The correct response
 

Does anyone know the correct answer to this?


when in a shop or somewhere like woolworths and the checkout person greets you with a smile and "hi how R U today?" are they expecting a reply or what? please help as I don't want to seem rude.

the problem is I live in Scotland and people behind counters usualy just look at you then if your lucky they may crack a smile and greet like this "what?":confused:

Re: The correct reponse
 

I would say:

"I'm fine thanks, how are you?"

But then I do that to anyone who asks how I am.

Re: The correct reponse
 

Has this 'smile & greet thing' actually ever happened to you-or is this just a theoretical question?;) They must have been told to do this by the boss.. I would just say 'not good' and then bore them all my migration problems-that should stop it happening again:lol:

Re: The correct reponse
 

Firstly they won't say that. They will say gooddaymatehowyagarn. The correct response is good thanks.

Re: The correct reponse
 

Although whether a lot of them care about the response is a matter of conjecture. You can reply "well actually my dog just hung himself and I'm having my head amputated in the morning" and a lot of them will just asy "oh thats nice"....;)

Re: The correct reponse
 

EVERYBODY will greet you like this in Oz. Best response is 'Good, how are you going' (but slurred together, as described above) and then they will say 'That's good, I'm good too' and then your interaction can continue.
I work in an office where there are a lot of short phone calls made, and each one still starts with that exchange.
It's like saying 'alright?' as a greeting in the UK, which I know not everyone does but it was quite common before i left (which was only recently!). It may not be a 100% genuine enquiry in to your wellbeing, but I think it's nice! Better than shop assistants etc who don't even make eye contact and just hold their hand out for the money. I used to make a point of being super-polite and friendly to them, just to try and wake them up.

Re: The correct reponse
 

I have lived here a very long time and have always been greeted in this way :)....I always say "Good thanks, and you?"...even if I'm feeling lousy :D. In Coles, where we do our weekly shopping, we always use the same checkout operator and we always have a good laugh and natter...without her missing a beat and not keeping anyone waiting ;)

Re: The correct reponse
 

my response to this question is always 'grand thanks, and yourself' and if they choose to answer so be it. It doesn't happen often! most staff are RUDE! :p

Re: The correct reponse
 

When my (now very good friend) first moved to England from the States, she rented a room off me. I used to say 'alright?' as in hello when she came home etc. After a couple of weeks she said she was fine and she was worried that I thought she wasn't okay and had a problem...... I said no, I was just saying hello.

Re: The correct reponse
 

I usually judge it by how it is said and the expression on the persons face since being here have got to now a few of the local cashiers as once they find out we are english start bending our ear (got to say i don't mind though) i think this might be because they are mostly teenagers one kid asked me and hubby how we would describe a girl who we thought waqs really pretty so my hubby spent the whole time we were checking out teaching him english colloquisms about girls and football (or should that be soccer) now whenever we go in the store and he is on the checkout he gives a big grin as if to say come to my checkout so we go and have a chat with him.


poshrice

Re: The correct response
 

This is a bone of contention between my wife and I. When ever she is asked this at the checkout, her response is "How are you today?"

Now I pull her up on this and point out that she was just asked a question and answering a question with a question isn't good. She still does it, I think to p#** me off.

Whenever I'm at the checkout I try to ask them How they are first, how long have they been working today, when they finish and have they had any bad customers today. Not sure why I do it because as soon as I've walked away I've forgotten everything they said.

The checkout people in the USA are the same as the Australian ones asking questions. However I have found that the checkout person goes one step further. If you pay by credit card or provide something with your name on it, they start to call you MR. xxxxx or Mrs. YYYYYY.

Re: The correct response
 

Is this before or after they ask to check your bags? I must have a very dodgy look - kept getting asked if they could look in my other shopping bags! Very disconcerting.

Re: The correct response
 

Most shops in oz ive been to do seem to do this,

the first time i went to australia i went shopping with my friend who was living there at the time and i had a small rucksack on, the lady at the till asked to look in my bag (i didnt even buy anything - my friend did) and i was like "em no get lost!!" then the security guard insisted on seeing inside it before i left the shop!!

but apparently they all do this to see if youve nicked anything, my husband (aussie) is always amazed that they dont ask to do it in scotland and when he first arrived here was always volunteering his bags for the people at the till to look in - much to their bemusement!:D

Re: The correct response
 

Isn't the standard Aussie response 'good thanks!' to the point that you sometimes hear people say it as a repsonse to 'hello'?

I still hate it when peopl here in the states ask 'what's up' because my initial split second thought is that they are asking what's wrong. What's going on is another one that I don't know how to answer.

My experience in Australia has always been that people seem quite genuine, in America when shop assistants ask they rarely seem to be looking for an answer, but over there they've always followed up wit hmore questions about where you've been, what you've been doing etc etc.

Re: The correct reponse
 

It used to be a bit like that down here, but over the past few years, they have obviously put lots into their customer service pat and whilst not wanting to 'have a nice day' to all, they have become more hello orientated......just smile and reply hi - I'm ok (or not)...thanks Ems x;)

Re: The correct reponse
 

well I dont understand it

I live in the south of England home of the surly assistants and what do I get

they all seem to suddenly develope verbal diarrhoea when I approach the till as I get their life story, their cousins aunties dogs life story and the friend of a friends life story , their hopes and ambitions and sob stories

usually people behind go away and join another queue!!


when I asked my colleagues why this happens to me I was told I have a kind face:blink:

anyone want to swap :rofl::rofl:

Re: The correct response
 

I always say 'good thanks, you?' :)

Re: The correct reponse
 

Is it just me........but my natural response to "Hi, how are you?" Is to say "fine thanks" not "good thanks".
"I'm good" is being used more frequently in the English Vocab but to me it sounds strange.

I guess when in Rome.......but in my case...when in Australia......

Its ok, I've not lost the plot. I understand there are greater things in life to worry about..............but just one of those thoughts when I saw this thread!!:p

Re: The correct reponse
 

Like you say 'when in Rome' do what the Aussies do :D

Re: The correct reponse
 

But what are they thinking?

Oh no, I've got the nutter again. I'll try and down play it.

"oh thats nice!"

Don't make eye contact. Please don't make eye contact.

:D

Re: The correct reponse
 

I remember a french friend telling me once about her confusion when she offered english people a drink or snack and they said "no thanks I'm fine". She thought 'but I didn't ask if you were ok, I offered you a drink!'
I first heard the 'I'm great' response in Canada, where I thought it was very strange to come out with such a statement about yourself!! That must have been about ten years ago. Now I routinely hear "I'm excellent, how are you?" and don't bat an eyelid!

Re: The correct reponse
 

Not that you are trying to stereotype the people who are doing a good and thankless job of course. :(

In answer to the question, what makes the askee of the question different to anyone else in the world who may or may not ask you a question. Simply answer them politely, what benefit would be gained from ignoring them, as if the shopper was somehow more important than the person serving you. Just be polite, I am sure that is all they ask.

Re: The correct reponse
 

I always reply "good thanks"

Sometimes when I know the person asking is false I'm tempted to say "my Budgie died today" and burst into tears.
I did it once in the Uk and we both ended up howling with laughter.

One thing that does bug me though is when in a conversation someone keeps saying "yep,yep,yep," It seems to be an Aussie thing.


In general the manners are better here in shops.:lol::lol:

Re: The correct reponse
 

I knew people in London who did this, it is annoying! They don't even realise they're doing it though - once you start pointing it out they're often quite embarrassed at how stupid they sound! (Don't worry I wasn't obnoxious to strangers on this point, just mocked people who were already mates!)

Re: The correct reponse
 

Yep,yep,yep :p:p;)

Re: The correct reponse
 

"Hi how are you?":confused:

"That will be $5.50 please, have a good day" fake smile.


What is his all about?