Providing the right kind of learning environment not only helps the cashier succeed, it also translates into business success in terms of higher employee morale and better customer service. Try going to shops where you know the people there, or go with people you know and gradually start going to more and more shops on your own- they are only human just like you and me, Connect with an expert therapist about overcoming anxiety. Agoraphobia, an anxiety disorder that causes fear of situations or places where its difficult to escape, keeps those with the condition out of crowded places like grocery stores or shopping malls. Grocery stores are generally filled with crowds of people, are overwhelming to the senses as far as sound and light, and involve a huge amount of decision making and unpredictability. You don't pay Highthoe prices, you piece of shit. Here are a few important items to include in a cashiers training toolkit. They must deal with an array of people walking into the store, and a few are nefarious individuals. This is my first job and I don't know what to do or say. Most cashiers also dont feel stressed at all. Rules on coupons may vary from store to store and many dont accept expired coupons (that date is there for a reason). It sounds like you are experiencing some social anxiety. We all had experiences with new people at a job. One advantage of being a cashier is that you can work with many different clients. In fact, many stores get robbed each year and if you are at the cashier when this happens, you may be in a tricky spot and may even get injured. Walk the cashier through the POS system. When you feel ready, set yourself a target of a date to interact with a cashier, or a set of increases in the number you interact with. , another form of grocery store anxiety stems from judgmental glances cast by fellow shoppers. ( *Note: We all know social anxiety can be hard to manage. No special educational requirements, finishing high school will be enough. Ask alot if questions if you feel the need to. And the cashier is just there to help you, not inflict anxiety. According to the Mayo Clinic, agoraphobia often develops after a person has experienced a panic attack, which typically stems from a biological predisposition paired with generalized and specific learning experiences that teach the individual to perceive the physical symptoms of fear as dangerous, Chapman said. By combining all the elements in this guide, youll have a comprehensive solution that will enable your cashiers to perform well. Its really bad form to return something that youve already gotten plenty of use from. If youre ever worried about returning an item, these are the stores with the best policies. While anxiety is not a top concern among grocers, they do have their eye on it. Thanks, I just got back from my second day of training. You may also want to try interacting with other strangers/acquaintances, to improve your confidence in talking to people you are unfamiliar with. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. You can program the memory structure in your brain to see grocery stores as shrug emoji instead of Jaws music. If you are still interested in a cashier career, also make sure to get detailed information on the salary, career prospects, educational requirements, working hours and job satisfaction of cashiers. , agoraphobia often develops after a person has experienced a panic attack, which typically stems from a biological predisposition paired with generalized and specific learning experiences that teach the individual to perceive the physical symptoms of fear as dangerous, Chapman said. In turn, being a cashier may also hurt your social life and you should make sure that you are willing to pay this price before you decide to go for this career path. About the experience part: start out at a chain. Physical symptoms may include: blushing, excess sweating, trembling, palpitations, and nausea, stammering, along, rapid speech, panic attacks.. no worries, you got this :). In fact, while many people who work in office jobs can work remotely from home, you will be the one who has to be at work in person and this will take away some flexibility since you will have a harder time managing your private and professional life at the same time. They not only must learn the POS system, they must be acquainted with store policies, sales and marketing promotions, and the merchandise. Mostly for me everything just falls into a rhythm and the day flys by. 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. When I got my first customer service job I was scared shitless, after the first few weeks, I messed up quite a few times and looked stupid in front of a few customers but then I never saw them again. It could make their day.. Trust me this works overtime, it worked for me. First, you have to change your anxious appraisals about the grocery store in and of itself., This is cognitive behavioral therapy at its core. But they are just people. Working the 12 items or less register is a huge pain in the ass. Good since you will often not work that many hours. It is possible to treat and overcome. While having fewer options can help those who struggle with decisions, its only a fraction of the larger problem a problem that Chapman said affects shoppers across a spectrum of stress. Job prospects for cashiers are not only rather bad right now, but they will even become worse in the future. estimates 1.3% of U.S. adults struggle with agoraphobia during their lives, which means that same percentage either suffers through grocery store trips or avoids the store altogether. However, if you live in one of those expensive regions, you should probably go for a different career path to avoid those financial problems that can really ruin your life. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. The essence of anxiety is thoughts of uncontrollability and unpredictability of a future event, Chapman told HuffPost. Sure, during busy times, it can be challenging for cashiers to get all the work done. Areas to touch on include the amount of flexibility afforded customers who dont follow store policies, such as time limits on returns, and the companys expectations on customer engagement, such as greeting every patron before ringing up items. Dont let the register overwhelm you. The Struggles Of Being A Cashier 1. Thats why cashiers must be trained to look out for the warning signs of fraud and know what to do. Yet, working as a cashier is most often not that stressful compared to many other jobs out there where you have to face real pressure on a continuous basis. Once upon a time, I was a sales manager at a retail store, and as a result, trained many employees to run cash registers. Edit: Thanks for all the tips and encouraging words! Do this until you are more comfortable with purchasing things from a cashier on your own. ( *Note: We all know social anxiety can be hard to manage. If there are problem people don't even deal with them, just tell them you'll get the manager and let them deal with it. It's true that there are some lame customers out there who will want to ruin your day, but they are far fewer than you'd think, and building a rapport with the awesome customers will help you get through your day, and get over the anxiety. Here are suggestions to create that supportive environment. Sooner or later a business must deal with fraud. Cashiers stop fraud. I know.. :D also attributes in-store stress to the overwhelming number of options. EXAMPLE: The Struggles Of Being A Cashier 1. In fact, I show you all pros and cons of being a cashier in the following chapters. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Going to the tills can be really daunting, especially if you have social anxiety. In my opinion, people often make the mistake to choose their profession solely based on how much money they can earn from it instead of doing what makes them really happy. WebCombine that with being a socially anxious person, AND working as a cashier (a very people centered role), one could be significantly overwhelmed! Built trust in yourself. Also it would be great to be introduced to a cashier out of uniform. When I fist started as a barista/cashier at Starbucks I had no idea how i'd get through having to talk to so many strangers & be on display for 8 hrs strait. Coins are indeed currency, but maybe count them out before its your turn to payand leave your penny collection at home. Realize that cashiers are just people. A cashiers job can be boring, requiring a person to stand in one place for most of the work day or shift. Working the express register. How can I get what I need from my doctor? They have to be able to spot a fraudulent return. If this is the case, chances are that you will suffer from enormous financial problems sooner or later and that you have to take on lots of debt. If a person experiences a panic attack in a grocery store, the store could become a trigger for the fear response in the future due to a learned association between fear and the store. Being a cashier is a popular job that many people can say they have experience in. How do I get over feeling that everyone is going to leave me? What should be done here? As part of a cashiers training, give them a list of scenarios to practice to help the cashier feel confident in their ability to handle a diverse range of situations. You will also not need any fancy education for becoming a cashier. In turn, chances are that you will also not suffer from the same physical health issues compared to welders or other people who work in those physically demanding jobs. About the experience part: start out at a chain. Everytime you have to walk up to a cashier and you start to feel afraid just do it anyway. Even if a cashier possesses a friendly disposition, additional knowledge is required to handle various customer situations that arise during POS transactions. But that doesnt mean we dont cringe while doing it. You dont need any courses or even a college degree. Like this total stranger that bought me a coke because he knew I had the flu and could hardly stand, but was still ringing people up. You are an amazing person and you can do anything. Someone said being a cashier pays better than waitressing--I have to disagree. is it rational or irrational? The job centers on receiving payment, making change, processing credit card payments and printing receipts. Even without an outbreak, psychologists can attest: Grocery store anxiety is absolutely real and many are struggling with it now more than ever. Show you all pros and cons of being a cashier is that you can do anything the essence anxiety... 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