It's not MY job to work the tills!

[alcina2]

Yesterday I went to B and Q to buy some garden shears to clip the hedge. I go to check out, and find that NOT ONE of the checkouts has anyone on duty. The only employee is standing overseeing 6 (count them 6) self-service tills.

Point the first:When I go to restaurant, I don't expect to do the cooking

Comments

[hotclaws]

If you want more staff you'll have to pay more for the goods,it's simple economics.If you want good service don't use a cattlemarket like B and Q and patronise a local ,independent store.

[alcina2]

Unfortunately AFAIK there is no local store selling gardening equipment. If there was I would certainly choose it.

Just as I know for sure my last independent local store for hardware like screwdrivers and nails has closed, and my last independent baker :(

Globalisation for the...win, unfortunately.

[xenylamine]

because you couldn't get organised and programme the damn things to let the customer do it; That would be Teh Hard Computing!

Maybe because it might confuse some people. It was probably the result of a focus group (of people who can't figure out how to use self-checkout anyway).

I like self-checkout, but then again, I don't like when the checkout person puts my bread under the cans of soup, etc... or I don't like the anxiety that comes with watching them to be sure they don't do it. Anyway. It's really only convenient on a large scale when there are normal registers open and they're chock-full of people with large orders... which means you should be able to ring up your 3 items on your own and get out of there without a big hassle. Unfortunately, it seems that some companies totally miss the POINT and do shit like what you're describing. Fail. :/

[alcina2]

That.

Self-checkouts are a great idea as an option for people with a few, non-age restricted products.

With the emphasis on option.

[kecchin]

Actually, I think the idea behind not giving customers the ability to do quantities like that is to cut down on "miscounting" - whether by accident or not.

Because really, what's to stop the guy from saying he has 20 pieces of lumber or whatever?

Then again... I pretty much love self check out, so there we go. ;)

[childlight]

I think its also for inventory. As a cashier I knew you could not use the quantity button and scan one can of cat food if all the cans were different flavors. To do so would cause ordering errors. But your average shopper who has never worked retail or doesn't care would happily do it.

[sophaski]

For the 3rd point, B&Q aren't making up their own rule, other retailers also follow the scheme which is backed by the Home Office to prevent knife crime etc.
Also, it's normally if you just look under 21, as 18 is the legal age.

[alcina2]

Nope. The prompt for emplyee didn't say 'Does he look 21' it said 'Confirm that cusomer IS 21'

With the emphasis on IS.

[sophaski]

We have the same [Homebase] but it's mearly the Think 21 campaign that's on. If you look under 21 and don't have ID, then it's a no sale. Even though the law does state 18. Same with alcohol, think 21 despite the legal age.

[alcina2]

The whole policy seems like bad_service incarnate to me. The law says that you have to be A. Shops decied on another rule? How bad service can you get.

I have to say if I hadn't been 35 when this ludicrous trendy recent 'ask21!!!!!!!' fashion caught on in shops I would have wasted so much of managers' time in protesting...(before showing them my ID *evil grin*).

[tisiphone]

You can just put items on the scales and then put them in your backpack once you've finished the transaction if you don't want the plastic.

[alcina2]

I bet the chap behind me would just love to wait while I stowed it all away before he could use the till...

What on earth is the 'point' of 'put it here' anyway? Surely the bar code identifies the item?

[tisiphone]

I'm sure he'd deal with it just fine. The scales are to prevent theft (as is the one-at-a-time ringing system) - they weigh each item you have to make sure you don't, say, ring up one item and move three over or whatever. It generally works OK, but if you'd rather put it in your backpack straight away there's often a bypass that lets you say you're not going to bag an item.

[alcina2]

I don't get how that works.

If I wanted to steal, I'd ring one item and then put the next one in my backpack without ringing, rather than putting it on the scale... *bewildered*

[alcina2]

I guess it is 'bad service from the manager and corporate' rather than' bad service from the employee'.

But it seems to m that it doesn't matter which part of the organisation gives the bad service,as long as the service is less good than it would have been had there been an open checkout..

And for the record no-one explained any policies to anyone, because no one was asked about any.