Frozen Caveman Lawyer meets Walmart's "Self Checkout"
Anybody been to Walmart, lately? Today, I noticed something new. They got "self-checkout" counters. That's right- you literally walk up, run your own stuff through the scanner, bag it, and pay (using the usual pay card options). It was novel entertainment as I was doing it, thinking, "Look'a'me, I'm a checkout counter cashier!" At the same time, I imagine there were angry darts coming my way as the official checkout cashiers nearby notice me using the new machine.
It was an odd, mixed up experience I felt. On the one hand, I blasted through there, no line, can't really complain about how fast or how slow I scanned my own stuff. Seems to be a most efficient approach. While on the other hand, I knew this was just wrong. Clearly, this is something that can threaten jobs of real people. I can't imagine those who are in that situation have a "good" feeling about this development. It raises the age-old question about where do you draw the line as to what is fair game and what isn't when it comes to replacing human-performed tasks as machine-performed tasks? I feel bad for the human cashiers, but I cannot deny the logistical elegance of self-checkout.
Perhaps the saving grace in this case is that you can argue that this need not displace any human employment. We are all aware of the lines in our favorite department stores where there are physically 15 lines, but never are there more than 8 ever manned. So these "self-checkout" lines are hypothetically putting additional lines back in action that would not have been manned anyway. We all could do with less lines, right? So this would seem to be a legitimate solution.
Would I use this technique again? I think I would (but there will always be a part of me that feels guilty).
So any thoughts from any'o'ya?
It was an odd, mixed up experience I felt. On the one hand, I blasted through there, no line, can't really complain about how fast or how slow I scanned my own stuff. Seems to be a most efficient approach. While on the other hand, I knew this was just wrong. Clearly, this is something that can threaten jobs of real people. I can't imagine those who are in that situation have a "good" feeling about this development. It raises the age-old question about where do you draw the line as to what is fair game and what isn't when it comes to replacing human-performed tasks as machine-performed tasks? I feel bad for the human cashiers, but I cannot deny the logistical elegance of self-checkout.
Perhaps the saving grace in this case is that you can argue that this need not displace any human employment. We are all aware of the lines in our favorite department stores where there are physically 15 lines, but never are there more than 8 ever manned. So these "self-checkout" lines are hypothetically putting additional lines back in action that would not have been manned anyway. We all could do with less lines, right? So this would seem to be a legitimate solution.
Would I use this technique again? I think I would (but there will always be a part of me that feels guilty).
So any thoughts from any'o'ya?
Comments
Originally posted by Randycat99
Anybody been to Walmart, lately? Today, I noticed something new. They got "self-checkout" counters.
our local home depot has been testing them for a while. they're intended for the truly express customers who have like, four nails and a can of raid to buy and don't want to be stuck behind the guy with a palette of timber.
it's nothing new. hell, kinko's has nearly perfected the "pay-at-the-pump" technique for their self-serve copiers. ever notice how you can go in a kinko's now and never actually talk to anyone?
Anyway, the droid-ification of the world is in full swing.
I'm out of there quicker, I'm ensured that if anything is smashed I have only myself to blame, and my change is always correct. What's not to like?
Worst part is the reduce the number of regular checkout people creating longer lines and forcing you to the self checkout.
Part of the appeal of going to Starbucks to get a coffee is the whole "hand crafted" human interaction of it all.
I mean if you walked into a Starbucks and walked up to a machine that said insert bank card or cash here and select product 1-25 and wait for a machine to make the drink I think Starbucks would not be as warm a place to visit.
I don't know what do you think?
Fellows
Originally posted by thuh Freak
i haven't seen that remarkable marvel of the modern era, but i've encountered something (i presume is) similar. in the city, a few years ago, they fazed out subway/bus tokens for plastic "metrocards", which magnetically hold various amounts of money for your intra-city travelling pleasure. this gave way for the metrocard vends. right next to the person-manned counter is 2-10 or more metrovends, pushing out the same cards the counter gives.
Similarly, I much prefer breezing through my transaction with automated movie ticket machines, rather than stand in line for the manned stations. It never occurred to me to feel guilt because standing in lines to see a movie is just not cool. Don't have to worry about cash, don't have to worry about change, don't have to feel guilty for presenting a credit card when others use cash- I just use the machine and slide my card.
I'll tell you who really needs express self-check out lines- Costco and Sams Club. Those lines are ridiculous! Yet people put up with it, and all lines are running anyway. I just don't understand how the lines can be that long there.
Originally posted by Randycat99
Well, I think this suggests an interesting social experiment. IMO, I think Starbucks would realize it could not pull that off and still have the same kind of business they started with. The interesting part is if an automated coffee parlor pops up under a different name that offers equally good coffee and cuts prices by 50%, I wonder if people would flock to it...
I am all for the use of technology and things being efficient and done in a manner of good productivity. That said,,, A good restaurant where food is prepared fresh by real chefs and with good service will always provide a better product / service than McDonalds where they have every kind of technology to make the process of serving "food" fast and efficient.
Machines, Fast and Efficient does not always equal quality, service, or a high standard of living or enjoyment.
In our fast paced world many of us live within I am not so sure that getting back to basics and taking time to smell the roses is not what we really need as opposed to driving through drive-thru's going to ATM machines and self checking groceries and building supplies.
who knows,
Fellows
As for building supplies and department store goods, I still don't think "personal contact" is that compelling for those particular environments. It can be nice, but does it really matter, either way?
Naturally, there are certain service commodities where personal contact is something to perpetuate. There, I would agree with you. Restaurants and coffee bars, I would agree benefit greatly from a real human interface.
Originally posted by Randycat99
I'd say ATM machines are a legitimate improvement. You won't be smelling any roses if you still had to stand in line at the bank (assuming you were able to get inside one during banking hours).
As for building supplies and department store goods, I still don't think "personal contact" is that compelling for those particular environments. It can be nice, but does it really matter, either way?
Naturally, there are certain service commodities where personal contact is something to perpetuate. There, I would agree with you. Restaurants and coffee bars, I would agree benefit greatly from a real human interface.
Actually I agree 100% with your statements here
Fellows
Originally posted by BR
Good. Maybe people will start valuing an education if these retard jobs go away.
Funny, I have an education and I am working a retard job. I am pretty sure that what I've got (mostly cashiering & Barnes & Noble) will stick around for a while. 80% of what I scan I have to key in a price or ISBN...
But technology seems to be getting the better of us...ironic.
BR - Don't think that ALL the retard jobs are done by retards too. We're just "unemployed".
Originally posted by Artman @_@
Funny, I have an education and I am working a retard job. I am pretty sure that what I've got (mostly cashiering & Barnes & Noble) will stick around for a while. 80% of what I scan I have to key in a price or ISBN...
But technology seems to be getting the better of us...ironic.
BR - Don't think that ALL the retard jobs are done by retards too. We're just "unemployed".
Right. Some of the retard jobs will go away and the intelligent unemployed will be more qualified to take the rest of them. Service gets better overall.
Originally posted by Randycat99
Similarly, I much prefer breezing through my transaction with automated movie ticket machines, rather than stand in line for the manned stations.
I wholeheartedly agree! I haven't stood in line for more than 2 minutes in the last few years to buy movie tickets. I either order them online and redeem them at the automated machine, or fly by all the lines and go to the machine for everything.
And every time I walk by all the lines at the box office (the automated machines are farther into the theater) I think to myself, "Why don't they just use the A.B.O.? They can't ALL be using cash, can they?"
As far as the automated cashiers at Wal-mart, etc., I only use them if I have a few small items that are easy to scan myself and then head out of there. Over Christmas I bought a LOT of stuff at Wal-mart using one of those things and it took quite a while -- the attending employee had to come over and fix a couple things. I actually felt worse for all the people behind me because I was being the slow person instead of a cashier.
Plus, I think it's more pleasurable to talk with a cashier while they're ringing up a large number of items. With only a few items, who cares. You're not there long enough anyway, so the automated systems are fine for that.
Originally posted by Scott
One think I noticed driving on the Indiana Toll Road is that the human operated booths are much faster than the automatic basket kind. You can pass 50 cents to someone and hit the gas faster than you can wait for a machine to count two quarters and signal the gate to go up. Also the line with two trucks will go faster than the line with 7 cars.
That is why there is E-Z Pass!
Although I've been in a car with a girl (does it matter? probably) who is used ot having it in her other cards she drives but not the one she was driving and sped through the E-Z Pass and had to pay the full $15 or so at the toll we got off at which was only like 2 or 3 down.