Disability News - Supermarket introduces 'relaxed' lane

rockingbilly

suki1964 wrote: »

All our supermarkets go to the pace of the customer

A checkout operater will pack your bag as they go, load the bags into your trolley and arrange for someone to wheel your trolley to the car if you need further help

And that service isn't just offered to the elderly or obviously infirm/disabled, it's offered to all customers

Which supermarket are you referring to?
It certainly doesn't feature in our Tesco or Sainsburys' stores.
Many times I have tried to pack with one hand with my stick in the other. The operators just don't see that I have problems. As for offering that service to everyone, I have never seen it happen.

Ames

I can't remember the last time they didn't offer to pack my bags. I'm not brand loyal so that would be across a range of supermarkets, apart from Lidl or Aldi. I don't use those precisely because of problems packing.

Teapot55

Lidl have a counter / worktop just beyond the checkout area.

As you go through the checkout you are encouraged to put the stuff straight back into your trolley or basket. I then put my rucksack / shopping bags onto the counter / worktop to pack them at my own pace & there's no hassle from the next person. Then there's time to put your wallet away safely / stand & check the receipt / put your gloves back on / make a phone-call, whatever & all the while your heavy bags are on the counter, not breaking your arm.

If I am shopping using the car I take the trolley straight to the car, where my cool-boxes & other bags are laid out neatly in the boot. Everything is at the right height going from trolley to boot & there have been no heavy bags to lift out of the trolley, as nothing is in bags yet. Have to remember to park front end in first, so the boot is easier to get to. Arriving home the heavy bags are at the right height in the boot to be lifted with the least effort.

Also in Lidl the checkout assistants never, but never start putting your stuff through until the previous person has completely left the till area. Then they go, and boy, do they go fast, but you can keep up if you have taken care to put the heavy stuff through at the beginning & left the 'delicates' to last. By the same token, the assistants never start doing the next customer's stuff until you are ready & moving away towards the counter.

The shop have saved on checkout assistant time & you have been able to pack either at leisure or chuck & go as you choose.

(My local Aldi have sort of got the same thing, but they have forgotten the reasons for the customer counter & there is loads of cr*p on their one that stops you using it).

suki1964

rockingbilly wrote: »

Which supermarket are you referring to?
It certainly doesn't feature in our Tesco or Sainsburys' stores.
Many times I have tried to pack with one hand with my stick in the other. The operators just don't see that I have problems. As for offering that service to everyone, I have never seen it happen.

Let me see, that would be our Tescos, our Sainsburys, our Marks , our Asda, our spars, maces, supervalus etc

Even lidl where they train the fastest checkout operatives in the world, they will stop and help a customer pack

See we still have a customer service ethic here in Northern Ireland because if we didn't get service, we wouldn't go back

This is why local shops still hold their own against the supermarkets and even thrive

suki1964

Ames wrote: »

I can't remember the last time they didn't offer to pack my bags. I'm not brand loyal so that would be across a range of supermarkets, apart from Lidl or Aldi. I don't use those precisely because of problems packing.

Lidl is easy to pack in as Teapot has pointed out. You load straight back into the trolley and move away from the till to the packing area

When I was a kid and checkouts first came about, there was always a shelf to move to for packing They are fast in lidl, seriously fast, they have targets to keep. But they never rush you on

Doom_and_Gloom

At the supermarket I work for we are told to go at the speed of the customer. If I see a customer struggling I ask them if they would like someone to help them and/or pack for them. More often than not they say no, they will do it themselves; as a wheelchair user myself I understand the want to do something yourself when you can. You just adjust your speed to the customer.
We have a regular blind customer who has help from start to finish in our store and we have wheelchair and mobility scooter regulars who ask for an assistant to help them from start to finish also. You adjust yourself to the customers needs.
We have till busters for busy times and/or when there are people with disabilities/mobility issues meaning till lines are getting long.
There shouldn't be need for these kind of tills if a supermarket is doing things correctly.

The only till I ever went through that was aimed for the disabled was years ago at a Mr A. It was the only till a wheelchair user with the attachment trolley could fit through though.

fredandwilma

Ames wrote: »

I can't remember the last time they didn't offer to pack my bags. I'm not brand loyal so that would be across a range of supermarkets, apart from Lidl or Aldi. I don't use those precisely because of problems packing.

Even if you are offered help packing, it still doesn't stop impatience from the customers behind?

Doom_and_Gloom wrote: »

The only till I ever went through that was aimed for the disabled was years ago at a Mr A. It was the only till a wheelchair user with the attachment trolley could fit through though.

That's a valid point. Wheelchair accessible lanes required?

rockingbilly

suki1964 wrote: »

Let me see, that would be our Tescos, our Sainsburys, our Marks , our Asda, our spars, maces, supervalus etc

Even lidl where they train the fastest checkout operatives in the world, they will stop and help a customer pack

See we still have a customer service ethic here in Northern Ireland because if we didn't get service, we wouldn't go back

This is why local shops still hold their own against the supermarkets and even thrive

We do our shopping at either Tesco, Sainsbury's, and M&S. Of those the only one that actually gives a service with the till operator packing without having to be asked is M&S. They have rows of tills that only one person at a time can go to. They call your number and you can take as long as it takes. Asda, is the worst not only for the lack of BB spaces but they actually charge for you to park there! Mind you if you spend about £8 you get your parking charge refunded. I have never used spar, maces, supervalue or any of the other cheap stores, I just don't feel comfortable in the places.

teddysmum

The week after Christmas, I had a mild panic at a Tesco checkout as I'd lost a £6 off voucher, which I did know I had while in the queue.


The man behind started huffing and puffing and the young lady on the till told me to take as long as I liked as 'no one gets upset at my till'.


I found it on the floor behind be and the huffing man must have seen me drop it but failed to tell me.


I thought she was very kind, so, as in the case of the male stacker who went to the aid of anyone who couldn't reach the top shelves in the freezer cabinets, I took their name and reported their kindness to customer service.


It's worth doing this if you have extra unasked for help, as the staff to get recognition. (They have special commendation evenings). The customer service staff said it was nice to be recognized but that few people bother to compliment good service.

Ames

fredandwilma wrote: »

Even if you are offered help packing, it still doesn't stop impatience from the customers behind?

I was talking more generally, in response to Andy's claim that no supermarkets offer help with packing.