Work

[Pixelated]

Well, the self-checkouts are certainly not costing any jobs here.

My current-soon-to-be-former place of employment has two self-checkouts ... that are nonfunctional more often than not. There is also a full register just past them and there is always one cashier both monitoring the self-checkouts and able to use the full checkout. The crap self-checkout machines make it amazingly easy to get people NOT to use them ... not to mention the fact that, when I am stationed there, I hate just standing there staring at the self-checkout monitors. So I almost always call over and say "I can ring you up here if you prefer" and 99% of the customers do indeed "prefer" to come to a live cashier.

I generally only use them if (a) I'm in a real hurry, and (b) I only have a few items.

[snugglegirl05]

Front end evaluation

I was evaluated yesterday at work by the Assistant Customer Service Manager.

I passed almost everything. The 2 things I did not pass were...

I do not tell the customer that they received an "invitation" to fill out the on-line survey on their receipt, and I do not tell the customer how much they saved by using their loyalty card. That information is printed at the bottom of the receipt.

Mind you there is also the following happening at work...

• Front-end employee walked off the job during her shift.
• Front-end employee did not return to the front-end after his break was over. *One of the Front-end supervisors gave a break to one of the cashiers, and she paged him over the store intercom twice to come back to the front end after his break had ended. He did not return to the front end.*
• Customers complaining that there are not enough cashiers or baggers/courtesy clerks
• Customer leaving a cart full of groceries which includes perishable items at the front end, not telling anyone, and walking out the store due to long lines and not enough front end employees. *I found that cart after I returned from my break. I took that cart to the Assistant Customer Service Manager.*
• Not enough employees at the front end to take back perishable items since Upper Management only allows the bare minimum of staff
• A cashier calling out, and the MOD not authorizing the Assistant Front End Manager to call someone to replace her. *The cashier who called out was the closing cashier.*

[Kristev]

Corporate priorities are all screwed up.

[Seanette]

Same where I work. On our call scores (scale of 100), you lose either 10 or 15 points (can't remember which) for incorrect info (e.g. wrong arrival date for a shipped item or a wrong service fee), but will get a 0 on that call if you don't ask the caller to take their survey.

[snugglegirl05]

Sunday was a zoo at the front-end.
Not enough manned registers.
Not enough baggers/courtesy clerks to help bag groceries as well as get carts from the parking lot.
Customers complained to store management about that.

[Mental_Mouse]

I was evaluated yesterday at work by the Assistant Customer Service Manager.

I passed almost everything. The 2 things I did not pass were...

I do not tell the customer [..] to fill out the on-line survey on their receipt, and [...] how much they saved by using their loyalty card.

Mind you there is also the following happening at work...

I'd say they praise you with faint damns.

[CyberLurch]

I use SCO for small orders, but if I'm doing a regular grocery run, most SCOs don't have enough room to bag my order properly. Not to mention a proficient cashier can ring my order MUCH faster than I can. Particularly since almost every time I use SCO, the damned computer throws some kind of error and then I have to wait for the attendant to correct the problem, and he/she is already running to fix sixteen other problems, so.....

[snugglegirl05]

The Front End Coordinator who is over the *grocery store* location I work at as well as other locations came to work yesterday to speak to the Customer Service Manager about what happened this past Sunday.

The Customer Service Manager was off that day.

I overheard the Front End Coordinator talking to the Customer Service Manager about u scan over and over. She mentioned that the u scan attendants are not standing in the main aisle at the front end near their u scan station.

But I bet our customers are getting tired of my employer insisting that they use u scan.

Yet she is still focusing on u scan.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Well yeah.

More people using self-scans = fewer cashiers needed = $$$$$$$ saved.

[snugglegirl05]

Well yeah.

More people using self-scans = fewer cashiers needed = $$$$$$$ saved.

Well, of course...

But that all depends on whether or not our customers want to be Told the use u scan.

[Buzzard]

If I've *GOT* to use a machine that isn't easy to use, then do I *GOT* to go to that store? Other options nearby? Oh gee, a slightly higher price, but I don't have to self-abuse? Ring me up, Sonny.

Now in places that have spent the money to have the better machines that are NOT getting crammed down my throat... sure, ring me up, HAL.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

In a year or so there will be a new big-box hyper-mart opening in my city. Their stores have many self-scans but also a good number of checklanes open with physical cashiers. Prices aren't too much higher than Th' Inbred Carnival.

I can't wait. I'll be done with Th' Inbred Carnival. Especially since they are getting stricter with receipt checks at the door for no great reason.

[Nunavut Pants]

Sunday was a zoo at the front-end. ....
Customers complained to store management about that.

Sounds like Management will be having a meeting soon to yell at all the peons about not being available for checkout and carts and SCO and bagging, all at the same time....

[Ironclad Alibi]

Now in places that have spent the money to have the better machines that are NOT getting crammed down my throat... sure, ring me up, HAL.

"I'm sorry Dave. I'm afraid I cannot scan that item."

"I'm sorry Dave. I'm afraid you need to move that item to the bagging area."

"I'm sorry Dave. I'm afraid you need to input a quantity after you scan that item."

"I'm sorry Dave. I'm afraid your card did not process correctly."

[Buzzard]

"Hey HAL, check out this industrial electromagnet I've got. Now, where were we on that whole checkout routine?"
Still, I did specify the better designed machines. The Wallyworld near me recently upgraded to a newer generation of SCOs that don't get hung up on "OMFG, You didn't BAG THAT ITEM!", and have handy scan guns for reaching all over and around a cart. There's still issues with being able to ring up 60 identical items, but... meh. It's not like the live cashiers have the ability to do 60 bottles @ *scan item* anymore either.