What actions should a cashier take during a power outage?

During a power outage, the most effective action for a cashier is to switch to cash-only transactions if possible. This allows for continued business operations despite the loss of electronic systems and payment processing that rely on electricity. In many retail environments, customers may still want to complete their purchases, and accepting cash ensures that sales can proceed without unnecessary delays.

Operating on a cash-only basis not only keeps the workflow active but also maintains customer service and satisfaction, as patrons can still acquire the items they need. Furthermore, it ensures that sales are recorded, albeit manually, during the outage. This approach mitigates potential losses that could happen if the store were to close or completely halt operations.

Other options, like continuing to process transactions as usual without acknowledging the outage, would be impractical and potentially frustrating for customers. Closing the store entirely until power is restored would reduce customer access and revenue flow, while ignoring customers is counterproductive to good service and could harm the store’s reputation. Thus, switching to cash-only transactions is the most practical and customer-friendly option during a power outage.