This weekend, I was commenting on the fact that shops are soon going to run out of a need for sales staff. Especially in places where they don’t actually know anything about what they’re selling and merely run the products over the beep.

With chip and pin, I have to put my card in the machine, I have to type my number in and I have to take my card out again. It’s only a matter of time before I can scan the products myself as well, thus eliminating the need for any staff (except perhaps security guards).

By the time I got home, I had exhausted the topic and quickly settled down to read my purchase. When I delved into the bag, imagine my surprise when I pulled out a little chocolate bar, that had obviously been a promotion or free gift of some kind. I had been so busy remembering my pin number, I hadn’t noticed the sales lady put it in the bag.

I have now changed my opinion. Sales staff are an absolute necessity, even if they have been reduced to bag packing. This example proves it. (And it proves the fact that I can easily be swayed by chocolate.)