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ATM's take away jobs too, as did self-service gas stations and automated car washes. Why is cashier different, or where you draw the line in the sand?
I made the same point and it was ignored. Where is the outrage over these machines? Why aren't people demanding that everyone go inside the bank and gas station to conduct these transactions with a human?
I made the same point and it was ignored. Where is the outrage over these machines? Why aren't people demanding that everyone go inside the bank and gas station to conduct these transactions with a human?
And forgot to add all the toll collectors who are losing jobs due to EZPass, SunPass, etc. I wonder how many who won't use self-checkout sit in a long line of traffic at the toll collector window so they can save his job, rather than zoom through the electric toll reader lanes?
Which is more or less designed and optimized for someone who is both trained for the job, and has at least some supervisory/override privileges to smooth out faults (like check ID for alcohol purchases), and resources to do things like look up unmarked products.
Nothing more to say, really. Glad you find it so useful.
No, most cashiers are not able to look up items that won't ring up. They have to call over a manager, who then calls the department an item came from, where a person goes and looks for the item to report back what the price tag says. All while a line of people wait to be checked out by the one cashier their line goes to.
And the person overseeing the checkout area also has the ability to check ID for alcohol purchase, which takes no longer then any other cashier checking an ID.
Self check-outs take away jobs. I will NOT use them. Period. I'd rather stand in line.
If you were unemployed and had a family to feed, wouldn't you be happy to work at a check-out til to put food on your family's table?
The self checkout did/does provide jobs to design, manufacture, and service the machines and software. While it may have reduced some in store jobs, it did create some along the way.
If a persons career path was being a checker in a grocery store, it might be prudent to see the writing on the wall (about stores going to self checkout) and search out other types of jobs. This isn't something that snuck up on society. Self checkout and kiosks are popping up in all types of businesses. Consumers continue to demand faster and more efficient service at the businesses they visit. They want call ahead at a restaurant, online booking of hotels, rental cars, etc.
I was doing work at my daughter's house this past weekend, and she went online to order materials at Home Depot, and it was ready when she got there to pick it up. They even loaded it on her truck for her. She didn't even get out of her vehicle. I pretty sure Home Depot has the same number of employees, and they just shift jobs within the store to cover that aspect. Or maybe, they created additional positions to incorporate this service.
To make a blanket statement about self check out being the end of jobs is kind of short sighted. While a grocery store may reduce staff, jobs were created to implement those systems, and staff them.
Again, if grocery clerk is the career path, it may need some reconsideration.
Good for you. Stores love customers who do employees' jobs for $0!
I think we exaggerate that a bit. Scanning and packing is an important job, but I am pretty sure as soon it would be eliminated, checkers and packers would find job somewhere else.
Service jobs are fluid, as soon one dissapears another opportunity will appear.
Many jobs has been automated as mentioned on obove posts, even moved overseas - yet unemployment rate is at the lowest level in roughly half a century.
I think we exaggerate that a bit. Scanning and packing is an important job, but I am pretty sure as soon it would be eliminated, checkers and packers would find job somewhere else.
Service jobs are fluid, as soon one dissapears another opportunity will appear.
Many jobs has been automated as mentioned on obove posts, even moved overseas - yet unemployment rate is at the lowest level in roughly half a century.
Yep, those kids pushing around the carts filling online orders for customers, that's a pretty good example of a newly created job, one that a displaced cashier is probably very qualified for. I think 'fluid' describes the situation well.
I scan and neatly pack about twice faster than average cashier. I have no time or patience to wait for slowpokes. I zoom through the store at a speed of light, get everything by the list, and fly out out there as soon as possible. I have other things to do with my life than to wait in line for slooooow human cashier. If that means no job for uneducated - I'm ok with that. Yes, I'm selfish and ignorant. And I feel happy about that. Feel free to behave otherwise
Love this. Describes me to a "T" as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sundaydrive00
I was very thankful to have the option to do self check out as the next register over had some lady telling the cashier her life story. I was able to just scan my items and go, and not have to be behind someone slowing up the line.
Which is the great thing about self checkout. Even if someone wants to tell their life story, argue over prices, complain about expired coupons... They're not holding up the line since there are 7+ other machines to use. In a regular line, I'm stuck there until story time ends or any issue is resolved.
This too. I will also add... the self-checkout machine does not ask me to sign up for a credit card or round up or contribute $1 to some random charity.
And forgot to add all the toll collectors who are losing jobs due to EZPass, SunPass, etc. I wonder how many who won't use self-checkout sit in a long line of traffic at the toll collector window so they can save his job, rather than zoom through the electric toll reader lanes?
Ooh, I remember those lines from when I lived in NJ. We left in 2003 and never got EZPass. I noticed, though, that even if you had EZPass, you were stuck in miles of backup going into Delaware regardless- the EZPass lanes weren't much help till you got close in.
And I remember that toll collector jobs were plum jobs- not in the sense of delightful working conditions, but very good pay and benefits for a job requiring little except for a strong work ethic. Yes, that was a definite improvement in efficiency to automate toll collections.
Did you ever stop to think that maybe the store was short-handed and that's why this happened? I used to work at a grocery store and had to close. Usually they have a skeleton crew towards the end of the night. I never understood this as we're all trying to do 3 different jobs. The cashier used to stock between customers. And this was before they had self-checkout.
45 mins seems extreme so I can see why you want to get rid of them. Maybe instead of asking them to remove self-checkout, ask them to have their checkout person on-call if you will. Meaning, they're not closing the lane, but it's mainly for people that need someone to check them out either due to speed, physical issue, etc.
Personally, I love them. Gets me in and out faster. I don't have to wait behind someone with a full cart, since there's only one person available because it's late at night. I also don't have to talk to people (that's mainly my #1 reason for using them).
Our local chain Ralph’s has been slowly but surely eliminating cashiers for well over a year. Ralph’s and the other big chains are unionized and have been able to secure decent wages and benefits for their workers. That’s all ending and soon cashiers will be as obsolete as telephone operators. End of an era.
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