On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:59:23 +0000, Tim W wrote:

PeterC
wibbled on Tuesday 27 October 2009 13:42

On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:27:40 +0000, Andy Burns wrote:

On 27/10/09 01:23, Frank Erskine wrote:

What's the alleged advantage of an automated checkout? Clearly it
does away with a humanoid (although they still need to be such around
for, say, alcohol purchases). In RL they seem to be much slower than a
checkout manned by real people.

What they need is faster humans, such as the ones in Aldi, who are
equipped with tills designed to be fast, rather than pretty.

Or Waitrose, where there are actual human beings of some intelligence on
the tills.

I notice that both my local Waitroses (Tonbridge and Paddock Wood) always
seem to have the same faces around, even after umpteen years - and we're
not talking the older generation either. And nothing's too much trouble for
them.

Says something about them, if they can attract, train and retain a good
calibre of staff.

They are 'partners' (or summat), so the better they do the bigger the
share.
Some of the cust. service and so-on are wives of solicitors, accountants
etc. who prefer to work rather than be at home.
--
Peter.
The head of a pin will hold more angels if
it's been flattened with an angel-grinder.