Tesco Surveys Its Customers on Self-Checkout

Self-checkout at a Tesco store in the town ofLeamington Spa, England, has helped significantly speed up customers shopping trips, according to research by Tesco.Tesco PLC operates nearly 1,100 supermarkets, hypermarkets, and convenience stores in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Central Europe and Asia. The replacement of four express checkout lanes with four NCR FastLane units last December has freed up staff to keep the stores traditional checkouts opened more of the time. This has resulted in customers waiting less time at traditional checkouts. The number of customers using Tescos self-checkouts has continually increased since the first British supermarket trial of this type of technology began at Leamington Spa a year ago. Currently more than 18 percent of store customers are using the self-checkouts. The research revealed that customers who use self-checkout use it consistently and see it as a positive step in customer service. Even those who dont use Tescos self-checkouts are benefiting from this new technology, with 68 percent of all customers surveyed saying checkout service has improved since the trial began. The level of customer success at Leamington Spa has resulted in Tesco extending its trial to 20 more stores in England and Wales. Comparing customer usage at Leamington Spa from the start of the trial and six months afterward revealed an increase in older customers using the checkouts. Tesco also found that men and people with young children are more likely to use the self-service checkouts than other shoppers.