Of course not! But it is the way many checkers relate when given a compliment. Often the checkers feel stressed and stretched beyond belief. They are required to know all the items on sale, how to work the equipment, what is currently unavailable, when an item will be available, where the other employees are at any given time, in other words they have many hats to wear and are often unappreciated. When you thank them, they may not know how to respond or they may become flippant. Sorry that was your experience.

Of course not! But it is the way many checkers relate when given a compliment. Often the checkers feel stressed and stretched beyond belief. They are required to know all the items on sale, how to work the equipment, what is currently unavailable, when an item will be available, where the other employees are at any given time, in other words they have many hats to wear and are often unappreciated. When you thank them, they may not know how to respond or they may become flippant. Sorry that was your experience.

Of course not! But it is the way many checkers relate when given a compliment. Often the checkers feel stressed and stretched beyond belief. They are required to know all the items on sale, how to work the equipment, what is currently unavailable, when an item will be available, where the other employees are at any given time, in other words they have many hats to wear and are often unappreciated. When you thank them, they may not know how to respond or they may become flippant. Sorry that was your experience.

Of course not! But it is the way many checkers relate when given a compliment. Often the checkers feel stressed and stretched beyond belief. They are required to know all the items on sale, how to work the equipment, what is currently unavailable, when an item will be available, where the other employees are at any given time, in other words they have many hats to wear and are often unappreciated. When you thank them, they may not know how to respond or they may become flippant. Sorry that was your experience.

Of course not! But it is the way many checkers relate when given a compliment. Often the checkers feel stressed and stretched beyond belief. They are required to know all the items on sale, how to work the equipment, what is currently unavailable, when an item will be available, where the other employees are at any given time, in other words they have many hats to wear and are often unappreciated. When you thank them, they may not know how to respond or they may become flippant. Sorry that was your experience.

Foxysdad, I do agree with Marcia. "I get paid to help you". That is just flat rude. Pity she just could not say " Thank you, Sir."

What a crass answer and a knock down to you given her a compliment. I take that you said girl and not woman she was rather young. Our younger generation seems to be lacking the learning of proper manners but instead to be rude and lippy. Do we see any of that portrayed on TV or the media all the time (the rude lippy part).

Maybe she was startled by your compliment (they get so very few) and really meant to say "Just doin my job.." which is to say "trying to do it well.. Thank you very much."

It was great of you Foxy to give the compliment in the first place. Having been a cashier at WalMart, years ago, I can identify with her. With most customers in a rush, their minds on other things, and in a hurry, especially on weekends .Customers can be unwittingly rude and impersonal. A thoughtful one like you is a sudden but happy refreshment !!

We should ALL be so gracious in our dealings with under -appreciated employees !!

HUGS
NDY

It just hit me wrong. There's never more than two or three customers in the store when I'm there that early and the person that handles the self serve checkout does stocking near by and only comes to the self serve when needed. They actually need to work on the machines because there are problems with scanning and accepting credit and debit cards. I've worked in fast food places, restaurants, and copy shops and never once have did I ever tell a customer it was my job when being complimented or thanked. I've have always said it was a pleasure helping them or I was glad I could help them. Sometimes it was hard to say to a drunk on the graveyard shift at Sambo's.

I would have to go with NDY on this in that her response was equivalent to "it was nothing" or "just doing my job".

Maybe it's a generational thing as to how one would take that response. I wouldn't be taken back by that because it's something I've actually said before myself (not necessarily the exact same way, but same sentiment). In that sort of a job, she probably doesn't get many people thanking her for doing her job (including her own managers I would bet) so you probably did startle her and she didn't know how to respond. I don't think it was meant to be rude though, just more of a matter of not knowing how to take a compliment because she was just doing what she was supposed to do because it's in her job description and maybe unlike others she works with, she actually follows that. Unfortunately, a lot of younger people aren't taught how to take a compliment and nowadays most people don't dole them out too often either. I would say it wasn't meant to be rude just that she either never gets compliments so you caught her off guard or she's just being modest and it came off the wrong way.

I've thought about this thread some more and wanted to share with you some thoughts as someone who works in a grocery store at this time.

You would be surprised at the number of customers who never thank any of the grocery workers! We are part of the "invisible" working force. People expect you to be there, to know every ad, to believe them when they tell the price is different from what is ringing up on the register (that is 2 for $3...yes, but only if you buy 2...that isn't what the tag says), and to be a listening post if they want to yell or curse all the while they are ignoring their children and talking on their cell phone. Oh yeah, and then they are mad at you when they have to slow down to slide their debit card after they slide their savings card or they don't get the discounts.

When a customer compliments me for helping them I respond with a simple "you are welcome" and a smile. Sometimes I may joke and say "it's all part of my job," "glad to be of assistance," or even "I don't have a problem telling people where to go or what to do." All of these responses are given with a smile and respect for the customer. I often tell them I wouldn't have a job if not for the customer. I like to help. When I am working, I try to lead by example and mentor the other employees so that they too can have an enjoyable work experience. After all, we all have to work. You might as well enjoy what you do and where you are working.

It is difficult for younger employees because they have little work experience and even less life experience! Compliments may not be something they have heard very often. They are stunned and do not know how to respond. I like to "role play" with other workers. Gives them some potential ways of responding to different situations in the work environment. Remember it takes a village to raise a child and the 1st job experience is often at a grocery store.

Thanks for listening. Your grocery workers do appreciate you.

I have to agree with marciainak. I think it was poor training on the management part on how to handle a compliment. I don't think she meant anything bad by it, just that she was doing what she get paid to do. A national chain, Chick Fil A, trains all their help to say "My pleasure" when they get a thank you. It is refreshing. I can see where it would rub you the wrong way, but I wouldn't lake it to heart. I think she just didn't know what to say on the spur of the mpment. However, if this is still bugging you, I would leave a comment on a comment card and ask them to train their help on how to respond to a thank you.