THE TABLES have turned
Workers were spurned Customers got burned
The innovation was nill
All they got was a bill
Left to train themselves at the till
Bagging was no longer possible
Cashiers were perfectly capable
For their dismissal we were collectively culpable
The machines do nothing
As if a screen and a voice can do something
The customer handles everything
To those who know their inventories and their prices
Their customers are not vices
They depend on them for their enterprises
The profits went up
The prices went up
Unemployment went up
Multiple GUIs you train for
Nothing unified for you, sir
No specialisation, just a machine on the floor
Technology would make life easier, they said
As long as you mastered the workflow and paid
Customer service would imminently fade
"Help me out here, I got stuck, I have a question"
More training required, they replied, we can talk, but not action
It's healthy, they've insisted
No human contact, they've pleaded
Because hundreds of people touching the machine, unimpeded
The queues have grown longer
The anger gets stronger
No social distancing, no physical border
Over time cash too is rejected
"Card only" machines, with physical change never ejected*
Anonymous purchases are becoming outdated
"It's simple," they've promised to us
Unless there's a discount, cancellation, wrong charge, or some fuss
Cashback bygone
No manager on the phone
CEOs on their throne
Mellowing their tone ⬆
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* The “war on cashiers” contributes a lot to the "war on cash" and exacerbates inequality, poverty etc.