03 Jun 2003 | fajalar said...

Signing is antiquated.

I have "See ID" written on the back of my cards, too, but my guess is that 1 in 50 people actually ask to see my ID, and less than half of those look at me to see if my face matches the one on the ID.

Same thing goes for checks. Rarely does my signature match what is on my signature card at the bank. And they don't look anyway.

03 Jun 2003 | Don Schenck said...

False signatures: Funny.

No checking of signature: Scary.

Putting it on the web for all the world to see: Priceless.

03 Jun 2003 | f5 said...

While I've never been the victim of credit card fraud (as far as I know), simply signing check I.D. on your credit card does nothing to protect you if your card gets stolen. I've been told by my bank as well as credit card companies that unless you have at least your initials on the back of your card, they won't reimburse fraud expenditures.

03 Jun 2003 | aj said...

I was recently in London, and my signature was scrupulously checked EVERY time I used a credit card. It was almost unnerving, until I realized that not having it checked back in the US is worse.

03 Jun 2003 | Benjy said...

The toughest security measures are only as effective as the minimum wage employee implementing them...

03 Jun 2003 | Brandon said...

The toughest security measures are only as effective as the minimum wage employee implementing them...

That's a BS excuse. What, people can't check signatures because they are only paid minimum wage? What, is that too much to ask? Please. Wake up people and do your jobs.

04 Jun 2003 | alisha said...

They always check signatures here but thats just a german thing I guess. I once lost my credit card at DIA in Denver. Lost is good word for it, the bitch at the airport bookstore didnt give it back to me and I realized it when I was already one week back in germany. You could follow her paper trail and she had the balls to start purchasing within hours of my takeoff - in the airport stores! 5,000 euro later I cancelled my card and was able to prove that it wasnt me with my flight ticket to Germany.

Dont you think we should all have photos on our cards?

04 Jun 2003 | Don Schenck said...

Hmmmm ... Alisha's comment makes me wonder: Perhaps, if I call the credit card company, there *is* already an option for a photo card.

That won't matter, though. I've read stories of people using other photo id's. I mean, like a white guy using a black guy's driver's license!

And what about the web?

04 Jun 2003 | hurley#1 said...

I have a photo on my card, but that didn't help me the one time someone hijacked my account: I went to a gas station here in Montreal and forgot to take my receipt, which was automatically printed out when I paid at the pump. Many recipt printers today blank out some of the digits of your credit card number, but this one didn't, and it included the expiration date as well. The next customer at the pump took my receipt and started charging stuff to my credit card. Fortunately my credit card company saw what was going on and froze the account a few hours later.

04 Jun 2003 | Darrel said...

That's a BS excuse. What, people can't check signatures because they are only paid minimum wage? What, is that too much to ask? Please. Wake up people and do your jobs.

Yea! You tell them! You lazy minimum wage workers! Yes, so you're working two jobs and have 4 kids to take care of and have no health insurance and are worried about paying rent next month and what you're going to feed your kids tonight and only get 4 hours of sleep a night. THAT'S NO EXCUSE! CHECK THE DAMN SIGNATURE!

Actually, the real culprit is the CC company. It costs to much to worry about petty things like theft. It's easier to just reimburse the odd person (and I think the vendor looses out too, no?) than to police every single transaction.

04 Jun 2003 | Brandon said...

Yea! You tell them! You lazy minimum wage workers! Yes, so you're working two jobs and have 4 kids to take care of and have no health insurance and are worried about paying rent next month and what you're going to feed your kids tonight and only get 4 hours of sleep a night. THAT'S NO EXCUSE! CHECK THE DAMN SIGNATURE!

You're right, it's no excuse. Can you please explain how having 4 kids or working two jobs or not having health insurance has anything to do with them not doing their job(s) correctly? When did all this become an excuse for not doing what you are paid to do?

04 Jun 2003 | Toby said...

On the other hand, how in hell do you expect a 15 year-old cashier at Target to perform a handwriting comparison? I mean, how often does your signature vary due to differences in writing surfaces, implements, and conditions.

I know my signature looks different when I'm writing on the back of a plastic card than it does on a flat piece of receipt paper or an LCD screen.

Friggin' nuts is what it is.

Like fajalar, I've put "see ID" on my cards to little avail. (Actually, they only one to ever check my ID was a 15y.o. Target cashier...)

04 Jun 2003 | Steve said...

Signatures are just there as a CYA, after-the-fact measure. Years ago, back when I actually wrote checks, I was writing one out at a store and talking with a friend about another friend named Steve Taylor. (I'm Steve Jackson.) Absentmindedly, I signed my check as Steve Taylor. It flew through with no problem at all, and I didn't even notice it till I got my checks back (wow, this was a long time ago). I suppose if I'd disputed it afterwards the signature of the wrong name would have been grounds to dishonor the check, but nobody cared or checked as it was going through the system.

I have noticed, however, at least out here around LA, that I am being asked to present my ID a lot more when using a card.

04 Jun 2003 | scott said...

Though ilow wages are not really an excuse, I can understand how someone that feels unappreciated might do as little as needed in the workplace. Why should a walmart employee care to put in the extrta effort when what they do isn't valued?

04 Jun 2003 | 8500 said...

Some fast food places in Austin don't even ask you to sign anything anymore. I guess it helps them move the crowds faster. It doesn't bother me at all since signing is not an option for half the places that I purchase things (pay at the pump gas, amazon, phone sex etc.)

04 Jun 2003 | Michael Spina said...

At a few chain restaurants I noticed the server just leaves the receipt for me to sign and says "keep the yellow copy" and I'm free to walk out. Sure makes it seem like a technicality, or a CYA feature as Steve said.

04 Jun 2003 | Brandon said...

Though ilow wages are not really an excuse, I can understand how someone that feels unappreciated might do as little as needed in the workplace. Why should a walmart employee care to put in the extrta effort when what they do isn't valued?

Flipside: Why should Wal-Mart employ these people, or pay them anything BUT minimum wage if they aren't going to do their job well. Appreciated my ass -- most employees don't appreciate their employer, just as many employers don't appreciate their employees. It's a business relationship and nothing more. If you're paid to do a job, you should do your absolute best no matter how you feel about the employer, your 4 kids at home, etc. That's the contract.

04 Jun 2003 | Darrel said...

Brandon:

It really doesn't matter. It's not like the signature on your card or receipt adds any real security anyways.

As for the 'excuse thing' maybe it's not an excuse, but just human nature. Employers that treat employees like shit shouldn't expect the same level of productivity out of them. In my life, I've found that minimum-wage jobs tend to have unrealistic management expectations.

If you're paid to do a job, you should do your absolute best no matter how you feel about the employer

Good for you, Brandon. I'm sure you'd be a great asset to the Burger King empire. More power to you.

04 Jun 2003 | Brandon said...

Employers that treat employees like shit shouldn't expect the same level of productivity out of them. In my life, I've found that minimum-wage jobs tend to have unrealistic management expectations.

Treat them like shit how?

04 Jun 2003 | Darrel said...

Treat them like shit how?

Have you ever worked at Burger King?

04 Jun 2003 | Brandon said...

Have you ever worked at Burger King?

Shitty how?

04 Jun 2003 | Darrel said...

Seriously, Brandon, have you ever worked a minimum wage job?

I've had a few.

Let's take Burger King, for example. The owner of the 5 or so restaurants was a millionaire.

70% of his workforce made minimum wage. Some of these were college kids (like me) but many were second jobs for single moms, a stable job for those with mental or physical disabilities, or a job for those with little education (either high school grads or new immigrants).

20% of his workforce made slightly higher wages (maybe $6 an hour).

The rest rounded out as sub-30k/year jobs. For managers working 40+ hours in fast food.

Raises? hahaha.

Living wages? hahaha.

Breaks? Only if they are off the clock.

Standing there? Mop. Already mopped? Mop again.

Hey...we're going to have you work the night shift 10 days in a row. You don't mind, do you?

Anyways, the point being that minimum wage employees tend to be in jobs where they are seen merely as drones. Easily replacable assets. These employees are working hard, making a income well below the poverty line, receive no benefits to speak of, and are usually employed by someone making 6-7 figures a year.

They're treated like shit, IMHO. You may disagree.

I've had some shitty jobs (and some really good ones) but the Burger King gig was the only one I ever walked out of. I actually felt bad until the general manager asked me 'what too you so long?' ;o) He left 2 weeks later. A sad man he was.

04 Jun 2003 | Brandon said...

Standing there? Mop. Already mopped? Mop again.

Boo hoo. Yes, I've worked my fair share of minimum wage jobs. And you know what? They sucked. But, that's fine cause that's what I expected. I didn't expect to get a company car, unlimited breaks, huge perks, and a pat on the back every day. Besides wanting more money, I couldn't complain. I did the shitty job that I was hired to do. That was the deal. I lived up to my side, they lived up to theirs. Bait and switch is one thing, but knowing what you are getting into is another. I assume you think people who flip burgers for a living should be making $50K a year.

04 Jun 2003 | Darrel said...

I assume you think people who flip burgers for a living should be making $50K a year.

I think people should be treated with respect and be able to make a living wage. But, then again, I'm a crazy communist who believes in free health care and state run day care.

Anyways, my point is that I don't expect minimum wage people to really give shit about their employer overall, as their employer rarely gives a shit about them. It's great if they are all like you Brandon, but I'm not going to hold anything against them if they don't share your same outlook.

04 Jun 2003 | Brandon said...

I think people should be treated with respect and be able to make a living wage.

Where's the disrespect? Mop the floor? Why is that disrespectful? They are doing their job.

04 Jun 2003 | Darrel said...

I see you're as bored as I am, Brandon. ;o)

05 Jun 2003 | alisha said...

This is very off topic but the low wages in the US arent the sole reason for people to slack off. Here in Germany where minimum wage tends to be quite a nice sum, people still give shitty, unfriendly service. Thats acceptable behavior here. It depends on mentality, culture, job satisfation and a number of other things. I think Darrel is very much for a more social structure, which is humane but Germany is proof that they dont work very well anymore. Companies who dont acknowledge thier employees needs and sense of respect will of course create problems for themselves; workplaces need teamwork. No matter what the wage or status.

05 Jun 2003 | Don Schenck said...

I like this "Brandon" guy!

05 Jun 2003 | Chris said...

Minimum wage workers are easily replacable drones. That is sort of the whole point. Don't want to flip the bugers properly? It's easy enough to replace you. Kobe Bryant is not so easy to replace, thus the difference in income potential. Wages are not dictated by worth or usefullness to society, they are dictated by supply and demand. For every spoiled, whiny American that thinks he is above mopping the floor, there is an immigrant who is thrilled to be making $6 an hour, and somehow finds a way to live on it, and send a chunk home to South American every month.

05 Jun 2003 | fajalar said...

Minimum wage workers are easily replacable drones.

The same could be said (especially in this economy) or designers, and usability professionals.

05 Jun 2003 | said...

I just returned from Miami Beach. There, most every restaraunt automatically adds 15% gratuity to every check. Almost every time, a waiter would take our drink order, then food order and disappear. We would have to flag down busboys for more water, beer, bread, ice, etc. No doubt, the busboy probably makes minimum wage plus a small tipout, while the waiters get an automatic 15% for doing hardly anything.

05 Jun 2003 | Darrel said...

No doubt, the busboy probably makes minimum wage plus a small tipout, while the waiters get an automatic 15% for doing hardly anything.

Technically speaking, they are sharing the tip.

I hate tipping. It's no longer a measure of the quality of one's service, but merely a subsidy for the food service owner to not even have to pay minimum wage.

Sad.

06 Jun 2003 | alisha said...

"Minimum wage workers are easily replacable drones."

"The same could be said (especially in this economy) or designers, and usability professionals."

amen. all of us are replacable when you want to see it that way. People are not all the same and therefore add to or subtract from a business. Quite a big difference Id say.

06 Jun 2003 | Don Schenck said...

I tend to think that we can all bring something to a job, whether it's designing web sites or bussing tables.

A smile, good attitude, good work ethic, genuinely caring about others ... that stuff goes a long way.

I'm old fashioned. What am I saying; I'm just plain OLD (44).

06 Jun 2003 | Darrel said...

Oh sure...I'm not saying employees SHOULDN'T take pride in their work and do a good job...I'm only saying I don't BLAME them when they don't give 100% when they're working for your typical minimum wage employer.

06 Jun 2003 | Steve said...

Yes, people should take pride in what they do, and try to do it well. But, self-motivation isn't a strong feature of many people, and when there is a persistent message from management that doing your job well carries no reward, it's much less likely that people will care about doing their job well.

Witness fast food: The industry is not appalled by turnover rates of 120 percent a year. They want that. They've continually changed their kitchens so that there is no skill involved. They want people to rotate out quickly. Why? So they don't have to pay them more as they get good at their jobs. Employees pick up on this and realize that, with rare exception, there's no material reward for doing well. That's going to have an effect on everyone. I mean, I'm pretty self-motivated and will give a lot to my job just to be pleased with myself, but the fact that I haven't had a raise in more than two years and none's on the horizon, and that my employer doesn't really seem to care that much if I'm around or not (welcome to the Internet industry, c. 2003), I know I'm far less willing to really bust my ass than I have been in the past. Appreciation and effort goes both ways. It's human nature.

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