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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Tesco

71 replies

Kidsfortea · 05/08/2022 17:21

Please tell me if I'm out of line here.
Went into my local tescos today. Wanted to pay cash. This means that I now cannot use any of the self service tills as they are now card only.
The queues for the manned tills were horrendous but only half of them were open. I asked a passing member of staff why the tills were shut.
Her answer was because we want people to have to use the self service tills.
Why are we doing the job for them? Does this reflect on the prices, obviously not.
A lady in the same queue as me said that they made an older lady cry as she only had cash but didn't realise the manned till she had gone to was card only...she hadn't got one. Was given no help at all.

Aibu to question why cash is no longer a thing and why we have to use self service? Do these staff members not realise that their jobs are on the line here?

OP posts:
TimeForTeaAndG · 05/08/2022 17:24

I'm sure the staff realise it but it's head office that make the decisions and they have to implement them.

GreenestValley · 05/08/2022 17:25

Cash is clearly becoming obsolete as society becomes digital first. In the main this is a democratising, empowering thing thats good for consumers.

the staff members arent in control of the strategy of the company they work for, its not like they can turn it around on their own.

bestbefore · 05/08/2022 17:26

It's going self serve everywhere now, even at bag drop/ check in at airports. Removing humans. Mainly it must be quicker for the customer but not always convenient for everyone. Cheaper for the companies for sure!

TimeForTeaAndG · 05/08/2022 17:26

The less cash used, the lower the fees to pay for the secure pickups as fewer bags/need picked up less often.

No staff needed to refill the machine if it runs out of change.

CuriousCatfish · 05/08/2022 17:28

Kidsfortea · 05/08/2022 17:21

Please tell me if I'm out of line here.
Went into my local tescos today. Wanted to pay cash. This means that I now cannot use any of the self service tills as they are now card only.
The queues for the manned tills were horrendous but only half of them were open. I asked a passing member of staff why the tills were shut.
Her answer was because we want people to have to use the self service tills.
Why are we doing the job for them? Does this reflect on the prices, obviously not.
A lady in the same queue as me said that they made an older lady cry as she only had cash but didn't realise the manned till she had gone to was card only...she hadn't got one. Was given no help at all.

Aibu to question why cash is no longer a thing and why we have to use self service? Do these staff members not realise that their jobs are on the line here?

Yes the staff know. Do you assume they are stupid? It's not the shop floor staff that make these decisions though. So no point raking it out on them.

Sprogonthetyne · 05/08/2022 17:31

Of course the staff know that everyone switching to self-service will result in some of them will loose their jobs at some point in the future. BUT if they don't follow the head office police they will be the one to lose their jobs today not as some future point.

Your getting annoyed at the wrong people.

Snaketime · 05/08/2022 17:31

The whole no money and use of self service isn't the staffs fault, it is head office, they are doing it so they don't need to have as many staff on at one time. The staff should have helped the old lady a bit more than they did, but then again they are on just above minimum wage, working a crappy job, I suppose they are passed caring.

CuriousCatfish · 05/08/2022 17:34

I don't think working in a supermarket is a 'crappy job' It's a perfectly respectable job.

sunsetsandsandybeaches · 05/08/2022 17:34

Aibu to question why cash is no longer a thing and why we have to use self service? Do these staff members not realise that their jobs are on the line here?

Of course they realise, but what do you think they can do about it?

girlfriend44 · 05/08/2022 17:35

It's awful they are trying to bully us into a cashless society.

Many reasons why it shouldn't happen but if we all allow it it might.
As for self service machines they are wrong and they take jobs. Supermarkets lose alot of money this way so why not get staff and cut down on theft.

PancakesWithCheese · 05/08/2022 17:37

Did they not have one self service machine that takes cash? They do in my local Tesco. To be honest my biggest issue with Tesco is that it often doesn’t have any actual food.

girlfriend44 · 05/08/2022 17:40

Snaketime · 05/08/2022 17:31

The whole no money and use of self service isn't the staffs fault, it is head office, they are doing it so they don't need to have as many staff on at one time. The staff should have helped the old lady a bit more than they did, but then again they are on just above minimum wage, working a crappy job, I suppose they are passed caring.

How things have gone down then. Customers should be made to feel important they are keeping people in jobs.
Is that the way we want to go.
As for head office deciding they would soon change their mind if ppl stopped accepting it and asked for a till to be opened etc.

BattenburgDonkey · 05/08/2022 17:43

Do these staff members not realise that their jobs are on the line here?

Of course they do. Do you not realise the staff can’t change it, or offer the old lady extra help, because none of it is up to them? I agree it’s stupid that the self service don’t take cash now, but it’s not the staffs fault is it.

Original poster
Kidsfortea · 05/08/2022 17:46

sunsetsandsandybeaches · 05/08/2022 17:34

Aibu to question why cash is no longer a thing and why we have to use self service? Do these staff members not realise that their jobs are on the line here?

Of course they realise, but what do you think they can do about it?

I don't think the staff can do anything about it but I really think the public could.
The more people that use manned tills the better for the staff.
I was not rude to the staff member at all.
If this carries on what about the elderly person that has only that limited contact with people.
I just think it is sad that these days no one seems to care.

OP posts:
Original poster
Kidsfortea · 05/08/2022 17:48

PancakesWithCheese · 05/08/2022 17:37

Did they not have one self service machine that takes cash? They do in my local Tesco. To be honest my biggest issue with Tesco is that it often doesn’t have any actual food.

In my area they have got rid of all cash self service and have now converted more tills into manned card only, so fewer and fewer.

OP posts:
FangsForTheMemory · 05/08/2022 17:49

GreenestValley · 05/08/2022 17:25

Cash is clearly becoming obsolete as society becomes digital first. In the main this is a democratising, empowering thing thats good for consumers.

the staff members arent in control of the strategy of the company they work for, its not like they can turn it around on their own.

Bollocks. It means that customers do the work that checkout operators used to and anyone who doesn't have a debit card or money in their bank account is screwed.

sunsetsandsandybeaches · 05/08/2022 17:51

The more people that use manned tills the better for the staff.

I mean, that only works if the checkouts are open and you have the time to stand and wait.

notanicepersonapparently · 05/08/2022 17:51

I agree it's a shame that there are not more manned tills and tills that make money. It is a cost saving measure as it takes less staff and there is less opportunity for staff theft. Also the banks charge fees to handle cash and provide floats which are higher than the card fees I believe ( I couldn't quote the numbers as it's been some time since I worked in this field).

notanicepersonapparently · 05/08/2022 17:52

Tills that take money that should say

WeeOrcadian · 05/08/2022 18:03

My local Matalan has one till that takes cash, the rest are self service and card only.

If I go to my local (24 hour) Asda in the evening, there's only ever ONE till open and the rest are card only / self scan and card only. It's the future apparently.

UmbrellaSparrow · 05/08/2022 18:07

Not really answering your question re cash Vs card etc but just wanted to say it's people like you who really make retail workers life so fucking difficult. Do NOT take your annoyance out on people on the shop floor. 90% of them will agree with you but they do not make the stores decisions. It doesn't take much brain cell to work that out. I work in retail & I get absolutely sick to the back teeth of getting yelled at, blamed & questioned about company policies & decisions from people like you.

KatherineJaneway · 05/08/2022 18:18

The more people that use manned tills the better for the staff.

The other day in Tesco (it was early), no main tills were open. Only self service. Half take card only.

LumpyandBumps · 05/08/2022 18:22

My local Tesco still has at least 2 tills for cash purchases.
They are always in use, and there is often a small queue for them.
I didn’t realise there were any stores that with no self service cash tills. It must mean more people going through the staffed tills, which seems rather short sighted.

MintJulia · 05/08/2022 18:24

Tesco need to be careful who they treat with contempt.

I was at PizzaExpress last night and their card terminals stopped working. Luckily we were in a town centre and we left the dcs at the table while we went to the cash point. But PizzaExpress are friendly, helpful etc. I didn't mind.

If Tesco's card machines stop working, I'd just abandon my trolley & walk out. I wouldn't take the trouble to find a cash machine for them! What goes around, comes around.

abblie · 05/08/2022 18:39

I this happened to me checked all my stuff in realised it was card only on had cash received no help whatsoever so I just left my shopping there and walked out 🙈 not my proudest moment