Lidl/Aldi Checkout Speed Trauma

Going Forward

dudara wrote: »

I think it's because people get annoyed when they see time being wasted on something that can be done efficiently and quickly. It's a natural reaction to waste. We all have to shop, we all have to go through checkout queues, so why can't we all do it efficiently? Some people seem to have no sense of the impact their actions have.

I fly a lot for work and I feel the same about people who spend ages putting their coats, handbags and laptop bags in the overhead bins, when they're quite clearly told to put those items under the seats. It's ineffcient and highlights how people can't listen to simple instructions from the stewards.

What must be borne in mind is that people are just that, people; they're not robots, some are a bit thick, some dont listen, some are pre occupied with other things and some will always want to do things their own way.

This is real LIFE, where thankfully everyone is just a little different.

I would love if Aldi/Lidl did a customer survey to see what the customer prefers.

I very much doubt that the customer wants this Ryanair/almost rude style of checkout- and I am only talking about the speed at the till, I have no problem with the stores or goods on sale.

And still no one has explained who the fast till work actually contributes to the stores bottom profit line. If it does contribute to profits it must be imperceptible- they could reap more profits by appealing to more customers with better customer service.

Again, a little more care would be appreciated.

spank_inferno

Going Forward wrote: »

What must be borne in mind is that people are just that, people; they're not robots, some are a bit thick, some dont listen, some are pre occupied with other things and some will always want to do things their own way.

This is real LIFE, where thankfully everyone is just a little different.

I would love if Aldi/Lidl did a customer survey to see what the customer prefers.

I very much doubt that the customer wants this Ryanair/almost rude style of checkout- and I am only talking about the speed at the till, I have no problem with the stores or goods on sale.

And still no one has explained who the fast till work actually contributes to the stores bottom profit line. If it does contribute to profits it must be imperceptible- they could reap more profits by appealing to more customers with better customer service.

Again, a little more care would be appreciated.

Ok, mabey its just where I'm from (Wicklow Town) but comparing our local Tesco vs Lidl, its Lidl that manage to win with both efficiency & customer care.

The local tesco here is just terrible

hdowney

spank_inferno wrote: »

Ok, mabey its just where I'm from (Wicklow Town) but comparing our local Tesco vs Lidl, its Lidl that manage to win with both efficiency & customer care.

The local tesco here is just terrible

you are not wrong. awful place to shop our tesco. before i got big into going to lidl i would drive to arklow to use their tesco for my shop!!! but generally our lidl is a much nicer place to shop. staff are friendly and helpful and you get some nice stuff in there

thesandeman

It probably helps their profit because people like me who dont want to be standing waiting behind some slowcoach fuddering (if thats a word) around with their bags go back more often because I know I will be served efficiently and quickly so I can get on with the rest of my life.

Melendez

This post has been deleted.

syklops

Going Forward wrote: »

These are the sheeple who have been successfully conditioned to move away from the till area, to the delight of both management and the impatient throng in the queue behind.

I still think its a cra* system.

You don't just think its a crap system. Instead you seem to have a genuine bee in your bonnet about it. Why else would you make eleven posts on the subject in a thread, at last count, of 97 posts.

If you don't like it, stop bitching on the internet about it, and go shop in SuperQuinn in stead where you and the cashier can discuss the price of tinned soup until closing time.

A Primal Nut

Patricide wrote: »

I even heard rumours that they have some sort of pedal they must push to the floor while they are working at the till; and that the time spent is compared to the amount of items scanned. Dunno how true that is but it wouldn't shock me.

I worked in Lidl.There are no pedals. Not sure why there would be pedals. Maybe there was one for moving and stopping the conveyer belt manually i forget.

Its true that the time spent is compared to the amount of items scanned. The target is 36 items per minute. Time starts when they scan the first product of the each customer.

The time only stops running when the till opens. So time spent waiting for customers to pay is included. If they pack before paying that impacts the checkier's time considerably. So obviously they prefer if the customer pays first then continues packing.

I was accused of being too fast by customers regularly; even then I rarely reached 36 items per minute so there you go.

I know the whole idea behind lidl and aldi is that they hire far less staff than other comparably sized super markets. The staff get a better pay but must do much more work and that is why speed is the key.

It's true that we were supposed to ring two bells when there were three or more trolleys in the queue. But there is a shortage of staff and checkouts in Lidl and unfortunately there is usually one or two needed on the floor make sure there there is enough stock.

A Primal Nut

Eleganza wrote: »

ALDI/LIDL are a good deal more professional in Germany from my experience.
Shelves are better stacked with cardboard boxes taken away frequently.
Cashier desks open and close as needed with a message playing to tell you when a desk is opening.
Cashiers will step away from desks and tidy shelves when there are no customers waiting and then hop back on to the desk when a customer wants to checkout.
Staff are friendly too.
I never had any huge criticism of LIDL or ALDI in Ireland but they're just much more professional in Germany.

All the above is done by LIDL staff in Ireland too. Jumping on and off tills depending on whether there are customers is expected - always leaving at least one behind of course but even then they'll find something to do.

Sounds like they have much more staff in Germany - nothing to do with professionalism. In my store at busy times all but one of the workers would be on the till. At crazy busy times (a few times a week) Sometimes all the staff and even the manager were on the till. So it was impossible to keep shelves stacked and tidy. All the professonalism in the world wouldn't change that.

SeamusFX

My biggest complaint with Aldi/Lidl is when they do open a new till they don't say "Next person in the queue please!", so the people at the end of the existing queue run to the front of the queue of the new till that just opened. Maybe this a Paddy thing and they should have more manners, but the Aldi/Lidl staff could help things by saying the 6 magic words when they open a new till: "Next person in the queue please!"... Is there the same free-for-all in German Aldi/Lidls when a new till is opened, or do the Germans automatically let those waiting the longest go first in an orderly fashion?

A Primal Nut

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

I agree with WIZE. You are not expected to be packing at the checkout - that's why there is no space there. You fill the goods back into the trolley and use the packing area at your leisure when you've paid.

True, but I gave up telling people because of the abuse I got when I tried suggesting this to people. 'Don't be telling me where to pack" etc. Another tip for efficent shopping in LIDL is to take all your stuff out of boxes, bags etc when placing them on te conveyor belt.

syklops

SeamusFX wrote: »

My biggest complaint with Aldi/Lidl is when they do open a new till they don't say "Next person in the queue please!", so the people at the end of the existing queue run to the front of the queue of the new till that just opened. Maybe this a Paddy thing and they should have more manners, but the Aldi/Lidl staff could help things by saying the 6 magic words when they open a new till: "Next person in the queue please!"... Is there the same free-for-all in German Aldi/Lidls when a new till is opened, or do the Germans automatically let those waiting the longest go first in an orderly fashion?

I think its more the Irish way of queuing rather than the Lidl/Aldi way of opening tills. There must have been a few German store managers who had nervous breakdowns when they first opened in Ireland. Between the little old lady who wants to tell the cashier of the history bit of fluff in her purse, to the man who doesn't understand that they don't allow credit cards(since changed), to the yummy mummy complaining that the produce is not stacked tidily like it is in Tesco.

Saw this on a friends Facebook. Every German I have shown it laughed but agreed it is true to life for many Germans:

A Primal Nut

looksee wrote: »

I don't very often go into Lidl as I had too many arguments about which way round the trolley should go. I don't mind speed and I am quite happy to put my groceries into the trolley then sort them at the window shelf, but I do object to the pure silliness of insisting I position the trolley in the most inconvenient position for me to put stuff into it.

I agree it seems rediculous. However, with no exaggeration. I had "mystery shoppers" in the form of high up managers from Germany coming in and positioning their trolley in a certain way, to see if I would move it correctly. Before revealing themselves and putting it as a mark against the store if I did it wrong I remember one day I was warned about it and literally moved the trolley for every single customer. I forgot once and of course it was some lad from Germany running a store test. They would also hide a lettuce or something under a bag to see if we would notice.

I actually didn't mind working in Lidl overall, as a job during college it was perfect for me. But looking back of course I only remember the bad things.:D

A Primal Nut

SeamusFX wrote: »

My biggest complaint with Aldi/Lidl is when they do open a new till they don't say "Next person in the queue please!", so the people at the end of the existing queue run to the front of the queue of the new till that just opened. Maybe this a Paddy thing and they should have more manners, but the Aldi/Lidl staff could help things by saying the 6 magic words when they open a new till: "Next person in the queue please!"... Is there the same free-for-all in German Aldi/Lidls when a new till is opened, or do the Germans automatically let those waiting the longest go first in an orderly fashion?

We were supposed to do it and as far remember I always did it by directing the next person in the queue to the till (perhaps even grabbing their trolley).

wmpdd3

I can only speak for my local Aldi, I only really go up for munchies on a Sunday or the odd thing I forgot from the shopping.

It is very well run, very tidy. I have often been served by the assistant manager on tills. When the second person opens up a new till, the assistant approches the last person in the 1st tills que and moves them to the new till. By the time the assistant is ready to scan, the 3 people who were quing int he first q, have their stuff on the belt and the other customers arriving at the tills can choose whet que they want.

On one Sunday, it was very busy, 2 tills open and I heard the assistant manager say to a customer that she was really sorry but she couldnt get something in the back as there were only 3 staff working that day, but she would get it as soon as she could leave the till.

I was really surprised, a similar Tesco with the same sq ft, would have atleast 5 working on a Sunday.

strandroad

seamus wrote: »

Until I read this thread, I had no idea that there was a table at the back for this purpose. In this country, we're accustomed to packing our bags at the end of the till and then paying.
A simple sticker at that section saying, "Please don't pack your bags here, use the area provided at the back", and people might understand the "correct" way to do it.

In my local Aldi there is a large plaque on the checkout itself and posters on the walls behind it.

Going Forward

syklops wrote: »

You don't just think its a crap system. Instead you seem to have a genuine bee in your bonnet about it. Why else would you make eleven posts on the subject in a thread, at last count, of 97 posts.

If you don't like it, stop bitching on the internet about it, and go shop in SuperQuinn in stead where you and the cashier can discuss the price of tinned soup until closing time.

Right, I`ll get my coat. NOT.

No one is forcing you to read it, and theres no need to be rude.

The more I read of customers expecting, almost demanding dodgy service in the name of "efficiency" the more hilarious it gets.

I'm sure that those promoting the same quest for "efficiency" also pursue it relentlessly on behalf of their own employers at every opportunity too, after all, us Irish, we're known worldwide for our efficiency are'nt we? We're right up there like the Germans, sure.

Going Forward

mhge wrote: »

In my local Aldi there is a large plaque on the checkout itself and posters on the walls behind it.

These are becoming more commonplace now.

I wonder could one actually be barred from Lidl for being too slow?
Just a thought.....

strandroad

Going Forward wrote: »

The more I read of customers expecting, almost demanding dodgy service in the name of "efficiency" the more hilarious it gets.

You just don't get it which means that your needs will not be best served by speed checkout, that's all.

I much prefer to be served quickly and take my shopping to a quiet comfortable counter where I can sort it out whichever way I like without anyone breathing down my neck, and similarly I don't want to be kept waiting as someone is packing their numerous bags in front of me.

Slow, relaxed checkout is great at a greengrocers where you go to get some apples and a local story, but not when you have dozens and dozens of items in the trolley, and so does the person behind you and in front of you.

goat2

i had not known that the big windowsill was to be used to bag the groceries, which all means, we fill basket from shelves, empty it on conveyer belt, put it back in basket, then at window sill, take it out of basket, into bags, and back in basket in the bags,
it does not say in the lidl stores i have been in to bag it at window sill, now i understand that the staff are under alot of pressure, it is hard on them, because we are used to bagging as it is passed through till, habits are hard to break, but for some people that live alone, the only other human contact may be meeting shopworkers.

Wheely GR8

I never bag goods in lidl/aldi at the till ,there just isn't enough time. Always do it at the window and I'm always out sharpish.
The staff seem to be the only ones who are constantly courteous and polite.

rabjoshu

OP I asked you if you contacted either retailer in question in relation to your trauma. You did not respond.
Both have helpful customer service and contact details on their respective websites. Let us know what they say.

Going Forward

rabjoshu wrote: »

OP I asked you if you contacted either retailer in question in relation to your trauma.

You are being disingenuous- show me when you asked me that please.

dudara

hdowney wrote: »

what really annoyed me then was it became like a free for all. where we had all been in certain places in the queue for the first checkout, people believed if they leggit and get their first then they are entitled, even if they'd been only on the back of the previous queue a minute and others had been waiting longer. ARGH

There is actually interesting science behind this. The most efficient way to queue is to have a single queue feeding all tills, instead of individual queues for each till. However, human nature is another story.

Going Forward

Seems like the cashiers experience some checkout speed trauma too:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/mar/14/businesscomment.supermarkets

Ronan|Raven

goat2 wrote: »

but for some people that live alone, the only other human contact may be meeting shopworkers.

Then I suggest they goto a community centre and meet people there rather than hold me up.

Chinasea

I suggest you try setting up a business in Ireland offering exceptional value for money but focusing on quality as opposed to frills.

This is no frills shopping - simple as.

Going Forward

Chinasea wrote: »

I suggest you try setting up a business in Ireland offering exceptional value for money but focusing on quality as opposed to frills.

This is no frills shopping - simple as.

Define a frill.

Going Forward

Ronan|Raven wrote: »

Then I suggest they goto a community centre and meet people there rather than hold me up.

Gee, wouldnt want to hinder your progress in any way; BTW can groceries be bought in community centres?

dxhound2005

Going Forward wrote: »

Gee, wouldnt want to hinder your progress in any way; BTW can groceries be bought in community centres?

You can get them in Tesco. The girls in there love to have a chinwag.

ejmaztec

I always end up in the wrong queue in supermarkets, where someone up ahead has always got some kind of problem, and these problems always take at least 15 minutes to sort out. In the meantime, the people who were at the back of the longer queues are half-way home by the time I get out. These problems very rarely surface in Aldi or Lidl.