CNA | Talking Point | E17: Is self-service technology really serving the customers?

Self-service technology is seen as win-win for companies grappling with high labour costs and for consumers who desire the ease of doing-it-themselves. But is it really serving us - the customers?
About the show: Talking Point investigates a current issue or event, offering different perspectives to local stories and revealing how it all affects you.
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[@ethand4055]

I meannn... there are definitely pros and cons. such self-service machines indeed discourages social interaction in a society that already lacks of it. However, it is good for people with social anxiety disorders and prevents arguements between customers and workers. Soo....yeah its up to the individual.

[@crystal8537]

But totally eliminating cashiers wouldnt be ideal and tbh most of us dont even interact with the cashiers. Just pay and go

[@KCHSG]

I don't believe costs savings from automation will be passed on to consumers.

[@therover65]

I hate self service. Call me old fashioned. If less people hv jobs, so that companies make more money, that’s not a desirable outcome

[@briantan2963]

Coming out of Coldstorage, carrying Fairprice Bag...

[@briantan2963]

@@sabreenairene7637 Ya la... Just joking on the ironic.

[@mikecar52]

Great video. Thanks.

[@eyhtwozed2606]

Imagine if all machine suddenly went faulty and theres no staff attending...

[@iristhehooman]

Omg I'm surprised by the mini mart store manager's response! He said it's due to the customer being new. Well you are going to a lot of new customers I hope? That is where your business comes from. I feel some checkout machines really have issues like this, not being user friendly or difficult to find options. Even for NTUC check out, they have errors and with a staff on stand-by, sometimes the staff is not attentive and using her phone. It really causes some frustration. Unlike ATM which is quite faultless and simple to use.

[@crystal8537]

Removing cashiers or face to face interactions is like removing ur soul. As if the world aint cold enough.... Its the warmth of personal interactions that makes things great.....

[@Lyxzzzzzzzzzzzzz1]

Crystal it good me since i don’t have a lot of courage to talk to others Edit: grammar error

[@crystal8537]

@@Lyxzzzzzzzzzzzzz1 i understand but its still good to have BOTH cashiers and self checkout machines, rather than just have either one.

[@crystal8537]

@@Lyxzzzzzzzzzzzzz1 anyways u dont have to talk to cashiers? Just let them tap ur stuff, pay and go off

[@Lyxzzzzzzzzzzzzz1]

Crystal I don’t have confidence when I talk to people who I don’t know I just fairly shy

[@slaiyfershin]

As long as it's not compulsory but an option on the side I welcome it wholeheartedly.

[@Lyxzzzzzzzzzzzzz1]

I like it since I not good at talking since I talk fast and good for people who are shy to talk

[@bentay960]

This is a nice documentary. If e everything is going on self help machine, it will slowly destroy work force. Certain things may be useful but not all. We may be heading for a revolutionary age.

[@crystal8537]

Well we can prevent foreign workers from "taking away" our money since most cashiers r foreigners. Automation = no need to rely on foreign workers as much

[@lingth]

its like Minority Report, where a customer walks in a shopping center, the AI welcomes the shopper Back and ask him/her hows the product she bought the last time and recommend her a new product. But sometimes i feel buyers may not like a computer to recommend him something or remember what he has done, like buying a box of condom the last time he visited for example.

[@manojfernando1028]

these machines are purely introduced by the companies to make their profit margin high not for customers. this is like you go for shopping and working for them for nothing. you are not paid.but we pay for the service attribute when we buy the product

[@treartisthautejoaillirie3826]

how about those industries that pride their human touch services? imagine inflight services? and also, since need self service, those places still can charge service charge???

[@musikeradaw]

The US has been like this for probably about 10 yrs now

[@HQR000]

im against this because not only does it reduce jobs it also reduces social interaction in a society that already lacks it. technology is progressing but we humans are regressing.

[@gunturaji]

Maybe the algorithm on the checkout machine won't work well so you still rely on human cashier 😬

[@ualuuanie]

You know those self service counters in NTUC? Sometime I see old folks robbing them. They would go tap some items and not others. At the end they carry out 2 bags full of groceries and just pay less than $10.

[@SuperPhysicsgeek]

that is considered theft

[@ualuuanie]

@@SuperPhysicsgeek Sad but true but what to do? Ever feedback to their staff but no action taken.

[@eyhtwozed2606]

How is that possible? I thought unscan and unpaid item would let out an alarm at the exit?

[@ualuuanie]

@@eyhtwozed2606 nope not in NTUC supermarket

[@acevictory3587]

I like cashiers haha

[@7dina7]

good for people who dont feel like having human interaction but at the same time this same person cant scan QR code or tap on the touch screen like normal people (Essential tremor).. so i rather wait in line than "cutting Que"..unless no other choice eg. ATM machine n top up ez link. most polyclinic have this self payment / register to collect meds - i stopped going to poly.

[@mr.k8001]

Malaysia can u do it

[@jianfabentsai2438]

Hi, business opportunity to add video tutorials onto retail store's cashier POS machine screen to teach staff on how to use the POS machine (new cashier can watch the video tutorial during off peak hours) to reduce downtime and reduce the need for seniors or supervisors to spend time teach new staff. Please feedback to management.

[@yes6399]

But you have to use atm cards so if kids who have no cards they will not be able to buy especially if they have no adult with them

[@reneej7241]

If I serve myself my purchase should be cheaper. That cost of paying a worker to do it is now gone.

[@firdausrosli90]

The obvious benefit from self-service devices is the reduction of money outflow into other countries. Of course, to get a good service from fellow people, we also have to be good with other people. This is sorely lacking obviously.

[@crystal8537]

Wow ur first point makes sense, never thought of it that way. Good insight

[@harmoneyreilly4225]

The world has going mad one thing we better hope the power does not go off lol

[@user-nf9xc7ww7m]

Why not just have a vending machine store? Machines can build and bag the burgers too.

[@jianfabentsai2438]

Business opportunity to sell to businesses, government, police, military and educational institutions to make multiple layers of whiteboards that can retract and stay up above the head and can also be pulled down like a roller blinder curtain (see CNA KZbin "CNA | Talking Point | E17: Is self-service technology really serving the customers?") the key selling point,is a robot whiteboard cleaner similar to hospital robot floor mop, that the front of the robot cleaner wets and clean, and the back part of the robot cleaner dries the whiteboard. The key issues are noise and efficiency, which can be mitigated with a giant robot rectangle (stamp press) like wet, clean and dry in 3 seconds per whiteboard. Please feedback to management.

[@polarspirit]

Bring the machines in. Its not like I can flirt with the pretty lady behind the counter anyway

[@Rab-km7my]

Omg yes auntieee !! ask Jamie is the most useless thing ever gov need to up their digital game and use Intercom a much better software for support and enquiries from the public.

[@xcre8ionx]

Company should just be part of this because they no need to hire foreigner

[@tomryann86]

z but the thing is singaporeans doesn’t want to work in retail f&b only foreigners

[@NookTommy]

Wan 86 2016 also most customers are assholes. They confused the cashiers when ordering and then blamed them.

[@Huvc35]

@@tomryann86 if you increase minimum wage or wage in general in fnb i bet people will want to

[@tomryann86]

The govt wants singaporeans to go cashless and adapt technology things so i think self service ordering is useful and please don’t talk about service this that. Nowdays where got called “service” one in sg. Most of the ppl working in service line are only for the job and $$

[@crystal8537]

Foreigners dominating our retail industry. Automation can help govt to stop relying so much on foreign workers and reduce $$ outflow to other countries

[@tomryann86]

Crystal if u said foreigners dominating the retail industry then why many of the retailers are closing down in sg eg, metro, john little, borders, ect. They and tourist come to sg and just want only cheap affordable items. They ain’t gonna buy things that’s above $100

[@crystal8537]

@@tomryann86 what I mean by "dominating" is that most of the workers in retail industry in SG are foreigners. They come here to work = SG pay them salary = they take salary back to their homeland = capital outflow. By using automation, sg dosent have to hire so many foreigners = reduce capital outflow ...

[@oscarsanglay5983]

All done by automation..robots , machine and AIs slowly and surely reducing and eliminating manual labor and human interaction..

[@matildamaher1505]

I sont like ro talk to machine. I prefer to use cash for everything

[@drifter4training]

so like minority report movie in the future..

[@manmayamishra1279]

No job for waiter then

[@YYPeh]

FT...