Technology...

[JoeyGee]

I send a lot of packages out for eBay via USPS. Usually when I go to the post office, there are AT LEAST 2-3 people in line mailing packages or letters. EVERY time I go in, I stroll up to the (no waiting) automated machine and mail 2-3 packages before one person is even done at the counter. My favorite is when someone in line gives me the "What is this dark magic you posess?" look as I stroll out of the post office. Why stand in line if you don't have to? EVERY time I am in the PO, the automated machine is free.

The same thing happens at the self-checkout lines at HD or the grocery store. I am sure some see it as stealing a job from someone, or doing the work of the store, but if it gets me out quicker, I'm all for it.

What's the deal? Are people intimidated, too principled or just desire actual human interaction?

[dkhoward]

Intimidaed I think

[MilDoc]

Wow. Wish my PO had that. Instead, we usually have 2 clerks on duty at lunch hour, with 10 people in line.

[jwaterdawg]

Wow. Wish my PO had that. Instead, we usually have 2 clerks on duty at lunch hour, with 10 people in line.

Ditto on that, except that our post office is CLOSED during lunch hour (seriously). And I've never seen more than 1 other person in line; 10 people wouldn't even fit in the PO. Yes, we live in the boonies and yes we love it.

[cwsmith]

Two things for me:

1. I prefer the human interaction... too darn many things going on in the world where there is no human interaction. I'll keep all that I can get.

2. Jobs! The more people prefer to use a machine, the more machines will replace people. Don't know what you do or how you started out or how your children may start out, but there's a lot of jobs that have disappeared because too many companies were able to convince their customers that they should do the work, so they don't have to pay an employee. "Self-service" simply means that you've been fooled into doing some employee's job for free.

It started with gas stations and has spread through almost everything. Funny, that they used to pay a couple of guys to come out pump my gas, clean my windshield, check my tires, hand me a free glass or steak knife, talk to me about the days events and sell me gas for $0.28 a gallon. Now I pay over $3.00 a gallon and the jerk is inconvenienced when I have to interupt him to take the $40 out of my hand.

No thanks, I'll wait in line at the PO, shoot the breeze with my neighbors and gladly wish the postal clerk a good day after I find out how everyone in his or her family is doing!

CWS

[Warren]

I'm retired, have the time and quit being in a hurry years ago. Life's too short as it is without rushing to the end. Also, being an old timer I usually meet other geezers at the post office every morning and we swap lies as we sort our mail and then go for coffee. Further, there's a really hot number working the counter and she smiles at us and, encourages our flirting. We're not sure anymore why we flirt, but we do. Heck, we live for those package slips so we can talk to her.

As for the grocery store self-checkout, when the machines say hi, smile and bag the groceries I'll start using them. So, as long as I'm paying for a clerk to greet me, smile, bag the groceries I'm going to use them. Heck, I don't usually use the express lane if there's younger, better looking clerk at onother register. If they gave a discount for using the machine I might start utilizing the machine.

[cabinetman]

For some reason, as an old schooler. I don't trust technology. I tried the self checkout once at HD, and when I went through the door, the incessant honking from the alarm started. I ducked and almost hit the floor (training), but didn't cause everybody was watching me and wondering if I was going to get tackled. So, I stopped dead in my tracks and an orangie came over to me to check my receipt, and said "It happens all the time". I would much rather go through the line, pay, and have a witness on my side.



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[BobSch]

It's funny, but I don't have a problem using machines at the PO or most stores, but for some reason the auto check-out at HD just rubs me the wrong way. I'd rather stand in the contractor's line (often the only one open) than breeze through the auto check.

Weird, but that's me.

[eezlock]

intimated??

Wow. Wish my PO had that. Instead, we usually have 2 clerks on duty at lunch hour, with 10 people in line.

Paul, wish our local post office was at least as efficient as that.
Every time I go there, they have (5) stations for postal workers, but never,never,never, more than two employees even doing anything remotely
considered as any type of work anywhere close to waiting on customers.
It is called "snail mail"...huh, you need to take polaroid pictures of them
to see if they are even alive! If you want to see the dead come back to life..
be there at quitting time! They would literally run over you to get out the door to go home! eezlock

[vaking]

Every time I use a self-service line at HD I end up spending twice the amount of time people in normal lines spend. Everybody in self-service line has at least one item that cannot get scanned without assistance from the clerk, there is one clerk running between 4 self-service lines, etc. This technology will probably win eventually but until this idea gets polished I have better things to do in my life than being a guinea-pig for somebody for free.

[Mrs. Wallnut]

I like the self check out lines because half the time I can get out of there much faster. You see I am a cashier and when I go to a regular line and it takes forever I usually get a little irritated with the people that stores hire.

For example take the store that I used to work at for almost 4yrs. I had to to wait in line for almost 20 minutes because their cashiers were slow. Then one of the managers came over and started checking and I went through his line. Well another 10 minutes of himm being slow and I was out of there. and this was after I had everything in groups when I had mulitiples, (buying 4binders, notebook paper, etc.). That was when I really wanted to ask if I could take over and finish it up.

I know that those machines will take jobs away from people but some of us just don't have the patience with cashiers after being one for almost 16 yrs.

[JR]

Hmm, interesting thread!

Focusing on the post office - I use the machine. The line always has about 10 people. The clerks are great, but it's just a busy PO.

So I use the machine. It, unfortunately, does not provide faultless service. Periodically I find it out of service for one reason or another. Now THAT's what I find annoying.

JR

[Thom2]

Most of what I ship is Priority Mail, and I work most hours that the post office is open. I started using click'n'ship quite a bit to save myself time by only having to drop the stuff off.

However, our post office is closed over my lunch hour and the next closest always has a line and nowhere to just drop click'n'ship packages (plus they get ignorant about not being 'our' post office). As much as I didn't want to start using the pick up service for what little I do, they've pretty much driven me to it. Now I just schedule a pickup and leave the package on my front porch.

[BobSch]

Recently the KMart near us pulled all their auto-check machines out. Back to real clerks. (Or as close as you can get to real at KMart, anyway)

[mater]

Anything that speeds up the checkout line is fine by me.