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Welcome to July's Secret Subject Swap.
Again 5 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts.
Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts.
Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts.
Sit back, grab a cup and check them all out:
Baking In A Tornado
Wandering Web Designer
Climaxed
What TF Sarah
Part-Time Working Hockey Mom
My subject is
Is there a line that you believe should not be crossed when it comes to technological advances? Why or why not?
Short answer: Absolutely! Technology is wonderful in many ways and situations, and it eliminates human errors, but I think the line can't be crossed in situations where the "human touch" is required.
The more automated our daily lives become, the more are people actively looking for connection and communication. Most people at least. Some are perfectly happy to use an app and not talk to a person. My husband is one of them, he actually prefers it.
God knows we desperately need self-driving cars because many humans are terrible drivers!!
At our two big grocery chains in Switzerland, handheld scanners have been introduced a couple of years ago, and I love using them. You grab them at the entrance, get your groceries, scan them as you go and pack them in your own time using your own system.
The scanner will display prices and promotions, so while you shop may you always monitor your expenses.
When you're done, you scan at the self-check-out, pay with any debit or credit card, and you go your merry way. Or, if you only have a handful of items, you self-scan them directly at the check-out.
As soon as this was introduced, I started using it. Most younger people did so. There are almost always enough pay stations available right away, so there is no waiting. Lunch and after work rushes are busier. But even then, you're in and out the store much quicker than if you had to wait in line at the register, put every item on the belt and wait for the cashier to scan them. They don't pack for you, so you have to be quick to pay and grab your stuff before the next customer breathes down your neck. Ask any American expat in Switzerland, they'll tell you how stressful it is.
So self-scanning is a no brainer, one would think. And I don't worry about it taking cashier's jobs. They are still around to help customers who have difficulties or who are computer selected for random checks. Also they clean the scanners and hand out any stickers or vouchers you may have earned.
I think the entire self-scan "option" is being pushed in order to pursue three things:
- Electronic payment: Switzerland used to be quite cash oriented, especially prior to the pandemic, and cash creates over and short for various reasons, one of them being fraud.
- Just-in-time info on warehouse quantity. Think about it, the moment you grab and scan a couple of six-packs, the person in the procurement department knows they need to reorder soon.
- Customer profiling. In order to get your scanner, you need to use your customer loyalty card, which then allows the business to
serve you better target you for specific products and promotions. Some people feel like this is surveillance. OK then. Wait in line. I bet there are cameras that will record all of your items on the belt. Plus your face. Hahahaha!
In any case, I love my self scanning, and I consider it a moderate, yet effective technological development. I wish it had been around when Colin was little. What a life saver (and fun "toy") that would have been!
For the folks who come to the market to chat, the cash register option is still available, and that's what I mean by human touch. I fully understand that people in other life situations than mine, need and appreciate a little chat here and there. At the grocery store, the post office, the hairdresser...
While it's not exclusively senior people, many of them fall into this category, and with the shortage of medical and nursing home personnel, the "solution" may become to automatize processes for them. In theory it doesn't take a person to dispense meds in the morning. A cute little robot might count your pills and bring them to your bed. Maybe the robot would even speak. Like "good morning, Mrs so-and-so, rise and shine, here's your blood pressure meds. Breakfast will be served shortly."
So while your immediate physical needs might be met, what about the emotional ones? A friendly nurse that knows you recently lost your husband of 60 years, however you got a new great grand baby two time zones away and asks about them? Wouldn't that make all the difference?
If this pandemic taught us anything, it's that technology is fine and dandy, but we need some meaningful interaction to feel good about ourselves. Yes, attending Zoom meetings while wearing pyjama pants and having groceries and meals delivered to our footstep was convenient, but we crave get-togethers with our family and friends. We want to hug them, laugh with them, looking in their faces without wearing a mask!
How do you feel about technology? Does it make your life easier or harder? Should there be more or less technology? Let me know below, and please visit my fellow bloggers' posts!
Happy Weekend!
I don't mind self check out for a few items, but I really don't want to have to check myself out with bigger orders, and I think it's absurd that in many stores I have no choice. But what I hate the most is how intrusive the profiling is. It really makes me feel exposed and violated, as though there is nothing I can do or buy (or look into online) that is private.
ReplyDeleteProgress and technology is wondeful more or less
ReplyDeleteSelf checkout is good when we have only a few items
Yeah, my first thought is that they are taking jobs away from the cashiers. My second thought is that it is easier for "bad guys" to insert chips or whatever they do to catch your credit info when you use the self-check because they aren't as closely monitored. That said, I do kind of like the idea of scanning things as you put it in your cart and then paying for it all at the end. I can imagine if you have kids with you that makes it so much easier than standing in line. Nice post.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I am fascinated about these self scanners?! I would love that. I'm like your hubby and prefer to take things through apps when available. My husband is the exact opposite! He used two apps where his paycheck info goes and the music I downloaded for him. BUT he is a genius at two things ATM's and the grocery store self checkout. He can't even operate the remote very well. I kind of sucks though because he sees it all and thinks anything can be done so when I come up with a really awesome design or something he is never impressed!
ReplyDeleteWhen I am doing a big shop, I want a cashier to do the work. I get aggravated too easily. But for a few things, I'll use self-check out. Lines get ridiculous though, for both of them, so I find that if I can just order online and pick it up, that's what I prefer.
ReplyDeletebefore you buy a self driving car, please watch some videos of their safety tests on youtube. some are way way way better at stopping for pedestrians and in emergencies than others, and it might actually end up causing more problems than we have now which seems unbelievable but...
ReplyDelete