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In the early 1970's I attended NYU Graduate School of Engineering.
We would work on actual projects in conjunction with corporations and consulting companies. One of the projects in my Operations Engineering class was how to speed up supermarket check outs. We worked on this project with the Industrial Engineering students.
We developed a variety of possibilities including redesigning the cart, changing the checkout carousal, and introducing automated scanners. We rejected having customers self-checkout because a good check-out cashier was several times faster than any customers we timed.
And we were paid exactly what our recommendation was worth.
"Please place item in the bag."
"Please wait for assistance."
If you've encountered these irritating alerts at the self-checkout machine, you're not alone.
I think that people who hate self-check is because they don't know how to use it and are afraid of technology. I'm 67 and don't have any problem with it. Beats standing in line at the register.
In the early 1970's I attended NYU Graduate School of Engineering.
We would work on actual projects in conjunction with corporations and consulting companies. One of the projects in my Operations Engineering class was how to speed up supermarket check outs. We worked on this project with the Industrial Engineering students.
We developed a variety of possibilities including redesigning the cart, changing the checkout carousal, and introducing automated scanners. We rejected having customers self-checkout because a good check-out cashier was several times faster than any customers we timed.
And we were paid exactly what our recommendation was worth.
Yes, in the 70's we were still punching in prices on the registers, no scanners back in the day. I took it as a personal challenge to ring up customers faster than they could get their checkbooks out.
I use it, if I only have a small amount to check out, because the scale thing is not that big, & everything has to go on the scale prior to being bagged. Our Walmart switched to self check out only & I hate it, the lines are really long, because it seems at least half the people do not know how to use it, the lines get longer & longer. So I quit going to that WM. I prefer a cashier at the supermarket as I normally have produce & the self check out is a pain to look up produce codes.
Yes, in the 70's we were still punching in prices on the registers, no scanners back in the day. I took it as a personal challenge to ring up customers faster than they could get their checkbooks out.
Even now, a good cashier can still outpace self-checkout because the cashiers generally know where the scan code is.
While trying to find the scan code, the customer stands there turning the item like it's a Rubic cube.
In the early 1970's I attended NYU Graduate School of Engineering.
We would work on actual projects in conjunction with corporations and consulting companies. One of the projects in my Operations Engineering class was how to speed up supermarket check outs. We worked on this project with the Industrial Engineering students.
We developed a variety of possibilities including redesigning the cart, changing the checkout carousal, and introducing automated scanners. We rejected having customers self-checkout because a good check-out cashier was several times faster than any customers we timed.
And we were paid exactly what our recommendation was worth.
Totally agree if I had a "good" cashier.
Quote:
Originally Posted by davebarnes
I despise self checkout.
I hate that women’s voice.
I hate being told what to do.
It deprives people of jobs.
My wife loves it.
Some stores let you turn off that voice. Look for a volume icon and hit it twice. First one is "louder" and second is "mute".
Try buying bulk produce via self checkout. They are trying to force it though. Local Walmart has now expanded the empty parking lots of self checkout and only have one or two cashiers working. Barren desert at the self checkouts, line going way way back on the cashiers. I was at Aldi and about had line around the block with one checkout before they called up a second checker.
At least the Aldi checkers are fast and efficient. They have it easy. I remember Aldi back in 1970s, the cashiers had to MEMORIZE ALL THE PRICES. No scanners back then. Course there were lot fewer items. Nothing was marked with price individually, you picked up price sheet as you walked into the store. They only accepted cash so you better bring a pencil and keep running balance. It was sort of mini warehouse kind of store. Very limited number items all in boxes along the aisles. Still impressed me compared to normal stores i grew up with. My mother was expert shopping sales, clipping coupons, etc. I noticed at Aldi, got nearly same total price with none of the extra time wasting nonsense. Course Mom could shop the sales and actually come in slightly below what I paid at Aldi. But she invested lot time at multiple stores to do that. Plus time looking at the ads in detail. Then you got clueless checkers at normal store that didnt give the sale price and the manager had to ok correction and hold up line. Painful IMHO. I think the regular stores were counting on most people not paying close attention to what they were charged on sales item.
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