Metropol

So given our discussion about the Tesco Metro and Sainsbury’s Central in Birmingham a few posts ago I thought I’d go into the centre and take a look at them whilst they’re both here.


It’s no surprise this is closing down. It’s very grim in there. There’s no mention of the store closing down but they seem to have introduced a 7pm closing time instead of 10pm.




To my surprise the Tesco Metro has had a well needed refurb. All new fridges, much MUCH more space in there, redesigned aisles, a new modern customer service desk and kiosk with a Travel Money booth installed and they’ve got rid of all manned checkouts and replaced them with about THIRTY self-service checkouts. This makes me think this can’t be rebranded to an Express with that many checkouts - but there still remains to be no trolly access so it’s still possible I guess. That said, the unreliable escalators to the top level were broken yet again. With this being the only access to the upper level bar a lift, they really need to get a new set of escalators installed as they’re constantly broken down.

Surely there's a staircase as well, for fire safety purposes if nothing else?

WillPS wrote: Sun 23 May, 2021 23.22 Surely there's a staircase as well, for fire safety purposes if nothing else?

There probably is one behind a fire escape but there’s no public accessible staircase - just the lift and escalators.

Ugh. I hate self checkout.

I don't work there!

Do you say the same when you pay for parking, or use a vending machine?

How about bagging your shopping at a manned checkout? Or hell, going around the shop filling your trolley; surely that's the job of a worker no?

WillPS wrote: Wed 26 May, 2021 00.15 Do you say the same when you pay for parking, or use a vending machine?

How about bagging your shopping at a manned checkout? Or hell, going around the shop filling your trolley; surely that's the job of a worker no?

No, because the technology works.

Self checkout constantly needs approval for items, and constant unexpected items in the bagging area. They just don't work properly.

Would I go back to having staffed basket only tills? No. Self checkouts on the whole have speeded up the process and you can have one member of staff supervising a bank of 20/30 tills.

robschneider wrote: Wed 26 May, 2021 11.40

WillPS wrote: Wed 26 May, 2021 00.15 Do you say the same when you pay for parking, or use a vending machine?

How about bagging your shopping at a manned checkout? Or hell, going around the shop filling your trolley; surely that's the job of a worker no?

No, because the technology works.

Self checkout constantly needs approval for items, and constant unexpected items in the bagging area. They just don't work properly.

It’s pretty rare that I have issues with unexpected items these days. They seem to have improved the tech or perhaps just tweaked the weights so it doesn’t happen as often as it once did.

gottago wrote: Wed 26 May, 2021 17.36

robschneider wrote: Wed 26 May, 2021 11.40

WillPS wrote: Wed 26 May, 2021 00.15 Do you say the same when you pay for parking, or use a vending machine?

How about bagging your shopping at a manned checkout? Or hell, going around the shop filling your trolley; surely that's the job of a worker no?

No, because the technology works.

Self checkout constantly needs approval for items, and constant unexpected items in the bagging area. They just don't work properly.

It’s pretty rare that I have issues with unexpected items these days. They seem to have improved the tech or perhaps just tweaked the weights so it doesn’t happen as often as it once did.

Likewise, I don't have a problem with waiting 20 seconds on the rare occasion I need to buy something age restricted either. There are some shops which were once a complete nightmare due to not having enough tills to cope with demand (hello Sainsbury's Central, Sheffield) but are now completely frictionless thanks to self-checkouts.

I also find doing a big shop somewhere that doesn't offer scan as you shop to be a complete pain in the arse, all that unloading and reloading of the trolley. Balls to that.

I find its the older machines that are still in service that are the problematic ones. The newer machines are always lightening fast.

Most delays at self service checkouts these days are more the staff not paying attention to the red lights when something needs approving. My local Morrisons has one member of staff who works it pretty much all the time and she’s so on the ball it’s unreal - I’d hate to see how many steps a day she gets in whizzing backwards and forwards. She also reminds me of the lady off BGT who played the keyboard on an ironing board which I always enjoy.