Checkout by Anna Sam Read Free Book Online Page B

the boss!’
    You’ve learnt your lesson, I hope. Otherwise, punishment! No, not like at school where you take a note home for your parents and write out one hundred times, ‘I will never say no to my lovely boss again.’ It’s another kettle of fish here. The good news will arrive with your rota. You’ll have been given particularly horrible shifts (closing time every day, oh joy) or a change of post. Oh, so you fancy working on the customer service desk? Well, apparently you don’t smile enough so you won’t be going there.
    The worst thing is that your boss will think that this punishment will be good for you. You think it will just cause more conflict. Obviously you don’t share his view of life (or the same goals) …
The boss who wants everyone to smile
    This one relies on mystery shoppers. Customers who apparently report the good and especially the not-so-good behaviour of the cashiers (I told you that some customers are born to tell tales). And this boss is only trying to increase customer satisfaction. And his customers will be more satisfied if his checkout girls smile more. Is this yourboss? Lucky you, because he will try to do his best for his employees, he will always be in a good mood (or nearly always) and might even lend you his support.
    This is a rare species so if you have one, don’t let him go!
    Â 
    You should know though that your proven stupidity will force you systematically to appeal to your boss or his deputy for anything which is not explicitly part of your duties (you won’t even be able to remove an item rung up in error on your own). And the surveillance cameras will always be on you. They will dissuade you from stealing a couple of pennies, catching a little nap, blowing your nose in a customer’s bread or picking your nose. And thanks to the latest modern tills your boss can follow your turnover in real time and ‘turn you off’ when he feels like it.
    So you see how work makes you free …

YOUR CONVEYOR BELT: FRIEND OR FOE?
    The conveyor belt: just another part of your till? Much more than that. It is your friend! It is the first contact with customers and can prove to be a formidable ally. It has a few tricks up its sleeve to take revenge on those who treat you badly.
    With the customer in a hurry who keeps throwing you looks of exasperation (it’s your fault that the store is so busy) and who has emptied his trolley like he empties his bin, your conveyor belt (your friend) will jolt slightly. And splat, the box of eggs is on the floor and the bottle of wine falls and breaks and splashes his nice beige trousers. Hardly guaranteed to speed up the shopping process. And he’ll have to wait for the cleaning service todo their job. Poor thing (if you must smile, at least be discreet).
    With the customer on the phone who completely ignores you when you help him pick up his change, which has fallen on the floor (not even a thank you), your friend the conveyor belt will eat the bank card he forgot to pick up (too busy talking on the phone). Your customer will have to wait at least twenty minutes to get it back. Oh, now he wants to talk to you!
    With the child who won’t stop crying all the time his mother queues (that’s nearly fifteen minutes), who sticks his tongue out at you and throws his chocolate biscuit in your face, the belt will trap his fingers. Well, he shouldn’t have tried to stop it. It’s not a toy. He’ll cry even more loudly now, but at least this time you know why he’s crying.
    With the customer who takes his sweet time, who doesn’t care that the store closed ten minutes ago (do you recognise him?) and who loads his shopping on item by item, the conveyor belt will speed up, resulting in disagreeably loud screeching noises. The noise will still be ringing in his ears even once he’s returned home.
    But with the really nice customer who says good morning with a big smile and arranges his items from heaviest to