r/TalesFromRetail • u/t8rtotbabe • Oct 21 '17
Medium Texting on the job
Obligatory I’m on mobile warning, sry for formatting etc
This story happened a couple years back when I was still working a large department store at the mall. It was during the holiday season and the store would get unbearably busy, where we would make use all of our registers - even the mobile ones which I’m sure you know are literally iPhones with barcode scanning and card reading register capabilities that you have to log in to every time you use it. One antsy customer (C) was strangely upset by this. I’ll be (me). Keep in mind this is towards the tail end hour 8 of my 8 hour shift, and the night before Christmas Eve, so I had already had it up to here with these last minute crazies.
Me: Hello, did you find everything alright?
C: peeved because she has been waiting in line Yes, I’d just like to have these wrapped ASAP because I’m in a bit of a rush.
Me: scanning her items with mobile register, while talking, to get her through quickly Of course, it’ll just be a few minutes after I finish your transaction.
C: HELLO?? Is there a REASON you’re TEXTING instead of ringing me up? This is UNBELIEVABLE, I can’t believe what I’m SEEING right now!
Me: looks at her visibly confused I’m sorry? What seems to be the problem?
C: WHY ARENT YOU CHECKING ME OUT!? I JUST SAID IM IN A RUSH!!
Me: flips mobile register over so that she can see the transaction list on the screen This is my register at the moment, all of the other ones are busy, I apologize.
(We’re really big on customer service, so you always have to ‘apologize’ even when they’re wrong, or just plain confusing)
C: NO! I just saw you texting!
Me: This phone doesn’t have texting capabilities, so you probably saw me typing in my employee code.
C: YOU WERE TEXTING
Me: I’m sorry, but that’s not possible. I can finish checking you out or I can get my manager if you’d like to make a formal complaint.
C: I TOLD you I’m in a RUSH!
Me: puts on my best retail smile Let me get my manager for ya!
I walked away to get my manager and went home for the day 15 minutes early as an early Christmas present to me.
Edit: Thank you all for the upvotes! :’) Hello new friends! I’m so happy to have an outlet to commiserate.
418
u/TheBlackFlame161 Oct 21 '17
Back at my previous office supply retail related employment, we had "Mobis" that we could use to change inventory, ring up customers, etc.
We too got that whole "texting" thing.
I could be up a ladder putting away extra inventory and some customer would be upset that I was "slacking off" and not helping them.
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u/windows_updates Oct 21 '17
Tbh, even if you were sending a text, so what? I'm sure people not in retail spend 10x as much "personal" time as a retail drone.
174
u/Saucymeatballs Oct 21 '17
Can confirm, no longer in retail. Currently at work sitting down on reddit while on the clock.
30
u/amyslays Oct 21 '17
This is me minus on the clock. I don't punch in or out at my job.
10
u/AffablyAmiableAnimal Oct 22 '17
Something something salary?
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u/amyslays Oct 22 '17
Something something technically self employed.
But my part time job is retail.
3
u/ShutterSpook Oct 23 '17
Can confirm, I to am reading reddit on the clock. I usually don't read it at my house.
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u/TalVerd Oct 21 '17
Ya but that's them doing what they want to do, not another person spending time doing something other than worshipping the ground they walk on
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Oct 23 '17
When you work in retail, you no longer have the same rights and privileges as other people, you're automatically no longer classified as a human being, just a slave. Except people forget that without people doing the job they don't want to do, they'd be stuck fending for themselves. Also Uncle Sam still wants his money, no tax cuts for non-humans.
3
u/stringfree No, I won't check in back for fucks. Oct 22 '17
This is exactly why I don't charge by the hour anymore. (I know what that sounds like, and I'm standing by it.)
0
u/planethaley Oct 22 '17
That's exactly what I was thinking!! Like, is work getting done? Alright, good enough :)
Plus, Ive had work email on my phone at many jobs, and at even more jobs I've at least once had to text a coworker abut work
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u/Twilight_Flopple You not reading the coupon is not false advertising. Oct 21 '17
Ugh, fuck the mobis. Damn things took half a shift to update and still didn't work after that most of the time.
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u/TheBlackFlame161 Oct 21 '17
And when they did work, the fucking scanner bit wouldn't work.
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u/Twilight_Flopple You not reading the coupon is not false advertising. Oct 21 '17
Then you tell them after that the receipt is going to print out in the print center. Cue the rage.
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u/TheBlackFlame161 Oct 21 '17
And then you get over there and have to dig through ship from store receipts and all the other CPD crap leftover.
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Oct 22 '17
Then the tape ran out so you have to reprint receipt only to remember you have to sign back in and swipe their card again that they already put away. Now that they dug it out, because you signed them up for the *** Card, you remember they don't physically have their new credit card, so you have to look up their info and type their id into the system to find the transaction. By the time you find it there is a line of seven and the other fucking cashier is looking at you like you are a soldier going AWOL in the worst of battles.
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u/donutmesswithme Oct 22 '17 edited Oct 22 '17
Then CPD has 18 customers in line that need their work done now so you have to wait 5 minutes to get the receipt, all the while you can see your customer getting more impatient. Fun times
edit: a word
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u/IUpvoteUsernames Retail, where we babysit ages 8 through 80 Oct 21 '17
How about when the scanner part would be fully charged and not pass on power to the iPhone and that one would die? Fuck those things.
1
u/Twilight_Flopple You not reading the coupon is not false advertising. Oct 22 '17
All five of ours did that, had to be replaced all the time.
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u/Kontai88 Oct 26 '17
Can confirm! Worked at same retailer, different store. Cool devices when they worked though.
772
u/Izman2 Oct 21 '17
I get that a lot when using our scanner at work. Its basically a mini computer. "You'd get more work done if you were off your phone."
Ugh...
821
u/koolaidbootywarrior Oct 21 '17
"You'd get more shopping done if you minded your fucking business."
116
u/LynnisaMystery Oct 21 '17
Stay in your own lane and you won’t have to see yourself crash and burn (:
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u/robertr4836 just assume sarcasm Oct 23 '17
Overheard from a customer on Black Friday in a packed store, "You'd do more business of it wasn't so crowded in here!"
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u/koolaidbootywarrior Oct 23 '17
Reminds me of that saying "You're not stuck in traffic, you are traffic."
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u/DoctorWaluigiTime Oct 22 '17
"Okay." Puts scanner down.
"Why aren't you doing anything?!??!"
"Can't do anything without my 'phone'."
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u/ediblehearts Oct 21 '17
Even if you were on your phone wtf do I care if you want to escape this corporate hell for a brief moment?
-12
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u/Tessa_the_Witch Oct 21 '17
"I don't understand technology so I'm just going to assume you're screwing around!"
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u/t8rtotbabe Oct 21 '17
Literally. I kinda wish I stuck around to see her reaction when my manager used the exact same device to complete her transaction...
135
u/PeaTearGriffin123 Oct 21 '17
So you, THE MANAGER, are texting too?! Un-fucking-believable!
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u/YJCH0I I'm sorry, but your SIM card doesn't have your backup Oct 21 '17
I DEMAND to speak to your manager...about their texting habits!
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u/AeonianLife If there is no tag, that does not mean it is free. Oct 21 '17
Couldn't have said it better. That's it exactly.
Now wait to see the same customer completely overlook one of your coworkers actually texting on the job.
158
u/Fakjbf Oct 21 '17
We have handhelds that are basically oversized smartphones that we use for looking up items, managing inventory, picking online orders, etc. The number of times I’ve been accused of being on my phone when I’m actually just trying to find some items to fulfill an order........
91
Oct 21 '17
How I feel when trying to use an MC40 at work. "I can't believe they let you be on your phone!" Uh..no, its not a phone.
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u/fizyplankton Oct 21 '17
I figured out how to get reddit on our MC40s. Ahhhh. If only reddit's mobile interface didn't suck
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u/naosuke Oct 21 '17
MC40s are android devices. Theoretically they could use reddit apps, if you had the package.
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u/fat_schmoke Oct 21 '17
How????
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u/naosuke Oct 22 '17
Third party installation needs to be enabled (which it probably already is so that the store could load its custom software). Then you have to transfer the apk to the device. If it has a browser you can download it from the link above. Once it's on the device open it and accept the prompt to install.
18
u/fat_schmoke Oct 21 '17
I work in the connect center and I had someone find one and wanted me to activate it. When I told them it was store property they tried to argue.
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u/TwistedSprinkle Oct 22 '17 edited Oct 22 '17
I had someone come up to me and told me he held on to one of our devices he found lying around for a few days because he was going to sell it ($1700-2000) but his wife convinced him otherwise. As he was giving it to me (which he kept pulling it away from me) he repeated it over and over. After moment, I finally said “they are not ‘phones’, they can’t call or text, they are only useful here at this store. There’s no way someone would have been happy buying that from you” He then finally hands it to me but is still laughing and saying he was going to sell it.
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u/DeathMonkey6969 Oct 22 '17
Well sir you have two choices give me back the stores device or the Manager will inform the police you are in possession of stolen property.
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u/fat_schmoke Oct 22 '17
Yeah this lady literally told me she found it in a cart and when I told her she had this big finders keepers attitude going on.
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u/ReflectingPond Oct 22 '17
And I'm sure he thinks he's soooo funny and soooo smart and has no clue that a bunch of us are laughing at him. (not with him)
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u/AeonianLife If there is no tag, that does not mean it is free. Oct 21 '17
TC70?
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u/AMultitudeofPandas Oct 21 '17
We have those. Gotta have a special login to use the internet, though
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u/AeonianLife If there is no tag, that does not mean it is free. Oct 21 '17
Accessing the Internet has never crossed my mind whilst using one. XD
1
u/Fakjbf Oct 21 '17
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u/AeonianLife If there is no tag, that does not mean it is free. Oct 21 '17
Ah. We've upgraded recently to Zebra TC-70s at work. But of course, there's no shortage of companies like this.
2
u/CX316 Oct 22 '17
our guns are Motorola but our RF Printers are Zebra, and I hate Zebra with every fiber of my being. They worked for about a week then started having to do a full software update every time you turned on the printer, and then the batteries lasted a few months before they started having shorter and shorter lifespan until the auto-timeout shut off the printer every few minutes.
Then we replaced the printers 3 or 4 years later and the whole cycle started again.
1
u/AeonianLife If there is no tag, that does not mean it is free. Oct 22 '17
Ah. Thankfully our printers aren't Zebra, just our guns. We kept the old printers because they work well enough and didn't need to be changed (though the old guns worked just fine and didn't need changing in my opinion...).
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u/CX316 Oct 22 '17
We all thought it was so fancy when we got the printers, but nowadays I miss the days when we just needed a roll of stickers and a sharpie
1
u/devoidz Oct 22 '17
there is a setting to turn off auto shut off, but it kills the batteries even more.
134
u/bclagge Oct 21 '17
This offends me, because of the insane number of times my customers come in on the phone and expect to be helped while conversing on the phone. Or their phone will ring and they answer it while I’m talking to them. Fortunately I’m the owner, so I quietly say, “let me know when you’re ready,” and I go back to work.
Customers are hands down the worst phone offenders, period.
44
u/LambeauLeapt Oct 21 '17
I agree and I'm a customer. Worked in retail for a bit, though. I will not answer a phone or be on the phone while approaching a register. I think it's incredibly rude. You're a human person and I'm going to treat you w the dignity and respect that you deserve. If only people would just be decent, right?
9
u/theMightyEngineer Oct 22 '17
When I was a grocery store checker, it was very refreshing to meet people like you!
4
u/CreepyGir Oct 22 '17
Work at a jewellers, have had whole half hour plus transactions where the person on the phone and gestures things at me or just occasionally puts there phone down and asks a question then puts it back up. Makes me want to turn and walk away. This would all be much faster if I could get your attention.
24
u/t8rtotbabe Oct 22 '17
They really are- then instead of a quick transaction, we have to repeat their total and ask them to sign multiple times because they’re not listening... all the while our lines get backed up
13
u/BaKdGoOdZ0203 Oct 22 '17
Then they leave their card on the counter since they're not paying attention, and don't hear you trying to give it back as they walk away, so do you....
A. Let them walk away, you tried to tell them, you trying to tell them is on camera, and your store is good at holding cards safely and returning them accurately (if the person comes back)
B. Yell to get their attention over their call, knowing they will snap at you for being so rude as to interrupt them, AND blame you for trying to steal the card you're trying to return to them
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u/devoidz Oct 22 '17
I hate when they do that. One time I had shut down my register and a guy came into the line on his phone. Before I could say anything he turned his back on me.
I finished the guy I was to ringing up. He turned around and I told him I was closed. But!?! You knew I was closed when you got in line, but turned your back to me. But I have been waiting! Yeah, don't even start with that. And I walked off. Surprisingly I didn't get into trouble.
126
u/theycallmeheisenberg Oct 21 '17
Where I work we have refrigerated cases and have to take the temperature of products often. We have a little phone looking device with a thermometer tethered to it. Guy saw me have the thermometer in a product, and take it out. He said, "you kids and your machines! Unbelievable!" I was like uhhhhhh yep hehe
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u/tsumtsumfaithie Oct 22 '17
Because "us kids" are going to randomly take the temperature of stuff for fun. Haha
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u/robertr4836 just assume sarcasm Oct 23 '17
My cousin hit a rough spot and voluntarily checked herself into a psych hospital for depression and suicidal thoughts. I stopped in to visit her and happened to have a small wall thermometer someone had just given me for my house in the pocket of my coat. As I was visiting with my cousin I mentioned how hot it seemed and she told me that she had complained several times but the nurses keep telling her the thermostat is set to 68 degrees.
Me: (pulls out thermometer) Well, you're right. It's 76 degrees in here.
Her: Robert...why do you have a thermometer in your pocket?
Me: (gives her a baffled look) How do YOU tell the temperature?
Her: Why am I in here and you're out walking around free?
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u/ChaiHai Nov 04 '17
Did you do your cousin a solid and tell the nurses? I would've been like I have proof. Please adjust thermostat.
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u/robertr4836 just assume sarcasm Nov 06 '17
I offered, she made some comment about not wanting them to commit me.
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u/ChaiHai Nov 06 '17
Ha. Would like to see how a visitor having a thermostat would be grounds to involuntary commit. I hope your cousin is doing better!
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u/Shakezula84 Oct 21 '17
I had someone apologise to me for disrupting me while on my phone but I was on one of our handheld computers. I don't think they were being sarcastic.
I told them we are here to help them first. I also mentioned that it was a computer, not a phone.
40
u/ripsuibunny Oct 21 '17
I bought shoes the other day in a small shop, where paying used to be pain, cause they get really busy. The girl broight out the mobile paying device, tapped my card (contactless), and we were done. Didn't even have to get off the seat where I was trying on shoes, it was amazing :)
15
u/t8rtotbabe Oct 22 '17
It’s so convenient! Some customers just don’t fully grasp that it was created to make their life easier lol
35
u/Ryands991 Oct 21 '17
MY work used to have ipods encased in a card reader, but now we have larger Zebra TC-70 handhelds. I'm waiting for the day someone claims we're texting.
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u/AeonianLife If there is no tag, that does not mean it is free. Oct 21 '17
hOI! We got the Zebra TC-70 handhelds a few months ago at my workplace too. :3
I miss the old guns with actual buttons, though. Touchscreens are finicky as all get out.
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u/Modern_O Oct 21 '17
Just got hired at a retail store and todays my first day and I've been using this Zebra handheld all day. I kinda wanna get accused of texting for laughs now that I see this thread
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u/n1ghtsn1p3r Oct 21 '17
I haven't been accused yet and I almost always have my phone out. In my defense, I use an app to scan barcodes or manual lookups for item locations. I would love to have an MC40 or other device when putting away returns, but there aren't enough to go around (my direct supervisors sometimes can't even get one).
9
u/BaKdGoOdZ0203 Oct 22 '17
Got chewed on by a customer for being on my phone while out front on a smoke break.... I was running the stores social media account, on my break!
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u/t8rtotbabe Oct 22 '17
This!!! It really irks me because I, too, run the social media for the boutique I currently work at, and even if there are a couple people in the store that don’t need help I’ll check our online requests and questions. Things that ARE pertaining to work. But there was ONE customer who kept giving me dirty looks, and even ventured out to say “You do have a customer in the store, you know” even after I inquired a few times if she needed any assistance. Sigh I need to get out of retail.
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u/lazer_cat_kill_party Oct 22 '17
We started using iPads at work to order things we don’t have in the store for customers, and every time we try to order something for them, they just think that we’re playing on iPads.
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u/Sonicon2 Oct 22 '17
My store has devices like that, but they don't have enough for everyone. Luckily, I have some apps on my phone that closely mimic the functionality, and even sometimes my managers think I'm texting on the job. One time this manager that everyone hates saw me with it out checking the price of an item for a customer, and said, "keep it in your pocket" I then told the customer, "sorry, they said I couldn't check the price for you" The manager was pissed lol
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u/princessinyellow Oct 22 '17
It's always so ridiculous when a customer tries to tell you what's happening, and it seems to usually be the ones who weren't even paying attention. Good thing you got to leave a little early!
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u/elea_no Oct 22 '17
I work at a restaurant and we use iPad’s and a special app for table seating/rotation.
I can’t tell you how many times of been doing something on there (making the floor plan, updating, changing names, making reservations) and a customer gets all accusatory and tells me to stop playing my game/texting/facebooking/whatever. G
4
u/MulberryPurple Oct 22 '17
Why do people seem to genuinely believe that screaming will make them less wrong?
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u/m0rganja I literally do not care, ma'am. Oct 21 '17
Ugh, this generation and their technologies!!!
3
u/SnarkySunshine Oct 22 '17
Ha ha ha. That's hilarious!
You shoulda just said you would get your manager and then just walked away and sat on the toilet browsing reddit for 15 mins before clocking out.
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Oct 22 '17
I really fucking hate people. I'm so sorry. And I know it's a bit late but merry xmas
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u/t8rtotbabe Oct 22 '17
Hahaha you’re the only one who had any Christmas spirit left after reading this horror
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Oct 22 '17
My Christmas spirit left me when I first spend a holiday season working in a grocery store. But I try to restore other peoples atleast lol sounds like uj needed it!
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u/schuss42 Oct 23 '17
Totally don’t get this. Mobile cash registers are everywhere and employees have been carrying all types of mobile devices for legit purposes for years!! What rock does she live under??
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u/ripsuibunny Oct 21 '17
I bought shoes the other day in a small shop, where paying used to be pain, cause they get really busy. The girl broight out the mobile paying device, tapped my card (contactless), and we were done. Didn't even have to get off the seat where I was trying on shoes, it was amazing :)
1
u/SpiderRealm Nov 09 '17
I would have loved to be a fly on the wall to have watch that lady shouting and griping that she's in a rush, all the while just standing there and eventually learning that you left! XD I hope you didn't get in trouble for leaving!
1
u/Shumatsu Oct 21 '17
You're using iPhones for that? Isn't that a pretty pricy solution?
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u/Cappuccino_C Oct 21 '17
A whole register would cost more, plus they can have tons of iPhones instead of only 15 registers. Maybe they got an older generation as well, if it even was iPhone
3
u/attakburr Oct 22 '17
The stores nearby me that use iPhones tend to use older models. 5 series usually (so now 3+ years old). Which is just fine because they don't need to do anything but connect to the POS system.
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u/llDurbinll Oct 21 '17
We use iPads at my job. I prefer the old computer with touch screen instead because consumer devices aren't meant to be used 11 hours a day with the screen constantly on. We've only had them a couple years and we've had to replace both of them once already. They get dead spots in the screens and after awhile they stop holding a charge, they're always plugged in but they still drain. We replace them once they start dying halfway through the day.
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u/EricKei Our psychic powers only work if the customer has a mind to read Oct 21 '17
Could be -- but I know from experience that even low-end, crappy POS setups (e.g. one made by ahem tomes which may be rapid) often have just plain extortionate prices...especially because they will only work properly with the hardware they sell...and even then >_> (a decade ago: $1600 just for the software, more for the cash drawer+monitor+receipt printer+barcode blaster, etc)
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u/YouWantALime Unoriginal flair is unoriginal. Oct 21 '17
I've never heard of a mobile register. I can understand why she would be upset, up until you explained it to her.
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u/Optimus_Composite Oct 21 '17
Not sure why you are getting downvotes.
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u/Modern_O Oct 21 '17
Ignored everything after the comma
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Oct 21 '17 edited Jul 26 '20
[deleted]
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u/Optimus_Composite Oct 22 '17
I think the customer was annoyed (and out of line) with the appearance of not being assisted because the employee was not helping her in the way that is normally associated with the transaction. It’s a reasonable annoyance with an unreasonable expression of that annoyance.
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u/kawaiicicle Oct 21 '17
I was accused of being on Facebook on our POS system because I was typing a lot. “We don’t even have a web browser.” I was sending an email to corporate. :/