Self Checkout Cashier
The automated self-checkout (read: you do all the work) has finally landed in my town. It has taken quite a while, but they have made it to my local Safeway in the middle of nowhere Penticton.
The first time I encountered one of these was in 2007 in Rochester, New York. I had never seen anything like it. Self checkout cashier? The idea didn’t really make sense to me, but I could see the appeal to the business — huge money savings.
It is fitting that Rochester was on the forefront of this technology as the recession hit there a couple of years early with the city’s major employer, Kodak, laying off a large portion of it’s workforce due to the advance of digital cameras and the decline of film based photography and motion picture production.
Technology has more a place in our lives than ever, but I’m not sure that the self-checkout is a great idea. I have now used these things in cities all over the world and for simple purchases they can be quite good. They speed up the process and get you out of the store quicker. On the other hand, I have also had many negative experiences with these devices. The second that something goes wrong you need to wait for an attendant. If the weight in the bag is slightly off you also need to wait for an attendant. This usually takes longer than dealing with a real person in the first place.
I also personally think that this whole process is totally impersonal in a very negative way. If this evolution in our consumption continues how many of our interactions daily will be with machines? We are a society already dominated by our machines — everything from cars, to iPods, to smart phones, to laptops. We don’t connect with people in person as much as we used to.
While the self-checkout grocery store device can have some positive impact, I think to using the self-serve kiosks at the airport to check-in for flights. Those were supposed to make life easier and cut costs for the airlines. Since their inception though flight prices seem to have increased and service decreased. Every time I use an airport self-check I almost always need to have an attendant come over to help me — only it takes much longer now because there is usually only one attendant.
While I am not personally fond of these automated devices, I think they do have their place. If they are limited to the express lane that could be a great thing. Otherwise, if the big grocery chains continue to implement these as the standard, I can see a huge opportunity brewing for the up-close and personal service of the community grocer.
