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This question is about what a cashier does.
How to be a good cashier
To be a good cashier you need to focus on customer service, sharpen your basic math skills, and familiarize yourself with your workplace's point of sales (POS) system. Here are some details on each of these strategies to be a good cashier:
Focus on customer service
Customer service is crucial to being a good cashier. Aside from ringing up sales, much of a cashier's work day is spent interfacing with customers.
You need to have a friendly attitude when dealing with customers, this makes them feel welcome and wanted in your store. Try to have an even and upbeat tone of voice when communicating with them. You should also focus on friendly body language.
Be sure to greet all of your customers when they step up to your register. You need to voice a clear greeting and maintain eye contact when doing so. You might also say hello to customers who have just entered the store.
Depending on your specific store, you might also want to ask these types of questions:
How are you today?
Did you find everything you needed?
Do you have a membership with us?
Inform them of a sale on a specific product
Inform them of a new product in the store
Ask your manager for the proper details on the types of questions you should ask customers at your register. Most stores will encourage you to cross-sell or "upsell", this is when you encourage a customer to make additional purchases based on your suggestions.
Another crucial feature of cashier customer service is having conflict resolution skills or knowing how to deal with upset customers. Ask your manager for the protocol your store has for dealing with these situations. You will almost always be told to remain calm and as helpful as possible.
Sharpen your basic math skills
While nearly every store and register is computerized these days, you should still make sure you are comfortable doing basic arithmetic.
In the event your computer system or register malfunctions or shuts down, you might have to ring up your customers the old fashion way. It's also helpful if you need to tally items or do a head-count of customers in your store.
There are many apps and websites you can utilize to brush up on your basic math skills.
Familiarize yourself with your workplace's point of sales (POS) system
A point of sales (POS) system is the primary interface for a store's sales transactions. This might include a computer system, cash register, credit card machine, tablet register, tap pay, Apple Pay, or some combination of these items.
Knowing your POS system inside and out makes you a good cashier. This way you can easily check out your customers and focus on customer service, rather than navigating your store's POS system.
It's also helpful because you will know what to do if your system malfunctions, how to fix it, or use an alternative system or payment method in the meantime.
Most cashier jobs have on-the-job training initially when you can shadow or use the POS system under the supervision of a seasoned cashier or manager. Pay close attention during this process and don't be afraid to ask questions.
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