Things that make you go Hmm... Did you just get put to work?
There seem to be some things that are becoming more and more acceptable and maybe I'm being a grump about it but I have an observation that I want to share and I'd like to know your thoughts on it.
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Went shopping
So... I was at the Walmart the other day picking up dog food and dish soap. Those were literally the only two things in my cart. I saw the check-out lines were going slow so I did something that I rarely do. I went to the self check-out.
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- I was not greeted by a friendly cashier (Yes, we actually have them at my local Walmart!)
- I got to use the scanner gun and the table scanner for my items
- I bagged my own stuff
- I got my change and receipt
- I did not get a "Have a nice day."
Got to work
And as I was walking out to my car I thought:
Walmart just put me to work
FOR FREE
FOR FREE
And then I thought:
Hell, if I'm doing my own cashiering,
shouldn't I get a discount or something?
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I don't know about you but I think we've been duped.What are your thoughts on that?
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One day you can 3d print everything at home and dont need walmart anymore :D
That's a scary though @kevinwong! I want to grow my food. I don't want to print it! LOL 3D printing a bike or car would be pretty cool though!
3D printed meat, nice.
Haha, I never thought of it that way before :)
I avoid self service- they drive me nuts.
I don't know why it bothers me so much. I'm perfectly capable of self-service. Maybe I'm just being stubbornly old-fashioned. I actually DO fill out corporate surveys and email them when I've received excellent service from their associates. Heck, I even remember their names and only go to their lines if they're working that day. LOL Shout out to Cyrus because that old man makes me smile EVERY TIME.
Well that is part of it. if you are doing the job yourself then someone isn't being employed to do it. Is that saving going towards cheaper prices for us or higher profit margins?
There is usually a line for the cashiers, and sometimes I just don't feel very sociable. I like having a choice. Choice is good.
Choice is definitely good. Thanks for participating in the discussion - it's much appreciated :)
It was only 100 years ago that Piggly Wiggly opened the first self-service grocery store where customers roamed around looking for their own goods instead of handing the shopkeeper a list to fill from his storeroom in back. It was probably also considered "making the shopper do the work" by some.
Usually I only have a few items and go through the self scan. But today I had quite a few items, so looked around for an open checkout. There was only one,
so it was still quicker to go through the self scan. The main thing that pisses me off about the self scan is that they only have small bags and all my stuff wouldn't fit. They think they're saving the planet but it's false economy if I use two bags instead of 1.
Yeah, I know that's not really what you were asking, but I took the chance to vent, lol.
Vent away! I like it. LOL
I noticed that too. And...to add to your vent, there's no place to put your self-bagged items so you put it back in the cart but the camera sees you so you have to take it back out because the warning doesn't go away until you do. Oh yeah! And that brings me to another grump: Some grocery stores I've been to charge extra for the plastic bag so if you don't bring your own there's that fee. RIDICULOUS!
I avoid WalMart if I can. Unfortunately, it seems I always need something that only WalMart has. (I call it WalFart.) I especially avoid self-checkout lanes because they are harmful to the economy by reducing the need for human employees.
I live in small town so we have the smaller versions of Walmart, Publix and Winn-Dixie. Having been to all 3, I get the best prices and bigger selection from Walmart. And I was SHOCKED that their fruits & veggies are healthier looking than the grocery store competition. But when I lived in New York I avoided Walmart like the plague.
I can't complain about their produce. But I question where it was grown and by what means. Fresh from the garden is always best!
You're rewarded by lower prices, right? ;)
And, wasn't there a nice person standing at the exit to offer you a "Have a nice day"?
Ah yes, I do love those roll-back prices, but lately the only one greeting me at the door is that annoying bell-ringing 18-year old with a Santa beard trying to flirt a dollar out of me! ;)
LOL! Is he cute? ;)
ROFL - I've no idea! I don't feel as guilty about not dropping a dollar in the can if I don't make eye contact! hahahaa
I have the similar thoughts for years. We only have self check lanes last one or two years but we have food centers which changes over the years.
In the past, the stall owner come to your table take the order, serves the food, you eat and pay before you go. Then it change to pay when you are served.
Later, many stall don't even serve. You order your food, wait for it to be ready and pick the food and then paid and bring to your own table. They call it self-service which is actually no service. Last, they implemented after you eat you clear the table and return the tray. One place I went to even collect a deposit of $1 for the tray and you get back only upon returning the tray. Yet, year by year the price keep going up. I don't see any savings pass to the consumer.
C'est la vie.
I've noticed this trend with restaurants too. The big box restaurants like Fridays & Applebees still have their servers but you don't need the waitress place your order anymore. They have the tablet on the table if you want to use it.
The last time I had cafeteria style "service" was when my mother and I went to the Asian supermarket and had lunch. We order. We pay. We wait. When our number showed up on the board we went to get our food. We had an empty cup for the soda fountain so we helped ourselves there. And then we cleaned up after ourselves too. The only thing we didn't do was cook our own food, wipe the table or sweep the floor. LOL
Yes, even in Singapore. I just went to Japanese Ramen place yesterday and had to order from a tablet. Quite common now.
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Great post my friend @ merej99 congratulations on the complaint made.
I was Manager 18 years in Disco a company of the group Sencosud. Cease to be when I opposed these policies referred to.
These companies care little about the customer. All campaigns of good attention is only campaign.
I think you may be right about that for most companies. When the customer stops being a person and becomes a dollar sign, customer service goes down the drain.