Wednesday, March 14, 2012

About Time

Three, four years ago WallyWorld here installed "self checkout" stations in docks one through four. Shopping there this winter I note that they are gone and registers are manned by real people now. Good. Enough with the nonsense, already.

This is related to the hiring of enough people to take "your call (which) is important to us" that Pat Sajak and I were on about a few days ago. And yes, I did just finish (is snapping shut the phone the modern-day equivalent of banging down the receiver?) a very unsatisfying automated phone experience.

4 comments:

Lin said...

I like having "manned" checkout lanes as long as they are MANNED! Most are closed down and one lone, and very crowded, lane remains. Ugh.

vanilla said...

Lin, and what is it about a company that will build 36 checkout lanes, then hire only three people to man them? They'd have them all unmanned if they had their way, but apparently the customer won't have it!

Anonymous said...

I've used the self-check out lanes when we've had a few things but they are slow because no one can figure out how to use them. I always bag my own groceries because a. We bring our own bags and b. I know how to pack a grocery bag - a lost art!

vanilla said...

Grace, I don't like the self-checkout. You are right in that no one knows how to bag anymore.