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At Kroger I work at the self checkout attendant cannot leave self checkout unless they get management approval.
Did you want a manager to ring you up?
I have seen supermarkets where self checkout attendants were directed by management members to leave the self checkout station to open an additional regular checkout lane too often. The self checkout station went unmanned. Customers went through with items out the exit without scanning and paying for them. A district manager and higher-level management members would have a fun day with store management discussing standards, manpower, and loss prevention.
It most likely wasn't her choice, it goes way higher up than that.
^^^^ This is true.
One day last week I worked from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The register I was at was next to self checkout. The attendant was helping other customers who needed help in different parts of the store. A customer who was using self checkout asked me if I could help her. Since I was not trained to work at self checkout, I let her know this, and I looked for the attendant. He showed up, but then he went outside the store for something. The customer looked pissed. She said out-loud "this is ridiculous." After a while she asked me to get someone to help her. I used the intercom feature on the phone at the register I was at to call for help. That was when the attendant came back inside the store.
Later that day the self check-out attendant who was working at the one located at the other end of the store walked past the Front End Manager with the hand held machine in his hand. She was at the register behind me. She asked him why was he not at the self checkout he was stationed at. He told her that a customer asked for his help. She told him that he needed to stay at the self checkout he was stationed at, and if a customer needs help, he needs to call for assistance.
I would not be surprised if the first customer complained, and it got back to the Front End Manager.
Store management would have to be called up front to assist a customer who did not want to use self checkout when self checkout is the only option available at that time.
I have seen supermarkets where self checkout attendants were directed by management members to leave the self checkout station to open an additional regular checkout lane too often. The self checkout station went unmanned. Customers went through with items out the exit without scanning and paying for them. A district manager and higher-level management members would have a fun day with store management discussing standards, manpower, and loss prevention.
Yeah...
That is probably one reason why the Front End Manager was told that she had to inform the self checkout attendants that they have to stay at self checkout.
I can understand the customers frustration at what they perceive as poor customer service because an additional checkout station was not open to assist them, but what you posted is a valid reason as to why this is not done.
The best thing to do is to ask if someone in store management can check them out.
So I hate the term "first world problems" and everything that stands for, but it does remind me of something I found very striking when I was living in central america for a few months. Lines were always sooooooooo long...and no one complained. No one paced the floor. No one demanded to see the manager/supervisor/boss. People calmly waited. Even the kids were well behaved in line because they just picked up on the energy.
I was in some lines there for hours (government buildings, doctors offices) and eventually people would start chatting. The women would fuss over the little ones, passing the babies around. Toddlers would sleep in slings on their mom's backs. Older kids would stand there or sit on the floor.
It was so weirdly zen and such a HUGE difference then what I was used to in the states.
But then driving and traffic was CRAZY there so maybe they took out their line frustration on the streets.
Sorry if this isn't a 'great debate' i wasnt sure which category this would go under.
The other night i was on line in a supermarket and had 3 items, the woman in front of me had about 15 or 20, she had produce that needed to be weighed and of course, she wasn't using cash. I thought she might have let me go ahead of her if i had 1 item, but 3 might have been the 'cutoff'. Personally i give the person behind me a lot of leeway, if i have over 10 items and they have 1 or 2, i always let them go no matter how long i've been waiting, many take the offer and are very appreciative.
So, what do you think is the 'ratio' of items where the person in front should let the person behind them go in front? (this is probably a good curb your enthusiasm episode topic!)
15 items does not take much longer than 3 to ring up, it's probably less than a minute. If I had a full cart and the person behind me had a couple of items (happens in 24 hour supermarkets when they have only one lane open late at night) I let them by, but if I am in a 15 items or less lane and I have 15-16 items, I would not unless you were in some sort of special rush and asked me if you could. I let someone go in front of me at Rite Aid last week because I knew I was going to take long due to coupons and a complaint...but in general, I do not think a ratio of 20 items to 3 warrants this.
I have seen supermarkets where self checkout attendants were directed by management members to leave the self checkout station to open an additional regular checkout lane too often. The self checkout station went unmanned. Customers went through with items out the exit without scanning and paying for them. A district manager and higher-level management members would have a fun day with store management discussing standards, manpower, and loss prevention.
The Walmart I shop at warning buzzers would go off if you left the store with items not scanned
15 items does not take much longer than 3 to ring up, it's probably less than a minute. If I had a full cart and the person behind me had a couple of items (happens in 24 hour supermarkets when they have only one lane open late at night) I let them by, but if I am in a 15 items or less lane and I have 15-16 items, I would not unless you were in some sort of special rush and asked me if you could. I let someone go in front of me at Rite Aid last week because I knew I was going to take long due to coupons and a complaint...but in general, I do not think a ratio of 20 items to 3 warrants this.
15 items take a long time to ring up if you have a hungover young male as the cashier.
After every item scanned, he yawned real slowly and then closed his eyes for about 5 seconds and shook his head.
I have reported him.
Others have reported him.
His whole attitude reeks of..........."I'm tired and don't want to be here"
He is still there.
I avoid his lane even if it's wide open.
So I hate the term "first world problems" and everything that stands for, but it does remind me of something I found very striking when I was living in central america for a few months. Lines were always sooooooooo long...and no one complained. No one paced the floor. No one demanded to see the manager/supervisor/boss. People calmly waited. Even the kids were well behaved in line because they just picked up on the energy.
I was in some lines there for hours (government buildings, doctors offices) and eventually people would start chatting. The women would fuss over the little ones, passing the babies around. Toddlers would sleep in slings on their mom's backs. Older kids would stand there or sit on the floor.
It was so weirdly zen and such a HUGE difference then what I was used to in the states.
But then driving and traffic was CRAZY there so maybe they took out their line frustration on the streets.
Have you ever been in an emergency in such a country? Have you ever needed anything to get done in a reasonable time period? Have you ever had to depend on a professional response there?
I don't know what country you are specifically talking about but I've lived in some where that laid back laissez faire attitude is nice when you are visiting but a nightmare to deal with if you live there. And often reflected in the country's national "situation" usually.
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