Just sort yourself out

I was in Marks & Spencer’s the other day and was horrified to see that they no longer have people working at cash registers. It’s all self check-out now. There was one assistant for about 10 machines and (being me) I asked her if there were any tills left actually staffed by an employee. The very young and helpful woman took one look at me, obviously concluded that modern technology was simply beyond my capabilities, and kindly offered to help me scan my purchase. “I know how to do it,” I said. “I just don’t want to.”

There was a time when shops had staff milling about to help you find things and answer questions, and when there were several cash desks dotted around for your convenience. Now, you rarely see a staff member (and if you do you it takes a rugby tackle to get them to stop and help you) and the entire responsibility for stock control, payment and packing is taken on by the customer. Surely shop-lifting must be a problem – or maybe a bit of theft is cheaper and less hassle than employing staff? I’m just wondering where all this is going. Next time I walk into Marks, will I be shown a box and asked to stack the shelves for them? Will I be handed a spreadsheet and expected to do their monthly accounts?

What concerns me is that mine is the last generation that can actually remember what customer service looks like. ‘The Customer is Always Right’ was once a common slogan, but I feel that the current one is ‘The Customer is An Inconvenience’. If governments wanted to improve people’s lives and mental health, as well as increasing productivity all in one go, they’d pass legislation stating that all businesses must have an actual person to answer their phones. I can’t help but laugh (in a hollow sort of way) when I phone any large company and a recorded voice says “We’re experiencing high call volumes at the moment.” I have yet to phone any business when they’re not experiencing high call volumes. They just don’t employ enough people because your time is worth nothing and theirs is worth money. Although your call is important to them.

Restaurants and cafés are a welcome exception, though. After all, if you were forced to make your own food and serve it, you’d just stay at home, wouldn’t you? But I can’t make my own clothes, so I am forced to go shopping, although I’m fully expecting that the next time I go to Marks & Spencer’s they’ll hand me a roll of fabric and a pair of scissors, and tell me to get on with it.