Do you remember how cashiers USED to give change?

Question

let's say you owed $3.45 cents, and you handed the cashier a $10. She would first hand you the 55 cents and then count out the $1 and the $5 to you. Then she would hand you a receipt and say "thank you."

Nowadays, the cashier makes a little paper tray out of the bills and puts the coins in it. Then she balances a receipt on top, shoves it in my general direction and says "there you go."

There I go? Where am I going? And why are they in such a rush to get rid of me, now that they've got my money?

Diane, I appreciate your answer, but I have to be honest that I am a little offended by it, specifically, your use of the words "all" and "one"

I am not claiming that "all" cashiers are that way, nor am I implying it, but the vast majority of cashiers are that way, in fact almost "all" of them.

And my observations are not based on "one" experience, but countless experiences in my daily life.

Honestly, "some" of you stereotyping police can be more offensive then the stereotyping itself.

Answer 1

Oh, yes, and then get mad at the customer when the change slides right off, before you can move your hand, onto the counter or the floor. Especially bad is my grocery, where the customer has to reach up and over the little perch for writing checks on to pay. Trust me the cashier does not do the reaching. It is now the customer's job to catch the receipt, the change, and the bills, likely the cashier has moved on to closing her cash drawer, and is not looking at your hand.
The proper way to count out the change for a big bill is to count the change onto the cost of the purchase, then hand over the paper money.
If the purchase was $3.45, and the customer gives her a $10, the cashier would say, "3.45", hand over a nickel and say "3.50,"
hand over 2 quarters and say "4', then hand over 6 dollars and say "and 6 makes $10". I guess this takes too much time, and not doing it gives the cashier and the store room to short you on your change. And before everybody yells at me, yes, they do deliberately short your change..
The old way seemed to leave when the new cash registers that scan came into being.
I've noticed this at the bank, too. They do not even count your money out to you anymore. You have to watch the teller take it out of the drawer to see if it is right. I fixed that, I count it again, in front of the teller. They do not like that. This started happening about the time drive-up windows became popular. The tellers do not have to count it out there, so they do not inside, either.
And I think you are right. You paid your money, they want you to go. Bet they did some stupid survey, about what the customer wants, bet that survey said not standing in long lines was the biggest rated problem in stores. The cashier has been taught to get you on your way as fast as possible. Its not their fault, when you have a job, you do what management says, or you find a job, elsewhere.
So, when possible, I pay with a credit card, even purchases under ten bucks. I do not have to deal with getting shorted, or chasing coins all over the store. I am sorry, I know the store has to pay for the credit card service, and their profits go south when I pay for small purchases with it, but, too bad. I'm the customer, and if they are worried about their bottom line, treat money a little better.
Customer service is almost non-existant these days. Even in my own profession. Every service and request a customer needs is treated poorly, rudely, with boredom.

Answer 2

I agree that this behavior reflects all the cashier's needs, and none of the customers. Who should they really be focused on, hmmmm?

I fear this is also a result of too much dependence on what the cash register says to return as change - a superfluous function for a good cashier. They read the $6.55 change total, and then it just becomes a lump sum - which they return to you all at once. If the cashier has to take that nanosecond (again, for a good one) and think about the separate change and bills, I bet you will see a decline in this rude behavior. I wish more retail managers would make this experiment.

Answer 3

Yes I remember the time that cashiers handed you the change and said "thank you". Be very sure to count your change when they roll it up and hand it to you.Once my daughter was distracted at the register, and when she went to the car counted and found out they gave her change for a 10 and she paid with a 20.My daughter is disabled and uses a electric chair to move around in the store, I guess they had a plan for the money they got.Now I hand them the money and state how much I'm giving them..Is this our FUTURE?

Answer 4

Unfortunately this is another effect of technology. Cashiers are not trained to count money any longer. Instead they rely on Amount Tendered by the computer. When I learned to work a register we not only learned to count back change, but also added the cost of the order on paper, including the tax, then entered only the total amount in the cash register. One of my favorite sadistic things to do is hand the cashier a five on an order like 4.06, then when they have entered that amount into the computer say, but wait I have a penny. The look on their face, is priceless, especially in fast food restaurants, it is like watching a deer caught in the headlights. It's a sad fact, but customer service is dying in this country.

Answer 5

I HATE it when I go through a drive-through and they hand the money to me like that. They are usually handing it down to me so the change slides off to the ground. This has happened to me 3 times in my life and two of those times the cashier just looked at me like I was the idiot for not catching the shower of change as it was going by my hand.

Also (as long as I'm venting) why do a lot of them throw your credit card on the counter instead of simply handing it back? I didn't throw it at them did I? I have actually put my hand under the card and this @ss went around my hand to throw it on the counter.

Answer 6

What I really hate is when the customer behind me tries to shove past me to the counter, before I even get a chance to put my money away or even get it arranged. I waited for the person/people in front of me, now let them wait!

Answer 7

Its becuz they are hiring ppl that dont have any experience at counting change. I guess its not required anymore. Here, it comes out in a little box, and you just grab your change and go. Its getting to where the human doesnt do anything anymore.

Machines are taking over!!!!!!!

Answer 8

I hate getting the coins on top of the bill - how are you supposed to make that work?

"there you go" ? gee, i usually don't get a word from cashiers, unless you count the words to their friend on the cell phone.

Answer 9

I hear ya. Now you have the coins that fall off and drop on the floor, you are trying to get out of the way, so you crumple it all together and shove it in your pocket or in your purse.

Answer 10

maybe its because they do not need to count it out anymore as their till does it for them. But what annoys me even more than that is when a customer puts there money on the counter and then hold their hand out for change. When you have to scrabble to pick up their pennies etc and expectr us to place the change in their hand. Its very discourteous in my mind!