Am I the only one who is paranoid about customers memorizing your operator password?
Sometimes on Uscan, there are customers who flag me for help, which is to clear a security check. And as I arrive, I see the green and blue operator sign in screen. Which can only be displayed if you press the secret button in the top right corner of the screen. Which means that the customer knows about this secret button and probably attempted to type in a number to clear it.
It raises an interesting question. Why does this customer even know about the secret button? Probably because they've seen an associate press it in front of them and type in their password to clear it. In my store, this happens all the time. Mostly from other cashiers who aren't the attendant, or the CSMs, who step in to clear a security check if the attendant is busy somewhere else. Also some of them just can't be bothered to print out a barcode and like typing in their password when they're attending. Some don't even know the barcode exists.
Some smart customer somewhere would be like, "hmm, let me just memorize his password so the next time I don't have to wait on his ass to come clear me." Or even worse... give themselves a massive discount when I'm not looking. But my biggest concern really, is that there might be some criminal who's going to memorize my password. And when I'm not looking or around, they're going to go to the attendant station, sign in, and quickly open the till and steal some cash.
Now you may think I'm crazy for thinking this. But it wasn't too long ago when I was a rookie to Uscan, and there was this couple who was buying a kroger gift card. As I was ringing up the gift card, another customer needed my help. So I thought, that's a simple security check to clear, should only take two seconds. So I made the rookie mistake of telling the couple buying the gift card that I'll be right back, and then I made the bigger mistake of leaving the gift card at the station. I never expected what happened next. Apparently during the 5 seconds my back was turned. The couple took the gift card, cashed the order out (which means the till f*cking opened!), closed the till, took the receipt, and ran out the door. When I turned my head, they were magically gone.
These people knew how to operate the register. Imagine if they knew my password!
I change my password every week. It's 5 digits instead of the standard 3, but I'm thinking of making it 8 digits.
I feel for you there. Even if I am not trained or have a need for an operator sign on, I still watch those who are in need of help waiting as some have pulled the same thing. I will see the sign on screen up but no attendant nearby them which makes me watch that customer until the attendant can get over there.
If they tried that at the attendant station in my store, clicklist is right next to the station, LP can look right out and see you, Service Desk can see you, and every cashier on a lane can see you. No chance it'd end well for a custy who tried.
Years, actually decades, ago when I was a checker, the customer service desk had to put your number into the system before you could open a register. So if even someone knew your number, they couldn't use it.
How come you can only print a barcode from one of the lanes? Why can't you also print one from the attendant station? I mean that would come in real handy when I, say, come back from my break and I relieve the guy giving me a break. And then he signs off and I sign on, but all six lanes are being used by customers and one of them gets a security check and the handheld isn't working or you can't do that particular action with the handheld, so you're forced to type in your password in front of the customer.
The old system would actually print the barcode for you as soon as you signed on at the attendant station. Most employees just left it in the printer since they didn't know what it was for.
It's bizarre that the new one doesn't.
I figure it's because none of this stuff is actually tested with real employees and real customers. Or that they do test it, and then ignore any feedback and suggestions.