I am a courtesy clerk of 3 weeks working at Kroger. Whenever I bag for this one checker, he NEVER helps bag. EVER. I can understand small orders, but it's the big orders. He'll even start the next order and leave me to bag the current one all by myself. If he has a big orders in line, he'll literally look for a bagger. Pure laziness.
So how do I get him to help bag? Do I say "Hey xxx can you help me finish this order? Or is that "overstepping my bounds?" I'm ready to just ignore his calls to bag alltogether.
Sorry if this is off topic. But I sometimes feel a bit guilty for being on Uscan and not bagging for other cashiers. I tried it a few times during my rookie weeks on Uscan and I found it was impossible to properly keep track of the customers on Uscan while bagging at the same time. Especially if I'm bagging on a register that's far away from the Uscan. Especially if I don't have a handheld. A couple courtesy clerks have wondered why they never see me bag while I'm on Uscan. But hey, that's my reason. Also, what's the point? I start to bag and 10 seconds later a customer needs me on Uscan and I have to abandon the register I was bagging for.
When I'm on register though, I bag my own stuff. If someone's bagging for me and it gets cluttered up, I stop and help bag. If the order is finished and there's still stuff to be bagged, I help bag till it's done.
I don't think you are allowed to leave U scan for longer than few seconds. I have never seen our U scan people bag for other check lanes. U scan is a big responsibility, you should not be leaving it. You are scheduled as attendant, not attendant/bagger. At least at my store.
And yeah, checker not helping to bag is pure laziness.
You really shouldn't leave SCO, specially with the next system. SCO your helping 4+ customer at once, while other are helping 1. I would suggest the bagger has a few options, try to avoid bagging for that cashier when possible, but assist when there's a customer in need. I would call the cashier out when needed, when you think they are going to start the next order just say "Hey xxxxx, can you help me bag these last items, I want to make sure this customers items don't get mixed up and allow the customer to get home as soon as possible"..... Your calling the cashier out, but making it about the customer rather then demanding him help. Or play to the cashiers ego, and tell him he went so fast you cant keep up and ask if he could help finish up bagging the order.
It's interesting because pretty much all the cashiers and the CSM's leave the Uscans at my store to bag and do other stuff. Only relying on the handheld to alert them if there's someone needing help.
Sometimes on a crazy day, one CSM would be in charge of TWO Uscans WHILE manning the service desk. More often than not, they have one cashier man two Uscan clusters cause they don't have another one to handle both.
Me? I pretty much only leave the Uscan to put baskets in the hallway and to grab cigs for customers.
Your stores setup is a little different, but in reality with the amount of people going in/out of SCO....the attendant should be off limits. The only time you shouldn't be in the SCO area is when its very early in the morning or late in the evening, which you can sneak away and do little things.
The OP's original topic is starting to go off base, so I'll bring it back on track. When the order is done or when its slow talk to him quietly. Tell him some customers complained to you about him not helping bag. Even if it's not true. That should get him back on track. If not, just avoid him whenever possible. If he's up front checking and looking for a bagger, go outside on carts. Say you have a "cleanup."
Why dont you say something about that issue to the supervisor or your manager? I dont think it is fair to leave you bagging on your own. I am a cashier and I always help my baggers. I know what your talking about, I see what other cashiers do. They think that their only responsibility is to scan items. On the other side, there are many baggers who end up bagging just a few items and the rest are bagged by me.
I am a courtesy clerk of 3 weeks working at Kroger. Whenever I bag for this one checker, he NEVER helps bag. EVER. I can understand small orders, but it's the big orders. He'll even start the next order and leave me to bag the current one all by myself. If he has a big orders in line, he'll literally look for a bagger. Pure laziness.
So how do I get him to help bag? Do I say "Hey xxx can you help me finish this order? Or is that "overstepping my bounds?" I'm ready to just ignore his calls to bag alltogether.
3 weeks employed at Kroger.
Answer: you don't. Being as you are still on probation, you DO NOT get to tell checkers ANYTHING. Let the customer do that. Because depending if management likes you, you may be gone if you try that. Kroger is known for "testing new hires" to see if they can handle it.
If you want to fail the test, go ahead. Maybe this checker was told to do this BY MANAGEMENT. to see how you would handle a situation such as this.
It has happened to me, when I first for hired. And as a checker if you were to tell me to help out. I'd be like "excuse YOU?!?"
Asking me is one thing. Telling us another. Try ASKING this guy to help!!
UGH we have a few cashiers there that are new, young kids and I have already schooled them with a lesson in manners in helping bag big orders (I told them they if they ever wanted my help again, they'd better pitch in). I am one of the older people at my store (even older than some of my managers). I was not hired on as a bagger, I work in natural foods and sometimes I do get called up to bag, so the way I see it, I am trying to help out, so the cashier had better pony up.
Agreed. And Survey Says...NO! You don't need to be an ass to the OP. Somehow you seem to be the type of cashier to let the baggers bag ALL orders BY THEMSELVES while you move on to the next task. Hell, if you were to call for bagging assistance, I'd ignore you.
