Why I will not use self service checkouts.........food for thought.....

Teetonetal

Can't say I've ever had issues. Maybe Swiss ones are better than UK ones. 

randomhandclaps

Self-Service check outs don't ever moan to me about how they have to work Christmas Eve or New Year's Day.   That for me is a massive bonus.

http://i64.tinypic.com/200426s.jpg

paulnb57

MtB said:

paulnb57 - so that assumes that the 10 self checkout machines were free to buy and install in the first place? Very unlikely. Plus, what about the spare parts and labour when they break down?

I understand the basis of your philosophy, but they're not saving the sums of money that you suggest.

More likely that it's something to do with getting (most) people that only have a few items to pay for through a checkout quicker and therefore not creating massive queues and frustration in that fraction of their client base (and which will encourage them to return to the big T for just a few items rather than going to the local corner store).

Agreed the self service don't fit themselves or repair themselves put neither do the manned ones…...

freakboy1610

The Sainsburys up the road leaves me little choice since they now have so few manned checkouts. Best thing to do is get a 20p pack of Paracetomol and then try to look totally confused (not too hard in my case) and then a nice lady will come over (recently dressed as an elf) and do it all for me!

randomhandclaps

@freakboy1610 - What exactly does the nice lady dressed as an elf do for you?  Sounds like it might be worth a visit.

Seymour1

I'm happy to use the self service machines if I've only got a few items. However for a bigger shop want to use the conveyer belt to arrange the items to make it easier to pack the bags.

What really annoys me is the people who insist on going to the kiosk "so they don't have to queue" when they don't buy cigarettes, stamps, lottery stuff etc and when there is an unused self service till next to the kiosk.

Bogwhoppit

I think the self-service is for those without a partner in their life ...

hobbio

ICBM said:

Me neither. I won't use them because they rarely work properly

 

I've used them hundreds of times, and only once have I had one break down on me. You must be unlucky.

freakboy1610

randomhandclaps said:

@freakboy1610 - What exactly does the nice lady dressed as an elf do for you?  Sounds like it might be worth a visit.

I made a suggestion, she said she had a headache, then I whipped out the Paracetomol!

paulnb57

freakboy1610 said:

randomhandclaps said:

@freakboy1610 - What exactly does the nice lady dressed as an elf do for you?  Sounds like it might be worth a visit.

I made a suggestion, she said she had a headache, then I whipped out the Paracetomol!

Quality!! Wis'd!

Phil_aka_Pip

I don't like the self-service machines. I even got told off for swearing at one once. I've never had to swear at a human till operator.

I reckon our Big Sainsbury's are either recruiting brighter and more personable staff or they are giving highly effective training, because in the last few months the checkout staff have appeared (to me at least) to be genuinely nicer. They don't just tell you to "have a nice day" in a tone of voice that says they're bored and they don't care if you end up in hell.

I prefer our village shop though. The lass on the till with the northern accent and the dark hair always has a nice smile.

sweepy

I refuse to use them, Supermarkets make enough money and the checkout jobs are that "Jobs" those of us in jemployment, some well paid, can be terribly complacent and lose track of the fact that these kind of jobs are the ones that families with kids need to keep out of the Poverty trap

axisus

Self service every time, it's much more fun. I need to get out more.

underdog

Flawed logic though as those unmanned checkouts mean workers in a factory somewhere have a job, a software company has work, maintenance people have jobs etc.

Also the savings made are no doubt passed on, we squeeze every ounce out of our supermarkets we want everything cheaper then complain about lack of quality, or jobs etc.

randomhandclaps

I get all my shopping delivered so I'm making sure there are two jobs available - the shopper and the delivery driver.  What's great is they often fuck something up so then they have to employ a third person to answer the phone when I ring to report it.  I'll outwit Tesco attempts to cut staffing numbers If it's the last thing I do.

sweepy

Morrisons laid off people after the self service tills were introduced, therefore making your argument invalid, IT jobs can not equate to pet time unskilled in the amount of people employed and in receipt of income

stickyfiddle

sweepy said:

I refuse to use them, Supermarkets make enough money and the checkout jobs are that "Jobs" those of us in jemployment, some well paid, can be terribly complacent and lose track of the fact that these kind of jobs are the ones that families with kids need to keep out of the Poverty trap

I don't buy this as an argument. A supermarket isn't in business to employ people, it's there to make money for its shareholders. Employment of people who need jobs is a "happy" byproduct.

lloyd

I use them if I'm not buying booze, if there's an assistant about then it's fine to use them even when buying booze as it only takes a few seconds to put the pin in.

I don't see the issue with them, I can't recognise these problems that some of you are describing.

sweepy

Well, call me an old Lefty if you like, , families on marginal incomes rely on unskilled part time jobs to survive, taking away yet another potential employment opportunity is short sighted

CabbageCat

 

sweepy said:

I refuse to use them, Supermarkets make enough money and the checkout jobs are that "Jobs" those of us in jemployment, some well paid, can be terribly complacent and lose track of the fact that these kind of jobs are the ones that families with kids need to keep out of the Poverty trap

So, to refer to my previous statement, do you realise you're putting cleaners out of work if you always put stuff in the bin or go for a poo in a toilet?