Cashiers really can’t do math anymore (person, member, business)
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So I went to a big box store for a return today. I had paid with my debit and they needed to give me cash back. It was $4 and some change. So I asked the cashier if I could just give her $1 so she could give me a $5 instead.
So she took my one. Then tried to hand it back to me with the change. So I said can you trade this for a $5? She had shut the drawer (and not yet handed me the coins). Then she had to get the drawer open again. Then she got the $5 and put the change back. And shut the drawer. Then finally she got someone to open it again and I got all my change.
Several years ago I stopped trying to maximize my quarters because people were just too confused when I gave the a dime with my bills when the total change was 85 cents.
A large regional convenience store chain in my neck of the woods uses automatic dispensers for the coins. The only thing the cashier has to do is hand out the paper money. And heaven help you if you have a bill for say $10.98 cents and give them a $20 and a $1 (so you get a ten back). Confuses the dickens out of them and you MUST point out you're giving them $21 or they'll punch in $11 without even looking at the bills.
Remember, they aren't hired for their math skills. They're not even hired for their ability to think. A story I love to tell involves a long time cashier at one store I stop at almost daily. For years now I've walked up with my coffee and rewards card in hand. I immediately hand her my card which she scans. The register is slower than her scanning. A few seconds after she scans my card she asks me...."do you have your rewards card?"...."oh, we already did that". Why? Because that's what comes up on the script screen and she can't think beyond that.
This has been the case for probably 20-30 years. They don't have to do it anymore, so they aren't practiced at it. I'm of above average intelligence, but it would take me a moment to do it. That's just not how my brain works. At one time, I was a server and made all my own change. I haven't had to do it in 20 years.
You probably just got her off guard. People don't think well when they're put on the spot. It might of been her first time that a customer was picky with his/her change. On top of doing the simple math, they're also asking "why does she want to do it this way?". As well as "why does she just want 5 back? Aren't there supposed to be cents involved?" All the while there is usually a line behind the first person, and she feels pressured, so she defaulted to her usual way of business. She probably had a long day at a job she hates, and may not be the smartest person in the world. And smart people have brain fog all the time.
It's happened to me, and I attribute it to brain fog. Cashiers are supposed to check you out, not do math for you so you can get the TYPE of change YOU want. Might not be a big deal for somebody one time with a fresh brain, but after 7 hours you have to forgive people for not being calculators.
I agree that they don't have math skills, but they shouldn't even need them today lol. Every big box store here, and every supermarket, is automated. They plug in what you hand them in payment, and they see the amount to be returned in change. An amount they can't seem to remember at Wegmans, because the kids keep looking at the monitor...at the till...at the monitor...at the till...
When I was young, we had to demonstrate figure aptitude for our summer jobs. We had to "count back" change, too, and I don't just mean count the change. We had cash registers. That's how customers got their change--cashiers counted forward from the amount due, taking coins and bills from the till until they reached the amount paid. Then they counted that back to the customer starting with the amount due.
Now, you get bills with coins on top, and the receipt on top of that placed in your hand. And that's why I LOVE self-checkout.
So I went to a big box store for a return today. I had paid with my debit and they needed to give me cash back. It was $4 and some change. So I asked the cashier if I could just give her $1 so she could give me a $5 instead.<>When did basic math get so hard for people?
So I went to a big box store for a return today. I had paid with my debit and they needed to give me cash back. It was $4 and some change. So I asked the cashier if I could just give her $1 so she could give me a $5 instead.
So she took my one. Then tried to hand it back to me with the change. So I said can you trade this for a $5? She had shut the drawer (and not yet handed me the coins). Then she had to get the drawer open again. Then she got the $5 and put the change back. And shut the drawer. Then finally she got someone to open it again and I got all my change.
Several years ago I stopped trying to maximize my quarters because people were just too confused when I gave the a dime with my bills when the total change was 85 cents.
When did basic math get so hard for people?
It's not the cashier no doubt thought you were trying to scam her and I don't blame her a bit -what a ridiculous azz backward bizarre request- I had to read this several times to even comprehend wtf you were trying to accomplish-(and I'm still not sure). Hey bub- got 2 10's for a 5? how bout if I give you this $1 you give me a $5- she was probably trying to figure out how to reconcile it in her register so some doof wouldn't have to cope with a bit of jingle in his pockets. Geezus- it's like this guy ahead of me in line at a fast food place trying to make the kid do all this weird stuff with his order and giving him grief like it was a freakin 5 star gourmet restaurant, ................people.................
trying to maximize your quarters......................lol.......you can't make this stuff up.
It's not the cashier no doubt thought you were trying to scam her and I don't blame her a bit -what a ridiculous azz backward bizarre request- I had to read this several times to even comprehend wtf you were trying to accomplish-(and I'm still not sure). Hey bub- got 2 10's for a 5? how bout if I give you this $1 you give me a $5- she was probably trying to figure out how to reconcile it in her register so some doof wouldn't have to cope with a bit of jingle in his pockets. Geezus- it's like this guy ahead of me in line at a fast food place trying to make the kid do all this weird stuff with his order like it was a 5 star gourmet restaurant, ................people.................
trying to maximize your quarters......................lol.......you can't make this stuff up.
I understood what he was doing and often I do the same thing in regards to quarters. no need to make anything up. Get out and enjoy life more lol
I understood what he was doing and often I do the same thing in regards to quarters. no need to make anything up. Get out and enjoy life more lol
I can see both sides. I hate change, but it seems a bit... nit-picky. Especially in the age of debit cards.
Speaking of which, how did you need to get change back when you paid with a debit, OP? Did you pay specifically an even number (say $20 with your debit for an item worth $15.50)? If so, why?
I don't mean to harass you with questions, I'm genuinely curious.
Last edited by Haksel257; 01-06-2018 at 10:03 PM..
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