Thursday, September 29, 2011

Won't Miss #371 - methodical scanners

Yeah, I'm talking about this guy (among others). Learn how to use the equipment fellow!

I haven't lived in the U.S. for a long time, so this may be a problem there as well, but it's something I never experienced there. When I go to markets in Japan, at least 30% of the time when I am buying more than one of the same item, the cashier will scan the same item through again and again rather than scan it once and use the multiply function of the register. I've had slacktacular clerks methodically run eight bottles of the same beverage through at a snail's pace rather than press a few buttons and do it more efficiently. This behavior occurs regardless of how long the line behind me is and drives me crazy. If it was uncommon, I'd write it off to slow-witted or poorly trained employees, but it happens far too often to believe that. Also, this is hardly a country where employees aren't properly trained. If anything, they are over-trained and instructed in how to do their work down to the last detail.

I won't miss this tendency among clerks to choose ease over expediency when checking me out at stores.