Self-service check-outs

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Both my nearby branches of Sainsbury's have recently replaced at least half their staffed check-outs with un-staffed ones where the customer scans all the items themselves and then pays by card.

So far I have avoided using them, because I resent losing that little bit of regular human contact, and I doubt whether they make things much quicker for the customer. Also, it seems inevitable that check-out staff will be made redundant as a result.

On the other hand, I have used cash machines all my adult life, while my parents spent most of their lives interacting with human cashiers in banks. Also, I don't mind using train ticket machines or ordering over the Internet.

Are we doomed to do all our shopping interacting only with machines in the future? Do you care if the person behind the cash register ceases to exist over th course of the next decade?

Martin

[Bogatan]

I've been working in supermarkets throughout the last decade as the self service machines have been installed. The first ones I worked with at a Somerfield were an unmitigated disaster, but generally I prefer them now. Theres still the odd issues on a technical level, like discount labels without barcodes, weight issues and age restricted items, but its easier and in some respects less stressful.

You aren't being held up by slow, new or poorly trained staff when in a hurry or having items slid to you at 70mph as your trying to pack when the lines are backing up and the check outs are under instructions to work faster.

And because there is one queue for multiple self checkouts you can never be the sole source of anger from those behind you when your stuck at the till for an extended time.

The lack of human contact is some what negative although half checkout operators do little more than the computer just spouting the same company approved lines, in which case its no great loss.

As for redundancies, I'm not sure, supermarkets have such a high turn over its more likely a case of less new hiring. Which might amount ot the same thing but is generally less distressing for the individuals. Plus you still have the people overseeing the self check outs.

I doubt self checkout will take over 100% any time soon, but I really don't know if I'd be that bothered if it did as it is very often a highly unpleasant job.

Andy

[Hero]

I agree there Andy. Working checkouts is very soul destroying. I did long shifts at Sainsburys (and at the time I needed to save up for my wedding/honeymoon) and it was a prolonged and awful experience. Glad I got out after 7 months to a much better job as there was so much from rude customers and RSI I could take in a lifetime.

I can't see a 100% takeover of sorts as Kiosks will always need to be manually operated.

===KEN

[Philip Ayres]

Liz hates them, I get on OK with them.

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Sept 1, 2010 17:28:17 GMT Hero said:

I agree there Andy. Working checkouts is very soul destroying. I did long shifts at Sainsburys (and at the time I needed to save up for my wedding/honeymoon) and it was a prolonged and awful experience. Glad I got out after 7 months to a much better job as there was so much from rude customers and RSI I could take in a lifetime.

Yeah, but however bad the job is, surely fewer jobs means more people going without jobs? I'm sure lots of people would rather have the soul-destroying temp job to tide them over for a bit while they find something better, rather than have nothing. And least it was there as an option for people - and looks like it won't be so readily available in future.

Martin

[Bogatan]

Checkouts area pretty small section of the average supermarket. In small high street stores theres rarely more than 1 person on tills, so that wont change as the self check outs need a supervisor. It just means instead of a queue for one person theres a queue for multiple checkouts.

In larger stores the number of checkout ops would come down, but the majority of check outs are manned by shop floor workers who are dragged from their proper jobs when stores are busy. Barring a few busy hours a day even the biggest stores only have a few open checkouts. If a large store went fully self check out you would still have at least 1 supervisor per 10 tills, probably more.

Also I assume the self check outs create a few slightly higher end tech/maintenance jobs and some stores will redirect wages to shop floor jobs which are far more enjoyable and neccesary.

Will jobs be lost? Yes but probably only a few per store at most and the abuse (physical and verbal), stress( from speed, mistakes, age checks and so much more) and physical discomfort (standing for hours or worse sitting for hours while carrying out repetative actions is really bad)
make it a job I wouldn't miss, but yeah for the people who wont be able to do the job and either need it or enjoy it (some do and it isn't always a bad job) it is a loss.

Andy

[Andy Turnbull]

I don't mind using them and unless I am buying anything with a security tag on it, I will opt to try and use them first. Quicker and convenient for me as when shopping I like to get in and out as quickly as possible.

Andy

[blueshift]

I have a love-hate relationship with them. I like them because I loathe having to wait in queues, I hate them when the people using them are being unbelievably stupid and slow

[Hero]

I've used them a few times and still adapting. Definitley worth using if you have a minimum of items to scan through.

===KEN

[Deleted]

Sept 1, 2010 18:06:55 GMT Grand Moff Muffin said:

Yeah, but however bad the job is, surely fewer jobs means more people going without jobs?

That's it, basically. It's removal of employment opportunities from the economy. Not particularly pleasant employment opportunities, yes, but we've all been in situations where doing that would be better than surviving on the subsistence-level unemployment benefits we have in the UK. Every new "self-service" check-out installation in your local supermarket is means at least another extra person on the dole.

[Hero]

I used the self service checkouts in B&Q yesterday and when I bought some spray mount the machine grounded to a halt until a supervisor came to verify that I was over 21 years old.

I guess that curiosity has been answered as far as stopping kids trying to buy beer and other age restricted products goes. Not that I am selling B&Q sells beer, but I am guessing that's how it works elsewhere.

===KEN

[legios]

Ah, the Robo-tills..... Trundling around on their wheels accosting one in their monotone voices asking if you want to buy a soda.... Oh, wait - those are something else entirely....

I am not a big fan of self-service tills to be honest. Mostly I think this is because I miss the interaction with the person on the till. (Admittedly much of the time this interaction is strictly one way as up here a lot of till staff seem to believe their job requires them to avoid eye-contact let alone speech with customers).

If I am actually out in a shop then I would rather be served by an actual person, because otherwise the experience is basically the same as buying my monthly grocery shop on-line but with more carrying of things.

Karl

[Gav]

I only use self-service if I'm buying a really small amount of items. If it's a bundle, I'll take the old-school approach. Not fussed with 'human interaction' when I'm in the supermarket, I get enough of that elsewhere.

[Stomski]

I use them for buying sanitary products for the missus, rubber jonnies and lube.

[The Doctor]

I use self-service most of the time as I have always become stupidly stressed in supermarket queues with the speed of items being thrown at you and trying to get them in bags, etc. Robot tills allow me to do my shopping in a more calm manner and there's usually a member of stuff to help out if I have any problems anyway. I'm not great in crowds so can become a bit panicky in supermarkets when they're busy so I actually really appreciate having the robot till option.

If it's quiet and I only have a few things, I'm happy to use a staffed checkout. Sometimes it's nice to say hello.

-Ralph

[Deleted]

When self-service tills first came out I remember them being a novelty idea that everybody was queueing up to use. Nowadays they are used a lot less frequently and as for me it doesn't really bother me whether I use them or not. Saying that though, sometimes I have been stuck in a queue at a till before with people in front of me who know the cashier personally. Instead of paying for the items and leaving they tend to have a goo chat with each other and each item goes through at a rate of one per every three minutes. The customer then chats some more, pays by credit card (which utilises a seemingly slow card machine) and then chats a little bit more before going on their way. After about five more credit card paying customers have gone through I've discoved that my ice cream has melted!