Field Notes

So I'm doing some research on the behavior and attitudes of workers in general.

Here are my notes from today. I took them on my new phone so there are a lot of typos. Skip to the bottom for the summary.

Laughing during conversation
Have a magical day
Tells the customer how much change
Today total
Phone number
Smiling
Customer acts like a dick
Worker doesn't know says ill check on that
Worker walking around looking at products
Talking about personal life with customer
Welcome to pets mart
Do you have a pet card so i can save you some more money
Thank you have a wonderful day - cashier
Worker who was chilling wasn't doing shit

Welcome to Davidson bridal what event brings you in
Didn't belong he knew it and asked again why i was there

Ross
Not welcomed
I can help who is next in line
"i want you to know Im going to be splitting the line."
On the phone
Pop music
Says thank you and hands receipt
Security mumbles they must really be pissd
African American woman isn't really talking to customers
Workers talking about customer or boss
Folds clothes and bags them
Worker tells woman she can't watch her cart because its policy
Security is whispering
Asked are you looking for the restroom
Scans tags
Here you go. Have a nice day
Hello how are you
You can go ahead and slide your card
These tags definitely don't want to process
Both laugh
Card doesn't work. Worker says sorry about that.
Would you like your receipt in the bag

Dollar tree
Worker says thank you
Dollar tree worker isn't bubbly
Latin looking cash register isn't bubbly

Can i help you
Phillipina woman doesn't really chat it up with the client
She says next customer
Can i help you
She takes care of transaction says sign here please gives him change
Hispanic man sells mcdonalds isn't loud
He says how much something is and talks about the product
Kids meal 26 says a worker
The man makes a drink for the customer
The customer waits at the counter for her drink
He wears a uniform
Starts off what he says with uhh
He says that's all announces the amount and takes the money
He then get them their drink
Woman grabs clothes yo hang up. She then speaks to her co worker in Tagala
Worker picks up phone - Phillips and says thank you for calling milpitas wal mart
I sit on a bench on my phone

i pulled into the McCarthy Ranch parking lot. Parked in the middle of four stores and walked into Pet's Mart. I remember the white middle age woman working at the cash register being really enthusiastic about everything. I thought she had too much energy for the job. I remember thinking how strange it sounded when she said "have a magical day." After I left her I walked over to the dog hospital and overheard a man sort of speaking to a worker with an attitude. That worker, a semi-young white male, left that customer to check on something. I then walked over to the fish and lizards and saw a young man sort of standing around not really working on anything. I thought it was strange but imagined myself doing the same thing. I left the store and went to Marshall's. There were so many employees when I walked in. Maybe 3 cashiers, who were all women, were ringing people up. I remember two of them were sort of heavy women in their late 20s. The Latina was chatty, while the African American woman was almost speechless. There was a man, white mid 20s, on a phone but it looked like he was on hold. Another lady, told the line she would be splitting them up and sent one woman to the Latina cashier. The two security guards were men. One was Hispanic and the other was African American. Both looked like they were in their mid 20s. I remember the security guards and a young lady were talking about something related to someone being pissed. Then I walked around the store and was asked by a women putting hanger sizes on hangers if I was looking for the bathroom. I said no and left.
I then walked in to David's Bridal whatever. I was immediately approached by a man asking what I was there for. I said I was just browsing and he asked again. I quickly left since there were no customers, and I felt uncomfortable. I went to the Dollar Tree and saw the huge line. After walking around the store I found out there were only two employees. Both were young Latina that spoke Spanish to each other. The cashier wasn't really chatting with the clients.
I then went to Wal-mart and hung out around the return section. An old Phillipina was not chatting with people and exchanging them money for their items. The man at Mcdonalds was a Hispanic male in his late 20s. He wasn't really chatty and he just took the customers' money and gave them drinks. In the fitting room, two old phillipina ladies chatted in Tagala. I left and felt unsatisfied.

-I noticed co-workers treat customers differently than they treat each other.
-And I noticed that culture might affect how one treats a customer and probably superior and co-worker.
-And how someone defines "good worker" might be related to their culture.