We all know that we shouldn’t assume. Still though, we get through our days one assumption at a time, despite knowing it may lead to misunderstanding.
A couple of weeks ago, I was picking up some groceries at a Fresh Market grocery store before setting out on a road trip. There were a couple of people in front of me, and I had an opportunity to learn something new. At the end of each transaction, the cashier bagged the groceries, made eye contact with the shopper, put her hand on their shopping bags, and then said, “You have three (or two, or whatever) bags here to carry out! Have a good day!”
I had never seen a cashier do this before. As she and I were finishing up, she did it again, making sure I know the number of bags I had to take with me. I asked her about it, saying this was new to me and how smart I thought it was. She responded that she had started doing it shortly after beginning to work there, noticing how distracted shoppers are as they are paying and heading out of the store. These folks weren’t using carts, so it was easy to overlook a bag or two and leave it behind. This led to melted ice cream, sad customers, and more work for the people at the store.
This smart cashier’s one-sentence reminder serves as a lever that addresses several potential problems. It made me think about what those preventive tools are in my workflow—what can I do that will help things run smoothly?
What extra bit of effort can you put in on the front end that will prevent a problem later?
