Dave Smith wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
>
> > That's not true... what they're unfamiliar with is the names of the
> > items... once they know the name of an item then all they need to know
> > is the alphabet to look it up on their chart. �Checkers do know the
> > majority of common produce names including their code numbers, it's
> > the odd ball items, like habaneros, that they're often unfamiliar.
> > Even the most experienced checkers don't remember parsnips, fennel,
> > and many of the oriental vegetables... I'd venture to bet most rfc'ers
> > can't tell endive from chickory, mustard from turnip greens. � I never
> > expect the checkers to remember every produce item/number... today's
> > modern stupidmarkest carry well over 1,000 kinds of produce... I bet
> > most of yoose can't remember five phone numbers lest you check your
> > cell phone directory, is why they invented voice recognition, just for
> > the stupes like you.
>
> Hey. No fair. We probably all used to know a lot more than 5 phone numbers
> before they invented speed dialling.
>
> Staff knowledge of produce items varies from store to store and clerk to
> clerk. �Some hire mature people because they are are good reliable
> workers. Others hire students because they work cheaper.

But age has nothing to do with the ability to remember numbers.

Remembering numerical strirings is related to time on the job and
one's proclivity to remember numbers. Number retention has nothing to
do with intelligence, that's why in math classes more credit is given
for correct method than correct numerical answer.... actually I give
far more credit to those who know how to look things up... I consider
remembering long lists of numbers a useless waste of brain capacity,
actually when taken to the extreme a form of mental illness. It's far
easier to train a chimpanzee to remember numbers than to remember
words.

There's really no need to memorize all the produce numbers, most have
the number affixed. It's far more useful to recognize the name of the
item than its code number... imagine if recipes were written with the
ingredients list in code numbers only, the finast chefs would be
screwed

My experience is that most check-out clerks do their job very
adequately... I'm much more impressed when they know how to correctly
give change (counting it out) than if they recognize napa and savoy.