Have you ever been at the checkout point of a store when all of a sudden the computers crash? The eyes of all cashiers immediately bulge as they begin to frantically look around at each other. The customers in the line behind you let out an audible groan as they realize more time has been added onto their wait in the line. And usually all sales come to a halt, because how can anyone possibly complete a checkout without the use of the computerized register? Back in the old days, cash and checks were the main forms of payment. I even remember when my mother would write out checks at the grocery store and it was considered "normal". Now, check cards are all the rage, and if you don't have any money handy in the bank, then credit cards are your plastic savior. Yet despite advancements in technology both in form of payment and in registers that receive the payment, there seems to be the glitch of when computers freeze and registers just stop working. Computers can crash anytime, leaving cashiers vulnerable to the impatience of difficult customers and leaving customers with an uncertain time period of waiting. There's no doubt that cash registers are a convenience that is essential to any business. But should there be some other form of back up for when the register computers crash or freeze up, or is it okay to be fully dependent on this piece of technology?
A similar scenario is brought up in an article I found in the Journal of Leadership Studies, which I was able to access through the Wiley InterScience Database thanks to the FSU Library page. In the article, the author relays an experience in which a power outage brought business to a complete halt, stating: "not because of anything hindering the physical exchange of goods...but because...without an electronic calculator, no one in the store knew how to make change" (Miller 74). The article discusses the dependence we have on technology and the fact that institutions of higher education continue training students to rely more on technology, rather than encouraging students to think critically and with a "greater emphasis on intentional development of technology-independent thinking skills." (Miller 74).
If you're interested in reading more about the topic, Miller's article is worth a read!
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Miller, George P, and Caroline Molina-Ray. "Beyond Technology Dependence." Journal of Leadership Studies4.1 (2010): 74-77. Web. 8 Jul 2010.
Oh I am totally feeling this post!!!
ReplyDeleteI feel like it's always when I'm in a rush that the cash registers go down! But even worse than technological glitches, cashiers don't even know how to count anymore! They continually depend on the the register to tell them exactly how much money to give...I'm surprised it doesn't tell them how many ones, fives, tens, et to give ;)
Hahaa I can't lie, I work at a register and I'm terrible at math. If I accidentally skip the screen that tells me the amount to give back I panic =X lol
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's okay to be totally dependent on technology, but it certainly is convenient to be able to swipe a card at the checkout. I find it funny how some people feel like it's easier to spend money when they have cash, while others feel like it's easier to spend money using a check card/credit card. Personally I find it easier to spend money electronically. If I have money to look at I think twice. What about you?
ReplyDeleteRebecca Morse
http://morse-online.com/rlm/
I think its easier to spend money when I have cash! for some reason cash seems to evaporate right out of my hands. Whereas with a card, I tend to pull my account balance up on my phone before I decide to make a purchase. I can see how you might find it easier spending electronically though because it took a few years of maxing out my credit cards before I finally learned to keep track of my card accounts.
ReplyDeletehaha I totally agree! If you get a job that require you to work with money there should be some sort of training and back up plan if technology goes down. Even with our advancements in technology I still think that we should be able to go back to our roots!
ReplyDeleteAshley
http://ashleymiskoff.blogspot.com/
I work at a grocery store which hasn't been updated in the longest time. When it rain's, we always get into big problems with our registers. The last storm we had, we couldn't take any cards for hours. It is sad the lack of people we had in the store. We practically did no sales that day. At the same time, it is also so frustrating when people write checks nowadays because cards just help the flow of customers go so much smoother. It's not really a black and white situation. lol
ReplyDeleteAshley, you're right! people should definitely be trained. Or they should at least check up on a person's math skills before throwing them on a register.
ReplyDeleteAnd Jenn, I completely agree. I had people pull out checkbooks twice during my time as a cashier and my jaw dropped. I thought writing checks for anything other than bills had become obsolete!
It is so true!! Cashiers get dissapointed when the computer system crash. No one wants to do calculations on their own. We are so used for the computers to compute all promotions and money calculations that we rely on it. What ever happened to handling cash and checks like the old days? I use to be a cashier and I would get frustrated because customers would hold up the line while they fill the check out. Then I would think about past years how cashiers didnt mind. Since technology has enhanced, we expect everyone to be in tuned with new technology. This is not always the case.
ReplyDeleteSo true. We depend on technology to do things for us more and more quickly and when it fails us we get frustrated because we depend so heavily on it!
ReplyDeleteYeah, technology has definitely impacted us in so many ways. There are so many reasons as to why we are so dependent on new technologies. Though it can eventually be a bad thing, it's also a way of living. In life, we have to expand our knowledge and by developing new technologies, that's one way of doing it.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
Thats very true! I never considered the fact that adopting new technologies requires us to learn and expand in order to effectively make the best use out of the technology. Good point!
ReplyDelete