Cashiering in the World of Publix

 



With cashiers at Publix many people don’t know what they go through in a day. I have been able to work first hand in this secret world. I have been working at Publix for over a year now and I have seen many people come and go. I have seen how multiple people react to certain situations and I have seen many who couldn’t handle the kind of pressure it puts them under. 

When I walk into Publix the first thing I hear is the rustling of carts and the sound of the cashiers ringing up items. The walls are a tan and grey color and everything in the store is neat and clean. Everyone is wearing there specified uniforms and looks professional. There are nor out of the ordinary hair colors or cuts because that is not allowed.

Once I am at work I have to decide what I want to do with my personal belongings. I can put them in a locker, in the drawer at the register, leave them in my car, or leave them at home. I then go to clock in and get assigned a register I have to go to by the customer service staff. Sometimes they may have me bag, block items (pull products forward), or put items back onto the shelves. Whe I am at the register I have to great everyone and invite them down my isle if it is vacant. I can never just stand still unless I am ringing up items or helping bag. Then when I have no customers I either clean my register or go and stand in front of my register. If I don't great people or be nice to them I could get into trouble and maybe even have my hours cut.

When the cashier is at the end of the register or checking out a customer they always have to be friendly. Some customers come in mad, get mad because you didn't do something the way they wanted it to be done, or the cashier is rude first. Sometimes cashiers roll their eyes or literally talk back to the customer. Other times the customer is the one wo started it. I have had people who have gotten mad at me before when I didn't do soemthing the way they wanted it to be done, but they didn't even tell me what it was. Then there are also customers who get mad when the peron in front of them is slow, the register messes up, or anitem doesn't ring up the correct way. No matter how rude a customer is if they want to make it in the Publix world they need to suck it up and act friendly. Not all of the customers are bad and for the customers not all cashiers are the same. So don't treat one cashier badly because of what another one did to you previously.

From being a cashier at Publix I learned you have to be on your feet and it is not meant for shy people, which I was before I started working there. Also with being a cashier you usually get told what to do even though you can decide sometimes if they don't know what to do with you or if it is closing time and you want to clean or put items back that people didn't want. Then if you are 18 years or older you have a little more in the decision making process. If someone who is not a minor wants to take a 30 minute break instead of an hour or change their break time they have the ability to do so, but if a minor wants to take a shorter break they cannot because then that Publix will get fined $10,000.

Since I have been at Publix there have been times where I just wante to quit or the day just drags by because I get tired of doing the same thing over and over again. I would have to say the reason I have stuck around for over a year is because my coworkers are great. I love to hang out with them and talk when we can. If it wasn't for them I probably would have left a long time age. Everyone can joke around and talk normally whether you are a manager or not. They care about what you are going through and everyone is like one big family. We may have our problems sometimes, but like family we get over it.

From my time working at Publix I learned that it is not always easy, Some days it can be fun, not all cutomers are bad, and the coworkers are just as friendly as they seem to customers even though some may be having a bad day. Publix is a good place to work even though it has things that needs to be fixed like every other business. If you go apply at Publix you won't regret it. Just try to remeber not everyone is the same and you may never know what someone is going through so always try to be nice.