Down for the Count

We recently undated our debit machines at work and hallelujah for that. Our old ones were temperamental at best. If someone inserted their debit or credit card before the machines said to it would go "beep-beep-beep-beep-beep error error error error. Can't read card. Please swipe" so they swipe the card "beep-beep-beep-beep-beep error error error error. This is a chip card, please insert" Now try to get someone to follow the directions, "don't insert the card until the machine says to" "beep beep beep" "AAAAAAH"

But then, oh but then, in drive-thru you'd think I'd have it easiest because I take the card from the people, insert it (when the machine says to) and hands the machine over. Right? Right?

WRONG!

With our old machines the slightest speck of dust hitting the card and jolting it made the machine go "beep-beep-beep-beep-beep error error error error. Can't read card" Take out card "please don't insert before........aaaaah" However, to be nice it didn't do this ALL the time. The picky machine would pick the times it didn't want to work. And I figured it out. It only works in conditions it likes. The machine does not like:

• Getting wet
• Being too dry
• Getting too cold
• Getting too hot
• The wind
• Direct sunlight
• Indirect sunlight
• Starlight
• Moonlight
• Clouds
• Dust
• Children
• Dogs
• Cats
• People
• Working

And sometimes, if we were really lucky - like five times a week - the machine would just DIE! Would stop working, through up its invisible hands and go "Nope. Not gonna work. And you can't make me. Na-na-na-na-boo-boo" But we had our tricks. Unplugging it and plugging it back in usually worked to reset it. But about twice a month we called the technicians to really fix it.

But then, oh but glorious then, they got ride of our old useless always dead debits and gave us new ones! All was well in the land of fast food. It wasn't dying, you could insert the card whenever, the weather didn't effect it, NOTHING. It was wonderful. But like all good things it had to come to an end.

It was Friday. Friday's are busy. Here I was working away taking orders, paying one through and the customer goes "What's this doing?" and hands be back the machine. The machine was having a fit. So I send them to the next window to pay. Same with the next debit. So I do what has always worked, unplugged it, waited, plugged it back in. And at least this one has manners, it smiled at me. Literally. On the screen before it went to start up it showed (-: Cheeky little machinery.

So I've reset it. It should work.

Haha. No.

Reset it again. No such luck. Call the manager who also resets it. Still nothing. So, she calls the teckie people who tell her the NEW way to reset the machine (unplugging it is SOOOOO 2012. We don't do that no more). She does it, it works. YAY! Except she doesn't show me how to do it, because its a Friday, we are busy and she is needed in the store. But whatever, the debit is working, I shouldn't complain. And I won't.

At least, I won't until it dies again. Which, knowing the machines, will be on a stupid crazy day when everyone - and their dogs - will be paying debit.

The Girl Behind the Microphone.