You're gonna lose your jobs!

[Lace Neil Singer]

Yes, we are finally getting pay at pump. But the news has created a whole group of SCs. This is how it goes. SC comes into the kiosk, says, "Well, you're getting pay at pump, right?" Colleague confirms this, thinking, "That's what the sign says." SC then says, in a mean, smirking voice crammed with schadenfreude, "Then you'll be losing your jobs soon!" *titter*

First of all, do you always find the idea of a person losing their jobs funny? What if it happened to you, your spouse or your kids? Bet you wouldn't be laughing then. Second, your assumption is bullshit. The paperwork, like delivery certificates, doesn't do itself, and we don't have a posse of helpful elves to stock the shop, sign for deliveries, answer the phone, order stuff etc. Not to mention the fact that not everyone will be able to use the new system. Roughly half of our customers are people who use fuel cards or cash; they will have to come inside and pay. Not to mention all the people who want to buy tobacco products, groceries and car care.

It's really getting on my and my colleagues' wick, this type of SC. I just wish that these people could just keep their traps shut for once in their lives.

[dalesys]

Post their mug shots and refuse them all other services. "You're only authorized for pay at pump, sir/madam."

[An Haddock]

"I'd rather be jobless than brainless."

[Dreamstalker]

I regularly get "You're going to lose your job!" from some SCs (who ironically are calling me over for help at the time).

An SCO is still a machine. It can't see you just threw/placed something extra down the belt (well, it can in terms of locking up, but a human needs to actually identify it). Until tech gets good enough so the SCOs can reason, differentiate items and fix themselves, the attendant's job is safe.

[wolfie]

The paperwork, like delivery certificates, doesn't do itself, and we don't have a posse of helpful elves to stock the shop, sign for deliveries, answer the phone, order stuff etc. Not to mention the fact that not everyone will be able to use the new system. Roughly half of our customers are people who use fuel cards or cash; they will have to come inside and pay. Not to mention all the people who want to buy tobacco products, groceries and car care.

From what I've heard, the margins on fuel are so low that if someone uses a credit card with its associated fees to the merchant, the gas station barely breaks even. Fuel is just a lure to bring people in - the convenience store (which won't be affected by pay-at-the-pump) is where the real money is.

Until tech gets good enough so the SCOs can reason, differentiate items and fix themselves, the attendant's job is safe.

And if tech gets that good, the SCO is probably going to be intelligent enough to refuse to deal with idiot customers, so they'll have to use the manned lanes.

[csquared]

"Then you'll be losing your jobs soon!" *titter*

No. It just means that I'll have fewer idiots to deal with.

[Mr Hero]

An SCO is still a machine. It can't see you just threw/placed something extra down the belt (well, it can in terms of locking up, but a human needs to actually identify it). Until tech gets good enough so the SCOs can reason, differentiate items and fix themselves, the attendant's job is safe.

It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever

[WishfulSpirit]

"I can't wait to start collecting unemployment!" Wonder how they'd react to that?

[Lace Neil Singer]

From what I've heard, the margins on fuel are so low that if someone uses a credit card with its associated fees to the merchant, the gas station barely breaks even. Fuel is just a lure to bring people in - the convenience store (which won't be affected by pay-at-the-pump) is where the real money is.

Pretty much, yeah. Especially at supermarket petrol stations, where the fuel is cheaper than at branded ones.

We also have tons of cash customers, who the smirking SCs don't seem to think exist any more. Well, people like builders and cleaners generally get paid in cash. Plus a lot of people just prefer it.

[An Haddock]

"I can't wait to start collecting unemployment!" Wonder how they'd react to that?

"That's my tax money you're spending! Argle blargle!"

[Sparklyturtle]

I used to hear that: "You transcriptionists are going to be replaced by voice recognition!" I've read and heard a lot of VR-generated stuff, and a lot of it is garbage. So, the Powers that Be hired transcriptionists to edit, but then decided, "Since you're not typing anything, we don't have to pay you as much," and pay most editors almost nothing. I hear the going rate is 3 to 4 USA cents a line. No way am I going to edit for that paltry amount, so when my job ended as a result of the client going to voice recognition I retired. Look at your medical records; I'll bet you'll find a lot of voice-recognition nonsense in there. (And medical offices can't refuse to show you your records and use HIPAA as an excuse; if you're the patient you certainly have a right to see your own records. Another one I've heard is that the records are the property of the doctor's office, so the patients don't have the right to look at their own records. Seriously, if a doctor's office told me this I'd be out the door.)

So yeah, this pushes one of my buttons, too.

[Jay 2K Winger]

People used this tired old line at the wholesale club when they installed SCOs.

I just replied, "Not really, since we installed them just as we were losing a bunch of our summertime cashiers who went back to school..." and I knew the store wouldn't fire me, a reliable worker who didn't complain and didn't get complaints leveled against me.

But that line is right up there with "Get a real job!" as one of those lines that, just... oh damn, there goes my eye twitch again.

[wolfie]

I used to hear that: "You transcriptionists are going to be replaced by voice recognition!" I've read and heard a lot of VR-generated stuff, and a lot of it is garbage.

It will be a LONG time before computer voice recognition will be able to reliably wreck a nice beach.

[Racket_Man]

It will be a LONG time before computer voice recognition will be able to reliably wreck a nice beach.

Yeah this is not the Star Trek era 20 hundred years from now.

[BrenDAnn]

Pay at the pump is the norm around here, and guess what? There are still human employees at the c-stores everywhere. I'll bet that'd blow your SCs minds, LNS! As for SCOs, of course there have to be employees there. Who else is going to make sure people don't either A) Use them to steal the store blind or B) break them?