21st Century Automat
As the minimum wage makes even my smart, hardworking 16 year old child a very expensive proposition for a potential employer, the retail industry is bringing back a very old idea, the automat. It simply isn't worth $7.25 or more to pay someone to work a cash register for an hour when you can get a machine that checks out everything from fast food to iPods. Here in St. Cloud, Minnesota, we have a few universities which provide part-time workers to the retail and the leisure/hospitality industries. The general trend in retail employment has been down over the last five years, starting well before the recession struck the area. Increasing the minimum wage certainly hasn't helped them find jobs. To a smaller extent the same is true in leisure and hospitality. One can imagine the possibility of expanding this to hotels (do you need a person to check you in, or can you swipe a card and have your room passcard dispensed?)
So I got to thinking -- could we have an automat for some government services? I'm working hard to find savings in government right now as we try to finalize a budget. What say, Ricochetians?
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Feb '11
Re: 21st Century Automat
The ultimate automat is the internet. It eliminates the need for convenient locations (since the location is everywhere) or hours (since it's always on). Anything that can be done online presents a tremendous savings in the most precious resource of all - time.
Dec '10
Re: 21st Century Automat
I'm taking my youngest daughter to New York to see a musical and visit her sister. She was excited about going to the Automat -- she'd heard that someone had opened a new food outlet based on the old Horn & Hardart format. Unfortunately, the new Automat closed (apparently the food was not good).
However, as a consolation, we plan to hit the Shake Shake outdoor outlet in Madison Square Park. That, and the Second Avenue Deli, and the Chip Shop in Park Slope (and maybe A. Salt & Battery fish & chips in the Village)..
May '10
Re: 21st Century Automat
Chip Shop in Park Slope?! Ricochet meetup! I live up the street a bit from that (if you come to Park Slope, remember, only left turns are permitted. We even have a Berkeley (Place). But I'm sure you'll like the food.
Jan '11
Re: 21st Century Automat
And who am I supposed to slide that double sawbuck to for that unauthorized room upgrade next time I'm in Vegas (or any other perk that is controlled by the desk)?
May '10
Re: 21st Century Automat
I'm with Peter G. Don't know the last time I dealt with people when going to the airport (other than my friendly TSA patdown)
May '10
Re: 21st Century Automat
It is said that our current array of manned fighter-bombers may be our last. Automation has already been introduced on a significant level in the Air Force.
Jan '11
Re: 21st Century Automat
I wish that it was more like a CoinStar machine where its individual user poured more into it than the same user got out of it, thus causing one to pay for the convenience of the machine to do the sorting, counting, and correct distribution of paper money. Well, collectively government does do this for its user except it does all these things poorly, especially the distribution. So, naturally, we collectively ask for our CoinStar-like government to make improvements but all we seemingly get is a larger capacity machine that can [and will] accept more inputs while programmed to do the sorting, counting, and distributing even more poorly than before. But did I mention that the paper money dispenser on this CoinStar-like machine has a new and amazing ultra high speed printer?! Perhaps we should encourage more people to do without the machine's service unless they really, really, REALLY need it.
Dec '10
Re: 21st Century Automat
Excellent point, but keep in mind it still requires an individual to operate it albeit from afar. It's interesting because there's a rivalry going on between the USAF where officers work the controls as opposed to the US Army where a person of lower rank (Spec4 or NCO) is allowed to do so. Same results, but at a lower cost. Also, keep in mind while the focus is shifting to unmanned flights, there will always be a requirement to have boots-on-the-ground.
I'm somewhat of a throw back here because while I think ordering things on-line or going to an ATM for cash is good, I still prefer the face-to-face at restaurants, hotels. Also, when something goes wrong I prefer to interact with a human being. I've never taken a shine to the auto-check outs at the grocery stores...I know I'm still old school in some ways but offering a word of caution.
Feb '11
Re: 21st Century Automat
My state DMV allows many tasks which previously required interacting with a person to be done on-line. The FAA lets the filing of flight plans be done electronically instead of talking to a Flight Service specialist. Lots of additional example.
Efficiency improvements are good, however, there is probably no way that they can make up for the vast sums of money being allocated to politically-favored people, organizations, & projects, such as nonviable "alternative energy" systems.
Feb '11
Re: 21st Century Automat
Johannes says "I've never taken a shine to the auto-check outs at the grocery stores."
The quality of these systems differs greatly from chain to chain....the ones at Giant are awful; they seem like a science fair project by a student who didn't have access to proper equipment & facilities and never got a chance to really finish it.
Dec '10
Re: 21st Century Automat
never mind
Edited on Mar 8, 2011 at 6:01amMay '10
Re: 21st Century Automat
"To waste time with an automated government press 1 now... To waste money with an automated government press 2 now... To waste time and money en Español press 3 now..."
Sep '10
Re: 21st Century Automat
Several days ago Paul Krugman (mea culpa) wrote a piece that has started a discussion related to the future of automation (among other things) and what that means to the American workforce. Why do we need all these people? Seriously.
Jun '10
Re: 21st Century Automat
Johannes Allert
I'm somewhat of a throw back here because while I think ordering things on-line or going to an ATM for cash is good, I still prefer the face-to-face at restaurants, hotels. Also, when something goes wrong I prefer to interact with a human being. I've never taken a shine to the auto-check outs at the grocery stores...I know I'm still old school in some ways but offering a word of caution. · Mar 8 at 4:22am
Amen.
Sep '10
Re: 21st Century Automat
This tendency towards automation may be a reaction in part to overregulation, especially as it applies to HR departments. Plus, robots don't call in sick when they're not, or perform sporadically. A robot's MTBF is way better than a human's.
But, in certain industries human contact is tough to replace, one being health care. One of the first ideas discussed in pharmacy school was whether and when pharmacists and pharmacy techs would be replaced by a completely automated system of prescription filling and dispensing. This was in 1983, and since then, many elements of this system have been automated (computers typing labels, receipts, and drug info sheets, catching drug interactions, and keeping detailed patient records to name a few), but the human touch still remains a valued service.
Edited on Mar 8, 2011 at 9:38amFeb '11
Re: 21st Century Automat
While automation has had many successes, there have also been many dramatic failures of ambitious automation events. Famously, Roger Smith of GM embarked on a major roboticization program which didn't work out too well; meanwhile Toyota pursued a different approach based on thinking intelligently about manufacturing processes and increased employee responsibility/involvement.
Another example of failed automation overreach was the FAA/IBM project known as the advanced automation system.
Feb '11
Re: 21st Century Automat
...that was supposed to be "dramatic failures of ambitious automation EFFORTS."
Oct '10
Re: 21st Century Automat
King, in my weekly business travel I frequently encounter automated check-in. Hilton properties are the first that come to mind. It is increasingly common today.
Nov '10
Re: 21st Century Automat
I regret that I have but one like to give to this post.