While some companies streamline business with computers and machines, one supermarket chain is going back to a more traditional practice.

Albertsons LLC removed self-checkout lanes from its Santa Fe stores as it phases out the system in about 100 supermarkets that have them.

After nearly a decade of letting customers scan and pay for items themselves, the company sees the change as a step toward better customer service and making grocery shopping easier through a more personal touch.

"It's that simple," Alberstons representative Christine Wilcox said in a statement. "If you have a chance to talk with someone before you leave a store, odds are you'll let us know how it went — whether we met your expectations, if there were items you were looking for but couldn't find, rather than not saying anything."

Most customers interviewed at the Albertsons on North Guadalupe Street at the DeVargas Center said they won't miss the self-checkout lanes as long as the store keeps its promise to provide good customer service.

"I used them occasionally, but they were often too slow and they never seemed to work," Elizabeth Sanders said. "Some people weren't sufficient when it came to using them."

Wilcox said the Boise, Idaho-based chain, which operates more than 200 stores in seven states, doesn't plan to hire more people as a result of the change but will add more cashiers during peak operating times.

Technology issues were a concern in the decision to remove the self-checkout lanes. Errors that required staff intervention often slowed down the checkout time for customers, she said.

One cashier said the move would make it easier to keep lines shorter. Customers with a basket full of groceries sometimes would use the self-checkout counters and spend up to a half an hour doing what a human cashier could do in 10 minutes, one cashier said.

While customers played the role of cashier, one store employee monitored up to four self-checkout lanes, stepping in to help in case of a glitch or sales of products that require staff attention, such as alcoholic beverages.

At least one industry report said self-checkout lanes aren't as popular among shoppers who are 65 or older.

However, other retail chains with stores in the area, including Walmart, Home Depot and Smith's, will continue to use self-checkout lanes.

Smith's plans to add more to its Cerrillos Road store during a redesign that will begin in August, a manager there said.

However, Albertsons LLC plans to have all self-checkout lanes gone from its stores by late August.

"I think everybody prefers to have a cashier work for them," customer Michael Pettit said. "It makes it quicker and it also gives a human being a job."

Contact Shaun Griswold at 986-3052 or email sgriswold@sfnemexican.com