Self Scan horrors(long)

[depechemodefan]

I can just imagine if the SC complains "That hispanic voice is of a Guatamalan! I don't understand Guatamalan accents!" or if it's a real Spanard's voice, where you hear "t"s like "z"s.

Oddly enough, I don't see Self-checkouts at Wal-Marts anymore.

[crazylegs]

Personally I love using the self scan, but only when I have one bag of shopping to get, any more and I have problems with scanning it all, the shopping piling up at the end of the belt then having to bag it while the next person scans their stuff. Horrible.

[obscure_reference]

We just got several self-scans at my store. Most of our customers actually understand how to use them, too. There's just two things that keep happening...

Management wants us to 'encourage' customers to use the self-scans, especially if they're in a long line and only have a few items. You'd think that people would be happy to get rung up and go home quicker, even if it meant having to bag their own items... Instead, most of the people I asked would say something like "I don't want to use those machines. They take jobs away from people." That's fine, you're entitled to your opinion... but if you yell at me about it, don't expect me to feel bad about how you're stuck in this long line! There were even a couple of elderly people who told me that I should be ashamed of asking people to use the self-scans, since those computers will replace me someday. I was tempted to say that because I was steering people towards the self-scans, I'll be one of the last ones to be assimilated when the machines take over - but the customers didn't seem like they'd understand that.

The other thing I see all the time is customers with a full cart of groceries keep trying to use the 'express self-scans' which only have two bag racks. Do they think that since it says 'express' they'll get done faster? This even happens when the regular self-scans (which have a belt and are meant for big orders) are empty!

[Auto]

BSC: I used you SS machine and selected the "Spanish" option but the voice was a white voice. Thats is racismmmmmm! It was like your voice.

"Ma'am, that's because we used a native Spaniard to record the commands. And native Spaniards happen to be white."

[Auto]

The only thing I hate about self scanning is that when the bags are overflowing on the weight plates and I have to move them off to make room for the rest of my items, it always triggers the "item removed from bagging area" message and, since it does it more than three times, it makes me wait for assistance. Annoying.

And try having more than 3 items that you have to say "skip bagging". More waiting for someone to come clear it for you. Annoying, but faster than waiting in lines.

Unless the lines for folks waiting the human cashiers are really long, I never use a self scan. Too many bugs where the supervisor has to clear/reset it before I can continue.

And I know how the self-scanners work and what you're not supposed to d and all the rest.

In a few years, they'll have the kinks worked out. But until then. that "item removed from bagging area" admonition is enough to make me homicidal.

[Crazyredhead]

The computer is only as smart as the person who uses it.

I swear I couldn't work retail. I would have been fired almost immediately. I am blunt and truthful when I answer someone. I just woulnd't have been able to form a coherent though at first then it would have accidentaly slipped.

[Jay 2K Winger]

most of the people I asked would say something like "I don't want to use those machines. They take jobs away from people."

I get that response a lot from people at my store, where we have four self-checkout registers. And every time I tell them the same thing.

"Actually, we installed those toward the end of a summer, when we were losing a lot of our cashiers when they went back to school, so we didn't really lose any workforce that we weren't losing already."

Shuts them right up.

[NightWatch]

I'm amused by the "white" sounding Spanish SS... Ya see, a reasonably sized portion of the Spanish speaking population ARE white. I've met some of these "mythical" beings. In fact, I'm fairly certain Spanish was started by white-skinned people. When the Spaniards travelled to Mexico area and met up with the dark skinned natives. The natives were taught spanish and there was some breeding too... And that's a very general, possibly wrong interpretation of history...

[Dilorenzo]

I don't mind the SS machines - quite useful somtimes, except when I'm buying beer.

But a couple of years ago, first big football party I was going to since moving here from Ireland (Michigan vs Buckeyes college game, great damn game too), the wife and eye go to the store to pick up some sort of cheese platter and some beer. We find everything, go to the lines, and since it's the day of the game, boom, huge lines, except for one self checkout, which had two folks in it, so of course, ignoring the huge wailing klaxon that would usually sound, we stand in that line.

The woman in front of us had scanned her 2 items - 2 items - and was staring at the machine as if it had told her something very unpleasant about her mother, and was currently providing pictures. She then kept fiddling through her wallet, over and over again, passing over money and credit cards in favour of once again, standing and staring at the machine. Not once did she ask for assistence. Not once did she try to void out the transaction. She stared and huffed, as though she expected a solution to magically present itself. (No, she didn't press the assistance button either).

Of course, the store is swamped, so noone is seeing she needs help - all lanes are open, so everyone's swamped. Eventually a manager, who seems to be coming out to relieve someone on a till, notices her, gets her voided out, and sticks her at the end of a line. She still looks dazed and confused, as if the machine had assaulted her and she was in shock.

The guy ahead of us (who'd been perfect the whole time, didn't even say anything to the lady, or huff), goes to the machine, goes to scan his potatoes... and can't. He instantly turns around to us and shows us the bag saying "It's not my fault, I swear! There's a hole in the barcode!" Got it dealt with quick enough, and we were still out there quicker than we would have been had we stood in one of the other lines.

[Smart_Aussie12]

*Pats the computer*

Shhh, it's okay, Comy, you're not a bad boy. You were such a good boy for not biting that idiot! It's okay, Comy, you did good. That guy was just an idiot. Such a good computer, yes, you are!

PMSL!!!!!!! I wish that the machines can detect crappy customers and then swallow their cards.

[PepperElf]

perhaps it's me but.... slapping the register is a childish thing to do and deserves a warning.

oh and that's just rich. HE complains about a voice being "white" and then calls YOU a racist?

[blas]

I love self check outs. That way everything is bagged to MY liking (so I won't get any surprises like leaky meat in the same bag as Drano and Dove soap!) and nothing is forgotten on those stupid carousel things that the regular checkouts have. I don't mean to rip on cashiers, but most of them at my local Wal-Mart cannot bag or remember to give you every bag.

You know what would be hilarious? Programming a Jamaican accent speaking in Spanish.......

"ZOMG! THIS COMPUTER IS RACIST! IT JUST SAID "SI, MON?!!!"

[overkill414]

good story

[wanderingjoe72]

I love SS. They are so easy and get me out of the store fast. As it is I can only be in a store so long before I want to run out screaming. Since I also speak Spanish, I noticed that the voice used for Spanish is masculine and for English is feminine. I am waiting for a feminist to latch on to that one..

I understand where they were coming from with the voice sounding "white" What they failed to realize is that the voices tend to be filtered to remove any overt regional accents. That way more Spanish speakers will be able to understand the prompts. Unfortunately it opens the door for any group to come in and demand voice settings for their favorite language too.

They could always just use proper Spanish and record the whole thing in Castillian.

[Pagan]

BSC: I used you SS machine and selected the "Spanish" option but the voice was a white voice. Thats is racismmmmmm! It was like your voice.

Soooo, what would they have said if the voice had been done by Freema Agyeman (one of the Companions of Doctor Who)? All I can tell from her voice is that she's a bloody Sassenach.

or if it's a real Spanard's voice, where you hear "t"s like "z"s.

Goddess preserve us if it's a Castilian accent!

The other thing I see all the time is customers with a full cart of groceries keep trying to use the 'express self-scans' which only have two bag racks. Do they think that since it says 'express' they'll get done faster? This even happens when the regular self-scans (which have a belt and are meant for big orders) are empty!

The ones at the Wally World here have a split personality. They have only two bag racks, but they have a belt, too. And no signage designating them as express.

"Ma'am, that's because we used a native Spaniard to record the commands. And native Spaniards happen to be white."

I'm amused by the "white" sounding Spanish SS... Ya see, a reasonably sized portion of the Spanish speaking population ARE white.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who has noticed that Spain is still on the European continent. (Means that they're just as white as I am. And don't call me an Anglo, I don't have any Angle blood in me.)

Which means that your registers are not only racist, but they're bigoted as well!

I don't mean to rip on cashiers, but most of them at my local Wal-Mart cannot bag or remember to give you every bag.

There's some of the ones here that if they fill all the bags and some need to be put in your cart will either just start stacking them on top of the carousel or stand there an stare at you until you take them off. But that's another rant for another day....