Home > Operational Level > Level 1 - IRA > Cashier Testing
1) Scan EVERY ITEM - even when items look similar. This sounds simple, but we all must fight the urge to short-cut a transaction by scanning one item and entering the purchase quantity or scanning the same item multiple times. Even though many items in a transaction may look identical and may be priced the same, the items can be different SKUs! For example, a gloss white spray paint may look just like (and have the same retail) as a satin white spray paint, a flood light may look identical to a spot light or a galvanized plumbing fitting may look identical to a black fitting. Instead of taking the time to visually determine if SKUs are similar or not, just scan each one and let the computer figure it out. We owe it to our customers to scan every item as it guarantees they buy what they intend and it keeps our sales and quantity-on-hands accurate at the same time! It's simple, SCAN EVERY ITEM.
2) Complete VOID
If you start to mess up a transaction (it happens sometimes right?) then try not to fix the sale by voiding individual lines (this can make things worse); rather, get approval to void the entire transaction and start over.
3) Understanding Return Types: R and D
R – Return. The item is being returned to inventory: it can be resold and will go in the Returns basket. R adds 1 to quantity-on-hand because the item is available to be put back on the sales floor and be sold again. R's are going to the Return bin and back on the sales floor to be Resold.
D– Defective. The item is broken and is not being released to the sales floor. The item is not considered inventory, nothing is added to the SKU’s quantity-on-hand and the item should not be counted as inventory. D's are going in the Defective bin and to the Dumpster.
4) Take Your Time – spending a few extra seconds to scan every item and to review your transaction will save your store thousands of dollars in lost sales, out-of-stocks and labor to investigate and fix errant quantity-on-hands. Testing Process Although some stores employ mystery shoppers (relatives, etc.) to test cashiers, we think an Inventory Coordinator or Head Cashier can conduct the test. Yes, your results will be better than a blind test, but habits are hard to break and if a cashier habitually short-cuts then they will likely short-cut while being tested. After the cashier completes the transaction, take the receipt off the sales floor and diligently compare it to the master receipt; it is easy to get distracted when comparing; assume there is a mistake and take the time to find it. If a mistake is found, please follow up with the cashier, provide additional training and document the encounter. Test them again within the week. If a cashier is habitually incorrect then they need to find a different seat on the bus. We can not afford inaccurate cashiers, even if they were to work for free. Some of our nicest and best customer service employees are also terribly inaccurate cashiers. Example Test Basket The basket below is a good starting point for cashier testing. Many stores build more complicated baskets (including bulk items such as rope and wire, fasteners, etc.) with some stores creating 50-item baskets! We don't think the typical store needs to be so creative. The basket below is a good starting point and you can consider adding a few items of your own and then scan out a master receipt to use as a comparison. Hint: you can reverse a test transaction by going to your Point-of-Sale No Sale Menu, R (Reverse Transaction) button.
Example Testing Sheet A Mango user shared with us the results and write-up from their cashier testing. The results were "humbling" and reiterate the importance of cashier testing. Click here to see their results! You can use the sheet below to tally your testing results. Print it: Cashier Testing.pdf