Dropped by the _ _$ shop near my place to pick up some 'cheapo' tidbits this evening. Business at the shop was brisk and the long queue at the cashier's seemed everlasting. Finally, my turn came, my 'damage' came only to $3.15 and having no smaller denominations, i gave the foreign-accented cashier a $10 note plus 5cents. i received $5.70 from her as change.
Now, the last time i visited this same shop, i was short changed by a similar foreign-accented cashier and only realised it after i left the shop hurriedly as the shop was very crowded then, like it was this evening. This time i could instantly spot the error in the change but my brain wasn't working after a heavy dinner and i couldn't make out what the correct amount should be. i stood aside by the counter trying to work out the sum and while checking the receipt, i realised the receipt did not reflect the amount paid nor the change given, only the total price of goods bought was reflected, so it didn't help.
As i was still trying to work out the simple mathematics, the customer behind me discovered she was short changed too after giving the cashier a $10 note. She was much quicker at her maths than i was and told the cashier the correct amount she should have received. The cashier appeared to look 'blur' and the customer had to tell her a few times she had given her a $10 note! When the customer finally received her correct change , i showed the cashier the $5.70 i was holding in my hand and told her i was short changed too. She looked 'blur' again and asked how much i gave her and asked to see my receipt. i told her, she then disbelievingly pried open my fingers to see if i had hidden any other amount of money there !! Then she punched in the figures in a calculator and finally reluctantly gave me back the $1.20 that was short and tore away my receipt.
While i'm all ready to accept that the cashier could have made genuine miscalculations unintentionally especially in such a busy environment, i'm suspicious of the facts that the the receipt issued did not reflect the amount paid and the change due plus the frequency at which the 'miscalculations' happened. I'm also curious as to why the calculator wasn't put to use in the first place as it was available. As the amount short was not conspicuous to an absent or preoccupied mind, many customers might not even realise they were short changed if they had just grabbed the goods and change in a hurry to leave the ever crowded shop. Even if the customer did realise it later, there would be no record or proof of the amount paid on the receipt and it would be difficult to claim the change back. Albeit only a small amount to each customer, the sum of all such 'small short changes' would make a difference to a low salaried person. I know i shouldn't make accusations or presumptions here, but the next time (if ever) i visit that shop, i'll make sure i do my sums before i pay, and check the change before i move away from the counter.
update 15 Nov 2009: Went to the shop again and found
1: that there are now 2 big signs at the cashier's counter reminding customers to ask for receipts from the cashier and
2: the receipt now reflect the amount paid, the price of goods AND the change due
Hmmm. guess the boss finally made some discovery .......and took action.....
