On Sat, 9 Jul 2016 20:07:32 +0100, Janet > wrote:

>In better smkts here, it's part of their customer-relations training
>protocol to "engage the customer" with a personal question.

I'd avoid the place like the plague if they do that kind of thing.

>They must
>do it in case you're a Mystery Shopper checking they obey their training
>:-) Then they have to wait, focussed on you, while you put away your
>purse and step away, before they start engaging with the customer
>waiting behind you.
>
> It's artificial but much more pleasant than the old days when
>cashiers would chat to each other as if their customers were invisible.

That doesnt seem to be much of an issue here IME, not something that
would be tolerated for very long.