Unless you buy 100% of everything online, interacting with Cashiers is part of life, a daily occurrence In many instances.
When interacting with a Cashier have you ever wondered what it is like being a Cashier? Maybe your thinking about working as a Cashier.
Have you ever wondered if they are enjoying the job?
So being a Cashier a hard job?
Being a Cashier is a hard job both physically and mentally. It’s hard physically because you have to stand beside a cash register for hours on end. It can be hard mentally due to the repetitive nature of scanning and bagging items over and over again.
So now we have answered the main question, let’s explore what can make the role of a Cashier hard
Difficult customers can make being a Cashier a hard job?
Nothing like irate customers fussing over the price of biscuits or the Cashier being blamed for incorrect pricing because someone restocking the shelf did update the pricing in the cash register.
There will be times when you won’t just tell them where to “go”, jump over the counter and walk off the store never to be seen again.
The good news is, good customers much outweigh the painful, moody customers who think they have the god-given right to be rude.
Being a Cashier you will meet a lot of people, and learn a lot about them.
I have chatted to people who have come through my line telling me about their dogs, their holidays, how their heart surgery went, or plans to get a new job just after finishing college.
In short, you will interact with some amazing people, so it’s important to remember these people outweigh the cranky customers.
It’s also important to remember this when you are in the moment of dealing with a difficult customer.
Faulty equipment can make being a Cashier a hard job?
So you have a long line of customers, you have just finishing scanning and bagging a customer’s goods, then the electronic register stops working.
Just great !!
The good old days’ Cashiers didn’t have this issue with non-electronic cash registers.
When the cash register breaks down, it’s one of those occasions you need to just smile at the customer and reach out for assistance from your team leader or store manager.
There’s not much else you can really do, it’s out of your control.
To pass the few moments while the systems are (hopefully) being fixed, I always found striking up a conversation with a customer helped pass time.
Long lines of customers can make being a Cashier a hard job
The seemingly endless long lines of customers at peak shopping times, such as thanksgiving and Xmas can be daunting and also exhausting for Cashiers.
You scan products, bag one customer, then process another when you look up there are another 5 customers waiting to be processed.
You stretch your arms, want to check your phone when another three customers suddenly appear.
You process these customers only to find other customers scooting across to your register for processing.
It can also be a good thing, as the shift will pass by quickly as there will be no time standing around.
It may also mean extra shifts and extra pay to process the customers.
Standing for long periods of time make being a Cashier a hard job
Standing on a concrete floor for long periods of time in the same place can be tough on the body, especially if the concrete floor is cold.
No matter how much you move around, stretch your legs it does not feel like your legs are getting any better.
Then the cramps begin to set in.
Standing for long hours on concrete floors is a common complaint about most Cashiers.
The good news is though, standing is much healthier than those poor souls sitting behind a desk all day.
Standing also burns a lot more calories than sitting.
So, when you standing up behind a cash register and your legs become a bit sore, don’t forget to think of those poor office people bound behind a desk all day.
Being a Cashier can be mentally hard
Starting at the same screen, scanning and bagging items over and over again can become boring and be hard mentally.
We are all different, with some people who don’t find repetitive work and issues, others will find performing repetitive work mind-numbing boring.
If you are one of these types who get bored easily, that’s okay there are things you can do.
Such as, start chatting the customers. By doing this your day will go by fast and you might also learn things.
It will also lift up your spirits and make you feel good.
Final Thoughts
Being a Cashier does have its challenges, it can be a hard job.
After reading all these reasons, you are probably wondering why would you want to become a Cashier.
And there are many reasons why people become Cashiers.
It’s a role where you get to chat with all different types of people, and you’re not stuck behind in an office, it’s not too stressful
