A method, apparatus and system are presented for improving an optical code scanner used in an assisted service point of sale terminal by automatically detecting the placement of an item for scanning on the customer side of the optical code scanner and configuring the scanner to scan the item. Once the item is scanned, the optical code scanner reconfigures to scan items presented on the cashier side of the scanner. When the scanner automatically detects, configures and scans an item presented on the customer side of the scanner, it reduces the checkout time and reduces the number of operations a cashier must perform.