Thoughts From a Long Line...

Recently I found myself in a superstore we'll call, "Store X." In the past year I was excited to see Store X install self-checkout machines as the business routinely has long lines and slow moving clerks. But now months into this new era of buying, I'm starting to have doubts about the execution of the change.

Ideally the machines should create a win-win situation for everyone. Four self-check terminals can be overseen by one employee so Store X can sell more items at a lower employee cost. And customers who don't mind scanning their products should see their wait in line decreased. As a professional speaker I could imagine myself talking up this modernization.

But this marriage may be on shaky ground. You see the store has cut the number of clerks operating traditional lines. At some times, your only choice is to check yourself out. This creates massive challenges for those who are not technologically savvy, like senior citizens, of which there are quite a few in South Florida. The system seems more concerned with catching shoplifters than assisting those less knowledgeable across a technological divide. The clerks in charge of monitoring the self-check machines do not seem empowered by customer service training to assist those who need help.

So now the lines move even slower and I witnessed one customer abandon her cart and walk out of the store in frustration after a duel with the self-check machine. Down the street is a place we'll call, "Store Y." It doesn't have self-check machines and has significantly more clerks on registers during the day. Guess where I'll be shopping?