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What is a Cashier Manager?

B. Miller
B. Miller

A cashier manager is a person who supervises and manages other cashiers in a retail setting, such as a supermarket, department store, or even fast food restaurant. As a manager, he or she is typically given much more responsibility than a cashier or supervisor, and is often responsible for keeping careful account of all the money that enters and leaves the establishment, among a number of other duties. Those who become cashier managers usually have a great deal of experience as a cashier or customer service representative in a retail setting.

The daily duties and responsibilities of a cashier manager may vary. A cashier manager may be responsible for creating employee schedules, training new employees, keeping careful daily records, communicating with other supervisors or store managers at other business locations, and maintaining company policies. He or she may also be asked to count the money in the store at the beginning and end of each day, or at intervals throughout the day.

A cashier manager supervises other cashiers.
A cashier manager supervises other cashiers.

One of the most important job functions of a cashier manager is to provide excellent customer service. A manager in any business may need to resolve any disputes and handle difficult customers with patience and politeness, and this is especially true in a busy retail setting. Cashier managers may also need to assist in resolving any problems between employees, and to listen to employees' concerns and ideas regarding the business.

Excellent customer service is one of the most important functions a cashier manager performs.
Excellent customer service is one of the most important functions a cashier manager performs.

It is important for a cashier manager to understand every aspect of the business, as technical support may be needed as well. A manager may be called in to assist if a cashier is having difficulties with a register or other piece of technology used in the store. In addition, a cashier manager may need to handle other sensitive situations, such as catching someone shoplifting, or needing to terminate another cashier's employment.

Cashier managers have to be on the lookout for potential shoplifters.
Cashier managers have to be on the lookout for potential shoplifters.

Cashier managers need to be detail oriented and responsible, and they need to possess good leadership qualities. To become a cashier manager, it is necessary to demonstrate trustworthiness, a willingness to learn, and a concern for the future of the business, as well as excellent accuracy with money. Nearly all cashier managers begin as entry-level cashiers, and may progress into a customer service position or other supervisory role before being promoted into management. For those looking to become store managers, pursuing a college degree in business or another financial area, such as accounting, may be especially beneficial.

Discussion Comments

letshearit

I used to work as a cashier when I was in university and our cashier manager was a real life saver. Ours not only did our initial training but she was a great help dealing with customers that got unruly or were just plain impossible to please.

It seems to me that most people don't realize that there are certain transactions you just aren't allowed to do as a basic cashier. Things like refunds and special orders often need to be completed by someone higher up.

If you are dealing with a cashier and they need to get their manager, please don't assume it is just because they don't know how to do their job. Often it is part of their job to call someone in for certain transactions.

Mae82

If you love to use coupons and you are having trouble getting a cashier to accept one ask to speak with the cashier manager. The cashier manager has the ability to override the computer and input things it may not like to take.

I find that regular cashiers are often to worried about their jobs to bend the rules, or put something in the system that doesn't come up come up easily the first time. I don't blame them for this as their job is more disposable than those in higher positions.

There is nothing wrong with asking for a cashier manager, and they can really be the key to making sure you get all the savings you are after.

surfNturf

@Cupcake15 - I think that a lot of cashiers really don’t handle all that much cash anymore. I think that lot of people use their credit cards or debit cards when buying things.

I know that I use my credit card when making purchases so that I can take advantage of the rewards points that I get. I then pay off the bill at the end of the month which allows me to forgo the interest charge.

When I go to the grocery store, I notice that the only type of tender that cashier’s handle aside from credit and debit card transactions are coupons. The coupons are now scanned, so the cashier job has really been simplified within the last few years.

cupcake15

@GreenWeaver - I know that the description of a cashier involves excellent cash handling along with great customer service. If you do those two things right as a cashier everyone will be happy with your performance.

Accuracy is a big deal and I remember that when I was trained, the cashier that trained me told me that whenever a customer offered me a bill, I was to place it horizontally on top of my till until I counted back the change.

This ensured that I would not get confused or the customer could not tell me that they gave me a larger bill than they actually did. I have seen that happen to other cashiers and it is a pain in the neck to sort out because the entire till has to be counted in order to clarify the dispute.

It is easy to forget if a customer gave you a $10 bill or a $20 bill if you don’t use this method of cash handling.

GreenWeaver

@Subway11 - I also had a cashier job when I was in college too, and I remember that I was trained by the head cashier that also did my schedule. She was sort of like a head teller.

She trained the cashiers, interviewed potential candidates, and made the schedules for the cashiers so I guess she was sort of like a cashier manger but she did not have the manager title.

Her title was simply, head cashier. I think that the cashier manager has a better ring to it.

subway11

I used to work in a grocery store when I was in college and our store had office cashiers and a front end manager. The office cashiers worked in the customer service counter as well as in the back office balancing out all of the tills.

These cashiers were promoted to these positions but they had no supervisory duties. When I worked in the back office, I picked up money from all of the cashiers on the floor and counted the money and entered it into the computer to make it easier to balance out all of the cashiers' tills.

The front end manager would actually be the one that would make the schedule for the cashiers and bagging personnel, as well as make sure that the front end ran smoothly.

These grocery store managers worked long hours but they had the potential to earn a lot of money. A grocery store manager's salary can reach the six figures if you are in a large enough store, so many of these front end managers did not mind the long hours.

We used to have a lot of cashier job openings because they job was repetitive and could be a little boring when there was little customer traffic and these managers were the ones that usually hired the cashiers.

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    • A cashier manager supervises other cashiers.
      By: Lisa F. Young
      A cashier manager supervises other cashiers.
    • Excellent customer service is one of the most important functions a cashier manager performs.
      By: Kadmy
      Excellent customer service is one of the most important functions a cashier manager performs.
    • Cashier managers have to be on the lookout for potential shoplifters.
      By: Steve Lovegrove
      Cashier managers have to be on the lookout for potential shoplifters.
    • The daily duties of a cashier manager may vary.
      By: pressmaster
      The daily duties of a cashier manager may vary.
    • A cashier manager may need to handle customer disputes.
      By: Adam Gregor
      A cashier manager may need to handle customer disputes.