what irritates you Monday
Welcome back to what irritates you Monday.
This meme was began by Delores and I'm having fun being able to air some of my irritations publicly.
Irritation #3 is related to work.
"if you have a flybuys* card, please scan it now".
When scanning customers items we are required to ask if they have a FlyBuys* card.
When using the self-serve checkouts however, the machine does the asking.
As soon as you select "start" on the touch screen, a voice asks you to "please scan your first item".
Fair enough.
And then it reminds you about the card.
"If you have a FlyBuys* card, please scan it now".
But it doesn't stop there.
It continues to "remind" you at short (very short) intervals until you've finished your shopping, paid and taken your receipt.
I bought one item yesterday and in the time it took me to start, scan and pay, the machine requested that I scan a flybuys card four times.
FOUR.
When I touched on "finish and pay" it stalled and asked me to scan my FlyBuys card.
I don't have one.
We have six of these machines, so with people using all of them almost continuously, I hear this request far more often than I'd like to.
I've been heard to say, "the day I hear that in my sleep is the day I quit."
So you can see that for me, this is a major irritation.
On the upside, quitting sounds like it could be fun.....
Now, maybe my thinking is wrong, but to my mind, if a person signs up for one of these FlyBuys cards, shouldn't it be the responsibility of that person to remember to use it?
At a regular checkout, I'll ask a customer at the beginning of scanning and maybe again at the end, but usually just once.
Sometimes I forget altogether.
*This is a rewards card, whereby people "earn" rewards points according to what they buy and how much. From a range of stores, not just supermarkets.
When enough points have accumulated, they can be redeemed in various ways.
Most people I know redeem their points as gift cards which they can use to shop or give as gifts.
This meme was began by Delores and I'm having fun being able to air some of my irritations publicly.
Irritation #3 is related to work.
"if you have a flybuys* card, please scan it now".
When scanning customers items we are required to ask if they have a FlyBuys* card.
When using the self-serve checkouts however, the machine does the asking.
As soon as you select "start" on the touch screen, a voice asks you to "please scan your first item".
Fair enough.
And then it reminds you about the card.
"If you have a FlyBuys* card, please scan it now".
But it doesn't stop there.
It continues to "remind" you at short (very short) intervals until you've finished your shopping, paid and taken your receipt.
I bought one item yesterday and in the time it took me to start, scan and pay, the machine requested that I scan a flybuys card four times.
FOUR.
When I touched on "finish and pay" it stalled and asked me to scan my FlyBuys card.
I don't have one.
We have six of these machines, so with people using all of them almost continuously, I hear this request far more often than I'd like to.
I've been heard to say, "the day I hear that in my sleep is the day I quit."
So you can see that for me, this is a major irritation.
On the upside, quitting sounds like it could be fun.....
Now, maybe my thinking is wrong, but to my mind, if a person signs up for one of these FlyBuys cards, shouldn't it be the responsibility of that person to remember to use it?
At a regular checkout, I'll ask a customer at the beginning of scanning and maybe again at the end, but usually just once.
Sometimes I forget altogether.
*This is a rewards card, whereby people "earn" rewards points according to what they buy and how much. From a range of stores, not just supermarkets.
When enough points have accumulated, they can be redeemed in various ways.
Most people I know redeem their points as gift cards which they can use to shop or give as gifts.
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That would be worse than Muzak.
ReplyDeleteAnd I find it annoying to be asked by the checkout person if I have Flybuys. It should be the customers responsibility and once the total key is pressed, bad luck. They might remember better next time.
ReplyDeleteThey call them 'airmiles' cards here...and yes...annoying.
ReplyDeleteMy current irritation is being labelled the Pimp of Kemp Street because I visit a block of flats there whose caretaker is a psychotic man known as the village idiot of Thornbury. And who is popular with ladies thereabouts.
ReplyDeleteI have never run prostitutes but have known a few. Street girls. And they were too poor to give me anything.
I can definitely see where that would be annoying as all get-out. Kinda like the repeated recorded reminders you get while being kept on hold, assuring you of how "important" your phone call is.
ReplyDeleteJoanne; it's a good thing we don't get Muzak, that would put me to sleep in no time. Or have me running for the hills. We do get music over the PA, but regular songs from the easy listening station and not easily heard at the checkout section.
ReplyDeleteAndrew; it bothers me having to ask, but we're told to. I agree it should be the responsibility of the card holder to remember.
Delores; I find it more annoying that customers don't remember for themselves after years and years of asking. AND they can never find the card without a complete search of all wallet pockets.
R.H. perhaps a t-shirt with the slogan "I am NOT a pimp" would help. Or you could stay away from those flats...
Susan; oh yes, they are also very irritating. I usually give them one minute, then hang up, find their email address and send a message that way instead. Sometimes I ignore voice calls and go straight to emailing.
I couldn't wear a T-shirt like that don't be ridiculous when people gossip they only see what suits them in my case it would be pimp.
ReplyDeleteGo on, say it, you want me to take part in a PIMP PRIDE MARCH!
ReplyDeleteR.H. my comment was meant as a joke.
ReplyDeleteMine too, don't get ornery, when you come here I'm taking you on the roller coaster, Luna Park. Then we're off to Jahteh's for dinner. Don't tell her, it'll be a nice surprise.
ReplyDeleteI'm hounded if I don't have one of these cards, and I need to get them. And even the SAME PLACE has several different KINDS. And. Most annoying? They each want a separate password to access their accounts.
ReplyDeleteAverage shoppers likely go to 20 places, and have an email account, facebook, pin numbers for banks. There is no way to remember it all.
BTW, I left a comment on my blog but don't know that you come back to check it so have copy/pasted:
Ha ha! You missed the sarcasm. People with disabilities are tired of being called "inspirations" and AWEsome if they have AWEtism. That sort of patronising garbage. People mean well, but you're supposed to have a good laugh at how funny it is when it's applied to YOU. :)
I signed up for a Flybuys card way waaaay back in 1994 and have collected two rewards on it since. Either I'm a stingy shopper or their rewards are, because I always remembered to get the card scanned!
ReplyDeleteHi River,
ReplyDeleteI've used those self-service machines and they drive me batty with their extremely loud instructions.
I feel sorry for those poor staff members who are there to help people who simply should not be using them.
:0)
Cheers
PM
That would drive me spare!
ReplyDeleteWe refuse to use self-serve checkouts as they do PEOPLE out of jobs. I once had a Fly By card but as I don't spend more than I need to it didn't achieve anything at all. Not had one for years now and seldom get asked except at KMart perhaps.
ReplyDeleteR.H. roller coaster? I don't think so, but I'll take photos of you hurtling up and down the rails.
ReplyDeleteHappy Elf Mom; I don't have any rewards cards for any stores. I figure it's a waste of time, since I don't shop enough anywhere to earn enough rewards points. Thanks for the comment. I "kind of" got it, but wasn't sure that's what was meant.
Kath Lockett; the rewards system was poor to begin with, but last year there was an overhaul and now there are more points to be gained at more stores, blah, blah, I still won't get a card.
Plasman; I've noticed the shoppers who use them more than a couple of times have picked up the system pretty quickly and have no trouble. But the instructions are too loud and annoying.
sleepydwarf; I'm batty enough without going nuts over this. If they could just turn down the volume or something.
Mimsie; a lot of my customers say the same thing, but we haven't had to put off any of our staff. Of course we were never fully staffed to begin with, there's always a shortage of checkout operators. I've not bothered to get a Flybuys card, I just don't shop enough to make it worthwhile.
Total agreement with ya.
ReplyDelete