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From: Anthony Potts <potts@cms.cern.ch>
Subject: Re: Quality of education  Was: ...
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On Thu, 27 Mar 1997, Eric Lucas wrote:

> 
> I agree.  I've always done this, and have always enjoyed the slightly
> puzzled look on the cashier's face, and then the look of realization as
> they type the number in and see how much change I get.
> 

You know, many people tend to view cashiers in supermarkets as being below
average intelligence.

Actually, they seem to view them as being below their own level of
inteligence.

When I worked at Safeway, I knew the location and price of around 15000
different product lines, and managed to keep smiling through people
completely disrespecting me  and assuming that I was some kind of retard.

Occasionally, I would hit a wrong button on the till, and input an
incorrect price.

If the price disparity was small, I would take the difference off the next
item without slowing.

If it were large, I would go through as many following items as was
necessary to make up the difference.

I learned that it took about five times as long to explain it to customers
as to correct. If I said "I'm sorry, I accidentally overcharged you by two
pounds sixty eight, so I put your wine and carrots through for free, and
knocked eighty four pence off your dog food".

Some of them would stand around for ages trying to work out what had
happened.

It is good to make the customers have to think once in a awhile. It works
both ways, you see.


Anthony Potts

CERN, Geneva

