Electronic Self Service Check-Outs

Yes, you guessed it - it is all about our money - and they want it; the age of technology has most definitely seen to that aspect of our lives today.

Immediately as I chose my title to this, I suddenly recalled a song by Jessie J. - an English singer & songwriter (born 27th March 1988 as Jessica Cornish) in conjunction with Lava Records called 'Price Tag' in 2011.

Just a little note regarding the fact that, in writing this, I would like you to read my other post relevant to how music can affect you with your memories found at:

https://shopping-feedback.today/psyche/the-power-of-music-iw1xwo0xm2%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cstrong class="css-1mrz9mz-Bold">

Do you remember the times when the old checkouts in shops and supermarkets had just barely automatic conveyor belts that the staff member had to, every now and, again, 'give it a shove' to get it to carry on rolling the customer's trolley items down nearer to you, so you could then:

-- look at the item price (that is if someone had not forgotten to put the little price sticker on it) which frequently happened (to me!!)

hmm?

-- was it produce?

hmm?

-- was it dairy?

hmm?

-- was it meat?

hmm?

-- was it fresh fruit?

hmm?

-- tinned goods?

hmm?

-- or was it frozen goods?

hmm?

-- or could it even be poultry?

hmm?

In some ways it was just like being back in a science lesson, then being expected to go home, have your tea, then go upstairs and do your homework. Working at the supermarket was much akin to 'rote fashion' learning all over again.

And that was another thing about the mid 80's - rote fashion. Rote learning is essentially a memorization technique based on repetition. Nothing more but very boring to do; I remember being back in primary school having to stand up with my classmates reciting the twelve times table - and if one child got it wrong - we all had to start over AGAIN!

Anyhow, slightly digressing maybe?

Well, I was heading toward my last year at secondary school when I got a part-time weekend job at a local supermarket, near where I lived, in around 1986. I was given a couple of hours of training into what categories items for sale were then classed as being in, and then to press (or as was the case more often bang!!) the marked corresponding button on the cash register (because they stuck quite a lot) - the cash registers at that time were the ones styled with bright chunky coloured square buttons marked with words on them in hand-written format.

And 'god forbid' if you got it wrong and the checkout manager had to come and correct it manually! It made you nervous, he would winge at you in front of the public and the ever-growing queue of customers, whilst he did that. Saying loudly in front of the customers to you.

'Can you not get it right, just for once!'

Nerves upon nerves...

If I had only known about mindfulness then?

Oh, and just to make that, even more, worse than it could be at that point, there was a governing rule at that point with this supermarket, of, 'use your right hand to operate the cash register, and your left hand to pull the items through,' and from the third rate and traitorous conveyer, that did me NO support at all. It was a massive problem with me as I had been diagnosed with Cancer at 3-years-old, which left me with a massive weakened to my right side - so I could not use my right hand at all for this.

Suffice to say they actually did not believe what I told them in my initial interview, so each time I was working I was complained at, every single time by my manager there for not using the correct hand method.

I have another article worth reading with relevance to this ridiculous rule, (Equality Act 2010) in particular, at:

https://shopping-feedback.today/journal/long-covid-and-the-equality-act-2010%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cstrong class="css-1mrz9mz-Bold">

I surprisingly did not stay with this job for very long!

Nowadays things are very different from those days. Technological breakthroughs have enhanced the overall productivity & efficiency - particularly when it comes to looking at attempting to shorten the length of time spent by every customer paying now. Now, at least that does stop some shoppers from moaning and groaning about having their time wasted at checkouts anyway.

When you walk into a shop or supermarket now, you can:

-- use a portable hand scanner (smaller than your own mobile now in some stores) to just scan the physical item that you have just taken off the shelf, and drop it into your trolley (wow there, hang on a sec, maybe do not drop it in but place it gently in instead; just in case you are choosing the eggs at the time!)

-- self-service tills where you use your hand scanner, scan into the barcode reader, and 'hey presto' your entire order is on the monitor in front of you

-- or you can just have the option of scanning your own items and paying at the quick checkouts

-- or if you really do still want to interact with a real person, then, queue at a normal checkout staffed by a real person.

-- But if you are a lover of chocolate like me, then it makes quickly popping into the local supermarket an efficient and less time-wasting experience overall.

I would like to hear your thoughts on this, as I would love to hear them from you. My email can be found at the end (that is if I have not bored you all already?!) - maybe have a read, 'heart it', with a choccie bar at hand.

There is no doubting that the positive moves made in shopping today by the advancement of technology, have speeded up & made buying a much more confident, pleasurable and efficient, time-related activity for us mere mortals (after all people get tired & need regular breaks, but technology does not require the same.) Leading this topic of discussion to be continued further, but, there can be a more 'dark side' to it (no, nothing to do with 'Star Wars and Darth Vadar') but the dark images that are brought about by thinking about how computerized technologies lessen the need for the number of real people needed to do the same job?

So here, I do not need to say it, because a computer puts it on the screen for me:

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please read and click the heart after reading. Anyone choosing to tip me, well, thank you so much for your generosity and kindness shown by this - hearts are great but tips help me succeed and do better but remember they are not obligatory.

More of my articles can be found at: https://shopping-feedback.today/authors/jonathan-townend

My email address for any comments please, to: [email protected]