Since my article, “Poor customer service” was published nine weeks ago, I have noticed a positive change in the commercial industry, not-to-say my article had anything to do with that. Perhaps it is because of the approaching holidays or, perhaps my article did enlighten some managers and employees to how we, the customers feel after we leave their establishment. Either way, it’s nice to see the improvement. However, there is still something wrong with the way some employees are doing their job.

There is one particular store that I shop at on a weekly basis for cleaning supplies, and cheap snacks for the kids, and each time I go, I usually use one of those little baskets they have sitting at the front door when you enter.

And, low-and –behold, each time I approach the checkout counter, the cashier tells me to empty my own basket onto that little conveyer belt. Mistake number one on their part, (only the employees have done this, not the manager, whom also has checked me out on occasion). Shouldn’t that be the employee’s job? Really, how much effort are they going to exert ringing up the item as they retrieve it from the basket?

Mistake number two: telling me to put my basket back up at the front entrance where I got it. Now, this infuriates me, and I don’t mind telling you so!

They expect me to leave the counter, walk twenty-feet, and put away their basket, which is provided for the customer’s convenience, I might add, walk back to the checkout counter and finish my transaction. Or, we have to take the basket, along with our shopping bags, and return it, on our way out of the store. What about the mother who has two or three children to keep up with or the elderly person who has difficulty getting around in the first place?

Why should we have to do their job? Are we on their payroll? What’s next, should we stock their shelves too?

After biting my tongue for several months, I finally had gotten enough, and when the cashier told me, “Put this back up,” and very rudely, I might add, I rebelled! I sat the basket on the counter, and stood my ground, letting her ring my items. When she had finished, I gathered my bags and proceeded to leave the store, and you won’t believe what happened next.

As I was walking out, the cashier began calling after me saying, “Miss, Miss…” I kept walking, trying to ignore her, hoping she would get the message, whereupon another employee starting calling after me as well, and by the tone of their voices, you would have thought I was a shoplifter!

Now, that everyone in the front of the store has their eyes focused on me, my dander is really stirred up.

I stopped, turned to face the employees and told them matter-of-factly, “I’m not doing her job!”

I’m sure their tongues were wagging after I left the store, because I was steaming going to my car. I don’t like confrontation; I actually try to avoid it as much as possible. However, there are times we just have to stand up for ourselves and speak our mind.

And, I haven’t been back to that store since then.

Pat McKinley is a weekly columnist for the Bossier Press-Tribune. Share “What’s Bugging You” with her by emailing patmckinley@bellsouth.net or newsroom@bossierpress.com.