According to a poll conducted by MailOnline, four out of five readers prefer staffed checkouts over self-service tills. This comes as supermarket Booths announced that it will be getting rid of self-service machines. After receiving over 500 votes in the first three hours of the survey, 84% of respondents said they preferred manned checkouts, while only 16% chose self-service. The decision by Booths, known as the ‘northern Waitrose’, has sparked a debate about the advantages of self-checkouts, especially in light of the ongoing issue of shoplifting. Age UK has stated that some older customers dislike using self-service tills, but Waitrose has made it clear that they will not be following Booths’ lead in returning to fully-staffed checkouts. Booths, which has 27 stores in northern England, made the decision to scrap self-checkouts because they believe that customers have a better experience at manned checkouts. However, industry sources have stated that they have not heard of any other supermarkets or retailers planning to eliminate self-checkouts. The British Independent Retailers Association has suggested that there may be a need for a reality check regarding the current level of retail theft and the potential risks associated with self-service tills.Booths, a supermarket chain with stores in Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire, and Cheshire, is the first in the UK to reintroduce fully-staffed checkouts. The company found that self-service machines were slow, unreliable, and impersonal, and decided to prioritize human intelligence over artificial intelligence. Staff at the chain emphasized the importance of providing customers with warm and personal care. With the exception of two stores in the Lake District, all Booths stores will have staff working at the tills. Nigel Murray, the managing director of Booths, stated in an interview with BBC Radio Lancashire that customers have expressed their dissatisfaction with the self-scan machines, citing their slowness, unreliability, and lack of personal interaction.Unmanned tills at Waitrose continue to be popular with shoppers, according to sources at the supermarket. However, there are challenges when it comes to scanning loose items such as fruit, vegetables, and bakery products. Visual verification is required for these items, and some customers struggle to differentiate between different types of produce.
Booths, a supermarket chain in the north of England, has decided to remove almost all self-service checkouts and reintroduce staffed tills. This move is aimed at reducing shoplifting, as employees can perform age checks when customers purchase alcohol. Nigel Murray, the managing director of Booths, emphasized the importance of personal care and human interaction in their business. They believe that serving customers with actual intelligence rather than artificial intelligence is a better approach.
Customers also expressed their preference for staffed tills. One customer from Leyland mentioned that chatting with staff makes the shopping experience more enjoyable. Age UK charity director, Caroline Abrahams, praised Booths’ decision, stating that it is a positive step, especially for older people.
The article includes an image of Nigel Murray, the managing director of Booths, who highlighted the importance of human interaction in their stores.Booths managing director Nigel Murray stated that the staff at the northern chain have a preference for engaging in conversations with customers. This preference is in contrast to the increasing use of self-service checkouts, which can be challenging for older customers who may struggle with payment and scanning their items. While self-service checkouts may work well for many shoppers, some older customers prefer the personal interaction with staff at the tills.
Murray believes that as technology advances, it is important for businesses to find a balance between automation and providing a non-automated, human option for customers. This is especially crucial for older customers who may find it difficult to navigate new technologies. By offering fully staffed checkouts, supermarkets can meet the needs of all their customers.
However, Waitrose, which has had self-checkouts for 12 years, has no plans to remove them. According to sources at Waitrose, unmanned tills are still popular with shoppers. The retailer believes that offering a choice between self-checkouts and staffed checkouts is important to cater to the preferences of their customers.
In conclusion, while some supermarkets like Booths are reintroducing fully staffed checkouts to accommodate older customers who prefer personal interaction, others like Waitrose continue to offer self-checkouts as they are popular among shoppers. The key is to strike a balance between automation and human interaction to meet the diverse needs of customers.Booths, a supermarket chain founded in 1847, has made an interesting development by deciding to remove self-checkouts from 27 of its stores across the North. The move has been described as significant by the British Independent Retailers Association. A display of freshly baked artisan bread at a Booths supermarket in Ripon, North Yorkshire, showcases the quality and variety of products available at the chain.
The list of Booths stores that will no longer have self-checkouts includes locations in Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire, and Cheshire. In Lancashire, stores in Barrowford, Nelson, Burscough, Ormskirk, Carnforth, Chorley, Clitheroe, Fulwood, Preston, Garstang, Hesketh Bank, Preston, Longridge, Preston, Longton, Preston, Lytham, Lytham St Annes, Penwortham, Preston, Poulton-le-Fylde, and Scotforth, Lancaster will no longer offer self-checkout options. In Cumbria, stores in Kendal, Kirkby Lonsdale, Milnthorpe, Penrith, and Ulverston will also remove self-checkouts. In Yorkshire, the stores in Ilkley, Ripon, and Settle will no longer have self-checkouts. In Cheshire, the stores in Hale Barns, Altrincham, and Knutsford will follow suit.
However, two Booths stores in Cumbria will continue to offer self-checkout options. This decision by Booths reflects a shift in the retail industry and highlights the importance of customer service and personal interaction in the shopping experience. By removing self-checkouts, Booths aims to provide a more personalized and enjoyable shopping experience for its customers.Booths has become the first supermarket chain in Britain to reintroduce fully-staffed checkouts. According to Andrew Goodacre, the CEO of the British Independent Retailers Association, independent retailers prefer to provide personal service at the till and see it as an opportunity to sell. Goodacre also mentioned that the current level of retail theft and the cost of self-service tills may be a deterrent for using them. The British Retail Consortium’s 2023 Crime Survey revealed that annual retail theft in Britain amounted to £953 million, with a total cost of £1.76 billion for the year. The survey also found a significant increase in incidents of violence and abuse towards retail colleagues. Another survey conducted by the organization showed a 27% rise in shoplifting in ten major UK cities. Robert Downes, the development manager for the Federation of Small Businesses in Manchester, praised Booths for removing self-checkouts and called for others to follow suit. He argued that the cost savings from self-checkouts are outweighed by the losses from shoplifting. Harry Rose, the editor of Which? magazine, commented on the impersonal nature of self-service tills and the issues they sometimes present. He mentioned that some shoppers are uncomfortable with being filmed or having to scan a receipt. However, others appreciate the convenience and time-saving aspect of self-checkouts. The debate on the use of self-service tills is expected to continue as technology advances and supermarkets make decisions on their deployment.Booths has become the first supermarket chain in Britain to reintroduce fully-staffed checkouts. According to a spokesperson for Booths, this decision was made because the model of having “colleagues serve customers” provides the best user experience. Feedback from shoppers overwhelmingly supported this move, with many expressing a preference for a more personalized service. The spokesperson stated that Booths believes serving customers directly leads to a better customer experience, aligning with their founding philosophy of providing the best goods in attractive stores staffed with first-class assistants. They also mentioned that self-checkouts will still be available in two of their stores in the Lake District to accommodate busy periods.Unfortunately, the given prompt is incomplete and does not provide any specific article or information to rewrite. Please provide the complete article or specify the topic you would like to have rewritten.
