Tesco stores problems this morning

[clockworks]

I was in 2 Tesco stores this morning, both had till problems - customers couldn't pay by cash using the main tills, although the self-service tills were OK.

Just heard on Radio4 news that 67 stores remained shut until the problem was sorted. I imagine that heads will roll in their software development/rollout department.

[Sporran]

every little helps

[PJTX100]

Originally Posted by clockworks

I was in 2 Tesco stores this morning, both had till problems - customers couldn't pay by cash using the main tills, although the self-service tills were OK.

I heard on the radio that a frustrated MP simply walked out with a shopping trolley full of goods without paying. When apprehended by members of the public he was heard to exclaim "well you'll be paying for it anyway!"

[Bren]

This reminds me of a story. My best friends wife who is known for being a little lets say strange was in a back office of a large supermarket chain she worked for at the time. She is one of these women that is permanently cold so she pushed the button to turn the air con off. Turns out she turned off near enough the whole store & people with full trollies left with their goods paying nothing. I still rib her about it everyday

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by clockworks

I imagine that heads will roll

You shouldn't use such an unfortunate term that no doubt came from the French Revolution. Unless you're suggesting that Tesco executes all ex-employees by guillotine?

[ROBIN50N]

Originally Posted by Foebane

You shouldn't use such an unfortunate term that no doubt came from the French Revolution. Unless you're suggesting that Tesco executes all ex-employees by guillotine?

[JonnyTester]

My wife went to our local Tesco this afternoon to pick up a few bits and pieces. She was told that they could only take plastic (which she didn't have, only cash) and they suggested she drive to the nearest store to have working cash registers, a 12 mile round trip away. Well done Tesco. Great customer service.

[Greg]

Originally Posted by JonnyTester

My wife went to our local Tesco this afternoon to pick up a few bits and pieces. She was told that they could only take plastic (which she didn't have, only cash) and they suggested she drive to the nearest store to have working cash registers, a 12 mile round trip away. Well done Tesco. Great customer service.

What did you expect them to say? Their tills weren't working so they couldn't take cash, there wasn't really anything else they could have done. Obviously there weren't about to suggest someone shops at a different company, so suggested an (albeit out of the way) alternative.

[PoochJD]

Hi,

Originally Posted by Greg

What did you expect them to say? Their tills weren't working so they couldn't take cash, there wasn't really anything else they could have done.

Ah, the heady days of the 1970's and 80's when all goods were individually priced, and if a till broke down, a staff member could simply list what had been bought by the customer, how much they had spent, and simply work out the right amount of change to give, from the money a customer gave them.

Now, I want to stress, that I'm not making a snide comment to Greg. Honest! This is just me saying that stores could do something else, but because technology has made us all so reliant on it, when that technology fails, it feels like we've gone back to the stone age.

For some customers, who'd only bought, say 5 items or less, I don't see why Tesco's couldn't literally have returned to paper-and-pen: note down what was bought, how much the items cost, how much money was given and how much change was returned to the customer. It would have been a painfully slow process, but at least Tesco's could have attempted to please their customers. Just shutting the stores down, and turning customers away (which has happened before, albeit on not so grand a scale as this time), just means that customers will go elsewhere in future. Clearly Tesco's would rather reject customers than try to help them out. Their loss!


Pooch

[FZR400RRSP]

Originally Posted by Greg

What did you expect them to say? Their tills weren't working so they couldn't take cash, there wasn't really anything else they could have done. Obviously there weren't about to suggest someone shops at a different company, so suggested an (albeit out of the way) alternative.

I agree.
Basically, sh*t happens.
Go somewhere else and get over it.
No point standing there, adopting a "it's your problem" stalemate situation.