Self service...a boon or not??

[JDgreen227]

My live in GF and I were discussing this morning about how self-service has gradually infiltrated our everyday lives. Being an old fart, I can recall pumping Shell gasoline back in 1970 and earning $1.75 an hour, and then you-pump/you save gasoline came along: "Mini-service...you pump the gas, we wipe the glass...." And "World's best service...your own." And with the introduction of the Internet, self-service became a huge leap forward: Pay your heating and electric bill online, order that gadget from Amazon or Ebay, schedule your doctor appointments and required x-rays and prescription refills after logging in to AOL or Hotmail or Yahoo, or whatever....

Remember when we were told that self-service was the wave of the future? Well, it has taken me a long time to realize just how commonplace it has become, and while I heartily embrace technology...sometimes I wonder if it's a real step forward for the consumers. What is your opinion?

 

[rekees4300]

What is your opinion?

Companies love self service, it reduces their costs. Self service is fine if your have the skills to do it. I'll be damned if I can figure out how to operate those self checkouts at Krogers!

 

[brain55]

The place it can really annoy me is the bank. I was nearly escorted out of a bank one day when I was told they couldn't help me in my branch, that I'd need to use the courtesy phone.

Brian

 

[Toddao]

I don't like the self service ales at food stores or box stores, they are in business , I want them to wait on me.

 

[Coyote machine]

I don't like the self service ales at food stores or box stores, they are in business , I want them to wait on me.

Good luck with that! H. Depot mgr. told me recently that 'they' were going to tell me I couldn't return any more 'stuff', but gave no reason at all, except possibly I had their game to well figured out?!:confused3:

Service, HA! Thing of the past. Get used to it.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I took a trip up to Washington a few years ago and it was forbidden to pump your own gas - HUH, been doin it for 40 years. Nope, you can't do it. At first I was "man that's stupid" then I realized the fuel price was the same as Ca., but now there is a job created for a young person. BRILLIANT.

My thoughts are give people MORE SERVICE and you will create those entry level jobs for kids.

Least I ever paid for fuel was 0.17 cents a gallon all fluids checked, , got my oil checked, tires checked, windshield washed and a FREE set of glasses. Now people think I'm nuts telling that story.

 

[bcp]

I took a trip up to Washington a few years ago and it was forbidden to pump your own gas - HUH, been doin it for 40 years. Nope, you can't do it. At first I was "man that's stupid" then I realized the fuel price was the same as Ca., but now there is a job created for a young person. BRILLIANT.

Oregon, not Washington.



Bruce

 

[JDgreen227]

I took a trip up to Washington a few years ago and it was forbidden to pump your own gas - HUH, been doin it for 40 years. Nope, you can't do it. At first I was "man that's stupid" then I realized the fuel price was the same as Ca., but now there is a job created for a young person. BRILLIANT.

My thoughts are give people MORE SERVICE and you will create those entry level jobs for kids.

Least I ever paid for fuel was 0.17 cents a gallon all fluids checked, , got my oil checked, tires checked, windshield washed and a FREE set of glasses. Now people think I'm nuts telling that story.

Recall back in HS I pumped gas for $1.45 an hour and the fuel (Gulf) sold at 25.9 cents for the lowest octane, we cleaned windshields and checked oil and gave stamps and if you spent enough on gas you got a free drive thru car wash (and I operated the car wash) the good old days....

 

[Looking4new]

If you are nuts Cat_Driver, then so am I.

I remember those days all too well. I was the pump jockey in the small community where I grew older (because I will never grow up). 0.35 cents/imp gallon, check your oil sir/mam? Automatically grab the squeegie and do the windshield, side windows and rear window, lights too if they were dirty.

 

[powerpace]

Not pumping my own gas is good. When I travel cross country I dread having to pump my own fuel. Self checkout at retailers is for the birds too.

 

[MossRoad]

Recall back in HS I pumped gas for $1.45 an hour and the fuel (Gulf) sold at 25.9 cents for the lowest octane, we cleaned windshields and checked oil and gave stamps and if you spent enough on gas you got a free drive thru car wash (and I operated the car wash) the good old days....

Let's play with those numbers a bit....

Back then you could get 5.59 gallons of gas for that $1.45 per hour.

Today, gas here is $3.79.

$3.79 time 5.59 gallons would mean you'd have to pay the kid $21.22 per hour! :confused2:

YIKES! :laughing:

 

[Happy Gilmore]

Our little grocery store down the street still has a butcher on duty and the cashier will actually offer to help you carry the bags to the truck if you have a hand full. They even run a credit slip for regulars.

 

[MossRoad]

Our local grocery store chain of about 20 or so stores still has human cashiers and no self serve checkouts.
The cashiers are fast and we know most of them. They have baggers who load your carts, too. And if you want to drive up, they'll still help you load your groceries into your car, and, for that matter, they ask most elderly folks automatically.
However, their prices are the highest, but if you watch sales closely you can make out O.K. and get points off of gasoline purchase. I got gas for $1.47 the other day. :thumbsup:

Walmart and Meijer has self checkout and cashiers if you choose.
Walmart cashiers are S L O W as molasses and you have to load the cart yourself.
Meijer cashiers are fairly fast, but they put the bags in the merry go round and you have to load your cart yourself.
Walmart has the cheapest prices, but limited selection and store seems dirty.
Meijer has middle prices, and limited selections too.

Overall, when I go to a grocery store, I generally go to the cashier lines, unless I only have a few items, then I'll do self serve.

Banks are another thing.... I'd rather go to an ATM than stand in line for tellers. Much more convenient.

 

[whistlepig]

Back in the day when I pumped gas there were no roofs over the pumps.

 

[Cat_Driver]

If you are nuts Cat_Driver, then so am I.

I remember those days all too well. I was the pump jockey in the small community where I grew older (because I will never grow up). 0.35 cents/imp gallon, check your oil sir/mam? Automatically grab the squeegie and do the windshield, side windows and rear window, lights too if they were dirty.

Ya that 0.17 was during GAS PRICE WARS - started at 0.30 then they guy across the street lowered to 0.28 then the next guy lowered until they got to 0.17 / gal - that was in the late 60's

 

[square1]

Now people think I'm nuts telling that story.

So sad, you really believe it's the story that makes them think that

I was the pump jockey in the small community where I grew older (because I will never grow up)

Same here. Being low seniority I always got Friday nights. During football season most Friday night station traffic never bought anything, they just wanted directions to the high school. I would give them directions for the worst route that would eventually get them there, our football field was across town from the high school

 

[Looking4new]

Ya that 0.17 was during GAS PRICE WARS - started at 0.30 then they guy across the street lowered to 0.28 then the next guy lowered until they got to 0.17 / gal - that was in the late 60's

During price wars they got it pretty cheap. I pumped in the early '60's.61-64 The only roof at the gas station was on the building the mechanic worked in. When I wasn't pumping gas I was changing over tires from winter to summer and doing flat repairs.

 

[Gary Fowler]

At the local Mom n Pop community store (now long gone)where I grew up it was self service if you wanted to or the owner would pump it if you waited till he had no customers. $.30 per gallon for premium. Back then every community had at least one store that sold gas, basic groceries and sodas. Almost all had free air and a gauge hanging on the wall next to the compressor to check your tires. How long would that stay there today before someone stole it? and the compressor too likely!! A couple even had tire repair stand and tools so you could fix your own flats (they sold the tube patches and later plugs for tubeless tires. That was service even if you had to do it yourself.