Baxter IGA won't change opinion on self-serve checkouts

David Baxter, who owns Prospect and Blackstone Height's IGA, spoke with The Examiner in 2012, and at that time said he wouldn't consider a self-checkout system.

"From my point of view, everything needs to be of a direct benefit to the customer," Mr Baxter said at that time.

"Ultimately we need to deliver a high value of service and efficiency and I believe that staff can do that - notwithstanding that technology can do good things in different ways."

Nothing has changed since then. The philosophy is one shared among between the generations with Mr Baxter's sons Matthew and Jarrod, who have 30 and 17 years industry experience.

"My opinion hasn't changed on them," Mr Baxter said.

"People do appreciation people being served and there's always questions customers have in relation to products."

He said across his stores half a dozen senior customers, who don't have computer literacy to use click and collect online, still called the store and placed their delivery orders manually through a staff member.

"I'm mindful that you can't beat technology, but you've just got to balance it and be flexible," Mr Baxter said.

Service at the deli was another important point of contact with customers, and alongside butchers meant customer's specific needs were catered to, he said.

Meanwhile, recent upgrades at Coles Newstead has removed traditional checkouts with ones named "hybrid checkouts with belts".

A Coles spokesperson said the checkouts could be used in self-serve mode or with the assistance of staff.

In response to criticism the machines cut local jobs, the spokesperson said Coles had employed an additional 497 Tasmanians over the past five years.

Readers of The Examiner have expressed their frustration at the self-serve check outs.

Kingsmeadows resident Wayne Ballard said it appeared Coles was "completely indifferent to the general public's disdain for self-service checkouts".

"Coles Charles St started this stupidity and it's now spreading everywhere without any consultation with their customers," Mr Ballard said.

"I stopped shopping at Coles' Charles St after being a customer for over 50 years when it was known as Jimmy's. Jimmy's main ethos was customer service. What would he think now?"

While, Claremont's Raymond Harvey called for a boycott of businesses that don't have face-to-face staff at the checkout.

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