A cashier notices a growing line of customers waiting to check out. What should the cashier do?

• A. Acknowledge the customers in line and call for assistance.
• B. Continue to ring out each customer as quickly as possible.
• C. Tell the manager that more help is needed at the register.
• D. Go get another associate to help.

Answer: (A)

When a line is growing, the immediate goal is to show customers you see them and to mobilize help so the wait is reduced. Acknowledging the line and calling for assistance achieves both: it reassures customers that their presence is noticed and it quickly brings more hands to the register to speed things up. This addresses both the emotional aspect of waiting and the practical need for extra staff, which helps prevent frustration from turning into lost sales or negative impressions.

Ringing up customers faster without bringing in help can keep the current pace but doesn’t fix the bottleneck, so the line will likely grow or remain long. Telling the manager that more help is needed is proactive, but it doesn’t directly communicate with the customers or expedite immediate relief. Bringing in another associate is helpful, but it may take time to locate someone and have them ready; starting with a visible acknowledgement and a quick call for support gets both customers and staff aligned right away.