Sonikku
Lifer
This is something that I've eerily subconsciously become aware of over the past decade but never really thought to comment on until now. It seems like every shop I go to hardly has anyone working any more. I was at a Pizza Hut a couple weeks ago and they left the front desk unattended for several minutes, to the point where a long line formed behind me until someone finally came out. At that point I figured I'd just say forget this, I'll go somewhere else. But then I realized; It's like this basically everywhere now.
Every place I go, there are no longer dedicated front desk or aisle people there to help customers. They all seem expected to do 2-3 other jobs that keeps them away for much of the time and makes everything take so much longer. Stores seem so stretched thin now it's insane. I remember dropping a glass jar of pickles in Walmart last year. (I know, big mistake) I combed through the entire grocery section for an employee to let them know. Not a soul. I ventured all the way to customer service. No one there. I finally went all the way to electronics and waited in line to let the sole rep there to let him know. If not for the fact that it was broken glass shattered all over the floor, I probably would not have bothered.
Even going through checkout is a major ordeal. I used to think self check outs couldn't hurt as I regarded them as being "in addition to" people. But now it seems for every 4 new self checkouts installed, there are 4 fewer people doing checkout and the average wait time has never been longer, regardless of which route you take. But the real shame is that this is far from an isolated case. You want to tell yourself "screw these guys, I'll shop elsewhere". But that's the thing. It's chronic behavior. It's EVERYWHERE. Every shop I go to is like this now. Places big and small. (in small it's usually one person running the whole show from stocking shelves to cashing out customers)
Is this our future? Half the hamsters kicked off the treadmill with the remaining half told to pedal twice as fast as last year to pick up the slack? Even for those that remain, the quality of life seems to only be in a position to sour. Stagnant wages, rising costs of living, exploding productivity expectations. Even if we make it, it appears as though the majority of the population is doomed to a fate of ever increased stress and fatigue. It eerily feels like the American dream is getting squeezed more by the year and I'm beginning to fear for the future.
Every place I go, there are no longer dedicated front desk or aisle people there to help customers. They all seem expected to do 2-3 other jobs that keeps them away for much of the time and makes everything take so much longer. Stores seem so stretched thin now it's insane. I remember dropping a glass jar of pickles in Walmart last year. (I know, big mistake) I combed through the entire grocery section for an employee to let them know. Not a soul. I ventured all the way to customer service. No one there. I finally went all the way to electronics and waited in line to let the sole rep there to let him know. If not for the fact that it was broken glass shattered all over the floor, I probably would not have bothered.
Even going through checkout is a major ordeal. I used to think self check outs couldn't hurt as I regarded them as being "in addition to" people. But now it seems for every 4 new self checkouts installed, there are 4 fewer people doing checkout and the average wait time has never been longer, regardless of which route you take. But the real shame is that this is far from an isolated case. You want to tell yourself "screw these guys, I'll shop elsewhere". But that's the thing. It's chronic behavior. It's EVERYWHERE. Every shop I go to is like this now. Places big and small. (in small it's usually one person running the whole show from stocking shelves to cashing out customers)
Is this our future? Half the hamsters kicked off the treadmill with the remaining half told to pedal twice as fast as last year to pick up the slack? Even for those that remain, the quality of life seems to only be in a position to sour. Stagnant wages, rising costs of living, exploding productivity expectations. Even if we make it, it appears as though the majority of the population is doomed to a fate of ever increased stress and fatigue. It eerily feels like the American dream is getting squeezed more by the year and I'm beginning to fear for the future.
