If you have worked in retail you will no-doubt be well aware of the customer service tricks to make sure shoppers are happy and keep coming back.
Recently, a woman who said she used to work in Tesco claimed there was a rule in her store which involved talking to every customer at the till. She explained the rule came from her manager, who told staff to make conversation with everyone.
The reason behind this was surprisingly thoughtful, as the woman pointed out that some people might not get another chance to have a chat that day - and for those shoppers a bit of small talk might go a long way.
The ex-Tesco worker, who posted a clip on TikTok, explained: "When I used to work in Tesco, my manager told me that I should try and start a conversation with everybody who comes through my till. Because you never know, it might be the only person that they're talking to that day."
However, while the store policy did have kind intentions behind it, it sometimes led to some awkward encounters. The woman detailed an example which left her 'internally screaming'.
She says she asked a customer: "Hi. Is that everything for you today?" to which they responded: "Yes, that's everything."
She then asked how the customer was doing, to which they replied: "My wife is dying." She then asked if the customer who shared the harrowing information had a Clubcard, to which he simply said: "No."
The clip has received more than 6,000 views as well as comments from fellow retail workers who recounted similar experiences.
One user shared a more positive experience, writing: "I did this when I worked in supermarket shop was empty and this old lady was genuinely happy to talk to me she left with a big smile on her face."
Another stated: "I had a customer tell me about how she felt like her husband didn’t love her and the kids anymore and asked me if I thought she should leave him."
A third joked: "And this is why I use self-service! No hate to you at all, but I can’t stand the small chit-chat," to which Louisa responded: "I hope you find peace in the fact it’s not consensual for us either."
The Daily Record has contacted Tesco for comment.
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