Do you think there is a possibility self-service checkouts will replace staff?

In my opinion, as long as self service remains analogue, store staff will always be on demand. Even with automation like the case with vending machines and ATMs, the physical prescence of personnel on the ground is indispensable because machines do require controllers and troubleshooters. Staff are also needed to guard against pilferage. Automation will only reduce the numbers not eliminate them.

 

I occasionally use the self-serve checkouts, but only if I have very few items. I've used ones where I could pay with actual cash, and also those that allow debit/credit, or either. I will often skip using automated registers if I have produce or other items where I have to search for codes and key in the codes myself, because that can be a pain. I've had no choice but to use them late at night in Walmart, when they were the only registers open, though, and there has always been a problem.

On at least two occasions, I'd stood there for up to 10 minutes with the alarms blaring, to notify employees that I needed assistance, with no one bothering to come help me, and so I've left the items there and walked out. I don't think most places will ever completely eliminate humans, because there's always a chance for errors. On those occasions, I probably could have grabbed my bags and left without paying. I wouldn't do that, but I have no doubt that some would, and have.

 

I don't think they will entirely replace people, but I do think the traditional self checkout systems will be phased out and replaced with more modern methods. Wal-mart is already testing out allowing people to pay with their phones. Basically, they are using RFID tags on all the products in your cart to automatically total up everything without you having to scan each item one at a time. Then you simply pay via your phone without having to stand in a line, and once paid, you simply head over to a bagging station to bag your products.

There are also some other interesting things stores are doing with cell phones and consumer experience - Target for example is testing out some technology which uses the lighting in the store to communicate with your phones. It somehow adjusts the flickering of the light, which is undetectable to the human eye, to send data to and from your phone via your phone's camera. You can read more about it here:

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Hmmmm. This is a good question. It is like asking if technology will replace the need for human staff. I recently went into a Carphone Warehouse store to get my latest phone. Once upon a time you would pay and everything would be ok, but they insisted that we had to enter our details using their tablet, which happened to not be working at the time. Because of this, we ended up having to wait even longer and it was a massive inconvenience. In the end, one of the human staff had to do it manually instead. So from that experience amongst others, I don't feel like we should completely replace human staff for technology in any instance.

 

I don't think it's feasible to replace all staff with self service points because they're always jamming and freezing. -and when that happens, who's on hand to address the problems? Real life assistants. Like most people here have observed, these self service points are only good for a small handful of items. They wouldn't be ideal for a huge trolley full of shopping. Stores may cut back on staff, but these machines will never be sufficient to fully replace staff. Maybe it will happen many moons from now, when they've made advances in the technology used to build the machines.

 

Here in the UK, my local Asda doesn't have manned tills between 10pm and 8am.
There is usually 1 staff member on hand to deal with 14 self service tills.

The self service equipment has gotten more robust over the last couple years so I think it will at least take over a lot of the manned tills.
There is always going to be a need for someone on hand to sort out issues, take of tags from expensive items and check age restricted items. Some old people just can't get on with the self service setup so they'll have to keep them happy.

Something I have noticed, there is more obvious security people on hand at all hours - I guess it makes sense!

 

Hybrid makes the most sense. It will be a combination of the two with an emphasis on the machines. Machines do more for just electricity and there's less involved in making it work. People are more complex and touchy

 

I don't think so because people like that human interaction. Our local Fresh & Easy was always empty because a lot of elderly people in the area hated figuring out the technology of self-checkout and so they just went to Vons. Also, people hate to bag their own groceries.

 

Exactly. As much as we love technology, and as much as it does have a place in our every day lives to where we heavily rely upon it, there is no denying that issues come with technology. Yes, issues come with human beings/staff too. But human beings are more accessible than technology, whereas only a handful of people will know how to resolve technical issues if something goes wrong.

 

If the self service checkouts were all the same there could be a chance of the staff losing their jobs but with each store having a different model it is confusing when you try to use the checkout even with a person there to help you at times. I don't like to use the self service aisle, my question is always where does the money go again.

 

I agree with everything you've raised here, DreekLass! Who wants to deal with an emotionless piece of machine over a real human being, anyway?! When the self service first made an appearance, there was the suggestion that they could replace real staff, and I thought it would be a crying shame. A machine can't converse with you to tell you what's wrong with it, let alone make small talk and make you feel welcome. By all mean, let's embrace new technology, but let's not fool ourselves into thinking it could ever replace flesh and blood people LOL let's hope the greedy retailers see it our way, ei?

 

I don't think they will replace staff at all. I work as a Software Implementation Consultant and if there is one thing I have learned over the years is that there is no substitute for human intelligence. I simple example will be when you need to scan a cylinder that has the barcode around the cylinder. These codes almost never scan correctly and then have to be manually entered. Or if there is a discount on an item they very often have to be manually entered, especially for the throw away table.

In case you are wondering what the throw away table is, it's a great way to save money. The grocery store labels all the baked goods from the previous day that has not been sold and various other items that are about to expire with a huge red label and a discount amount. You can then buy the item at the discounted price provided you don't complain when it goes of within a day or two.

 

LOL! Exactly! I mean, everyone that I know hates the increase of pre-recorded machine voices that you hear whenever you call a company with a query these days. You hear them when you phone the bank, and sometimes your queries or issues are urgent and in need of a human to take care of it, because machines do not have emotions, and they are not going to be able to sense how urgent the situation is. People moan about not being able to get jobs now, but if we keep inventing technology to do our jobs, we will have even less work going.

 

OMG DreekLass don't get me started on the automated voice message thing! I absolutely hate it, and there's this telecomms company I've been using for my internet over here. They're quite frankly the worst service provider I've ever had the misfortune of having dealings with. They just can't get anything right at all. One of the worst things they do when you're on hold, is play voice messages trying to sell you more of their mediocre products!

I mean, why would I want to buy more services from them when I'm already bitter about the shoddy service they provide?! They don't offer any apology for keeping you on hold, just straight in there with their sales pitch. I always give them a dressing down when someone does come on, and tell them it's crass and not at all acceptable for them to be bombarding me with sales messages on a loop while I'm on hold forever. I mean, you'd think they were trying to brain wash us and subliminally get us to believe that they are the best service provider, when they're in fact, the crappiest!! HATE.IT!!!

 

Yeah, our internet service provider are a pain in the ass for automated voice machine messages too. Like, literally you have to go thourgh twenty plus levels of automated voice recordings before they will actually put you through to a real person. And when there is an actual problem and they are getting a high volume of calls, it takes even longer to get through to a real person. I mean, I know why they do it but a lot of the time it is done out of laziness.

Did you know that when they put you on hold they can still hear you, but you can't hear them? Found that out the hard way once when I was moaning about them taking so long and the lady put the phone down, and I had to go through the entire process again lol. Do you at least get a discount with your internet for their faults? If that is the case, they can keep their worthless insincere apologies lol.

 

@DreekLass, i think they're the same wherever you in the world. But the providers over here are just greedier hehe Do I get a discount when there are faults?!? Lord no, I should be so lucky!! I told you, these people are GREEDY. I'm sure I could if really kicked off, but I just don't have the energy and quite frankly, don't see why I should for their shoddy service.

-and you know what i've gone and done? Taken my service elsewhere The new provider is not much better in terms of Internet speed and efficiency, but people respond and address your queries in a professional and courteous manner.

Yes, I know they can hear you when you're on hold because I worked in contact centres for years in the UK, and I used to hear all the unsavoury things the customers were discussing when they thought we couldn't hear them hehe Where I worked, hanging up on a caller was a huge no-no and you could get called in for a disciplinary. It happened to me once LOL

 

Most of the time around here, self-checkouts still have a cashier to watch over them. Usually about every 5 or six self-service isles will have to have one attendant. They mess up, people can't figure them out, plus people also think that they are the perfect opportunity to attempt to steal things.

There is a concept that I have run into that is fairly self-service, but I don't know of one actually existing, at least not here in Ohio where I live. It's call a drive-thru grocery store. I think they may be rolling them out in Asia soon, but there's a YouTube video that explains the concept. It's pretty cool!

 

I just saw a story online that Wendy's is ordering a bunch of kiosks to replace cashiers. They will still have cashiers, they'll just hire less of them, and people will have the option of ordering with the automatic kiosk. Personally, I prefer this option as the service at a lot of these fast food establishments is sub par. But it is kind of nice to have that face to face human interaction at times as well. As the technology progresses and the minimum wage goes up, you'll see more and more of this.

 

Self service makes no sense to me and I don't know why they have it at all. I never went to one and won't go to a self service stand at all. People need jobs too an atmd people give the atmosphere of friendliness. Who is going to make your keys if everyone goes to self service? No thank you to self service. By the way I like service station attendants too!

 

Have you heard of a self-service supermarket? There are now supermarkets with no baggers (the guy at the back of the cashier who puts the goods inside the bags). The idea is for the customer to save money because the lesser the overhead, the bigger the discount that the store can give the customers. Neat trick, huh. What if it becomes a true self-service where the customers would be the one to swipe the bar codes on the shopped items? That's not far fetched to me and in fact in a few years that can happen.

Take note that online grocery shopping is now a reality.