WH Smith Self Service Tills

More staff than customers in WHS.

Re the change - same in Sainsbury's

One of the biggest banes of modern life is "self service".

We all know why it exists.  It's a cost saving measure where none of that saving is ever passed onto the customer, but all dressed up as "for your convenience" as if you should be grateful that you do all the work for the company.

Used to be a time when someone filled up your car at the petrol station, now it's a case of do it yourself.
Then airlines put all the onus of checking in and sorting out your baggage and seating arrangements onto you, and woe betide if you need a bit of help, or you can't find a printer to print your boarding pass, because they'll charge you a small fortune if they have to do it for you at the airport.
Then supermarkets started it, to save them money on staffing costs, but it's always a frustrating & infuriating process that inevitably requires an assistant to bail you out anyway.

The one that nobody complains about is whenever you buy a tea or coffee these days.  From the big chains like starbucks and costa, to the average mobile caterer - they just throw the ingredients at you and tell you to go and make it yourself, whilst charging you £3.50 for a cup of warm water.  Here's a teabag, the milk's over there, the sugar's over there; now fck off and do it yourself.   You wouldn't go into restaurant for a burger and chips and accepted being handed a dead cow and a potato, so why do we tolerate this laziness when it comes to buying hot drinks.

well said danno.   i didn't know that happened in coffee shops (so-called) as they offend me violently.

... and I have never been in one.

coffee-shop users are a self-selecting group : spineless - the inability to complain, ever.
                                               simpleton - pay £3.50 for what would cost 35p max at home

The big supermarkets claimed that the many customers actually preferred self serve checkouts because the customer didn't like talking to the staff and also it would free up personnel from the tills so they could give the customers better service by keeping the shelves stocked and generally helping around the store.
nothing to do with saving money it seems!

Interesting that on the continent the fuel outlets that are totally credit card / self serve are dramatically cheaper than the usual outlets.

What on earth possesses young poorly-paid people to pay £5 and the like for a "fashion" coffee?

Coffee from coffee shops really is better than you make at home, and a damn sight better than the stuff that comes out of the vending machine at work.

"Coffee" from Starbucks, Costa et al tastes nothing like coffee, it is just sugar syrup

self service tills are a shoplifters dream come true

shoplifters in smiths would be mighty disappointed by their geometry set and angling weekly magazine.

I prefer self-service tills as it's quicker and you can throw in all your shrapnel first when you come to pay.

Fred, most people drink milky sugar syrup because that's what they ask for. If you want proper coffee ask for a double espresso.

If you said 20 years ago that every high street in the Uk would have a coffee shop selling people a cup of coffee for £3 and would be rammed out, they would have said you were mad.

Similarly people paying £1 or more for 500Ml or less of water in a bottle.....also bottles of dilute or fizzy pop about £1.30....unbelievable....2 slices of bread and some cheap ham....£2.50....bag of crisps....70p.....

Advertisers dreams these products, selling you something that cost next to nothing for a fortune!

The only benefit of the self service is that last week I got short changed by a £1 two times by young assistants. I'm sure they did it on purpose because they did not like it when I asked for the extra £1 back. Nice little earner if they can do it all day.

At least the producers have a sense of humour.

For example the irony in naming a bottle of water smart water.

Yes it's smart to pay£1 for something you can get out of a rap.

Tap

fogies thread

You drove over a little tube and a bell rang. A guy in overalls came out, filled you with petrol, checked your oil and water, cleaned your windscreen, took the money and returned with your change.

Now you get the purchase authorised before you touch a pump, freeze your b@lls off on the forecourt, then discover that there's no paper towels and the receipt machine needs a new roll.

Then you can stick a quid in the machine to check your tyre pressures.

Progress

If you said 20 years ago that every high street in the Uk would have a coffee shop selling people a cup of coffee for £3 and would be rammed out, they would have said you were mad.

That's true but it's somewhere to sit and relax for a while, perhaps chat to a friend or read a newspaper or book. If you spent the same amount of time in a pub you would spend at least as much money probably more.

I like them

You dont have to talk to anyone and can go at your own speed. Nothing worsevthan struggling to open a plastic bag whilst the cashier is sending 90 items at minute in your direction

You simply ask the cashier to slow down. It is not 'rocket science'!

"Unexpected item in baggage area."

.. as Jack Hacksaw makes a run for the exit pulling up his trousers ..

As a matter of principle, I refuse to use any ' self service ' operation in retail outlets. Using them is being complicit in preventing a person being employed.

lol