my observations on everything right and wrong with the world - starting with myself.
Friday, May 06, 2005
our dependence on computers and automation makes me sick.
it also makes me hungry. let me explain.
yesterday afternoon, I stopped by the brand new 24-hour Lee's Sandwiches next to UCI...and normally, it would have been a very quick stop, but yesterday, my visit lasted almost an hour.
why?
everything in Lee's Sandwiches is automated...they take your order, they give you your number, that number tells the sandwich maker what sandwich to make, and that number is called automatically by a computerized voice when the sandwich is finished.
it works well - when it works.
when it didn't work (like yesterday), every person behind that counter became a blubbering fool.
they didn't know how to take the order.
they didn't know how to add up the order or calculate tax.
they didn't have any paper to write the order on.
they didn't know what to do with the order once they wrote it down (on the backs of thrown-away receipts).
the sandwich makers didn't know how to make the sandwiches.
the guy who took the sandwiches from the counter and gave them to you didn't know which sandwiches were which.
anyway, it was stupid. I waited in line for ten minutes and watched the line grow super long. they manually took my order, and I thought all was well...until I saw that the computer miraculously started working again after they take my order, so all orders after mine were in the computer.
needless to say, I watched the very last guy in line (the dude was wearing a pink polo shirt and thought he looked badass) move up the line, get his order taken, and pick up his order...while my hungry ass stood there and looked at the back of a thrown-away receipt with my name on it and the two sandwiches I ordered.
this could have been completely avoided had they been trained to know what to do in case the system fails. I mean, damn, how difficult is it to multiply $2.00 with 7.75%??? Staples sells reams and reams of paper, but Lee's Sandwiches couldn't even afford one sheet?
they spent a lot of money on the automation, but they didn't invest in intelligent workers.
that's the price we're all paying now. think about it...I know very few people who don't have an email address...but I know even fewer people who would know how to use a slide rule.
simple tasks that we complicate through automation are making us, as a generation, completely stupid and utterly dependent.
however, in the end, I got my sandwiches, but let me tell you, every bite of that #1 Combination was filled with hate and contempt...especially when I bit into the jalapenos.
it also makes me hungry. let me explain.
yesterday afternoon, I stopped by the brand new 24-hour Lee's Sandwiches next to UCI...and normally, it would have been a very quick stop, but yesterday, my visit lasted almost an hour.
why?
everything in Lee's Sandwiches is automated...they take your order, they give you your number, that number tells the sandwich maker what sandwich to make, and that number is called automatically by a computerized voice when the sandwich is finished.
it works well - when it works.
when it didn't work (like yesterday), every person behind that counter became a blubbering fool.
they didn't know how to take the order.
they didn't know how to add up the order or calculate tax.
they didn't have any paper to write the order on.
they didn't know what to do with the order once they wrote it down (on the backs of thrown-away receipts).
the sandwich makers didn't know how to make the sandwiches.
the guy who took the sandwiches from the counter and gave them to you didn't know which sandwiches were which.
anyway, it was stupid. I waited in line for ten minutes and watched the line grow super long. they manually took my order, and I thought all was well...until I saw that the computer miraculously started working again after they take my order, so all orders after mine were in the computer.
needless to say, I watched the very last guy in line (the dude was wearing a pink polo shirt and thought he looked badass) move up the line, get his order taken, and pick up his order...while my hungry ass stood there and looked at the back of a thrown-away receipt with my name on it and the two sandwiches I ordered.
this could have been completely avoided had they been trained to know what to do in case the system fails. I mean, damn, how difficult is it to multiply $2.00 with 7.75%??? Staples sells reams and reams of paper, but Lee's Sandwiches couldn't even afford one sheet?
they spent a lot of money on the automation, but they didn't invest in intelligent workers.
that's the price we're all paying now. think about it...I know very few people who don't have an email address...but I know even fewer people who would know how to use a slide rule.
simple tasks that we complicate through automation are making us, as a generation, completely stupid and utterly dependent.
however, in the end, I got my sandwiches, but let me tell you, every bite of that #1 Combination was filled with hate and contempt...especially when I bit into the jalapenos.
