In this age of self-checkout at retail establishments, it would be easy for front-line employees to become frustrated with the incompetence of their customers while doing this somewhat simple task.

However, at a large national chain, one employee noticed that a customer was making the motions as if he was scanning the items in his cart, but because he hadn’t clicked a button on the screen, nothing was registering.

He obviously didn’t realize that he was doing it wrong, so the employee went over to him to let him know. Her approach was one of understanding and kindness rather than irritation. The customer seemed to appreciate her unsolicited advice and her attitude towards him. She wasn’t judging his ineptitude with the scanner; she was only trying to assist him. She wasn’t sarcastic, she didn’t act annoyed, she genuinely wanted to be helpful.

There’s a way to work with customers that guides them to the result you want without offending or pushing them away. This employee knew exactly how to do that.