Doing things fast is not always the best way. Driving fast will result in getting a speeding ticket, finishing fast in bed will result in sleeping on the couch, and sliding your payment card really fast in the reader will result in annoying your grocery clerk. Sometimes you just have to take things slow…
A guy is sliding his credit card in a rapid motion and frustrated that it isn’t working…
Muy Rapido: This stupid machine can’t read my card!
Continues to slide his card back and forth angrily.
Me: Mind if I try?
Muy Rapido: It’s not going to work. It’s this stupid machine of yours.
I take his card and with one slow swift swipe…
Muy Rapido: Whoa! Look’s like you have the magic touch!
People who are blessed with amazing speed are track stars and I’m blessed with the ability to slide payment cards who just happens to work in a grocery store…
Muy Rapido: Now when do I slide my club card?
Me: …
Has doing things fast ever work out for you?
Have a great weekend everybody. More on Monday!
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
“…finishing fast will result in you sleeping on the couch…” – true. Very true.
Slow but steady wins the race. Every time.
What still amazes me is how fast my credit card works. Occasionally I have to swipe it more than once. But then in almost no time, the card is approved and I am given the receipt to sign. As a baby boomer, I remember when using a credit card took a few minutes every time and I didn’t use it very often.
Well, what I’ve found is that people who do things fast are generally careless and not successful, even down to something so small as swiping a card. One big FAIL.
I think most of them women will agree: Slow = good.
Oh my gosh. I just found you blog and I used to be a grocery clerk. Needless to say, I LOVE IT!
And the fast swipe thing was my FAVORITE! Our system was designed so that you had to finish ringing up the groceries before you swiped your card, so I’d let them swipe and swipe and grumble and swipe until I was done, and then I’d say, “Okay, now you can swipe your card.”
Loved it.
Picking up a twenty dollar bill blowing down the sidewalk worked out.
LOL, well, at our grocery store, I know I can slide the card as soon as they scan the first item. I always feel like I’m making it easier for them when I press all the buttons in advance..lol.
Well the fast swipe is a super power for sure. I can barely get it through at the checkout! Usually I do it so fast the reader can’t see it!
Well you see, it confuses us. The gas card-readers say to slide it quickly so we assume ALL readers require sliding it fast. I’ve had grocery clerks who’ve had to slide my card [slowly] for me, too. I am guilty.
“finishing fast will result in sleeping on the couch”….hahahaha! You are hilarious. So, basically, “slow and steady” wins the race?
Being in panic mode always messes things up. This is why I truly appreciate relaxed, laid-back people.
Check out aol story about funny retail stories http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2010/02/08/confessions-of-a-retail-manager/?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl4|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fjobs.aol.com%2Farticles%2F2010%2F02%2F08%2Fconfessions-of-a-retail-manager%2F
Do people still have to swipe cards in the US.
We have Chip and Pin machines over here.
Some of us are always in a hurry. I don’t do the fast swipe though. And with the ladies…. ah yeah, take your time.
So I just wanted you to know that your existence has changed my existence. In the grocery store Saturday, I found myself working hard to be extremely UNANNOYING to my checker. The more not annoying I tried to be, I think really annoyed him. I don’t know what to do now. I think I’ll just be quiet, not make eye contact, and slide my card at a slowish rate.