I8 cent drama

For the most part, I LOVE technology. I really do. I think back to the pre-internet days when you had to go to a big yellow book to find a phone number and then flip back and forth because when you got to "Doctor" it would say "see Physician" or when you found "Rug cleaner" it would send you to the "Carpet" section. When you wanted to drop a quick note to a friend on the opposite coast by the time she got it everything you'd written had changed, and by the time you got her reply at least three weeks had passed.

So, for all of it's convenience I really appreciate technology. But then, it comes to the major chain grocery store in the form of self-checkout. Who doesn't love not only having to bag your own groceries, but scanning them too? Actually, I don't really mind that too much except now they're discussing in the Bay Area the possibility of also charging for grocery bags. I kind of like that I am more careful about making sure the correct price rings up (I usually can't catch the mistakes when a cashier is ringing 'cause they go so fast). Don't you think they could do without the mean-voice on the machine yelling at you to put something in the tiny bagging-area that you've just put there (or telling you to remove something there that you've just scanned)? "Please place item in bagging area. Unexpected item in bagging area! Remove item!" But I digress.

Yesterday, I went to my local major chain grocery store, and let's just say that I really think Albert's sons should be training their employees in customer service. Overall, my experience with the self-check machine went smoothly. None of the usual unnecessary yelling. However, when it came time to pay for my bill, the total came to $15.18. In an attempt to use some of the coins that have accumulated in my purse, I deposited the 18 cents first and then followed it with a $20. The machine promptly read "$20 deposited, $4.82 change". Now, I really do hate to make a big deal over 18 cents, but when I've taken the time to save 10 cents by getting the store brand or 20 cents by choosing the eggs that are on sale, I'd really rather the machine not eat my pennies saved. So, I decided to speak with the employee monitoring the self-check lanes.

I showed her my receipt with the total and said, I deposited 18 cents, then $20 but didn't get the correct change. "Well, your subtotal says 14.78," she responded curtly. "Yes, but the total was $15.18, the subtotal doesn't include sales tax," I replied trying not to notice her demeaning tone. "Oh, yeah," she said while reaching into the place where change is dispensed from the machine, "but there isn't any change here." "Yes, the machine took it," now I'm getting frustrated. "Well, I can give you 18 cents, but you didn't put any coins in," now her voice has become accusatory. Ok, I just need to stop for a second and ask Why on Earth? would she think I'm lying about putting the change in???? It's 18 cents, for goodness sake! Finally she decided to hand me over to guy who was at one of the nearby check stands. When I told him what had happened, he took the change I had received from the machine and gave me the $5 bill, no questions asked.

Was the 10 minutes and trouble it took to do this really worth the 18 cents? No, not really (I had a similar incident happen at a gas station last week, and it took a lot more to get my $5 back though). But, having worked in a number of industries in which customer service is extremely important, I have learned that it's typically worthwhile to bring up problems in "the system". The customer is not always right as some slogans say, but it's never ok to make a customer feel stupid, or accused of lying especially when it's the machine's word against her's.

I think I'll call Albertson's, and I might just stop feeding my cash into those machines.