I was in line at Fred Myers on Saturday. It was a small purchase and one that I could easily use the "self Check out" option for. However, there was an idiot trying to buy a bike and a bag of apples at one of the checkout stands. After needing help with the produce portion of his purchase he couldn't figure out how to hold his bike up and over the scanning plate so the real person was back by his side showing him how he could Take The Tag Off and just scan that, not the entire adult sized mountain bike. That little monopoly was holding up all the people with coupons at the other 3 self check stands thus making the "self check out" line really long.
So I moved to the express line since I really truly had 12 items or less.
The person in front of me obviously can't count so I was standing there patiently reading tabloid headlines about.... hmmm. I can't remember what they were about at all, now that I try to think about it.
Anyway, after a while, the customer service guy comes around to our line and tells the gentleman behind me that, "The Self Service Checkout lines don't have a wait if you would like to move over there." Apparently the bike and apple guy got through and so did the 12 or so other people while I was engrossed in the latest Hollywood scandals.
"No, thanks," the gentleman behind me says. "I don't use self check outs."
The helpful customer service man mistakes this comment for a teaching opportunity and continues, "There is a cashier there to help you if you need someone to show you how."
"NO!" Turns the customer like my dog on that annoying mosquito biting his backside. "I don't use those because obviously you need to hire more people if the lines are this long. Those self check out aisles are taking away good jobs from people who need them!"
Flabbergasted, the customer service employee stammers, "Um, well you have a nice day."
And all sweetness after that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde portrayal, the customer says, "Hey man, you too."
I contemplated striking up a conversation about how he felt about automatic car washes, ATM machines, and the self serve machine at the post office.
But think we all know how he feels about those too.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The Moncur Fam
September 2006 look for a new one this summer
Posts
8 comments:
Too funny! I always like the self-checkout lines myself, but the man brings up a good point. Sounds like he is pretty passionate about it. :)
My issue is not the "taking jobs away"...it is the fact that nearly every time I use self-checkout, the machine (or user) malfunctions and the teller has to come help me anyway. I would rather not deal with it and have "the professionals" scan my items. I do appreciate that option, for those that can run the blasted machines......but they're not for me.
I can say I do get a little mouthy and frustrated standing in line at Walmart when there are 25 check-out counters and only 3 open. Haven't they figured out Walmart is ALWAYS busy? Please don't make me stand in line behind five other completely full carts, when I am spending half my paycheck at your store. Ha! See you got me on a soap box....
I truly hate the self-checkout...and Jed always wants to use those when we have a huge cart full of groceries...at first I tried to help by bagging after he scanned, which messed up the weigh-er-thing, making it so someone had to come punch in a code thing. Now, I just read the magazines and let him do it by himself. I think they need to hire more "customer service representatives" to help teach people how to use those self-scanner.
Those scanners never work for me either. i usually have coupons, and when I try to scan them a person has to come check them to make sure they're valid. If i'm going to have to wait anyway, I might as well wait in line. That is funny that that guy said. at least he has the guts to say so!
I love the self checkout if it's a very simple purchase, but usually they are all broken when I want to use them.
Maceys doesn't even have self-checkout lines, instead they have like 20 checkers just waiting to check your groceries. Then someone ALWAYS asks me if I need help out. I only shop there. I will die if we ever have to move away from Maceys. I was at Walmart the other day and Kate was being insane and I was having to hold her squirmy little self while trying to unload my stuff and load it back up and I counted 4-- yes 4!-- Walmart workers standing around watching me and none of them offered to help! Too bad there is no Maceys in Alaska! Oh yeah, and Marin asked me today when we were moving to Alaska. Apparently she thinks that's just what everyone does eventually!
I think that guy needs to go on the Today show or something. He is funny!
People are all sorts of crazy. I was in line for the automatic car wash a few weeks ago and 2 cars in front of me was a man who acted like he just landed from Mars and had no clue how to operate one. From trying to enter the code by cramming his gas receipt into a slot instead of manually pushing the number to knowing how to follow the blinking red and green light telling hime when to stop and go. Quite amusing for me. Not so much for the lady in front of me who was coaching him on--telling him that he needed to back up and whatnot.
I can just totally picture a guy trying to lift up a mountain bike to scan. Too funny.
I also used to think drive thrus, gasoline card swipee machines and baby carrots were for lazy folk until I had children.
Post a Comment