Good customer service takes patience, tolerance and the ability to listen. As a cashier, you have the ability to make a customer's buying experience pleasant or unpleasant. You could be the reason why a customer decides that she will or will not continue to patronize your store. Many people take the cashier position for granted, but if you take a positive approach, you may find a satisfaction and appreciation for your job that radiates to the customer. The more you use these good customer service practices, the better you will become at them.

Good Customer Service at the Register

Greet the customer with a smile and a quick word of welcome. Avoid asking too many questions in the beginning, as the customer is more interested in finishing the transaction than discussing his day with you. Being pleasant right from the beginning has a disarming effect on the customer. You may find that even the surliest of customers will calm a bit when you flash him a smile.

Ask the customer if she found what she was looking for. To many cashiers this is a token step, but to achieve excellent customer service, it is crucial. If the customer indicates that she found everything she was looking for, smile and move on to the rest of the transaction. If she did not find everything, ask if she would like assistance finding what she was looking for. Do not automatically pick up the phone and start mobilizing stock personnel, as the customer may not want that. If she does indicate that she would like assistance, offer it.

Ask if the customer has any preference as to how his items are to be bagged. In some cases, the customer may want to take the pack of gum he bought with him instead of having to fish it out of a bag filled with other items.

Have the promotions for the week handy at your register, including any weekly coupons. If a customer is purchasing an item that is on sale with a coupon, and she does not have a coupon, retrieve it for her from the circular at your register.

As the transaction is being completed, ask the customer if there is anything else you can do for him. It only takes a moment to ask this question, but so few cashiers actually ask it.