to make sure a customer is helped. But they also work on Uscan from time to time. They also see me everyday, doing my thing. The other front end associates, I don't know. I can't forgive them.
How about a little trust, man? Believe in me! I won't let ya down! Cross my heart and hope to die.
How about looking at it from another persons point of view? Instead of taking offense and getting pissed off, has it occurred to you that your fellow employees are trying to be helpful? Maybe they cant read your mind and know that you realize the customer needs help. could it possibly be true that theyre just letting you know as a way to show they have your back? Why cant you just say thank you, and move on with your day?
My back? I seriously doubt that. They have the customer's back. If they had my back, they would trust that I got this. These same fellow employees are the ones who would yell at me for not giving perishable reshop to a bagger fast enough, when I was busy with something else. Like literally yell, from across the floor for everyone to hear, like I'm a child. I'm not saying thank you to that.
Actually, ya know what? You're right. There is no reason to be bothered by this at all. They're just looking out for the customer. It's not like this happens all the time anyway, like once or twice a week. A sign that I'm on top of my game. I should add this to my big list of things that make Uscan quirky and interesting. The list of things to expect while at Uscan. The Uscan is a fussy baby that needs to have its diaper changed, and I am up for the challenge of dealing with its nonsense. Like how customers never take their receipt on Uscan, but on a regular cashier checkout lane, they always take the receipt. I'll never understand that, but... that's what makes this all fascinating.
This is a good perspective. And for that, I thank you, sir.
