A New Definition of Easier
"So how long have you been in the supermarket?" asked Checkout Man.
"Like how d'you mean?" replied Daphne with Wilful Disobedience, entering into the conversation with gusto, as if it were a New Parking System Roleplay.
"I need to know how long you've been here in order to validate your Smartcard."
"Well, I don't know. And if I did I wouldn't tell you. I've just spent over £50 here and I don't think part of the transaction should be explaining how long it took me."
"But I need to know how long you've been here in order to validate your Smartcard."
"Yes, I know. But I'm not going to tell you. So please either validate it or call the manager."
Poor lad. He validated it.
At the Sainsbury's I sometimes visit in Huddersfield, they have introduced a new parking system.
Notice that word "easier" on the poster?
Before the introduction of the new parking system, you drove into their car park, you parked your car, you went shopping in the supermarket, and you drove off again.
But now there is a new system.
You have to queue to go in, and get a little card from the machine on the way in, and then get it "validated" at the checkout - though I think Checkout Man was being a little over-enthusiastic with its implementation - and then queue to go out again. If you spend under a fiver at the supermarket you can park for half an hour. If you pay more than a fiver you can park for up to two and a half hours.
So I think the word "easier" in this context can be taken to mean "more difficult".
Ah well, Sainsbury's would say that the reason for it is that some people were using Sainsbury's car park to park for free to go into the town centre, the evil criminals.
But, as I pointed out to Checkout Man, the car park was no less full than usual. What people will now do is to park there as usual and buy a few things from Sainsbury's - everyone can find something they need from the supermarket, surely? to get them some parking for up to two and a half hours.
So who benefits? Not the customer, certainly. Could it be Sainsbury's? Yes, it could.
"Like how d'you mean?" replied Daphne with Wilful Disobedience, entering into the conversation with gusto, as if it were a New Parking System Roleplay.
"I need to know how long you've been here in order to validate your Smartcard."
"Well, I don't know. And if I did I wouldn't tell you. I've just spent over £50 here and I don't think part of the transaction should be explaining how long it took me."
"But I need to know how long you've been here in order to validate your Smartcard."
"Yes, I know. But I'm not going to tell you. So please either validate it or call the manager."
Poor lad. He validated it.
At the Sainsbury's I sometimes visit in Huddersfield, they have introduced a new parking system.
Notice that word "easier" on the poster?Before the introduction of the new parking system, you drove into their car park, you parked your car, you went shopping in the supermarket, and you drove off again.
But now there is a new system.
You have to queue to go in, and get a little card from the machine on the way in, and then get it "validated" at the checkout - though I think Checkout Man was being a little over-enthusiastic with its implementation - and then queue to go out again. If you spend under a fiver at the supermarket you can park for half an hour. If you pay more than a fiver you can park for up to two and a half hours.So I think the word "easier" in this context can be taken to mean "more difficult".
Ah well, Sainsbury's would say that the reason for it is that some people were using Sainsbury's car park to park for free to go into the town centre, the evil criminals.
But, as I pointed out to Checkout Man, the car park was no less full than usual. What people will now do is to park there as usual and buy a few things from Sainsbury's - everyone can find something they need from the supermarket, surely? to get them some parking for up to two and a half hours.
So who benefits? Not the customer, certainly. Could it be Sainsbury's? Yes, it could.
posted by Daphne at 6:38 pm
5 Comments:
Surely if it was a really smart Smartcard it would print the time of arrival on it and then even a halfway smart checkout operator should be able to work out how long you have used their easier parking without having to ask you the question.
There are a couple of not very smart checkout operators in my local Sainsburys who insist on asking every customer, even the really surly ones, "how are you today?" in a way which demands an answer. I am sure they have been trained to do this to make the shopping experience more personal and because they are conscientious (if a little slow) they follow the training regardless of whether the customer looks like they want to be asked the question.
Frankly I prefer to use the checkout operators who can't be bothered because I don't always want to enter into a conversation at a checkout. If I am in the mood/have the time to chat I will initiate the conversation myself. Usually I just want to get my shopping, pay for it and go. That would be a lot easier.
Hells bells, if they start doing that at my local Sainsbury's I shall find somewhere else to shop!
ruth, you are right.
Not only are they trained to ask how you are (regardless of whether you want to be asked or not) but if they have a particularly zealous manager they get into trouble if they get caught not asking enough people.
Good for you for standing your ground. Agreed the whole thing sounds ridiculous with smart cards for parking at a supermarket!!
Aaaahhhh Sainsbury's in Huddersfield know it well.
was almost homesick then for a moment
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