I hate all supermarkets but I reserve my special hate for Morrison's. They have a nice wee salad bar at the store round the corner, so I occasionally pop in: pick up a basket, get a paper, throw in a roll and fill a wee tub with a nice mixture of salads. All this takes about 5 minutes. Notice who's doing all the work so far. Then I head for the check-out.
Morrison's don't do 10 item check-outs. They want me to use their self-service machines, but since I'm thrawn and also because I reckon I've done enough work for them, I want to be served by a person. There are 5 tills open out of about 20 - I'm guessing whatever else Morrison's were expecting today, it wasn't customers - and those tills have long queues of people with great big trolley-loads of goods. It takes me another 10-15 minutes to get checked out.
So let me just recap to see if I've got this right: Morrison's source the goods and fill the shelves. I do the actual work of collecting, loading, unloading and packing the goods. All I need at my end of the transaction is for someone to be employed to take my money. In a reasonable length of time. I won't even ask for a smile from the assistant as I pay. Somehow, I think the deal has gone sour - and it's the poor customer who's suffering - as always.
I just recently used the self service machines in Morrisons for the first time, had to get help from my 9 yr old niece! Didn't have a clue what to do, it was a bit embarrassing! Oh and the people that have to do shifts supervising them, can't think of a worse job!
ReplyDeleteI'm told there is a worse job than helping customers at the self-service checkouts in Morrison's: you could be the person who walks up and down the check-outs in Sainsbury's with the giant red hand with 'shorter queue here' so customers know where to queue for a shorter time. (Wonder how badly you have to piss off the manager to get that job?)
ReplyDeleteHere's an idea: put the people supervising the self-service queue in Morrison's and the red hand people in Sainsbury's on a check-out - that'll cut the queues - or is that too simple?
Our local Tesco's goes into self-serve mode after 8 or 9 o'clock, no choice then and I have never made it through without the bloody machine going red and yapping at me:-(
ReplyDeleteTeuchterTex - sympathy! I have to restrain myself from putting my foot through the machine every time I hear: Unexpected item in the bagging area!
ReplyDeleteoh yes, I'd be joining you - THE most annoying phrase,,,,,
DeleteBeware of Morrisons (sic !) in Kilmarnock. The point of sale labelling is misleading to say the least eg a different sized item to the one on the price tag beside it, or they still have expired offers up.
ReplyDeleteI reckon David's mugshot is on their staffroom dartboard as he always checks the till receipt before leaving the store and 9 times out of 10 there is a mistake which he, on principle, complains about even if just a couple of pence out.
The worst one was being charged for 49 grapefruit at 49p instead of for 1, an overcharge of £23.52! And they didn't even apologise; just said it can easily happen!!
Oh and we hate the self service check outs too. Have never got though yet without help. Too many slots for cards, cash, change, receipt. And we usually have a bottle requiring permission from an 18 year old!