She Came To The Right Cashier.
By Chevee
@Chevee (5905)
United States
December 26, 2008 9:30am CST
This has been on my mind for several days and I just want to talk about it with my friends here at MyLot.
I was in the supermarket a few days before Christmas, I was at the check out and this woman come up behind me talking to me so I wasn't paying attention to what I was giving the cashier (money). I was thinking that my purchases would be below $20 (I had the 20 dollar bill in my hand), and when the cashier said $21 and some change, it took me a little by surprise, and I was talking to the lady behind me so I thought I was giving the cashier a 5 dollar bill but it was a 50 dollar bill(so she had a total of 70 dollars). The cashier said look what you gave me I said my goodness Thank you, I am running my mouth and not paying attention. Well Thank you wasn't enough for her. She just went on and on about the mistake I had made (you came to the right cashier, was her reply). She even turned and told the woman I was talking to about the mistake (look what she gave me, she came to the right cashier). The woman said she just have a lot of money, I said no I haven't this is money from my last pay check, I just got laid off I no longer have a job. I told the cashier again Thank You ]I appreciate it. So after I got my bags and was leaving the woman I was talking to said have a Merry Christmas the cashier again said I know she is going to have a Merry Christmas, she just happen to come to the right cashier. I looked back and told this cashier again thank you and you have a Merry Christmas too.
Don't get me wrong I do appreciate it, but why did she keep talking about it I am sure other people have come through her line and made a mistake before. I didn't have any money to give her a tip, I don't have a job. If she would have kept the change from the money then she would have been dishonest and in the future she would have lost more than that.
How do you feel about her actions to this situation?
5 people like this
23 responses
@DonnaLawson (4032)
• United States
26 Dec 08
She should have just gave you your change back and quietly explained that you had given her too much.. She should not have made that big a deal of it.. I warked as a cashier for many years and when anything like this happened, that is the way I handled it, maybe with a small teasing comment about throwing your money around, but only to the customer, not to anyone else in line.. We all do our own little goof-ups and this was just one of them..
@DonnaLawson (4032)
• United States
26 Dec 08
I want to add also that I didn't know that you were supposed to tip cashiers, that is their job and what they get a paycheck for.. I never received a tip the entire time that I worked as a cahsier, I was offered tips sometimes but turned them down as I was getting a paycheck for doing my job..
@DonnaLawson (4032)
• United States
26 Dec 08
Well, if you get paid for being honest, it just doesn't seem right, does it??
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
26 Dec 08
in the first place she had a big mouth. she haad no buisness commenting to the other customer, she was looking for a tip. glad u didn't give her one!!!
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
26 Dec 08
u ruhn into all kinds. are u looking for another job or u gonna' be like me & not work anymore. i'd still be working if my health hadn't gotten bad. i am use to it now & enjoy not working. all i miss is the money. lol
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
27 Dec 08
you didn't owe her a tip for her honesty. It is her job to give you the correct change regardless of what you give her. She is human too and I'm sure that if she hasn't already then the day will come when she gives too much change back and hopefully the customer will be kind and correct her.
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
27 Dec 08
The cashier was definitely wrong to keep referring to your mistake, Chevee. After bringing it to your attention she should have let the matter rest, secure in hte knowledge that she had done the right thing. As you stated, people make mistakes all the time when paying for purchases, so I can't explain why she reacted the way she did. I'm sorry to hear you lost your job and I hope you will find another soon. Happy Holidays!
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
27 Dec 08
I am a cashier and this happens so so very often. I never make a big deal out of it. It just is a human error. It is very easy to do and very common. It also happens the other way. How often someone has spoken to me, asking where is the bathroom or where to find something as I'm counting back change and given too much back. Thankfully most people are honest and correct me. I don't know what her thinking was but it does seem that she overdid it a bit. Any good cashier would have simply gone "oops, I think you are giving me to much" and that'd be it. It is our job to pay attention to the cash we are recieving as well as handing back.
@AnakSuNamun (2084)
• United States
26 Dec 08
I don't think she wanted your money,only attention and appreciation which she deserved but she happened to overdo it. I guess that lady either doesn't get too much praise so she gives herself one whenever possible or she gets too much and she got used to it.Some people are self-centered,some are attention grabbers.Always nice when somebody makes your day or your life easier but it gets ruined if that person has to brag about it like no tomorrow. Modesty is what makes these gestures special for us,not "Look at me! Am I not awesome?.."
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
27 Dec 08
Hi Chevee,
What an ignorant person she was, she needn't keep going on about it. Hugs.
Tamara
@rusty2rusty (6751)
• Defiance, Ohio
26 Dec 08
I think the cashier was happy that she was able to help. So, she was telling others about it. I don't think she was trying to embarass you or hurt your feelings. I don't think she was looking for a tip either.I do think she was giddy, happy for catching the mistake. It could of cost you big time.
@Chevee (5905)
• United States
26 Dec 08
I appreciate what she did, but the way she was acting, I don't think she could have lived with herself if she would have kept the change, if so I really believe that something bad would have happen to her in the future, cashier's makes mistakes and it cost them when they turn in their earnings at the end of the shift. I have given money back to cashier's before when they have given me too much money back for change. I have heard of cashier being fired because their money drawer keeps coming up short. You reap what you sow.
It could have cost me big true. But life goes on.
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
26 Dec 08
Personally in my opinion the cashier sounds like she's not running on all cylinders, or as they say not playing with a full deck. She was obviously trying to make herself look good and NO doubt it was good she didn't rip you off of 49.00 that's a lot of money to be short, but she didn't have to make you look like an idiot to other shoppers, that's the part I didn't like. It's too bad SOME people can't just take the decent and honest approach without playing the part of a hero. I'm glad we're not all that way. The cashier did do the right thing by being honest and you did handle yourself very well thanking her several times.
@robert19ph (4577)
• Philippines
27 Dec 08
hello Chevee,
So sorry to know that you don't have a job anymore. Hope you can find one soon.
With regards to the cashier, though she was pretty honest of giving your money back, she should not tell to anyone anymore. Indeed you did make a mistake but everybody does too. Better shot her mouth if she has nothing to tell to the next customer or change the topic. This way, she will not hurt anyone.
You were just disturded that time that's why your attention was not focused to her. That can happen to anyone in your position. Better ignore her and don't mind her at all.
@Chevee (5905)
• United States
27 Dec 08
I don't go to that supermarket that much any way. I guess she was just caught up in the Christmas moment and wanted everyone in the line to know that she had been honest with me. I hope they gave her the praise she wanted I tried to but I don't think I did enough for her. Thanks for understanding.
@mentalward (14691)
• United States
26 Dec 08
Wow! Well, it was awfully nice and honest of that cashier to correct your mistake, but for her to go on and on about your "coming to the right cashier" sounds more like bragging to me!
Maybe she needs to be acknowledged for her good deeds. Maybe she feels unappreciated to the point where she has a need to tell others of her good deeds and to make sure you hear her by saying the same thing over and over again.
I don't think she had any right in pointing out your error to the woman behind you, though! THAT was uncalled for! I'd say that, in her desperate need to be acknowledged, she was willing to break the laws of common courtesy for her own recognition.
I must say that I'd have mixed emotions if that had been me instead of you. I'd be grateful that she was honest, but angry at her pointing that out to a total stranger and irritated by her saying "you came to the right cashier" over and over again!
I'm sure that the majority of cashiers are VERY honest. She may have felt a need to be superior to the other cashiers for some reason but I honestly believe that almost all cashiers would have been just as honest as she had been. If it were me, I'd make a point of AVOIDING that "right cashier" in the future!
@Chevee (5905)
• United States
26 Dec 08
I don't go to that supermarket that much, I was looking for something in particular and I had searched and searched and I just settled for what they had because it was Christmas eve and time was running out.
I did appreciate her being honest, I did get upset at her for telling the lady behind me, and I am sure she talked about that the whole day, and probably took it home with her and talked about it to her family too. I am wondering if she has ever taken any other customers change. She is not the first honest cashier I have been too.
Oh well that is in the past and it is time to get over it.
@coolingstar9 (79)
• Singapore
27 Dec 08
Chevee,
The cashier should not do this to you by keep on talking your mistake to others. Human bound to have mistakes sometimes.
The cashier should act in friendly manner, perhaps She needed to say something like that:" Hi, please be careful next time, you give me more than that."
Good customer is very important for any business.
@mysticmaggie (2498)
• United States
27 Dec 08
First, congratulations on meeting an honest person! Sadly she was also very unprofessional in her approach to the situation. Calling attention to the error was correct, but once you had your money back and gave her the correct amount the whole situation should have ended.
As many have said, it may be she needed a pat on the back and thought her arm was the only one long enough to do the job, but I believe it shows the lack of training given to employees today.
Too often an employee is trained but no one follows up to see if she/he learned the lessons taught. In any store, the first two rules are the customer is always right and never embarrass a customer. Breaking either rule ensures fewer return visits.
Second, at least you didn't lose money you very much needed and you were kind enough to thank the sales person - several times. A class act on your part.
@Chevee (5905)
• United States
27 Dec 08
I know that she did an honest act. But the way she carried on it is hard to believe that she is an honest person (Hopefully she is). Most honest people do not draw attention to the honest act that they have done. I have gotten to much change from a cashier and gave the money back and didn't tell everyone in the store what I had done.
I understand what you are saying thanks for the response.
@tyc415 (5706)
• United States
26 Dec 08
I find that cashier to be very rude. I guess she is trying to say that all other cashiers in that store are dishonest? It seems like she would have just ask if you didn't have anything smaller and give you the 20.00 back and give you the change from the 50.00. Too bad management wasn't around to hear the cashier going on and on. I know for a fact that you are not the only person who has done this sort of thing and I have even seen it done when the person was not distracted but I have never seen or heard of a cashier being so vocal about it.
If you had thought when you were walking away you could have told her that it was HER lucky day because you were just testing her to see how honest she was. hahahaha
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
26 Dec 08
She sounds like a real jerk, but at least it did get straightened out. Somehow, people seem to go on and on about exactly those things we'd like them to shut their mouths about.
May the new year be a whole lot better than that for you!
@UtopianIdealist (1604)
• United States
15 Jan 09
It does happen quite a lot. There are times even, when people are given too much change. She is lucky you were honest and where concerned that you thought you were getting the wrong change. Perhaps she had been feeling tired at that job, and hearing that she may of helped someone, made her feel so good she had to keep mentioning it. Though she didn't know that you were not certain of what bills you had given her, so she actually had no real chance of keeping the money. If done again, and she knew before hand, would she have kept the money? Perhaps she was at a point where she needed money and could not actually believe this opportunity happened, and was lost.
@2oldn2ys (64)
• United States
31 Dec 08
Sounds like she gets no attention from anyone or just likes to pat herself on the back a lot. You handled that so well, I couldn't have. I was a cashier when I was young and anything I did like this and someone thanked me, I would say you are welcome and move on. Also, now days most registers have either a camera or mirror above them so you would assume she wouldn't even think of such a thing. I think most people are honest and it was not right of her to make it seem as though the other checkers were not. That person I would avoid in the future.
@stejhas (209)
• United States
26 Dec 08
Wow! I guess I'm like you in that I ASSUME people to be HONEST! So what if you gave her a $50... you should get almost $49 in change! I don't get it... what's the big deal! There's something DEFINITELY wrong with that cashier!! Or maybe she has other cashier friends that have bragged before about keeping customer's money???
I don't know what to think about that. But I would be very cautious in the future when you are paying at that store. There MUST be some dishonest cashiers!!!
@ichandel (47)
•
29 Dec 08
i think it was very inappropriate of her to go on an don about it,,everyone makes a mistake once in a while...i am sure shes made mistakes as well...maybe just wanted to boost to everyone how honest she is..maybe shes trying to hide the fact that she is actually not honest?
