Archived AP TMs: Tips for Decreasing Shortage at Self-Checkouts?

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BadWolf4531

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If there are any AP TMs out there whose stores have installed self-checkouts, I'm curious to find out what issues you've come across and potential solutions you have for those, in terms of shortage.

We just started using ours this week. On the very first day the closing GSTL found blank slips of receipt paper in the coupon bin. So right now we're focused on training the SC TMs to look out for that and BOB/LISA.

I'm also concerned about gift card fraud. Right now our cashiers are trained to check photo IDs for large gift purchases with debit/credit cards. I did a test transaction yesterday and the self-check let me ring up over $1000 in gift cards. So now we're being mindful of this too.

Anything else you guys have been seeing?
 
Another issue that can happen at either 'full service' or SCO is the deliberate use of the wrong coupon because the coupon's bar code covers a lot more than just the specific item the guest is buying. IE: $5 Pampers Diapers coupon working on a box of baby wipes.
Haven't figured out how to stop that kind of nonsense!
 
Guest might be using fake barcodes on a phone & it gets a prompt on a register for a paper coupon. Hit paper button on the printer & put in the slot.
 
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The biggest issue we have is the SCO TM not paying close enough attention. They'll be there watching but not actually paying attention and actively monitoring what's going on. Guests really pick up one it when the TM isn't paying attention and stuff slips through the cracks. I had a recoery one day at SCO and the SCO TM asked me "Wow, how did you notice that?" My response was sacarstic but firm. "My eyes were open."

Other than lazy TM's, I'm finding people trying to outsmart the scale. Ringing up a low priced item and then placing something of similar size but much more expensive in the bag and then scanning the first item again to bag it. Easy to stop, but when you're not paying attention, it's easily missed.
 
The first thing we did at our store when we got SCO was to block off the coupon slot and put up signs at each one saying that coupons aren't accepted at SCO. Any time they try to put a coupon but they can't cause it's blocked off they call us over or we notice it and just void the coupon on the screen.
 
The first thing we did at our store when we got SCO was to block off the coupon slot and put up signs at each one saying that coupons aren't accepted at SCO. Any time they try to put a coupon but they can't cause it's blocked off they call us over or we notice it and just void the coupon on the screen.
Yeah, we tried this and got chewed out by DTL. This is a good idea, but far from best practice.
 
unplug them.... had a pushout for what i think was diapers today while another guest she was with was doing 9 transactions with coupons.
 
I hate where our SCOs are located in my store. They're perfectly alined with the exit as just one giant, unmonitored, hallway right out the door. There's nothing we can do about that. I just felt like complaining.

Instead of the SCO TM just standing and watching, I think it helps to have them actually approach people and ask if they're doing okay, rather than waiting for the green light to turn red. It gives the TM a chance to get a good look at what's going on, as well as help the guest who is probably going to need help anyway.

Other than that, I don't know. Other companies are getting rid of SCOs because they hurt customer satisfaction and increased loss. So, maybe 10 years from now, Target will get with the times.
 
My Target didn't have self-checkouts and I'm so thankful for that. My new company doesn't use them for a variety of reasons. First is because we're a higher-end grocery store and the idea is that great customer interaction is supposed to be an essential part of the experience, and leadership believes that interacting with an actual good, friendly cashier who can help you rather than a computer improves the customer experience. Say what you will about that, I tend to agree with it, some people don't. However, there is also a legitimate loss prevention issue too. My company acquired another very small chain of grocery stores (maybe six or seven stores total) a few years back. These stores had self-checkouts in them. My company continued to operate them for a while to see if it was something we should consider expanding. Well a couple months down the road, it was discovered that the newly-acquired stores had much higher shrink than our other stores, and most of it could be traced back to the self-checkouts. Our solution was to remove them completely and never look back. I know this obviously isn't an option for you, but it really is the only way to truly help with shrink at self-checkouts. Other than that, all I could imagine you could do is train the self checkout team members to better identify potential fraud. Demonstrate to them the things they should look out for such as multiple coupons, high-dollar items, suspicious individuals, lots of gift cards, etc. Maybe if you have some free time, make it part of your routine to hang out by the self-checkouts yourself. The uniform does deter some fraud generally, and it can be a good opportunity to model for the self-checkout TM's what they should be doing. Other than that, I guess just watch out for sketchy people or known individuals heading for the self-checkouts and watch them like a hawk. Not much more you can do really.
 
Sorry to bump this, and I saw some discussions about this topic, but I thought that this would be the best thread to ask some more questions about this. I only recently started working self-checkout, and last night, AP apprehended a guest who didn't scan all of the items that she was buying. I even helped that particular guest with her payment, and I saw her total was about $110, and when I looked at her bags, the value of the items appeared to match the total, so I didn't think that she was committing theft. The AP team member wasn't upset at me, but I feel like I could do better to prevent these incidents in the future.
So my questions are, what should I say to a guest if I'm not sure that they scanned any items? I don't want to be confrontational and cause a scene, but I also need a go-to phrase when I'm at self-checkout. Also, am I allowed to ask a guest to show me their receipt? Occasionally, an AP team member will check receipt at the exits, but I don't know if I am allowed to do that. I will definitely talk to AP and other team members who have done self-checkout to see what they have to say.
 
As a rule, you're not allowed to receipt-check guests but partner with your AP for things to watch for & suggestions on how to approach various situations that may arise.
They'll be the most knowledgeable about what you can & can't do.
 
Sorry to bump this, and I saw some discussions about this topic, but I thought that this would be the best thread to ask some more questions about this. I only recently started working self-checkout, and last night, AP apprehended a guest who didn't scan all of the items that she was buying. I even helped that particular guest with her payment, and I saw her total was about $110, and when I looked at her bags, the value of the items appeared to match the total, so I didn't think that she was committing theft. The AP team member wasn't upset at me, but I feel like I could do better to prevent these incidents in the future.
So my questions are, what should I say to a guest if I'm not sure that they scanned any items? I don't want to be confrontational and cause a scene, but I also need a go-to phrase when I'm at self-checkout. Also, am I allowed to ask a guest to show me their receipt? Occasionally, an AP team member will check receipt at the exits, but I don't know if I am allowed to do that. I will definitely talk to AP and other team members who have done self-checkout to see what they have to say.
Guest service the guest come up start conversations offer to give a hand scanning their items and there you can have a close up look at the POS screen.
 
As a rule, you're not allowed to receipt-check guests
Is this an actual policy? Because we encourage TMs to receipt check if they see something obvious heading out the door; we had a TM recover several expensive electronics items because they saw a guy walking to the doors with them in his hand and they hurried over and asked if they could see his receipt. Dude just handed over the items and walked out.
 
Our AP has told us that TMs aren't allowed to receipt check.
Again, consult with your store's AP.
 
Is this an actual policy? Because we encourage TMs to receipt check if they see something obvious heading out the door; we had a TM recover several expensive electronics items because they saw a guy walking to the doors with them in his hand and they hurried over and asked if they could see his receipt. Dude just handed over the items and walked out.

I always heard that ONLY AP can receipt check.
 
Interesting. Our APS is the one that encouraged it. I’ll have to clarify with the ETL; luckily, only a few TLs are really comfortable enough to do it without needed to have it suggested to them.
 
I wouldn’t receipt check for triple pay lmao

@busyzoningtoys
When I started at Walmart they had the door greeters checking receipts until a thief got mad af and accused them of racial profiling, and receipt checking instantly vanished faster than you can say “lawsuit.” Thankfully for the employee it was an empty threat and didn’t go anywhere. But I highly HIGHLY doubt Target is chill with regular TMs receipt checking as it’s a huge liability magnet for that exact reason. All it takes is one butthurt guest calling corporate on a TM with the “R-word” complaint, probably the most radioactive accusation there is, and that APS will be fired out of a cannon.
 
My AP encourages front end leadership to recepit check but only when it necessary like someone coming from electronics with a TV or they beep on the way out and I notice they don't have a bag or it seems like a potential theft. But never seem like you're accusing them. I use the "do you mind if I check your recepit so I can tell what might be setting off the beeper"
 
I think if someone comes from electronics with a tv or something high priced like that, there should be a noticeable tag on the tv box or their bag as proof of purchase.
 
I have seen people buy TV's in electronics and never heard that. Thanks for giving me a heads up.
 
Make a point to greet every guest that goes through. I've caught quite a few people by discreetly looking at what they're walking up with and counting how many beeps come from the machine. I try to make some excuse to get next to them if they seem really shady, i.e. "oh excuse me let me just get these hangers out of your way" "oh I see you're buying diapers! Did you know they're buy 3 get 1 free? How many did you get?", etc. At the end of the day the potential thief might complain but you were just "servicing the guest".

Also when I know 100% they didn't ring up anything, I'll call over AP. Loudly I'll say something like "Hey I'm not sure what happened but these guys were just in here and I don't think they scanned everything. I don't know...could be nothing". AP knows damn well it's an act and I'm trying to guilt trip these people into going back and paying for it. Works quite often actually.
 
I was always on self checkout and I lived for catching tag switchers, couponers, and fake scanners because it is so boring over there otherwise.

Number one is greet each guest... even if you don’t use words because they’re on the phone or helping someone else a nice smile to acknowledge lets them know you’re there. If offer to scan larger items and help out with produce, so it looks like you’re watching just to be helpful and no one thinks you’re targeting them. If I noticed something was shady, I would always offer a larger bag to them as an excuse to get closer and see what has been rung up.

For tag switching (so much at my store, i’d get at least one per shift) try to know the clothing brands. Once I learned to recognize brands by style, it was so easy for me to tell that an item has a clearance xhilaration tag on it, but is definitely a new day. Then I just walk over, apologize with “sorry, i don’t think this item rang up correctly.” Always overly apologize.

Honestly, half our SCO TMs never pay attention and that’s the biggest thing - being friendly and attentive. This is why I hate when they ask me to cover 8 SCOs as the only TM at a busy service desk. You can never stop it all, but detering it even a little bit is a very good thing.
 
I know there was some debate over if regular TMs can receipt check. The answer is NO. I asked my APBP and APD if that was allowed and the response was: only NVI(non-violent intervention) trained TMs may check receipts. AP are the ones who go through NVI training as apart of their learning plan. I had mentioned before that even a simple receipt check could result in a verbal/physical altercation and it is crucial that only NVI trained TMs are the ones handling it. I was told that this is not an ASANTS situation. For those who said that their AP encourages rc, you should probably check in with them and make sure that you or they don't get in trouble.
 
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Thanks for your response everyone. I actually asked one of the AP team members if I should receipt-check, and they said no because like BobBelcher said, only AP team members are trained to handle situations that may result in an altercation.
As for what to say if I'm not sure if a guest scanned an item, he encouraged me to directly ask the guest by asking "Did you scan such and such item?" if I'm not sure that they scanned it and offer to help them to get closer to the guest's self-checkout screen.
 
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