Unfiltered Story #259428

(As most customers at my store pay with card, several of the self-serve registers are card only, to speed things along and save space—card-only machines take up much less room. They are all clearly marked as such, but just in case customers miss the signs, they also come up with a message when customers start using them that reads “Card Only. Would you like to continue. Yes/no.” If they select yes, they can keep using it. If they select no, the machine goes back to the home screen and the customer can move along to an available cash machine. A customer calls me over.)

Customer: “Excuse me. For some reason, this machine won’t let me pay. I’ve tried several times and it just keeps taking me back to the home screen.”

Me: “That’s strange. Have you scanned your items?”

Customer: “Yes, but it just keeps taking me back to the home screen.”

Me: “And your paying with card today? This is a card-only machine.”

Customer: “Yes, I’m paying with card.”

Me: “Why don’t you show me what you did?”

Customer: “Okay. I scan my first item.”

(She scans her first item and that card-only reminder prompt comes up.)

Customer: “Then it asks me if I’m paying with card, which I am, so I press no.”

(She hits no on the screen and it returns to the home screen, ready for another customer.)

Customer: “See. It’s not working.”

Me: “Sorry, did you say you were paying card?”

Customer: “Yes.”

Me: “I see.”

(I take her first item and scan it. The prompt comes up again.)

Me: “You see, when it asks you if you’re paying card, you need to press yes, because you’re paying card.”

(I press yes and her first item appears on the screen, allowing her to scan through the rest of her purchases.)

Customer: “Oh, that makes sense. Thanks.”