The Woolworths Thread (26 Viewers)

[pokerchoker]

Hey guys,

I am always dreading going to work(checkouts) and it's really annoying. It is so repetitive and boring and the hours just drag on. Anyone have any tips on how I can have a more positive attitude towards going to work? I always go to work with a smile on my face, being nice to my colleagues, supervisors and customers(no matter how far the stick is up their ass). I could think of the money, but honestly, I'm not getting paid enough for that.

(Ps. I have been on checkouts for about 10 months - geez, how the hell did I survive that?)

Tips pl0x?

Try and get into the liquor department. You actually get to do stuff as well as scan shit (face the shelves, fill the fridges, lift slabs, drag pallets of beer around etc), the customer is not always right, you get to argue and tell em to push off etc.

Don't get me wrong it's still a prick of a job, but surely more fun than being on a checkout with endless queues of jerks shipping you stuff to scan down a conveyerbelt.

 

[T 360]

Hey Guys

I have never been officially trained for self-serve, but lately I have been put in Self-serve to cover people`s breaks and I have been basically training myself. Now today I have been told that, Next Saturday, I will be working 1 til close on self-serve. Is there any Instructions for attendants online? or does anyone have some helpful instructions about self-serve(including how to handle it & how to work the system)? And can anyone explain about how the cash up works? (I`m getting trained a bit more on thurs night)

I`m worried!

 

[Black Heart]

Try and get into the liquor department. You actually get to do stuff as well as scan shit (face the shelves, fill the fridges, lift slabs, drag pallets of beer around etc), the customer is not always right, you get to argue and tell em to push off etc.

Don't get me wrong it's still a prick of a job, but surely more fun than being on a checkout with endless queues of jerks shipping you stuff to scan down a conveyerbelt.

Thanks for the reply, but sadly I am only 15. Sorry, I should've mentioned my age. IF I was 18 I wouldn't even be on checkouts - heck, I wouldn't even be working at Woolworths.

Cosmic Doris - I like the sound of that. How would I play mind games with customers exactly?

 

[T 360]

Are there any pics/plans on the net for the `2010` Layout?

 

[ekul444]

Hey Guys

I have never been officially trained for self-serve, but lately I have been put in Self-serve to cover people`s breaks and I have been basically training myself. Now today I have been told that, Next Saturday, I will be working 1 til close on self-serve. Is there any Instructions for attendants online? or does anyone have some helpful instructions about self-serve(including how to handle it & how to work the system)? And can anyone explain about how the cash up works? (I`m getting trained a bit more on thurs night)

I`m worried!

I don't believe there is instructions online but your store should have an instruction book/troubleshooting guide that you can follow - ask the supervisor if you cant find it.

ill point out some of the most common problems and good solutions to them for you.
weight errors
- if a customer has 'unexpected item in the bagging area alert' first ask them what the last item they scanned was. take this item out of the area and if the screen clears it means they haven't in fact scanned it, scan it yourself then put it back in.
- if this happens with produce (or a 'checking wait' screen) take the produce out of the bagging area put it back on the scale and check the weight (bottom left) matches the weight that it has gone through as. they might have been leaning on the scale (over weight) or the produce might have been leaning off (under weight). clear the place item in bagging area alert, void the item and put the item through again your self.

-if the machine freezes/has a problem you can't fix/ has a serious problem, push the supervisor button (a little button near the screen) and run a diagnostic report, then reboot the machine.

ok for close:
- when you get the float bags and are ready to close place them out on each register (make sure you put them on the right one!!)
-scan your supervisor card on all machines (to get the blue screen)
-on ONE register go to reporting/print signatures - this will print the signature slips from ALL the machines.
- on another machine go to reporting and select the daily summary report, click run report then when its produced the report 'print report'

- now you can start emptying the money. take the BLUE bag and open the machine. unlock the acceptor access door and empty the metal box of coins into the bag and the note acceptor cassette. pull on the yellow handle and turn it upside down. pinch the two yellow buttons together and open the cassette, take the notes out, close the flap and make sure you put the cassette back in the right way (arrow pointing up and push hard, it it is properly in when a brief whirring noise is made) do this for all the machines.

-once all the store doors are closed you can open the bottom dispensor cupboard. pull the big dispensor thingo out, on the left is a little green lever thingo push that up to release the cassette, pull the cassette out. there is a latch at the front to open the cassette (difficult to describe how to open - im sure you can manage ) empty the notes from all the cassettes ($5/$20/$50) into the RED bag, making sure each cassette clicks back in properly. do this for all machines.

-on the screen select cash/paper status // note management (you need to enter you user id/password manually here) then click acceptor pickup, dispensor pickup, coin management, acceptor pickup. click go back to get back to the supervisor screen. do this for each machine.

- the next step you only need to do if you are NOT trading the following day
- go to eft functions // eft last settlement // yes // no on each machine
-this will print two receipts on each machine, you can then select close machine and.... YOU'RE DONE!!

- make sure that you have the red and blue bag for each machine, the keys, lanyard, eft last settlements, cash management reports, PDA etc..

anyway, the instructions are there in that troubleshooting book i said earlier so just follow that if you get stuck or ask your supervisor...
GOODLUCK- the job is so much more enjoyable if customers are willing to learn, so have a really friendly attitude, and always be positive

 

[jirwin]

I've always wondered - with self-serve, how does the customer sign for credit transactions and how are those signatures checked against the customers card?

 

[mitch179]

I've always wondered - with self-serve, how does the customer sign for credit transactions and how are those signatures checked against the customers card?

There's a little screen type thing there, and so they sign it on there. (Those things annoy me, because I can never do my signature right on them)
The light at the top of that particular register goes red, as if they require assistance, and the self-serve attendant checks the signature against the card.

 

[milocole]

I have lost my Staff Discount card, how do I get another one??

 

[^CoSMic DoRiS^^]

Thanks for the reply, but sadly I am only 15. Sorry, I should've mentioned my age. IF I was 18 I wouldn't even be on checkouts - heck, I wouldn't even be working at Woolworths.

Cosmic Doris - I like the sound of that. How would I play mind games with customers exactly?

any way you like. pretend you don't speak english, imitate everything the customers say/do like a little kid would, make sound effects when you operate the register, tell customers they can't come through your register because you're allergic to [insert some personal comment about them], ask customers if they can hear the voices in your head, remove a piece of clothing for every item you scan, open their food and eat it while you work, answer their questions with nonsense answers, play that ''one of these things doesn't belong'' game with their groceries, call out for price checks on stuff like condoms and lube even if they didn't buy any, address male customers as ma'am and vice versa

etc

 

[Harry778]

Umm, I strongly suggest no-one does this!

 

[SS-champion]

Staff only get officially trained for self-serve when a store initally gets the new self-serve checkouts.

I do think that new staff need proper training instead of just scanning the attendant barcode to clear a message on screen and therefore letting the customer get away with free shopping!

 

[Charizard]

any way you like. pretend you don't speak english, imitate everything the customers say/do like a little kid would, make sound effects when you operate the register, tell customers they can't come through your register because you're allergic to [insert some personal comment about them], ask customers if they can hear the voices in your head, remove a piece of clothing for every item you scan, open their food and eat it while you work, answer their questions with nonsense answers, play that ''one of these things doesn't belong'' game with their groceries, call out for price checks on stuff like condoms and lube even if they didn't buy any, address male customers as ma'am and vice versa

etc

Most of them sound more like being a cunt then mind games.

 

[^CoSMic DoRiS^^]

Most of them sound more like being a cunt then mind games.

pretty much yeah

same amount of fun either way

 

[yoddle]

Hey rolfmaoz I was just wonderin', like our CSM has this thing where if more than four people have asked for a day off already, you won't be abes to get it off. She also wrote a big long note in the TeamTalk folder about how we must "apply" for time off and only ever speak directly to her and not to anyone else under any circumstances.

I was under the impression that casual employees are entitled any time off they want as long as they give the appropriate notice set out in union agreement. (and don't ask for every weekend off and annoying stuff like that.) Am I right or am I wrong?

Bye.

 

[T 360]

Hey rolfmaoz I was just wonderin', like our CSM has this thing where if more than four people have asked for a day off already, you won't be abes to get it off. She also wrote a big long note in the TeamTalk folder about how we must "apply" for time off and only ever speak directly to her and not to anyone else under any circumstances.

I was under the impression that casual employees are entitled any time off they want as long as they give the appropriate notice set out in union agreement. (and don't ask for every weekend off and annoying stuff like that.) Am I right or am I wrong?

Bye.

Wow. At our store, we have a diary. We just turn to the date that we can`t work and write "[Name] is unavailable to work". And that`s our whole time off procedure.

 

[townie]

yeah, we just have an Unavailable book. in NSW at least, casuals are allowed whatever days off they want theoretically (whether our CSM actually pays attention to this is another matter of course)

 

[babikakez]

Hey rolfmaoz I was just wonderin', like our CSM has this thing where if more than four people have asked for a day off already, you won't be abes to get it off. She also wrote a big long note in the TeamTalk folder about how we must "apply" for time off and only ever speak directly to her and not to anyone else under any circumstances.

I was under the impression that casual employees are entitled any time off they want as long as they give the appropriate notice set out in union agreement. (and don't ask for every weekend off and annoying stuff like that.) Am I right or am I wrong?

Bye.

Ours is the same, except only two people off at the time. I've had major issues with this recently.

A few weeks ago I asked for the 3-9 of December off. NonTrade have approved this, no problems. I thought it would be allright for Front End, as all the people going on Schoolies would be back by then. But, apparently not.

Their argument was that two people had already booked those dates off. Pfft. Both of them had also booked time off over the schoolies period - were all the people wanting schoolies off from now on be denied that time.

In the end, I said something along the lines of we aren't always on the same shifts, so why should it matter. My 2ic put it in the book (only CSM and 2ic have access to it), and if I get issues from my CSM, then I was never told that I coudln't have the time off.

If I was to ever get grief for that, I'd bring the union in so quick. Or at least the relevant agreement.

 

[jirwin]

Ours is the same, except only two people off at the time. I've had major issues with this recently.

A few weeks ago I asked for the 3-9 of December off. NonTrade have approved this, no problems. I thought it would be allright for Front End, as all the people going on Schoolies would be back by then. But, apparently not.

Their argument was that two people had already booked those dates off. Pfft. Both of them had also booked time off over the schoolies period - were all the people wanting schoolies off from now on be denied that time.

In the end, I said something along the lines of we aren't always on the same shifts, so why should it matter. My 2ic put it in the book (only CSM and 2ic have access to it), and if I get issues from my CSM, then I was never told that I coudln't have the time off.

If I was to ever get grief for that, I'd bring the union in so quick. Or at least the relevant agreement.

I've never had this issue either. We have to inform either the CSM or 2IC if we want time off - usually just write it on scrap paper/receipt roll and staple it to the day planner. We have to give 2 weeks notice (this used to be less but the Office people do our rosters now). I've checked our unavailabilites diary a few times and I'm always amazed at how many names are written down some times - feel guilty for a second if i've asked for that day off as well but then i figure we have 43243243242 staff members anyway.

 

[Craven]

Yeah, my shift breaks down like this:
2-5: pulling tickets down, usually finish around 4.45pm
5pm, store closes, take as many tills as possible upstairs, pickups and spotchecks etc.
Usually finish all of that around 7-7.30.

Weird. All of that is done BEFORE we close in our store. Say on a weeknight we close at 9pm. We have a night office cashier rostered for 3 hours (6.30-9.30) so when I come in for that shift at 6ish I take as many draws out (I know they say you're meant to spotcheck at the register but we don't do that) there's 22, leave about 6-8 depending on staff and take the rest to the invoice office where you strip them for a pickup (and strip list using calculator) or spotcheck directly if no pickup.. I usually wait until about 8pm before doing the pickup (there's about 4 tills left by then up the front, so I get final pickups from them). After that about 8.30 pick up is done, 2 tills left up the front. 9pm doors down, tills are up. 9.10 I'm out the door lol. Saturdays are the same... close at 5.30 I'm out by 6.

Obviously it's going to be all different in about 2 weeks with phoenix.. theyre saying they're going to push hours back so I'd work from like 4.30-7.30 maybe and have a pickup finalised by then and the service supervisor will have to spotcheck the tills, not me. And say the normal day cashier will have to work say 9-7.30 some days rather than the usual 7-4 or so that she does now.

 

[Shokujo]

Hi everyone,

Not a student, sorry, but absolutely loving this thread I just started working with my local woolies store a couple of months ago, after having previous experience with Coles (many moons ago! lol)...

Went to the group interview applying for nightfill, but at the interview they said they wanted me as front end supervisor and relief cash office.

Spent the last 4 weeks on front end, and now have been told that will be doing Cash Office training on Thursday (gasp!!!!).. am a little nervous, so any tips from cash office experienced people would be great