Well, there’s no
denying it – technology is changing the way we work and live. Technology, it
seems, is on a boundless march forward and you can hardly turn anywhere without
seeing its imprint.
Some of technologies’
presence has been positive. Advancements made to medical screening and
detection services has been a clear positive. The presence of technology in
other fields, however, has brought more dubious change.
presence has been positive. Advancements made to medical screening and
detection services has been a clear positive. The presence of technology in
other fields, however, has brought more dubious change.
Self-checkout
machines are perhaps the most glaring example of both the automation we experience
in everyday life and of the uncertain effects of technology. As convenient as
the machines may seem at times, their sheer prevalence forces the question:
what are the true costs of self-checkout machines?
machines are perhaps the most glaring example of both the automation we experience
in everyday life and of the uncertain effects of technology. As convenient as
the machines may seem at times, their sheer prevalence forces the question:
what are the true costs of self-checkout machines?
The first
self-checkouts appeared more than 15 years ago and there are now 200,000 of the
machines in stores around the world, a number which is expected to nearly
double by 2020.
self-checkouts appeared more than 15 years ago and there are now 200,000 of the
machines in stores around the world, a number which is expected to nearly
double by 2020.
What we’re told about self-checkout machines
We’re told they’re
positive, as they decrease wait times and respond to the desires of customers,
who appreciate the convenience of the machines.
positive, as they decrease wait times and respond to the desires of customers,
who appreciate the convenience of the machines.
What we’re not told about self-checkout machines
Wait times may indeed
be less with the presence of self-checkout machines, but reality is a lot more
complicated and can’t be summed up in one issue. With the purported positives
of automation (of which decreased wait times appears to be the only one), come
a bevy of negatives. The negatives include:
be less with the presence of self-checkout machines, but reality is a lot more
complicated and can’t be summed up in one issue. With the purported positives
of automation (of which decreased wait times appears to be the only one), come
a bevy of negatives. The negatives include:
Dehumanization
From Facebook and
social media sites where we interact with friends online, to the preference for
texts over actually speaking on the telephone, there’s a need for more, not
less, human interaction. There appears to be a cost to eschewing human contact
in favour of technological convenience. Studies show that the use of social media sites is linked to depression
and anxiety, which in turn can upend a person’s while life. Maybe what we need
is not the “convenience” of automated cashiers, but more human interaction.
When we go through the checkout with a cashier, the cashier speaks with us.
When we go through an automated checkout, a machine speaks to us. We’re not
saying that speaking with us as
opposed to to us will be
determinative of happiness and health, but it’s safe to say that speaking to us will not help matters.
social media sites where we interact with friends online, to the preference for
texts over actually speaking on the telephone, there’s a need for more, not
less, human interaction. There appears to be a cost to eschewing human contact
in favour of technological convenience. Studies show that the use of social media sites is linked to depression
and anxiety, which in turn can upend a person’s while life. Maybe what we need
is not the “convenience” of automated cashiers, but more human interaction.
When we go through the checkout with a cashier, the cashier speaks with us.
When we go through an automated checkout, a machine speaks to us. We’re not
saying that speaking with us as
opposed to to us will be
determinative of happiness and health, but it’s safe to say that speaking to us will not help matters.
Job losses
As the use of
automated cashiers grows, the jobs of real, human cashiers, are increasingly
precarious as stores reduce their personnel in favour of machines. While some
stores have semi-assisted customer activated terminals (SACAT), which do employ
assistants to aid customers in using the machines, these jobs cannot make up
the difference in jobs lost to automation. One has to wonder: why not hire
humans to work the checkouts? Why go through the rigmarole of hiring humans to
assist humans in using machines doing a job humans used to do? From a business
perspective, it makes perfect sense to use machines to cut labour costs. From a
broader, more human perspective, it’s a callous and inept approach to customer
service that dehumanizes the whole process of shopping.
automated cashiers grows, the jobs of real, human cashiers, are increasingly
precarious as stores reduce their personnel in favour of machines. While some
stores have semi-assisted customer activated terminals (SACAT), which do employ
assistants to aid customers in using the machines, these jobs cannot make up
the difference in jobs lost to automation. One has to wonder: why not hire
humans to work the checkouts? Why go through the rigmarole of hiring humans to
assist humans in using machines doing a job humans used to do? From a business
perspective, it makes perfect sense to use machines to cut labour costs. From a
broader, more human perspective, it’s a callous and inept approach to customer
service that dehumanizes the whole process of shopping.
Shifting labour tasks onto unpaid consumers
Automated checkouts
require us, the consumers, to scan and bag our own items, effectively usurping
tasks once performed by employees. In other words, self-checkouts save
companies in payroll costs only by making unpaid workers of us all. Though, to
many, that might not seem concerning, consider the dangerous precedent it sets:
first, as stated, it normalizes for employers customers who will do work of
employees. As a result, it threatens the jobs of human employees. Finally, the
loss of jobs that could result to employees is likely to increase reliance on
government aid. Ultimately, the employer saves on payroll costs by relying on
unpaid customers, reducing personnel, and shifting the costs to the government,
which we all bear via our taxes.
require us, the consumers, to scan and bag our own items, effectively usurping
tasks once performed by employees. In other words, self-checkouts save
companies in payroll costs only by making unpaid workers of us all. Though, to
many, that might not seem concerning, consider the dangerous precedent it sets:
first, as stated, it normalizes for employers customers who will do work of
employees. As a result, it threatens the jobs of human employees. Finally, the
loss of jobs that could result to employees is likely to increase reliance on
government aid. Ultimately, the employer saves on payroll costs by relying on
unpaid customers, reducing personnel, and shifting the costs to the government,
which we all bear via our taxes.
What we can do…
One certainty in life is that businesses which depend
on consumer satisfaction will respond to consumer demand. We could make changes
to our service experience by demanding that stores employ enough human cashiers
to tend to its customers. Avoiding stores that do not provide human cashiers at
checkouts could be an especially powerful statement during the holiday seasons,
and particularly the Christmas season. As consumers we speak with our wallets.
Let’s tell employer it’s time to put the human back in customer service jobs.
on consumer satisfaction will respond to consumer demand. We could make changes
to our service experience by demanding that stores employ enough human cashiers
to tend to its customers. Avoiding stores that do not provide human cashiers at
checkouts could be an especially powerful statement during the holiday seasons,
and particularly the Christmas season. As consumers we speak with our wallets.
Let’s tell employer it’s time to put the human back in customer service jobs.