In the last few years, self-service checkout stations have appeared in drugstores, Home Depot, & the like, with a corresponding reduction in cashier-manned checkout. What a brilliant idea: make the customer do more work, cut back on entry-level jobs when there are few enough for young people, & force the whole mess upon the person who is paying. I avoid using them when possible, mostly because of the job loss issue, though also because those using them generally seem to get stuck there, trying to get the beast to function properly.
Here's a case in point: Home Depot. I've shopped at Home Depot here & in other states probably for as long as the company existed. Once upon a time, the employees were extremely well-trained & well-informed. They were exceptionally able to come up with solutions or recommendations. They most definitely were familiar with tools, home repair, & the like.
OK, I can live without that, & it's been many years since I realized how little training their staff get now (perhaps it was the time I went to buy an extra battery for a Makita cordless drill, & the two young men in that department had never even heard the name Makita; eventually I found what I wanted online at another company). I don't blame the employees at all, but I was sorry to see that expertise go.
Still, I generally know what I want.
No comments:
Post a Comment