B&Q self checkout machines
ARWadsworth
In theory you scan the item and place it on the scales.
The scales reject the item. You try again. The bastard thing then allows 4
items through before rejecting the 5th item and freezes up. And never try to
buy dowel using one unless you want large dowel and intend to shove it up
the managers arse when the machine goes wrong.
Not a bad setup.
No tills open and 3 staff watching the 4 self checkout machines. Make that
two staff available when one of them went to find someone that could allow
me to buy my items.
All I need is the correct weight of a nice drill that exactly matches a
large bag of nails, swap the barcode over and I will be even with the
bastards.
Adam
Neil
"ARWadsworth" <adamwa...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:AKlFm.1862$5w5....@text.news.virginmedia.com...
> Has anyone got any idea how these Devil's scrotums work?
>
> In theory you scan the item and place it on the scales.
>
> The scales reject the item. You try again. The bastard thing then allows 4
> items through before rejecting the 5th item and freezes up. And never try
> to buy dowel using one unless you want large dowel and intend to shove it
> up the managers arse when the machine goes wrong.
>
> Not a bad setup.
>
> No tills open and 3 staff watching the 4 self checkout machines. Make that
> two staff available when one of them went to find someone that could allow
> me to buy my items.
Never, ever try and pay by by trade card at one of these. I made the mistake
of going in to my local B & Q after the trade desk had closed for the day.
Not only do you get all the above problems but you then are faced with a
spotty oik who doesnt know how a trade card works and, once he had it
explained to him then announces he 'needs to go and find a pen'. Priceless
Neil
Andrew Gabriel
I never had any trouble with them, until someone posted an
earlier winge here, since when they've been a disaster for me.
They don't work with capping and conduit either.
One bloke running round all 4 machines continually overriding
incorrect weight errors.
--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]
geraldthehamster
wrote:
> In article <AKlFm.1862$5w5.1...@text.news.virginmedia.com>,
>
> - Show quoted text -
I cherish the vain hope that if enough of us refuse to use them,
they'll start putting sufficient numbers of staff on the tills. Fat
chance. Blatant example of putting cost-cutting before customer
service.
RichRD
ARWadsworth
"Andrew Gabriel" <and...@cucumber.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:hc4pr8$r0k$2...@news.eternal-september.org...
So the machine should be able to detect a product that has parts missing?
Adam
js.b1
> earlier winge here, since when they've been a disaster for me.
> They don't work with capping and conduit either.
Same here :-)
The scales need a high level C-shaped hoop, say at 1.5m.
That way the bulk of the weight of long yet light items is maintained
downwards onto the scale, not "lost" by falling onto the framework...
or distributing themselves all over the floor.
> One bloke running round all 4 machines continually overriding
> incorrect weight errors.
M&S and Asda machines work ok on light items like diet hot-choc (22g?)
if you drop them into a bag, but not if you drop them onto a loose bag
which cushions their impact (not registered).
The B&Q units appear more industrial. I wonder if their scales are
capable of weighing heavier items at the expense of precision - such
as every 50g instead of every 1g like supermarkets. That might not
help discrimination of light objects.
The most laughable part of B&Q is "take your items ... ... ...
<delay> ... ... do not forget your receipt". I can not help thinking
it would be more logical to say "please wait for your receipt before
taking your items".
Ah, usability... that post production & commissioning process :-)
Dave Liquorice
> I cherish the vain hope that if enough of us refuse to use them,
> they'll start putting sufficient numbers of staff on the tills. Fat
> chance. Blatant example of putting cost-cutting before customer
> service.
Quite agree. After the dreadful experiences of trying to use the ones
in Tesco I just refuse to use them anywhere. They are just so slow,
I'd rather spend the time in a checkout queue relaxed and day
dreaming than getting annoyed at a machine that can't keep up or just
takes too long to respond to each item scanned.
--
Cheers
Dave.
tim....
"Neil" <g1...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:7km872F...@mid.individual.net...
did he need a calculator to calculate 10%?
tim
Neil
>> Never, ever try and pay by by trade card at one of these. I made the
>> mistake of going in to my local B & Q after the trade desk had
>> closed for the day. Not only do you get all the above problems but
>> you then are faced with a spotty oik who doesnt know how a trade
>> card works and, once he had it explained to him then announces he
>> 'needs to go and find a pen'. Priceless
>
> did he need a calculator to calculate 10%?
>
> tim
10 % oh if only it were that simple. The B&Q trade discount system appears
to have been designed by the team that previously worked out the old British
Rail fare structure. Bletchley Park would have been stumped by this and Alan
Turing likely have opened a bicycle repair shop in frustration.
The basic premise is that under no circumstances should the customer be able
to work out what the discount will be. This is backed up by staff who don't
know either. Helpfully the till receipt is programmed to display discount as
0% - whatever the discount subsequently turns out to be. Not only does it
vary from line to line but also product to product and from month to month.
Added to this is the volume discount (the only transparent part of the
system and mischeviously included to give the false impression that someday
all will explained). A 'teaser' system also operates whereby specific
products will be stickered to the effect that 'cost with trade card is'.
Fate dictates that your needs will never coincide with one of these items.
Its like a Kafka play
Neil
The Medway Handyman
Its not so much the machines as the complete planks who try to use them
causing huge clues. The ones in our local Morrisons work almost 100%
properly, its the thicko's who use them.
--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
The Medway Handyman
Applause!
mark
>
> Its not so much the machines as the complete planks who try to use them
> causing huge clues. The ones in our local Morrisons work almost 100%
> properly, its the thicko's who use them.
>
>
Wish I had a clue sometimes :-)
mark
tim....
"The Medway Handyman" <davi...@nospamblueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:t_nFm.1915$5w5....@text.news.virginmedia.com...
I don't agree.
The ones in Tesco don't work well, and as someone who's day job is similar
products, I can see exactly what is wrong with them (rather than with me!)
tim
Neil
>>> did he need a calculator to calculate 10%?
>>>
>>> tim
>>
>> 10 % oh if only it were that simple. The B&Q trade discount system
>> appears to have been designed by the team that previously worked out
>> the old British Rail fare structure. Bletchley Park would have been
>> stumped by this and Alan Turing likely have opened a bicycle repair
>> shop in frustration.
>> The basic premise is that under no circumstances should the customer
>> be able to work out what the discount will be. This is backed up by
>> staff who don't know either. Helpfully the till receipt is programmed
>> to display discount as 0% - whatever the discount subsequently turns
>> out to be. Not only does it vary from line to line but also product
>> to product and from month to month. Added to this is the volume
>> discount (the only transparent part of the system and mischeviously
>> included to give the false impression that someday all will
>> explained). A 'teaser' system also operates whereby specific products
>> will be stickered to the effect that 'cost with trade card is'. Fate
>> dictates that your needs will never coincide with one of these items.
>> Its like a Kafka play
>
> Applause!
>
>
> --
> Dave - The Medway Handyman
> www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
Thank you. I needed cheering up following a visit by the armed wing of the
same outfit "The Provisional B&Q" otherwise known as their 'Delivery
Service' (is that ever a misnomer) this afternoon. Whilst it always a
pleasure to renew ones aquaintance with the taciturn neanderthal that drives
their HIAB I had foolishly anticipated that the words "First drop of the
day" carefully scribed onto the whiteboard at the tradedesk would have
resulted in his cheery visage arriving at my jobsite rather earlier than
3.40.
Still at least it did eventually arrive. Their previous best effort was to
order the goods, arrange delivery, take payment and then do bugger all. I
gave up trying to talk to them on the phone and went down to the shed for a
face to face. The conversation went roughly as follows
Me "hello Fiona can you tell me whats going on with my delivery"
Fi " lets have a look at your sales advice - ok I know why its not been
delivered its because its not been scheduled"
Me " whys that then ?"
Fi " because you didnt pay for delivery"
Me " its a trade account - I don't pay for delivery"
Fi " are you sure, because it says here that you paid by credit card"
Me " well my receipt says B&Q Trade Card"
Fi " how did that happen then ?"
I lost the will to live at that point and somehow they contrived, quite by
accident to deliver everything to the right address later that day. But just
to prove who held the reins of power they did deliver scant instead of CLS.
And the wrong size.
Neil
Clint Sharp
<e17d13de-6923-497a...@h40g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
js.b1 <js...@ntlworld.com> writes
>M&S and Asda machines work ok on light items like diet hot-choc (22g?)
machine's trying to tell me something....
--
Clint Sharp
Clint Sharp
<b75fe3d8-8a88-4cde...@m7g2000prd.googlegroups.com>,
geraldthehamster <ric...@zulu.myzen.co.uk> writes
>I cherish the vain hope that if enough of us refuse to use them,
>they'll start putting sufficient numbers of staff on the tills.
damaging the bar code or leaning on the scale
>Fat
>chance. Blatant example of putting cost-cutting before customer
>service.
>
>RichRD
--
Clint Sharp
Tony Bryer
> The ones in Tesco don't work well, and as someone who's day job is similar
> products, I can see exactly what is wrong with them (rather than with me!)
When I lived in the UK the ones at Tesco Teddington reduced me to anger more
than once - often late at night there would be no manned tills. Here the
ones in my local Safeway work fine and are a good way of reducing a large
ex-ATM note to smaller notes or getting rid of loads of coin, in either case
without the embarrassment of tending same to a hard pressed checkout
operator.
--
Tony Bryer, Greentram: 'Software to build on' Melbourne, Australia
www.superbeam.co.uk www.superbeam.com www.greentram.com
Owain
> M&S and Asda machines work ok on light items like diet hot-choc (22g?)
> if you drop them into a bag, but not if you drop them onto a loose bag
> which cushions their impact (not registered).
Tesco tills object if you put your own bag on the 'bagging scale' but
if you scan your tin of something, put it in your own bag, then put
that on the bagging scale, it's (usually) within tolerance.
I quite like self-scan as it means nobody can see me buying anything
embarrassing, but what's the B&Q equivalent of Value Condoms?
Owain
Lino expert
> On 26 Oct, 18:54, "js.b1" wrote:
8><-------
> I quite like self-scan as it means nobody can see me buying anything
> embarrassing, but what's the B&Q equivalent of Value Condoms?
White spirit - you can put your tool in it, but you'll likely get a
nasty rash.
Dave Plowman (News)
<b75fe3d8-8a88-4cde...@m7g2000prd.googlegroups.com>,
geraldthehamster <ric...@zulu.myzen.co.uk> wrote:
> I cherish the vain hope that if enough of us refuse to use them,
> they'll start putting sufficient numbers of staff on the tills. Fat
> chance. Blatant example of putting cost-cutting before customer
> service.
I'd rather have a decent self service unit than the usual checkout
assistant who would rather be anywhere but there.
--
*Reality? Is that where the pizza delivery guy comes from?
Dave Plowman da...@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
Dave Plowman (News)
Dave Liquorice <allsortsn...@howhill.com> wrote:
> Quite agree. After the dreadful experiences of trying to use the ones
> in Tesco I just refuse to use them anywhere. They are just so slow,
> I'd rather spend the time in a checkout queue relaxed and day
> dreaming than getting annoyed at a machine that can't keep up or just
> takes too long to respond to each item scanned.
Both the Tesco and Sainsbury ones round here are fine.
--
*I took an IQ test and the results were negative.
Tim W
wibbled on Monday 26 October 2009 18:19
> Has anyone got any idea how these Devil's scrotums work?
>
> In theory you scan the item and place it on the scales.
>
> The scales reject the item. You try again. The bastard thing then allows 4
> items through before rejecting the 5th item and freezes up. And never try
> to buy dowel using one unless you want large dowel and intend to shove it
> up the managers arse when the machine goes wrong.
My local's got these recently.
Yep - buying a pack of grommets buggers the whole system up. The answer is
to wait for it to whine, then lean heavily on the scales - it doesn't seem
to care that a pack of grommets weighs in at 20kg for 5 seconds. Have to do
it twice sometimes.
Unlike Tescos' it doesn't seem to whine when the weight is removed again.
Perhaps the elegant solution is to process the heavy item first, then keep
throwing that on...
Still beats queuing behind the old bloke with 27 paving slabs and the five
items without a barcode... :)
--
Tim Watts
This space intentionally left blank...
Tim W
wibbled on Monday 26 October 2009 18:42
> I cherish the vain hope that if enough of us refuse to use them,
> they'll start putting sufficient numbers of staff on the tills. Fat
> chance. Blatant example of putting cost-cutting before customer
> service.
>
> RichRD
Did they *ever* put sufficient staff on the tills?
Tim W
wibbled on Monday 26 October 2009 19:09
Wing Yip (Chinese Supermarket) in Croydon (well, more Waddon) have the
correct idea. You potter round and fill your trolley.
You queue up behind at most one person, choosing from the dozen or so
staffed tills.
Then you stand back while one bloke unloads everything, the girl rings it up
and another girl packs it for you. By the time you've typed you PIN on the
card machine, your trolley is reloaded with bagged goods ready to push to
the car.
Given tehy are subject to the same minimum wage laws Tescos etc are, why
can't they all do that?
dennis@home
"Dave Liquorice" <allsortsn...@howhill.com> wrote in message
news:nyyfbegfubjuvyypb...@srv1.howhill.co.uk...
> Quite agree. After the dreadful experiences of trying to use the ones
> in Tesco I just refuse to use them anywhere. They are just so slow,
> I'd rather spend the time in a checkout queue relaxed and day
> dreaming than getting annoyed at a machine that can't keep up or just
> takes too long to respond to each item scanned.
They wait until the item is on the scales before they allow the next one to
be scanned.
It can be a real pain.
Q someone that doesn't know the bit the bags are on is a big set of scales
saying they don't have to weigh everything. 8-)
er...@blueyonder.co.uk
>Still beats queuing behind the old bloke with 27 paving slabs and the five
>items without a barcode... :)
he wasn't old when he went in. It was trying to find someone to help
him with the slabs.
He will be dead by the time he loads them in his Clio and trys to get
it home. :)
Dave Liquorice
> They wait until the item is on the scales before they allow the next one
> to be scanned. It can be a real pain.
This requirement to "weigh" items that don't need weighing (tins of
beans etc) might be where the instructions are failing. I scan an
item, it beeps to acknowledge the scan (eventually, the scanners seem
very slow and unreliable, yes I have tried just zooming the object
through, going through slowly, pausing in front of the window all to
no apparent effect on the reliabilty). Then I put the tin of beans or
what ever (that doesn't need weighing) on the conveyor. The scales,
IIRC, are built around the scanner like on the manned checkouts not a
seperate platform.
> Q someone that doesn't know the bit the bags are on is a big set of
> scales saying they don't have to weigh everything. 8-)
Different design of self op checkout. They do have the small ones
that have a basket trough, scanner, bagging area but on the big ones
designed to take trolly loads the "bagging area" is more like 8 foot
from the the scanner.
--
Cheers
Dave.
Clot
Loved it. That's my experience!
Bill Wright
"Tim W" <t...@dionic.net> wrote in message
news:hc5cqg$rh5$2...@news.eternal-september.org...
> items without a barcode... :)
I'm sorry if I caused you any inconvenience.
Bill
Bill Wright
Neil, You're a born something or other. I take off my hat to you.
Bill
Frank Erskine
<cl...@clintsmc.demon.co.uk> had this to say:
I 'like' Seabrook's (plain (salted)) crisps.
Not that I use crisps on a regular basis.
--
Frank Erskine
Clive George
news:lahce515qpmgv1qtm...@4ax.com...
For those who live in a Seabrook's free zone, they do internet order boxes
at a not-unreasonable price - and you get to choose the mix of flavours.
(thought I'd mention it since I was recently surprised to see Walkers being
sold at 50p a bag, which just seems wrong to me).
Frank Erskine
<da...@davenoise.co.uk> had this to say:
>In article <nyyfbegfubjuvyypb...@srv1.howhill.co.uk>,
> Dave Liquorice <allsortsn...@howhill.com> wrote:
>> Quite agree. After the dreadful experiences of trying to use the ones
>> in Tesco I just refuse to use them anywhere. They are just so slow,
>> I'd rather spend the time in a checkout queue relaxed and day
>> dreaming than getting annoyed at a machine that can't keep up or just
>> takes too long to respond to each item scanned.
>
>Both the Tesco and Sainsbury ones round here are fine.
What's the alleged advantage of an automated checkout? Clearly it
does away with a humanoid (although they still need to be such around
for, say, alcohol purchases). In RL they seem to be much slower than a
checkout manned by real people. Is it just that most purchasers hate
the idea of having to speak to a real life human cashier? If so,
that's very sad.
--
Frank Erskine
Clint Sharp
<frank....@btinternet.com> writes
>On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:06:20 +0000, Clint Sharp
><cl...@clintsmc.demon.co.uk> had this to say:
>
>>In message
>><e17d13de-6923-497a...@h40g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
>>js.b1 <js...@ntlworld.com> writes
>>>M&S and Asda machines work ok on light items like diet hot-choc (22g?)
>>Try a bag of Seabrook's crisps, screws up every time or maybe the
>>machine's trying to tell me something....
>
>I 'like' Seabrook's (plain (salted)) crisps.
range they have appearing.
>
>Not that I use crisps on a regular basis.
>
--
Clint Sharp
Clint Sharp
<cb8bbc00-d01c-4eae...@b2g2000yqi.googlegroups.com>,
Owain <spuorg...@gowanhill.com> writes
>I quite like self-scan as it means nobody can see me buying anything
>embarrassing, but what's the B&Q equivalent of Value Condoms?
>
>Owain
>
--
Clint Sharp
Clint Sharp
Liquorice <allsortsn...@howhill.com> writes
>On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:07:50 -0000, dennis@home wrote:
>
>> They wait until the item is on the scales before they allow the next one
>> to be scanned. It can be a real pain.
>
>This requirement to "weigh" items that don't need weighing
machine knows how much an item should weigh and it stops until it can
see that weight on the platform before you can scan the next item. Of
course, the obvious scam is to show it a cheap tin of own brand product
(beans for instance) and put the equivalent weight premium brand product
in the bag.
--
Clint Sharp
Andy Burns
> What's the alleged advantage of an automated checkout? Clearly it
> does away with a humanoid (although they still need to be such around
> for, say, alcohol purchases). In RL they seem to be much slower than a
> checkout manned by real people.
What they need is faster humans, such as the ones in Aldi, who are
equipped with tills designed to be fast, rather than pretty.
Andy Burns
> Different design of self op checkout.
The Safeway ones are for basket only, but have the shelf for your basket
and the shelf with the scales/carrier about 6' apart, how convenient ...
and they have the droid voice that tells you do insert your debit card
AFTER you have already done so, and is still telling you to take your
receipt about 5 seconds after you've done so and set off on your way to
the exits.
dennis@home
"Dave Liquorice" <allsortsn...@howhill.com> wrote in message
news:nyyfbegfubjuvyypb...@srv1.howhill.co.uk...
> On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:07:50 -0000, dennis@home wrote:
>
>> They wait until the item is on the scales before they allow the next one
>> to be scanned. It can be a real pain.
>
> This requirement to "weigh" items that don't need weighing (tins of
> beans etc) might be where the instructions are failing. I scan an
> item, it beeps to acknowledge the scan (eventually, the scanners seem
> very slow and unreliable, yes I have tried just zooming the object
> through, going through slowly, pausing in front of the window all to
> no apparent effect on the reliabilty). Then I put the tin of beans or
> what ever (that doesn't need weighing) on the conveyor. The scales,
> IIRC, are built around the scanner like on the manned checkouts not a
> seperate platform.
The second set of scales are the collection area.
Its supposed to stop you putting stuff on without scanning it.
>
>> Q someone that doesn't know the bit the bags are on is a big set of
>> scales saying they don't have to weigh everything. 8-)
>
> Different design of self op checkout. They do have the small ones
> that have a basket trough, scanner, bagging area but on the big ones
> designed to take trolly loads the "bagging area" is more like 8 foot
> from the the scanner.
>
The ones with two conveyers?
> --
> Cheers
> Dave.
>
>
>
Neil
"Bill Wright" <insertmybu...@f2s.com> wrote in message
news:to6dnY0Sp-uq3HvX...@pipex.net...
>
> Neil, You're a born something or other. I take off my hat to you.
>
> Bill
Steady on Bill, high praise indeed from the author of A Riggers Diary !
Neil
Tim W
wibbled on Tuesday 27 October 2009 00:39
No offence intended :-o
<backpeddle> More to do with the lack of staff to help customers
</backpeddle>
mogga
<tims_n...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>"The Medway Handyman" <davi...@nospamblueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:t_nFm.1915$5w5....@text.news.virginmedia.com...
>> Dave Liquorice wrote:
>>> On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:42:20 -0700 (PDT), geraldthehamster wrote:
>>>
>>>> I cherish the vain hope that if enough of us refuse to use them,
>>>> they'll start putting sufficient numbers of staff on the tills. Fat
>>>> chance. Blatant example of putting cost-cutting before customer
>>>> service.
>>>
>>> Quite agree. After the dreadful experiences of trying to use the ones
>>> in Tesco I just refuse to use them anywhere. They are just so slow,
>>> I'd rather spend the time in a checkout queue relaxed and day
>>> dreaming than getting annoyed at a machine that can't keep up or just
>>> takes too long to respond to each item scanned.
>>
>> Its not so much the machines as the complete planks who try to use them
>> causing huge clues. The ones in our local Morrisons work almost 100%
>> properly, its the thicko's who use them.
>
>I don't agree.
>
>The ones in Tesco don't work well, and as someone who's day job is similar
>products, I can see exactly what is wrong with them (rather than with me!)
>
>tim
>
>
Tesco's are rubbish if you want to use your own bags.
the B&Q ones - the technique is to stuff up the first item and get the
girl to come and assist you with the rest of it.
--
http://www.halloweenfreebies.co.uk
http://www.holidayunder100.co.uk
Dave Liquorice
> ... they have the droid voice that tells you do insert your debit card
> AFTER you have already done so,
Probably borrowed the programming from those dreadful chip 'n pin
machines. You know the ones that say "Please insert card" you do so,
wait several seconds then it says "card inserted too early", you then
have to tell the checkout operator who has to reset the system.
Absolute crap, it shouldn't matter when in the process a card is
inserted, if it's to early just wait FFS, it should need the reset or
the card to be removed and reinserted. The prompts on some have been
changed but no all.
> Where it is and is still telling you to take your receipt about 5
> seconds after you've done so and set off on your way to the exits.
Yep, I some times feel they have less processing power than a ZX81,
they are so slow and labourious.
--
Cheers
Dave.
Dave Plowman (News)
Frank Erskine <frank....@btinternet.com> wrote:
> >Both the Tesco and Sainsbury ones round here are fine.
> What's the alleged advantage of an automated checkout? Clearly it
> does away with a humanoid (although they still need to be such around
> for, say, alcohol purchases). In RL they seem to be much slower than a
> checkout manned by real people. Is it just that most purchasers hate
> the idea of having to speak to a real life human cashier? If so,
> that's very sad.
It's even sadder that the average checkout person would rather be doing
absolutely anything other than serving customers. I can understand that,
of course - must be one of the most boring jobs ever invented. But at
least a machine doesn't find the need to chat to someone in front of me
when all I want to do is get out of the damned place and on with my life.
--
*I don't have a solution, but I admire your problem. *
Dave Liquorice
>> This requirement to "weigh" items that don't need weighing
>
> The requirement to weigh everything is to stop you nicking stuff, the
> machine knows how much an item should weigh and it stops until it can
> see that weight on the platform before you can scan the next item.
So I have to handle each object twice? Once to scan and place on
platform, then again to take off platform and place on conveyor so I
can put the next item on? This is progress?
> course, the obvious scam is to show it a cheap tin of own brand product
> (beans for instance) and put the equivalent weight premium brand product
> in the bag.
I suspect the Tesco ones are (trying) to be a bit more clever. They
complain about "unexpected item" and there are what look like little
cameras looking at the conveyor. I suspect it can tell the difference
between Tesco Value beans and Heinz...
Which then begs the question why not just have a conveyor onto which
you place the goods, that then trundles the goods through a scan/ID
area? Conveyor could have regular marks down it on which each item
should be (more or less) placed.
I'm all for technology and it helping but I detest technology for
technologies sake or technology that is "the tail wagging the dog".
Zooming windows and animations as they are changed/opened/closed look
pretty for the first couple of times but then just become a PITA as
you have to wait for them. Or lists that "helpfully" move about,
normally just as you are about to click on the one you want. Or
scrolling that doesn't scroll the contents of the sub-window the
mouse is over.
--
Cheers
Dave.
Dave Liquorice
> What's the alleged advantage of an automated checkout? Clearly it
> does away with a humanoid (although they still need to be such around
> for, say, alcohol purchases).
One humanoid can look after 4 or 6 self op checkouts, instead of just
the one they are sat at. It's pure profit motivation from the store,
it's nothing to do with customer service. Proper customer service
would have someone to unload your trolly, someone scanning, and
someone packing(*) into store (or your bags) and then back into the
trolly.
Which makes more profit? 1/4 of a person per checkout or 2 or three
people per checkout?
(*) And I mean trained in packing, not just stuffing things into the
bags willy nilly but placing neatly and tidyly in general product
categories and taking into account the robustness of the goods. Fruit
'n veg in one bag, hard heavy things at the bottom soft 'n squidy at
the top. Dairy/chilled in another again sorted by robustness, dry
goods another, bread and other soft goods another etc.
--
Cheers
Dave.
Dave Liquorice
> The second set of scales are the collection area.
> Its supposed to stop you putting stuff on without scanning it.
If I wanted to nick summat why would I bother taking it out of the
trolly?
>> Different design of self op checkout. They do have the small ones
>> that have a basket trough, scanner, bagging area but on the big
ones
>> designed to take trolly loads the "bagging area" is more like 8
foot
>> from the the scanner.
>
> The ones with two conveyers?
Not seen twin conveyor ones. Just a basket trough, scanner, conveyor
to bagging area or basket trough, scanner, bagging area.
The other sang is that you then have a trolley load of goods you have
paid for, all on their tod 8' from where you are just waiting for a
tea leave to pass by... And as you are doing the (slow) scanning and
making payment you then have to bag and load the trolly, a task that
you do at the same time as a checkout operator is doing the scanning.
--
Cheers
Dave.
Tim W
wibbled on Tuesday 27 October 2009 10:19
> On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:10:02 +0000, Clint Sharp wrote:
>
>>> This requirement to "weigh" items that don't need weighing
>>
>> The requirement to weigh everything is to stop you nicking stuff, the
>> machine knows how much an item should weigh and it stops until it can
>> see that weight on the platform before you can scan the next item.
>
> So I have to handle each object twice? Once to scan and place on
> platform, then again to take off platform and place on conveyor so I
> can put the next item on? This is progress?
Indeed. The logic of this escapes me. If you want to nick it, don't scan it.
And wrap it in foil to fool the nickage scanner by the door.
>> course, the obvious scam is to show it a cheap tin of own brand product
>> (beans for instance) and put the equivalent weight premium brand product
>> in the bag.
>
> I suspect the Tesco ones are (trying) to be a bit more clever. They
> complain about "unexpected item" and there are what look like little
> cameras looking at the conveyor. I suspect it can tell the difference
> between Tesco Value beans and Heinz...
That makes more sense - spotting the extra item in the bag that's not been
scanned. I suspect however, that the cameras are just doing video recording
in case they want to investigate someone later - or just do a random survey
of people fiddling the system.
<snip>
> Or lists that "helpfully" move about,
> normally just as you are about to click on the one you want. Or
> scrolling that doesn't scroll the contents of the sub-window the
> mouse is over.
>
I hate hover-activated drop down web menus. That disappear because you moved
your mouse 1px off the valid items 3 submenus down. Or the lists that are
too tall for the screen... Simple answer - they should be click activated
menus and bloody stay there while I wibble my mouse about until I click
again.
Toom Tabard
wrote:
> Has anyone got any idea how these Devil's scrotums work?
>
> In theory you scan the item and place it on the scales.
>
> The scales reject the item. You try again. The bastard thing then allows 4
> items through before rejecting the 5th item and freezes up. And never try to
> buy dowel using one unless you want large dowel and intend to shove it up
> the managers arse when the machine goes wrong.
>
> Not a bad setup.
>
> No tills open and 3 staff watching the 4 self checkout machines. Make that
> two staff available when one of them went to find someone that could allow
> me to buy my items.
>
> All I need is the correct weight of a nice drill that exactly matches a
> large bag of nails, swap the barcode over and I will be even with the
> bastards.
>
> Adam
There is an old Scottish adage - 'kid on you're daft and you'll get a
free hurl'.
I suggest you take the initiative on that basis.
Stand in front of the machine with an intended purchase in one hand
and fifty pence piece prominently displayed in the other.
Gaze blankly at the machine. It will help if you have reading specs on
the tip of your nose, are gazing over the top of them, and if your
tongue is hanging out in the attitude commonly known as lolling.
Indulging in an occasional and sudden twitching motion may also help.
When the assistant shows you how to do the first item, don't then
eagerly proceed with the other items yourself. Maintain silence,
retain the expression of blank incomprehension and slowly nod your
head. This will give them the encouragement that with kindness and
careful training you might learn simple tasks.
Repeat the above until they've processed everything for you.
When they've bagged everything up, and sorted out the payment, you
should, of course, thank them profusely. In addition, lighten their
day by leaving them with something to think about. For example, try
asking, in cultured and educated tones, "Isn't it a pity what happened
to Marie Antoinette?" and then walking off. A backward glance will
probably confirm that they are standing there with a expression of
blank incomprehension, with their tongue hanging out in an attitude
commony known as lolling.
After sufficient similar experiences, add 'method acting' to your CV.
Toom
Clot
That is the only virtue of self scanning to me. At least a humanoid has not
bashed all your goods to oblivion whilst scanning it!
Owain
> I 'like' Seabrook's (plain (salted)) crisps.
> Not that I use crisps on a regular basis.
Didn't you see Dispatches last night?
Crisps and chocolate cake are lower in salt and sugar than breakfast
cereals!
Owain
Clot
Beautiful. Made my day!
Owain
> Yep, I some times feel they have less processing power than a ZX81,
> they are so slow and labourious.
They do run Windows for Checkouts.
Owain
Frank Erskine
<spuorg...@gowanhill.com> had this to say:
>On 27 Oct, 01:00, Frank Erskine wrote:
>> I 'like' Seabrook's (plain (salted)) crisps.
>> Not that I use crisps on a regular basis.
>
>Didn't you see Dispatches last night?
No. I don't have a TV set.
--
Frank Erskine
Owain
> There is an old Scottish adage - 'kid on you're daft and you'll get a
> free hurl'.
You can help them by putting the 50p in yourself.
In the coupon hole.
> ... For example, try
> asking, in cultured and educated tones, "Isn't it a pity what happened
> to Marie Antoinette?" and then walking off.
What makes you think that history graduates don't get jobs on the
checkouts?
...
What makes me think that history graduates would know who Marie
Antoinette was?
Last night on some rent-a-Sugar programme a graduate in "animation"
tried, and failed, to get a job on Morrison's bakery. Do universities
not give their offspring careers advice along the lines of "get a tie
and a haircut, son"?
Owain
Dave Liquorice
> That is the only virtue of self scanning to me. At least a humanoid has
> not bashed all your goods to oblivion whilst scanning it!
It's a very rare checkout operator that mistreats the goods. I
suspect they don't last long as checkout operators once they get a
compliant or two against them or they modify their behaviour.
Checkout ops generaly have a brain unlike the shelf stackers, it's
not quite a simple a job as it first appears.
--
Cheers
Dave.
larkim
>
> the B&Q ones - the technique is to stuff up the first item and get the
> girl to come and assist you with the rest of it.
> --http://www.halloweenfreebies.co.ukhttp://www.holidayunder100.co.uk
Not strictly on topic, but at B&Q a few years ago I piled a load of
shopping to be scanned, with the third item being some paint remover
or white spirit, thus requiring confirmation that I was indeed over
18. The spotty youth putting the products through didn't notice the
prompt on screen, and I think the other items beeped through. I
think I saved close to £60.
I had the kids with me, so paid without too much thought to how much
it all cost, only to realise when I got home that a large amount of
the items simply hadn't been charged for as he hadn't confirmed the
prompt on screen.
I considered myself blameless - their mistake. Had I noticed at the
time I suspect I would have had a moral problem with not telling him
his mistake.
Matt
Andrew May
> What's the alleged advantage of an automated checkout? Clearly it
> does away with a humanoid (although they still need to be such around
> for, say, alcohol purchases). In RL they seem to be much slower than a
> checkout manned by real people. Is it just that most purchasers hate
> the idea of having to speak to a real life human cashier? If so,
> that's very sad.
>
There is no advantage at the moment for the consumer. But just wait. In
a couple of years time you will be expected to use them. There will
still be manned checkouts for those who want them but there will be a
�5.00 checkout fee it you do so.
If you buy alcohol or cigarettes they will introduce a �2.00 per item
age verification fee.
You will be able to pay by credit card but there will be a �2.50 fee per
transaction for doing so.
Need a trolley? You will have to put a pound coin the the slot to be
able to use one. This is non-refundable.
Parking will be �5.00 for up to three hours.
A coffee and a Mars bar in the cafe will be �4.50.
But the groceries will be cheap :-)
Andrew
Who, you guessed it, flew with Ryanair over the weekend.
PeterC
Or Waitrose, where there are actual human beings of some intelligence on
the tills.
--
Peter.
The head of a pin will hold more angels if
it's been flattened with an angel-grinder.
michael adams
"Frank Erskine" <frank....@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:v9ice51tqtc2hq5hk...@4ax.com...
> >Both the Tesco and Sainsbury ones round here are fine.
>
In theory * as there's more than one checkout per queue
there's less chance of getting stuck in a queue behind a
customer who wants to change something, argue about a price
demands to see the manager or where a bar code is missing.
* That is before automated checkouts became poplular and
started to attract people who clearly don't have a clue as to
how to use them.
They're also very handy for breaking up �20 notes hot out
of the ATM if you need pound coins for parking meters etc
with a smallish purchase. As you don't attract sour looks
and or comments from the till operator. Although this
clearly only applies in specific circumstances.
Thats in supermarkets. When I first saw them in B&Q I
had to chack it wasn't April Ist TBH.
Oh and B&Q want to charge 5P for their cheapo carrier bags
I noticed.
michael adams
...
> Clearly it
> does away with a humanoid (although they still need to be such around
> for, say, alcohol purchases). In RL they seem to be much slower than a
> checkout manned by real people. Is it just that most purchasers hate
> the idea of having to speak to a real life human cashier? If so,
> that's very sad.
>
> --
> Frank Erskine
PeterC
> Wing Yip (Chinese Supermarket) in Croydon (well, more Waddon) have the
> correct idea. You potter round and fill your trolley.
>
> You queue up behind at most one person, choosing from the dozen or so
> staffed tills.
>
> Then you stand back while one bloke unloads everything, the girl rings it up
> and another girl packs it for you. By the time you've typed you PIN on the
> card machine, your trolley is reloaded with bagged goods ready to push to
> the car.
>
> Given tehy are subject to the same minimum wage laws Tescos etc are, why
> can't they all do that?
Tescodroids don't breed as fast.
Dave Plowman (News)
Andrew May <andrew...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> If you buy alcohol or cigarettes they will introduce a �2.00 per item
> age verification fee.
I'd love to be under age and try to put some alcohol free Becks through
the auto checkout at Tesco. Because it puts the flag up. Could be an
interesting discussion...
I'll bet there are products containing alcohol which don't flag it.
--
*Whatever kind of look you were going for, you missed.
PeterC
Defenestration 1618?
tim....
> <da...@davenoise.co.uk> had this to say:
>
>>In article <nyyfbegfubjuvyypb...@srv1.howhill.co.uk>,
>> Dave Liquorice <allsortsn...@howhill.com> wrote:
>>> Quite agree. After the dreadful experiences of trying to use the ones
>>> in Tesco I just refuse to use them anywhere. They are just so slow,
>>> I'd rather spend the time in a checkout queue relaxed and day
>>> dreaming than getting annoyed at a machine that can't keep up or just
>>> takes too long to respond to each item scanned.
>>
>
> What's the alleged advantage of an automated checkout?
The fact that almost no-one except me queues up to use them.
An advantage that will disappear when they are the only option :-(
tim
tim....
"Andy Burns" <usenet....@adslpipe.co.uk> wrote in message
news:6o2dndAKedFxPXvX...@brightview.co.uk...
> On 27/10/09 01:23, Frank Erskine wrote:
>
>> does away with a humanoid (although they still need to be such around
>> for, say, alcohol purchases). In RL they seem to be much slower than a
>> checkout manned by real people.
>
> equipped with tills designed to be fast, rather than pretty.
The problem with faster scanning is that you are still held up by the 50% of
the population who insisting on bagging everything before even thinking
about getting their purse out of their handbag with which to pay.
tim
Scott M
> Or
> scrolling that doesn't scroll the contents of the sub-window the
> mouse is over.
Always been a problem with Windoze as wheely-mice weren't about when the
event model was written in about 1986.
However, there are a couple of utilities about that solve this - the
best one I've found is a bit of Freeware called KatMouse. Scrolls the
non-focussed window you're over instead of the one with focus. Makes
using Windows slightly less painful.
--
Scott
Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?
Tim W
wibbled on Tuesday 27 October 2009 13:42
> On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:27:40 +0000, Andy Burns wrote:
>
>> On 27/10/09 01:23, Frank Erskine wrote:
>>
>>> What's the alleged advantage of an automated checkout? Clearly it
>>> does away with a humanoid (although they still need to be such around
>>> for, say, alcohol purchases). In RL they seem to be much slower than a
>>> checkout manned by real people.
>>
>> What they need is faster humans, such as the ones in Aldi, who are
>> equipped with tills designed to be fast, rather than pretty.
>
> Or Waitrose, where there are actual human beings of some intelligence on
> the tills.
I notice that both my local Waitroses (Tonbridge and Paddock Wood) always
seem to have the same faces around, even after umpteen years - and we're
not talking the older generation either. And nothing's too much trouble for
them.
Says something about them, if they can attract, train and retain a good
calibre of staff.
Andrew May
> In article <7koa2dF...@mid.individual.net>,
> Andrew May <andrew...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> If you buy alcohol or cigarettes they will introduce a �2.00 per item
>> age verification fee.
>
> I'd love to be under age and try to put some alcohol free Becks through
> the auto checkout at Tesco. Because it puts the flag up. Could be an
> interesting discussion...
> I'll bet there are products containing alcohol which don't flag it.
>
them to sell alcohol?
Toom Tabard
> On 27 Oct, 10:44, Toom Tabard wrote:
>
> > There is an old Scottish adage - 'kid on you're daft and you'll get a
> > free hurl'.
> > When they've bagged everything up, and sorted out the payment,
>
> You can help them by putting the 50p in yourself.
>
> In the coupon hole.
>
> > ... For example, try
> > asking, in cultured and educated tones, "Isn't it a pity what happened
> > to Marie Antoinette?" and then walking off.
>
> What makes you think that history graduates don't get jobs on the
> checkouts?
> ...
> What makes me think that history graduates would know who Marie
> Antoinette was?
>
I've found it works rather well in many social situations, whether or
not the person knows who Marie Antoinette was.
Also, whenever you invite anyone into your home, try asking them if
they'd like a glass of warm milk and butter.
Toom
Dave Liquorice
> Always been a problem with Windoze as wheely-mice weren't about when the
> event model was written in about 1986.
How long have scroll wheel mice been about? Why hasn't the interface
had this added?
> However, there are a couple of utilities about that solve this - the
> best one I've found is a bit of Freeware called KatMouse. Scrolls the
> non-focussed window you're over instead of the one with focus. Makes
> using Windows slightly less painful.
Does it add automatic focus switch (after a few seconds) on mouse
over?
Having to click a window (and selecting something or perform another
unintended action is a right PITA. I guess most doze users haven't
used anything other than doze so don't realise how awful it really
is.
--
Cheers
Dave.
Tim W
wibbled on Tuesday 27 October 2009 15:21
> Also, whenever you invite anyone into your home, try asking them if
> they'd like a glass of warm milk and butter.
Sounds yum. Where do you live - I'll be right round!
Clive George
news:nyyfbegfubjuvyypb...@srv1.howhill.co.uk...
> Having to click a window (and selecting something or perform another
> unintended action is a right PITA. I guess most doze users haven't
> used anything other than doze so don't realise how awful it really
> is.
I found the opposite - focus on mouseover as some Unix systems I used had
annoys me.
Dave Liquorice
> Says something about them, if they can attract, train and retain a good
> calibre of staff.
Probably depends when you normally go shopping. I see the same faces
in our Tesco midweek daytime but go in later/earlier/weekend it's all
"young things".
--
Cheers
Dave.
John Whitworth
"tim...." <tims_n...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:7kmjeuF...@mid.individual.net...
>
> "The Medway Handyman" <davi...@nospamblueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:t_nFm.1915$5w5....@text.news.virginmedia.com...
>> Dave Liquorice wrote:
>>> On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:42:20 -0700 (PDT), geraldthehamster wrote:
>>>
>>>> I cherish the vain hope that if enough of us refuse to use them,
>>>> they'll start putting sufficient numbers of staff on the tills. Fat
>>>> chance. Blatant example of putting cost-cutting before customer
>>>> service.
>>>
>>> Quite agree. After the dreadful experiences of trying to use the ones
>>> in Tesco I just refuse to use them anywhere. They are just so slow,
>>> I'd rather spend the time in a checkout queue relaxed and day
>>> dreaming than getting annoyed at a machine that can't keep up or just
>>> takes too long to respond to each item scanned.
>>
>> Its not so much the machines as the complete planks who try to use them
>> causing huge clues. The ones in our local Morrisons work almost 100%
>> properly, its the thicko's who use them.
>
> I don't agree.
>
> The ones in Tesco don't work well, and as someone who's day job is similar
> products, I can see exactly what is wrong with them (rather than with me!)
>
> tim
I don't find them too bad at all. But what does bug me is how difficult they
make it for you to re-use your own bags.
The planks who decide to put a trolleyful of shopping through a basket-only
self checkout really piss me off!
JW
PeterC
They are 'partners' (or summat), so the better they do the bigger the
share.
Some of the cust. service and so-on are wives of solicitors, accountants
etc. who prefer to work rather than be at home.
Scott M
> How long have scroll wheel mice been about? Why hasn't the interface
> had this added?
Maybe 10 years. But it's to do with the way Windows messages are sent
from OS to apps so I suppose adding a patch for mice wheels is seen as
inelegant at MS (like that normally worries them!!)
> Does it add automatic focus switch (after a few seconds) on mouse
> over?
> Having to click a window (and selecting something or perform another
> unintended action is a right PITA. I guess most doze users haven't
> used anything other than doze so don't realise how awful it really
> is.
Personally, like Clive, I've never got on with that option but it is
already available in Wind95-XP (dunno about Vista, never used it.)
Download & install 'TweakUI' from Microsoft (appears as a Control Panel
add-on) and the option's on the 'Mouse' tab of it.
Bruce
<den...@killspam.kicks-ass.net> wrote:
>
>
>"Dave Liquorice" <allsortsn...@howhill.com> wrote in message
>news:nyyfbegfubjuvyypb...@srv1.howhill.co.uk...
>> On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:07:50 -0000, dennis@home wrote:
>>
>>> They wait until the item is on the scales before they allow the next one
>>> to be scanned. It can be a real pain.
>>
>> This requirement to "weigh" items that don't need weighing (tins of
>> beans etc) might be where the instructions are failing. I scan an
>> item, it beeps to acknowledge the scan (eventually, the scanners seem
>> very slow and unreliable, yes I have tried just zooming the object
>> through, going through slowly, pausing in front of the window all to
>> no apparent effect on the reliabilty). Then I put the tin of beans or
>> what ever (that doesn't need weighing) on the conveyor. The scales,
>> IIRC, are built around the scanner like on the manned checkouts not a
>> seperate platform.
>
>The second set of scales are the collection area.
>Its supposed to stop you putting stuff on without scanning it.
>
>>
>>> Q someone that doesn't know the bit the bags are on is a big set of
>>> scales saying they don't have to weigh everything. 8-)
>>
>> Different design of self op checkout. They do have the small ones
>> that have a basket trough, scanner, bagging area but on the big ones
>> designed to take trolly loads the "bagging area" is more like 8 foot
>> from the the scanner.
>>
>
>The ones with two conveyers?
In this area (Bucks/Herts/Beds) most of those early models with the
belts have already been replaced with a type that has a longer bagging
scale, capable of taking a trolley load of bags. No more are being
made with belts.
Bruce
<cl...@xxxx-x.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>"Frank Erskine" <frank....@btinternet.com> wrote in message
>news:lahce515qpmgv1qtm...@4ax.com...
>> On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:06:20 +0000, Clint Sharp
>> <cl...@clintsmc.demon.co.uk> had this to say:
>>
>>>In message
>>><e17d13de-6923-497a...@h40g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
>>>js.b1 <js...@ntlworld.com> writes
>>>>M&S and Asda machines work ok on light items like diet hot-choc (22g?)
>>>Try a bag of Seabrook's crisps, screws up every time or maybe the
>>>machine's trying to tell me something....
>>
>> I 'like' Seabrook's (plain (salted)) crisps.
>>
>> Not that I use crisps on a regular basis.
>
>For those who live in a Seabrook's free zone, they do internet order boxes
>at a not-unreasonable price - and you get to choose the mix of flavours.
>
>(thought I'd mention it since I was recently surprised to see Walkers being
>sold at 50p a bag, which just seems wrong to me).
Before you get too excited about how nice Seabrook's crisps are,
compare the fat content, and especially the saturated fat content.
Walkers have done a lot to reduce fat/salt content in recent years.
Bruce
<spuorg...@gowanhill.com> wrote:
>On 26 Oct, 18:54, "js.b1" wrote:
>> M&S and Asda machines work ok on light items like diet hot-choc (22g?)
>> which cushions their impact (not registered).
>
>Tesco tills object if you put your own bag on the 'bagging scale' but
>if you scan your tin of something, put it in your own bag, then put
>that on the bagging scale, it's (usually) within tolerance.
>
>I quite like self-scan as it means nobody can see me buying anything
>embarrassing, but what's the B&Q equivalent of Value Condoms?
Tights with holes in them, like the condoms?
ARWadsworth
"Clive George" <cl...@xxxx-x.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:JK6dnYsGlKXV1XvX...@brightview.co.uk...
> "Frank Erskine" <frank....@btinternet.com> wrote in message
> news:lahce515qpmgv1qtm...@4ax.com...
>> On Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:06:20 +0000, Clint Sharp
>> <cl...@clintsmc.demon.co.uk> had this to say:
>>
>>>In message
>>><e17d13de-6923-497a...@h40g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
>>>js.b1 <js...@ntlworld.com> writes
>>>machine's trying to tell me something....
>>
>> I 'like' Seabrook's (plain (salted)) crisps.
>>
>> Not that I use crisps on a regular basis.
>
> For those who live in a Seabrook's free zone, they do internet order boxes
> at a not-unreasonable price - and you get to choose the mix of flavours.
>
> (thought I'd mention it since I was recently surprised to see Walkers
> being sold at 50p a bag, which just seems wrong to me).
The Yorkshire Crisp Company is even better.
Adam
ARWadsworth
"Owain" <spuorg...@gowanhill.com> wrote in message
news:a3d17a67-6c59-4f51...@w19g2000yqk.googlegroups.com...
> On 27 Oct, 01:00, Frank Erskine wrote:
>> I 'like' Seabrook's (plain (salted)) crisps.
>> Not that I use crisps on a regular basis.
>
>
> Crisps and chocolate cake are lower in salt and sugar than breakfast
> cereals!
>
> Owain
I wonder how much salt was in the kebab I had for breakfast?
Adam
ARWadsworth
> On 26 Oct, 18:54, "js.b1" wrote:
>> which cushions their impact (not registered).
>
> Tesco tills object if you put your own bag on the 'bagging scale' but
> if you scan your tin of something, put it in your own bag, then put
> that on the bagging scale, it's (usually) within tolerance.
>
> I quite like self-scan as it means nobody can see me buying anything
> embarrassing, but what's the B&Q equivalent of Value Condoms?
>
There is nothing embarrasing about buying condoms.
I would be embarressed if I ever had to buy clap treatment pills at the
chemists though.
Adam
Stuart Noble
Sod it, I'm with Warren Buffett on this one. Eat what suits your
metabolism. No five a day bollocks for him, and he looks pretty
sprightly on it
Bruce
>I notice that both my local Waitroses (Tonbridge and Paddock Wood) always
>seem to have the same faces around, even after umpteen years - and we're
>not talking the older generation either. And nothing's too much trouble for
>them.
>
>Says something about them, if they can attract, train and retain a good
>calibre of staff.
The big difference between Waitrose and the rest (ASDA, Tesco,
Morrisons etc.) is that Waitrose attracts a better class of shopper.
Not having to deal with chavs and other assorted scum can only make it
easier for Waitrose staff to be pleasant, polite, helpful and - dare I
say it - probably a lot happier in their jobs.
And no, I'm not being a snob, because I shop mainly in Tesco,
Sainsbury's and Morrisons - my town doesn't have a Waitrose.
Bruce
<allsortsn...@howhill.com> wrote:
>One humanoid can look after 4 or 6 self op checkouts, instead of just
>the one they are sat at. It's pure profit motivation from the store,
>it's nothing to do with customer service.
Apparently, the two major selling points for the self-checkouts are a
reduction in staff costs (obviously) plus also a reduction in fraud.
Clive George
news:3fcee59u9i7p1pnr3...@4ax.com...
Bag of Seabrooks: 31.8g
9.7g fat, of which 1.1g is saturated. 2.7g mono-unsaturated, 5.5g
poly-unsaturated.
They've always been fried in sunflower oil as long as I can remember, which
would explain that.
Sodium 0.3g.
Bag of Walkers: 34.5g
11.7g fat, of which 0.9g saturated, 9.3g mono-unsaturated, 1.0g
poly-unsaturated.
Sodium 0.2g.
So, despite all those efforts, they aren't really better on the fat content,
and not much better on salt.
Owain
> "Andy Burns" wrote in message
> > What they need is faster humans, such as the ones in Aldi, who are
> > equipped with tills designed to be fast, rather than pretty.
> The problem with faster scanning is that you are still held up by the 50% of
> the population who insisting on bagging everything before even thinking
> about getting their purse out of their handbag with which to pay.
They don't let you do that in Aldi. They scan things and drop them
back into your trolley. You pay and then take your trolley of stuff
through the checkout to the self-packing area.
I break the system by not using a trolley.
Owain
Owain
> >I quite like self-scan as it means nobody can see me buying anything
> >embarrassing, but what's the B&Q equivalent of Value Condoms?
> Tights with holes in them, like the condoms?
B&Q sell tights? I knew they were targeting the ladies market but
really.
Owain
Owain
> > Crisps and chocolate cake are lower in salt and sugar than breakfast
> > cereals!
Kebabs are pretty healthy actually, especially if you have lots of
salad (not chips) with them.
Owain
Owain
> > I quite like self-scan as it means nobody can see me buying anything
> > embarrassing, but what's the B&Q equivalent of Value Condoms?
All right, Value Custard Creams then.
Owain
Owain
> Apparently, the two major selling points for the self-checkouts are a
> reduction in staff costs (obviously) plus also a reduction in fraud.
So the staff are less honest than the customers?
Owain
Alan
<tims_n...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote
>
>"Andy Burns" <usenet....@adslpipe.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:6o2dndAKedFxPXvX...@brightview.co.uk...
>> On 27/10/09 01:23, Frank Erskine wrote:
>>
>>> What's the alleged advantage of an automated checkout? Clearly it
>>> does away with a humanoid (although they still need to be such around
>>> for, say, alcohol purchases). In RL they seem to be much slower than a
>>> checkout manned by real people.
>>
>> equipped with tills designed to be fast, rather than pretty.
>
>The problem with faster scanning is that you are still held up by the 50% of
>the population who insisting on bagging everything before even thinking
>about getting their purse out of their handbag with which to pay.
>
Customers are educated to the Aldi way if they even try to bag up at the
till. In Aldi everything goes back into the trolley and after you have
paid you are free to use the bagging area/shelves to pack your goods.
Around my way each Aldi staff member serves ten customers in the time a
Tesco member of staff takes to serve one.
--
Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk
Bruce
Where did I imply that the fraud was by the staff? I pointed the
finger neither at the staff nor the customers.
There is shoplifting and there is staff pilferage. The sum total of
that is the fraud that the self-service tills help to reduce.
ARWadsworth
The trick is never to buy condoms.
They are supplied free by the NHS for everyone in the UK.
I use them so that I do not suffer from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeNNxQuo1Jc
Adam
Bruce
wrote:
And the result is that the stores need far fewer staff for similar
turnover, which means lower prices for the customers.
When a customer in Aldi tries to "beat the system" and slow everyone
else down, I (and a lot of other regular Aldi shoppers) get quite
annoyed, and with good reason.
If people want to benefit from Aldi's prices, they should learn to
speed up. If they want to shop slowly, they should shop elsewhere.
The Medway Handyman
> On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:23:58 +0000, Frank Erskine wrote:
>
>> What's the alleged advantage of an automated checkout? Clearly it
>> does away with a humanoid (although they still need to be such around
>> for, say, alcohol purchases).
>
> the one they are sat at. It's pure profit motivation from the store,
> would have someone to unload your trolly, someone scanning, and
> someone packing(*) into store (or your bags) and then back into the
> trolly.
>
> Which makes more profit? 1/4 of a person per checkout or 2 or three
> people per checkout?
Or which is cheaper to operate. If you want customer service like you
describe you would pay for it in increased prices.
--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
Jules
> Thank you. I needed cheering up following a visit by the armed wing of the
> same outfit "The Provisional B&Q" otherwise known as their 'Delivery
> Service' (is that ever a misnomer) this afternoon. Whilst it always a
> pleasure to renew ones aquaintance with the taciturn neanderthal that drives
> their HIAB I had foolishly anticipated that the words "First drop of the
> day" carefully scribed onto the whiteboard at the tradedesk would have
> resulted in his cheery visage arriving at my jobsite rather earlier than
> 3.40.
Sadly my experience is that the phrase 'first drop of the day'
refers to something other than delivery :-(
tim....
Yep!
tim
tim....
> On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:02:26 -0700 (PDT), Owain
> <spuorg...@gowanhill.com> wrote:
>
>>On 27 Oct, 18:38, Bruce wrote:
>>> Apparently, the two major selling points for the self-checkouts are a
>>> reduction in staff costs (obviously) plus also a reduction in fraud.
>>
>>So the staff are less honest than the customers?
>
>
> Where did I imply that the fraud was by the staff?
By saying that there was less fraud with the self serve machines than with
the staff operated ones.
What opportunities for fraud by customers goes away with self serve
machines? ISTM, none at all go away, but a new one is introduced, and yet
the total overall fraud goes down. How can this possibly be unless the
difference is down to the staff?
tim