When the Village Plaza IGA opens May 20 in Spencerport, it will feature one of the area's first self-checkout scanners for do-it-yourself shopping.

The scanning system resembles a standard checkout lane and is intended to draw customers from crowded lines during peak times. The self-checkout system, manufactured by National Cash Register (NCR) and distributed by Dumac Business Systems, is equipped with a series of checks and balances that keep customers honest.

Mike Ward, owner of the IGA, knows the many benefits of the automated system. "It's an added service for our customers," says Ward. "It will improve customer service, offer shoppers speed and convenience, and for us, it means greater scheduling flexibility if an employee is needed elsewhere in the store."

The self-checkout scanning system successfully debuted in Rochester earlier this year.

What gives the smaller, independent supermarkets like the Village Plaza IGA the confidence they need to be trend setting?

"Dumac Business Systems keeps us current on customer service trends," says Ward. "They work with us at every step through installation and take the apprehension out of using new technology."

Shoppers can "check out" the new technology at the Village Plaza IGA's opening on May 20.