British retailer Tesco is to introduce a brand new audio voice to its self-service checkouts following feedback from customers.
Tesco has over 12,000 self-service checkouts which offer busy shoppers a convenient solution. However, the current ‘voice’ of these self-service checkouts has become a source of frustration for customers, with some describing it as ‘shouty’ and ‘irritating’, and putting them under pressure as they finish their shop.
According to James Dewen Self Service Checkout Operations Manager at Tesco, “Customers really like the convenience of our self-service checkouts, especially when they’re just popping into store to pick up lunch or a few items after work. But for some, the voice leaves them a bit frustrated.”
To address this issue a ‘new voice’ has been installed in the self-serve checkouts at a small number of stores and will be introduced in all of Tesco’s UK stores by the end of October.
Tesco describe the new voice as being friendlier, more helpful and less talkative. The new voice uses softer phrases and is more customer-friendly. The machines will no longer alert customers with the infamous phrase, ‘unexpected item in the bagging area’ and unhelpful phrases such as ‘please take your items’ have been removed and new phrases such as ‘Thank you for shopping at Tesco’ have been added.
As Mr Dewen explains, “It’s listened to by millions of customers every week, so we’ve acted on customer and colleague feedback and worked hard to get the new voice right to improve the shopping trip.”