@dspeakes wrote:

@Misanthrope wrote:

I for one am enthusiastically for as much automation as possible. While it is probably an early concept and will have issues to iron out, anything that can be done by a machine cheaper and more efficiently than a fallible human being should. I shed no tears for the farrier and the cooper come the time of the industrial revolution, I care not for the waiter or the bag boy now.

That's because you were not a farrier or cooper.

You do realize that there will be little reason to mystery shop robots, don't you? If this catches on as much as you hope ("as much automation as possible" not only will all the people we shop be out of work, so will we. Automation doesn't just make things easier and cheaper it puts people on the unemployment line while stuffing more profits into corporate pockets.

How do you feel about that automation now?

Be careful what you wish for.

Mystery shopping isn't a career for me: it's something I started in college for pocket change and pretty much only continue to do now as a supplement for my entertainment dollar. If these go away I'll shrug and go back to my full time job.

Crap that means we won't get unemployment when they send in the machines.

Ah well, what can you expect from someone with the screen name of "misanthrope"?

@Misanthrope wrote:

I for one am enthusiastically for as much automation as possible. While it is probably an early concept and will have issues to iron out, anything that can be done by a machine cheaper and more efficiently than a fallible human being should. I shed no tears for the farrier and the cooper come the time of the industrial revolution, I care not for the waiter or the bag boy now.

Really? And what will you do when they replace mistery shoppers with video cameras? Pretty soon humans will be obsolete. What do you think the machines will do with us then?

At Chili's there was a charge to play some of the games on the machine so I guess they look at it as a moneymaker also.

@Shar007 wrote:

the teller at my favorite bank asked if I ever used the ATM to deposit checks. I am not an ATM user and prefer to go inside. She informed me that they are closing a lot of their brick and mortar branches and only using the ATMs. I do not like that. Luckily I have other bank options - so far. I rarely use the self checkouts and when I do, I usually have a problem and it takes longer anyway.

i never use ATMs or branches to deposit checks. Bank app only, picture from whereever i am.

If I don't want service, I can stay home. If I want service I am willing to pay for it. The machines on the tables can be better then much of the service you can get in the Orlando area .... unfortunately. One restaurant manager explained when the tourists left town, the service would get better. Since I am new to the area, I will have to wait and see if he was telling the truth. If not, bring on the machines or I will stay home.

It is a free country. You are free to abstain from tipping or accepting management's efforts to reduce your enjoyment of the 'dinning out" experience.

You can have anything you want in life if you will just help enough other people get what they want IF YOU HELP THEM CHEERFULLY, INTELLIGENTLY. and WITH INTEGRITY. No one likes to be abused, mislead or cheated. You have choices.

Some food vendors know this and offer dinig rooms and fine wines are neatly displayed on the walls. You are escorted to a table. A real human being with experience will recite the chef's specials and make recommendations. You read the menu from left to right (not caring about the price on the right as you can afford to enjoy what you want rather than settle for what you can afford.

Some food vendors are cheating people of the human experience and the cheerfull server is now a tablet other traditional restaurants that have one location or may own several locations under different names but are the same owner (as described above) will still cater to the diner. There are mom and pop diners that sit you down and give you individual service without tablets.

Franchised fast food locations that dictate how many french fries an operator must serve and keep track of every hamburger patty may offer tablets or you order on a Kisok or you step up to a counter and you are your server. You carry your food to a table, you bus your table toss it in a waste can. An employee will wipe the table and empty the trash bag and mop the floor but will not interact with a customer.

Those who do not offer full service offer casual or semi-casual dinning. Restaurants like Boston Market where you stand in line to order, check out, sit down and your tray is brought to you or if the location is busy you will bring your own tray to a table, will have their place, but no tip should be necessary. If you want a soft drink refill an employee may get it for you but you can get up and get a refill yourself.

The hamburger is the same meat if it has other stuff mixed with the meat and is served at the golden arches or it is ground and served at a country club. The price and quality is different.

It seems to me that if we embrace the use of technology in conducting our shops (smartphones, tablets, audio and video recording devices) that it's a bit peculiar that we object when our targets do the same.

I'd be curious to hear thoughts about tipping when much of the server's job becomes automated and self-service. Chili's has indeed gone to table screens. In my area, diners are seated with menus, but they are encouraged to use the touch screen to order their beverages, meal, request refills, etc., and pay. Ordered items are delivered to the table. Yet the suggested tip percentages provided are the same.

Initially, I thought servers would probably not like the new touchscreens, because it would lower tips. As someone who regularly tips 20% for table service (unless restricted by an MSC's requirements while performing a shop), I would probably not consider as high a tip because the attentive service I would be receiving would be far less. But, I recently saw an internet discussion of servers who believe it will RAISE their tips because "service will be faster" and "customers will be grateful." Several Chili's servers participated and said they are already seeing higher tips.

I have gone to Chili's a couple of times since the touch screens were installed. I don't mind using them, but I have not noticed that the service is faster. I have noticed only that there is less personal contact and the servers seem to be able to serve a greater number of tables.

What are some thoughts on this?

@ces1948 wrote:

It seems to me that if we embrace the use of technology in conducting our shops (smartphones, tablets, audio and video recording devices) that it's a bit peculiar that we object when our targets do the same.

Your post has absolutely no bearing on the discussion at hand at all. Using a phone to take notes or record is no different than using a notebook to take notes. It's not replacing human interaction and not taking away a job from someone. It's not detracting from the experience in any way.

It's not that "our targets" are doing the same. It's that they aren't even there anymore.

On the other hand, I would love to see more waiters using handheald order entry devices, if only for the added ease of splitting checks evenly between guests but for countless other reasons.

Weren't the Terminator movies based on this? The machines are taking over. Hasta la vista, baby.

The NYC media is reporting a scammer who defeated self checkout sin supermarkets by simply switching bar code stickers. LOL

Here is my question:

How expensive are the self-service machines/devices compared to the expenses associated with displaced or relocated employees? I suppose the machines are intended to reduce costs, so shouldn't the cost-savings be passed along to us consumers? (I would want lower costs from businesses and not just increased taxes and charity requests to assist displaced workers.)


************************************************************************************************

Here is my opinion (which could change momentarily):

If we customers are to perform any percentage of the work involved anywhere in the processes goods and/or services we are purchasing, we should receive a corresponding discount in exchange for our labor. Or, perhaps Olive Garden and other places which require customers to pay or order via machine should become co-ops of sorts: in exchange for our expanded roles in interactions with these companies, we could receive a discount on the prices of everything we purchase. (In a food co-op, we might assist in administering, stocking or cleaning in exchange for discounted food prices.)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/18/2015 09:13PM by Shop-et-al.

@Shop-et-al at the very least you save 15-25% from not having to tip the machine.

Not really. Not if you're still tipping whoever brings your food. I don't tip the cashiers at places that put in the self-service checkouts so I'm not saving anything by using them (except, in some cases, time).

The other day I saw a help wanted ad for a high end country club dining room. They had an opening for a combination ( I kid you not) Order expediter, busser and silverware polisher. Experience with high end fine dining was required. So you see how much value is being placed on service positions.

@Shar007 wrote:

the teller at my favorite bank asked if I ever used the ATM to deposit checks. I am not an ATM user and prefer to go inside. She informed me that they are closing a lot of their brick and mortar branches and only using the ATMs. I do not like that. Luckily I have other bank options - so far. I rarely use the self checkouts and when I do, I usually have a problem and it takes longer anyway.

If my teller told me that, I would find another bank to do business..

@dspeakes wrote:

Not really. Not if you're still tipping whoever brings your food. I don't tip the cashiers at places that put in the self-service checkouts so I'm not saving anything by using them (except, in some cases, time).

I guess. It's probably not like a normal restaurant where you see the runner once during service and never again. Someone still needs to keep your drink full and be there to answer any questions and field requests.

I'm 67 years old and I embrace new technology. Don't have a problem with using ATM's or self service checkouts. Move forward or get out of the way I guess

I think you are going to see more automation as minimum wages increase. I am NOT arguing against increasing the minimum wage, simply pointing out that there are only two fundamental responses: 1) find a way to reduce other costs (automation is one of them) or 2) increase prices. There are a number of articles from respected news sources today based on an interview with the founder of Burger King (he is no longer connected with Burger King) explaining why you should expect to see $10 hamburgers and the elimination of $1 menu items

I would hate those germy touchscreens. Yuck, just as I'm seated and ready to order, I would have to go wash my hands again before eating. I'm sure I wouldn't feel like my normal 20% tip was warranted, either.

As for the self-checkouts, am I the only one who always seems to have a problem with the item I'm scanning? The screen always comes up with something like "Additional assistance required" and I have to stand around and wait for a real person to help. I feel they're counterproductive.

I would think paper menu's would have as many germs as touch screens

@kathierost wrote:

I would hate those germy touchscreens. Yuck, just as I'm seated and ready to order, I would have to go wash my hands again before eating. I'm sure I wouldn't feel like my normal 20% tip was warranted, either.

As for the self-checkouts, am I the only one who always seems to have a problem with the item I'm scanning? The screen always comes up with something like "Additional assistance required" and I have to stand around and wait for a real person to help. I feel they're counterproductive.

Actually, paper menus probably have more germs than the touchscreens...unless the paper menu is in a plastic sleeve. Paper cannot be sterilized/sanitized.

Mnay restaurants have "laminated" menus, and I have seen some which are visibly very dirty. I have no belief that they ones which are visually "clean" are really sanitary either.

The post office now has touch screens which you are required to use to answer the HaxMat questions. Banks have touch screens for ATMs. Wawa has touch screens for ordering hoagies. Touch screens are everywhere these days. I don't believe that any of them are sanitary.

The touchscreen and menus have at most as many germs on them as every other thing you're going to touch. Salt. Pepper. Ketchup. Your seat. Your table. Yourself. YOUR PHONE. Everything has germs. We really need to stop using potential germ exposure as a reason not to do something.

@Hoju wrote:

@dspeakes wrote:

Not really. Not if you're still tipping whoever brings your food. I don't tip the cashiers at places that put in the self-service checkouts so I'm not saving anything by using them (except, in some cases, time).

I guess. It's probably not like a normal restaurant where you see the runner once during service and never again. Someone still needs to keep your drink full and be there to answer any questions and field requests.

The way it has worked at Chili's the last couple times I was there is that the waitpersons have become runners. The (live) person who seats you gives you a menu (I agree, there must be a million germs on the menu!) and even though you still deal with a menu, you order through the table screen. The runner brings your drinks, appetizer, and entrees. When you want refills, you call the runner by using the touch screen. No one visits your table to see if you have questions or keep drinks refilled. You call a runner by using the touch screen if you have a question or if your drink needs a refill. The waitpersons are now runners who respond to your direct requests made through the touch screen.

I used to clean the screens every night on all our displays when I was wiping the counters. But I'm the only one I ever saw doing it.

@AustinMom wrote:

The way it has worked at Chili's the last couple times I was there is that the waitpersons have become runners. The (live) person who seats you gives you a menu (I agree, there must be a million germs on the menu!) and even though you still deal with a menu, you order through the table screen. The runner brings your drinks, appetizer, and entrees. When you want refills, you call the runner by using the touch screen. No one visits your table to see if you have questions or keep drinks refilled. You call a runner by using the touch screen if you have a question or if your drink needs a refill. The waitpersons are now runners who respond to your direct requests made through the touch screen.

That is the same level of service I tip at Golden Corral, 10%-12% and they are still paying those runners tip wages in the states they can get away with it. They likely have 50% as many runners as they had when they gave full service at the table. This leaves the tip out about the same per employee.

I'll have to go to Chili's next time I'm going past there and see.