A hot topic in our little town lately has been self checkouts at our local stores. Most people seem to be very much against it. I find myself compelled to present another side of the argument.
I always enjoyed shopping, and checking out, chatting with the cashier as we did so. I have noticed that more and more, people take less and less time. There are less cashiers, who spend less and less time with customers, lines are longer, people are impatient. Cashiers are no longer really customer service representatives, they are really a means to pay for your stuff, and move along. This was the time that self check became more available. I really liked the idea of not having the nosy rude lady examine my purchases or critique how many items I had. Self check was a great way to avoid all that.
I sustained a brain injury in 2015, along with severe anxiety and PTSD. I found that while I still enjoy stopping to chat while shopping, chatting while I am trying to concentrate is nearly impossible. I do not cope with lots of things going on around me very well. The chaos of multiple lines, people trying to talk to me, or ask questions, just rapidly becomes too much for me to deal with. Self check allows me to slowly sort my purchases, and work though it at my own pace. I may not be able to control many things around me, but I can check out without waiting. Sometimes being in a line makes me feel very trapped and vulnerable.
Anxiety initially drove me to use the online order system at Walmart and other retailers. I can shop at home, where it is quiet and peaceful, then go to the store and pick up my order in one shot. I do not choose that because I am lazy, but because some days that is all I can handle. Technology has allowed online ordering to grow, and it has spread into fast food, and other shopping options. I am certain that convenience is one driving force, behind these technological advances. We have pushed the DIY trend in everything from home repair to fuel, and that contributes to our self-service world. Another driving force is simply financial change. It is not a big surprise to anyone that the rising minimum wage would cause job cuts in those areas. That is what we are seeing. I know this may be an unwanted side effect, but it is a reality. If you can do it yourself for free, why should an employer pay someone to do it. We cannot have it both ways, and the line between DIY and service isn’t an easy one. How is an employer supposed to combat the idea that someone may want to check out with a cashier today, and justify paying someone to wait for such a customer, especially when they may not come in today at all?
There are many facets of this issue, and likely, there will be more and more. It really does not matter to me if you are pro or con as to self-check and or internet ordering. I would ask that we all make the choice to allow each other to make the choice without being unpleasant about it. You really have no idea why someone would or would not make that choice, and in truth, it may be none of your business. I too fondly remember the days of full service gas, and the owner of the store helping you find the perfect dress or tie for the occasion. I miss them, but those were the days when people were more civil and appreciative of each other. Most people went to church on Sunday, and spent the day together as a family, shopping was not possible because no one was working, they were with their families too. Businesses were closed. I do not really expect to ever regain that, though it would be nice. We can reclaim that feeling to a degree by reaching out in a world that refrains, unless it is to criticize someone else. Expand your horizons and greet someone new in passing, simply smile at someone you don’t know. Make an effort, it makes a difference.