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Unexpected Item in the Bagging Area




Before you read on please check you agree with my definition of the following two elements, perhaps I am going bonkers and may even be getting irritable in my older years but to me it seems we are not embracing technology in the most appropriate manner, or perhaps it is just human nature fighting change…



Quality Check : The process of inspecting a product or service to ensure that it meets a prescribed standard outlined by a business.


Colleague: A person with whom one works in a profession or business.



Having worked in research, creating and managing development teams as well as marketing teams I have been privy to moments of genius and prolonged periods of agony where I have witnessed projects, products and people derail themselves because things that simply did not work were repeated, over and over again until the customer or line manager simply ran out of patience.


If it’s the customer that walks away you loose a sale, maybe many sales through repeat business. If it’s an employee, then the failure to correct a path can ultimately lead to clearing out a desk at the end of the working day. But regardless of the “thing” that is being poorly executed the result is the same. Failure.


I completely understand that language changes and the way services are provided evolve. But a recent visit to a supermarket made my (perhaps overly critical mind) dissect the evolution of my shopping experience. Ultimately at the end of the trip my wife proclaimed that she no longer liked shopping at that particular store. And I agree. I am not saying that other supermarkets have it all figured out and execute things with flawless excellence. But I have to say I agree with my wife and here are my observations as to why big retailers should perhaps take a few steps back and make some corrective actions.


When we go shopping to this particular retailer we have taken to using the self-scan experience, we use the same method to shop in one of the other big supermarkets and find it to be the most effective way to get around, get what we want from the store and get home quickly.


But recently I have noticed a worrying trend.


Piles of abandoned trolleys at the checkouts added to by frustrated customers having to wait longer than they need to when using an automated service. Increased numbers of people waiting and growing impatient while they look to get the attention of a shop assistant to come and help them complete their transaction. Yet the number of manned checkouts is limited and theoretically the automated system works so what is going wrong?


It turns out that the store in question has 1 scanner that allows a member of staff to undertake a basket / trolley check to make sure you haven’t been sneaking things you shouldn’t have been into your shopping. ( this was confirmed by a staff member)


While I understand there is always going to be a level of additional checks needed, the fact that out of 9 people at the tills 8 were red-flagged and needed a member of staff to do a check is a little alarming.


But that isn’t what made my blood pressure rise, and it isn’t what made me question the organizational skills of management and corporate planners. What was really irking was this….

 

5 members of staff in the self-scan checkout space! 1 with a hand scanner, doing the “scanning” was powered by go-slow juice and the other 4 ignored the customers to discuss whatever it was they decided was more important. (one of which was according to their badge a "manager".


They did eventually notify people there was only one scanner but by that time the customers were already complaining to each other about the level of service, lack of customer support and how it was plainly idiotic to replace the bulk of the tills with self scan only to have a major choke point where customers can become clan-disgruntled.



Then I looked again at the scanner, and my user experience consulting head exploded. Apparently I was waiting for a Quality Check? … a what? Someone was going to check the quality of my goods? To see if the bananas were fresh or the frozen produce was at the required sub-zero temperature?


NOPE… In some twisted concept of trying to make a “we want to see if you have stolen something or mistakenly not scanned an item” into a customer friendly worded phrase someone had decided to claim the procedure was a “Quality Check” its wasn’t, it was a basket check, they had randomly selected me for a check- which is fine but don’t lie about it, its nothing to do with quality so stop….. wait , what is this…….. a "Colleague" is coming to help me? The last time I checked a colleague was someone who you work with in a business or profession, perhaps there was a ghost in the machine and it thought I worked here…. Nope someone has decided to use internal voice wording (there is nothing wrong with a business using the term colleague internally) but forgotten to switch it to consumer facing words so now, apparently someone I work with is coming to check the quality of my shopping.



Is this perhaps the sandaled shoe of the luddite middle management attempting to sabotage a perfectly workable and efficient evolution of a consumer’s shopping experience. Perhaps it is unintentional mis-labeling of and operation.

Add to this the hand printed “card only” A4 laminated signs taped to the posts at each checkout at the customer service desk and in other locations in what is a modern retail location, and I have to wonder. Would it not be better if the management were adjusting procedures and putting in place actions to remove the sources of customer frustration rather than taping signs up everywhere and discussing last night’s goggle box in front of the customers.


User experience is critical in gaining and maintaining customer loyalty and trust. Low prices, they are a magnet to draw in customers. But if the prices come with a proviso your experience will be poorly managed & frustrating your sales magnets and marketing spend might lead to limited repeat business. This doesn't just apply to retail. So if nothing else comes out of this rant, ask yourself this question....


If I was a customer interacting with the business I run, what are the things I can improve to remove negativity toward the buying process. Better still ask the customers, after all they are the ones buying your product or service.

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