as a cashier is it rude to tell a customer how much their transaction is? if not why did this customer get upset at me?

Question

so i told this customer his transaction is 10.93 and he got upset and went on a rant on how he's not poor. i apologized profusely but he was really angry about it.

the same thing happened the other day when i told a customer that their transaction was $600.00+ dollars and they got mad at me because they were afraid people would think their "rich" and "high class" and would try to jump them for their money.

its like i cant win! is it rude to tell a customer how much their transaction is?

Answer 1

It's not rude, in fact, I prefer that the cashier say out loud (but not real loud) how much he/she says is due because once in a while I find a discrepancy between what is on the screen and what the cashier has seen (and will point it out, nicely of course). Plus saying it out loud also alerts the cashier that what they see and what they say may be different (that's happened a few times). Plus I don't always have my glasses on to read the darn screen (yea, I'm pretty blind in a nice fuzzy way). If your customers get hot and bothered, just very sweetly tell them that's the final total you see on the screen. If they can't handle that, too bad. You may also want to consult your manager/supervisor to ask if it'd be better NOT to announce the total owed to everyone or if the store would prefer that you did say what the total owed is--leave it in someone else's lap to make store policy so if a customer gets mad, you can tell them it's store policy and any problems can be sent to the manager to deal with.

Answer 2

it's best to tell them, but quietly. do not shout it out. perhaps you are being loud. turn it down a few decibels and see if people still complain. remember customers have a right to at least some privacy during a transaction - that is why it's incredibly rude when the person behind you in the queue gets too close or interrupts the cashier before you are finished

Answer 3

Urm, this it what a cashier is supposed to do. Obviously not shout out the transaction, but always mention it because some customers don't tend to look on the display thing etc.



I think those customers were just trying to stir trouble really. They will always find something to complain about and act like you are at fault. The Supermarket I used to work at had a wage increase (From minimum wage to living wage) and some of the customers where acting like we didn't deserve it, because the stores they worked at didn't introduce the living wage. Jealousy really.

Answer 4

No, isn't it part of the job? I think the cashiers have to tell what the total amount is so that the customer knows - I know that these days the cash machines also display the total, but I think it is also part of the job to tell the customer as well. They are just paranoid, ignore them and don't take it personally. Some people just think that they are better than others especially a "lowly" cashier. No one is better than anyone else.

Answer 5

Some customers would resent a cashier's announcing their total in a loud voice that can be widely heard. The transaction is between you and the customer, so you should speak in a moderate voice.



Actually I can't really imagine such a situation. Some folks would suspect you of trolling.

Answer 6

Oh, for crying our loud.....how is a customer to know how much money they are to pay for their purchase if you do not tell them?



I once worked as a cashier for a short time and regardless of the total sale, no one ever was mad that I told them the amount of their purchase total.



If this is an issue, then go to your manager and find out what the policy is and how to handle assaholic customers.

Answer 7

Something seems a bit "off" in your story. I have never heard of anybody complaining when the cashier told them the amount of their purchase.

When the machine scans the different items and the total pops up on the screen at the register, unless I have on my glasses I can't read the total. A lot of times I will beat the cashier to the punch and ask 'how much?' -- because I can't see the total.

Answer 8

Absolutely RUDE. The customers does NOT need to let everyone in the

store know how much he or she is spending because it's none of

their business.

Where we shop.......the cashier NEVER tells us the total; only the amount

of cash we get back (if we request it) or how many points we have towards

discounts on fuel.

Answer 9

I have no idea where you are working, but if two people have yelled at you for giving them the total to their purchases, you are obviously doing it incorrectly.



The amount of the purchase should be only loud enough for you and the customer to hear.



Like, if you take out a million dollars from a bank, they will get the money (or check), call you into to the office, and "quietly" give it to you.



They don't announce over the intercom that "That guy in the blue hat and sweatpants just withdrew a million dollars."



They don't want anyone to know (i.e. robbery), it's *his* business, no one else's, and they are a professional institution.

Answer 10

You ask your boss on this one, not Y/A, anonymous. If it is the requirement of your employer to tell the person their transaction amount, you do so. You do not supply

the detail for me to understand if this in necessary, but from my experience, the only way you know how much to PAY is by being told or looking at the total price on some type of display ... if it exists.

Answer 11

Some people have a strong sense of privacy. A better way is to show a customer the receipt or even write down the number on a slip of paper.

Answer 12

NO he is wrong. It is part of your job as a cashier to tell the customer the amount of the transaction so that they can pay the

correct amount

Answer 13

No. You are suppose to tell the customer how much their their transaction is. No need to feel bad. They are insecure and paranoid.

Answer 14

Not at all. I think that customer was having a bad day and, operating on the bizarre idea that "the customer is always right", more or less took out his frustration in life on you.

Answer 15

Customers will find anything to complain about. I roll my eyes and let them throw a temper tantrum

Answer 16

No, but you have a job in which you must kow-tow to the lowest of the low, and will have to put up with it.



There are probably ways to secretly injure these people, some of your colleagues may know them. Are you good at memorising the digits from credit cards?

Answer 17

Gosh, cashiers tell me this all the time, I don't find it in the least bit rude.

Answer 18

NOT RUDE. you are doing your job. However it could be they were sensitive or had other things on their mind and maybe it was the way you said it. I WOULDNT WORRY ABOUT IT YOU WERE AND ARE DOING YOUR JOB. Maybe also they thought that you were insulting them by making them feel stupid if the total comes up on screen where they can see it they may have thought you were saying they were stupid for not seeing it. I DONT KNOW DONT WORRY

Answer 19

Saying the total of the purchase is probably in your job description.



People are weird, try not to let it bother you. Honestly the longer I worked in retail the more I understood the urge to become a hermit.

Answer 20

It does,nt make sense,how do you let them know what they owe turn the screen to them? you said cashier as a store restaruant?....

Answer 21

If you don't tell them how much they owe, how would they know how much money to give you or how much they're charging to their card?

Answer 22

If its on the screen and the receipt you don't need to say it...they can read.

Answer 23

Perhaps try whispering next time

Answer 24

You can't make everyone happy, and not everyone is insane. :)

Answer 25

They are rude not you

Answer 26

id be pissed too! its none of your business how much money i am spending, asswipe!

Answer 27

i dont beleive your story

Answer 28

customers are stupid. Period.