[4-Panel Comic] The nerve-wracking customer service English that is now second nature

When I first came to the UK, I often froze up because I couldn't understand what the supermarket cashier was saying.

This time, I'd like to share a story about that.

Phrases that left me frozen in confusion at first have now become just another part of my routine while working in customer service. Even if you guess that "Hiya" probably means "Hi," don't you wonder what the "ya" part is?

Actually, at our charity shop, we mainly use "Hello" or "How are you," and "Hiya" is rarely used. I suppose it's something you hear more often at supermarkets, right?

As for "Do you need a bag?" (which sounds like "ju-ni-da-ba"), a British staff member who is always polite would say, "Would you like a paper bag for 10p?", so I try to say it that way too when I have the time.

The other day at the supermarket, a smiling clerk cheerfully said "Hiya!" to me, which made me happy, so I drew this while remembering how it was when I first arrived.

Back then, just waiting in line at the checkout made me so nervous that my hands would get clammy (was I too nervous?).

By the way, in the UK, a cash register is called a "till," but I didn't know that either, so it's a nostalgic memory asking the manager who trained me, "A till? What's that?"