some people call this a long war and not one thing is sure a daily battle is being waged in supermarkets all over this country a battle was a customer's dollar if a store is to make a profit in the face of today's stiff competition everyone i but like any battle victory in this conflict is finally won or lost on the frontline methods of handling groceries and customers may vary from store to store but the basic object is on the same check the customer's purchases accurately and bring them up correctly and collect the money for the store and there's more much more customer at checkers very important her responsibilities are regular but with all of them one of the checkers primary obligation is to keep the traffic moving sometimes the checkout lane begins to resemble  crowded thoroughfare when jam ups farm they're hard to get rid of and the analogy goes much deeper the colors of traffic control a grand yellow and green have a real relationship to the science of good checking naturally the ideas keep things moving to keep that green light glowing and b super markets in tampa florida a checker for ten years now ruth was chosen international checker of the year in one nine hundred sixty four hopes to be someday she's an intelligent hardworking charming young lady still a little new to her job but learning fast like most of us she could learn a lot just by watching experts the first thing i do when i start the day is get my cash from the head check or in a busy week five thousand dollars in lemay pass through my register handling it accurately as one of my biggest responsibility fat got my money counted out and correct i put my registrar daily inspection is there enough data is updated correct is the register plugged in is it zero i always check supplies now when there is time to replace needed items are there enough bags to last i don't want to run out later and i always try to remember that i'm dealing with food that means that my stand has to be spotless my merchandise racks must also be in good order before the day begins the last thing i check is the most important myself appearance means a lot on this job thorough preparation is a mark of every good check or when the day begins mr jones is ready the idea is to keep that green light on to keep the lane moving but that's not as easy as it may sound when there are times when caution is necessary and sometimes sometimes you must stop altogether the important thing is knowing the differen but so long as you observe the basics things will keep moving smoothly wat the first order of business is to greet the customer then comes an important moment of course is the bottom of the card empty i always make certain there are no missed items that might get through unchecked and ring this out this is a signal to i've checked the card and most importantly i keep it pleasant matter of fact no customer likes to think she is suspected of shoplifting ring up the right price and press the right department these keys are important to the store's records and plenty checkers are bookkeepers to multiple priced items should be checked together try to hold the first items in this group until they can all be checked through at once multiple pricing used to frighten me i'm not much on fractions now when i see an incomplete group like this i just slow down a second to be sure i've got the price right this is what the  there's no such thing as an almost right in this business if i overcharge i keep the customer if i under charge i'm unfair to the store fractions mean you charge the next penny dropping the fraction can be costly it might well represent the entire profit on this order here's another pricing problem a price smeared beyond recognition how do you deci this is one time i stop everything i don't get i read for my supervisor and set the smeared item aside until she comes in the meantime i can continue putting the rest of the order through although i study the prices and the special i'm always on the lookout for certain booby traps some items like to have different price for different time others have identical package designs but different prices for instance pineapple chunks at thirty nine cents and crushed pineapple at thirty three cents it sometimes seems like a lot of worry about a few pennies but think a minute with a store's profit margin of about one and a quarter percent a checker error of only thirty cents means that about twenty five dollars worth of groceries must be sold before the store regains the l it's more than just pennies it's a question of your store's success or failure and once the order is checked there are still some important jobs to be done handling money is one of the checkers greatest responsibilities and sometimes one of the most difficult handling money is largely a matter of knowing the rules there are many systems but generally your stories of a similar to this day for coupons until the order is paid for know your store policy on check cashing and follow it closely as you accept the customer's money call the out of amount such as twelve thirty eight out of twenty put the check or bill on to the slab and company to change to yourself then to your customer and never forget thank you lastly put the money from the slab into the register and never leave your position with your register open coupons are simple if you handle them right after the customer has paid the regular price for her order check her coupons against purchased items sometimes people haven't actually bought the goods specified on the coupon total the coupons take the cash and refund it to the customer remembering to do so with a smile this system makes your job easier and lets the customer know her coupons work credit trading stamps are simple to be accurate remember they are money giving a customer more than she is entitled to cost i guess i can't say i've ever enjoyed packing an order but i know how much depends on it it's one part of the store the customer takes home with or beginning with the right size bag i pack heavy to light that's also the way i'd send the order through if a bagger were working with me after a solid base is made up with cans and other heavy and i built up the side for flat putting glass and other fragile items in the center for protection frozen foods and ice cream should always be wrapped separately finally like crash or both go on top knowing the fundamentals makes the job easier and helps you to do it better but there's one area of checking where each girl brings something special to her job where there are no universal guy my personality is something every good checker develops on her own she learns to communicate a comfortable pleasantness to our customers making them feel that the story guides them is something special a smile is always part of the uniform the job is easier when you do it right and people are generally nicer to deal with when you treat them right is never going to be an easy job the responsibilities are too great just consider how much work a good checker does on a busy day putting through up to three hundred sixty orders checking some seven thousand separate items you have to be good and develop good habits such as maintaining spaces between unchecked items and those that have been checked these girls are among the best it takes skill and practice to get this good and a lot of effort but the basics are simple slow down when the situation calls for extra care stop completely on those few occasions that require and keep the flow moving the rest of the time swiftly accurately and pl remembering the fundamentals may make missed jones a checker of the year one day it might do the same this battle is won on the front lines it's here that the customer has her last important contact with the store to a large extent at checkers actions determine whether a shopper will be back it's a difficult job at times but learning the skills we've seen demonstrated will help ensure that it's done right and will make your task much easier in your store you are a vital member of the team by always observing the fundamentals you'll be doing your part on the