Obsolescence of the unskilled

Joseph James

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I took my daughter to Taco Bell in Black Mountain, NC today. You can look it up and see what a small town it is.

The drive gave my recent electrical repairs on the Fury a good workout. Poured rain the whole time so the lights, wipers and stuff were all going. Twisty, curvy highway 9 with switchbacks and stuff.

Anyway, this podunk town’s Taco Bell has a self service kiosk for ordering and payment. So, in the future, what happens to low skilled people? Their jobs are disappearing.

I am curious if this Kiosk thing is in other places. I’m sure it has to be.
 
Almost of all of the DFW McDonalds, when remodeled to the new look, all have self-service kiosks across from the counter. Don't get used too much, from what I can see.

I DO like the USPS self-service kiosks, though! Can do anything a counter person would do, 24/7, it seems, except smile back at you. But when they are "Out of Order" (serviced by a third-party vendor), not very good when that happens. To me, these are more about "after counter hours" transactions, than not. Some users used to get flummoxed by the credit card segment, though.

CBODY67
 
It’s McDonalds, Taco Bell etc. answer to the coming $15 minimum wage laws.
I refuse to use them. If the store insists we use the kiosk I walk out.
 
Got more and more "self checkouts" at the local stores.

It's not surprising... The raising minimum wage has made such tech "cost effective".

As a nation, we've screwed up very badly. There are no vocational programs in high school for kids to learn skills. What vocational schools there are have become dumping grounds for the kids with behavioral problems. The educators have been looking down their noses at blue collar folks for a while now. A good welder will make more money than most college grads, and will never go without a job, but they won't admit that.

I went to a vo-tech school and it's the best thing I ever did.
 
There are still some high schools with automotive tech programs. In one case in Dallas, TX, the supervisor of that program noted that when the kids leave, they've already got jobs lines up with many local dealerships. They start them out (usually) driving the courtesy cars to customers and such, then promote them to other higher-paying/more responsibility jobs. The local UTI branch has on-site HR offices of many of the DFW area high-end car dealers, too. Not quite as "doom and gloom" as some might tend to be.

Used to be that at WalMart, if the staffed checkout lines got more than 5 customers in them, then they'd call for more checkers. But that ended (about 10 years ago) when they put in the self-checkout stations (just a few at first, now MANY). Didn't take the threat of $15/hr wages to get those installed, 10+years ago. There are other ways for them to get around paying higher base wages, too, by observation.

What has happened in far west TX, where the oil patch determines wages for non-oil patch workers, with a somewhat limited workforce. ONE local grocery store with stock piled in the aisles. Nobody to hire to put it up, except those already there. Lodging rates through the roof. $15.00/hr doesn't even cut it for those people.

But then we heard about Disney employees who are living in their cars, working full-time, too. For a company with high profits.

Bad thing is that legislation is necessary to make people "do the right thing" for those which are making them money, in the first place. Many businesses seem to want "warm body robots" to work for cheap as the corporate officers live in mansions. Profit sharing seems to be a lost concept. Several cities in TX have passed "paid sick days off" ordinances, which are being contested by business groups. Such ordinances are claimed to be unconstitutional.

Remember the "Undercover Boss" television show? Where "the boss" went around and got to know their employees, undercover. How many "bosses" had their eyes opened from that experience? Gave scholarships to the employee's kids as a result. Plus other things. Perhaps more of that is needed?

At our dealership, one time our parts people were on a "meet the objective and you get another 3%/year on top of the normal 5% yearly bonus" situation. Of course, that first year, objectives were met and exceeded. Second year, same thing. EVERYBODY made money, bottom and top.

Another time, the techs were on an "upsale spiff", which was wildly successful for them. EVERYBODY made money and CSI scores rose too. There is WISDOM in these things, if they are implemented well.

In some cases, these incentives have been replaced by workplace improvements, which also can increase productivity and profits.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
 
I went into a remodeled McDuck where they had Kiosks and counter staff who came out and asked us which we preferred to use so we chose the counter.
 
I won't do Taco Hell, and I very rarely eat fast food so I really can't comment. I do use the self checkout at the grocery as much as possible, I hate slow clerks! One thing about the self checkout is that they are at least smart enough to know if you give them $11.47 for a bill of $10.97, you get some type of 50 cents back without question!
 
I took my daughter to Taco Bell in Black Mountain, NC today. You can look it up and see what a small town it is.

The drive gave my recent electrical repairs on the Fury a good workout. Poured rain the whole time so the lights, wipers and stuff were all going. Twisty, curvy highway 9 with switchbacks and stuff.

Anyway, this podunk town’s Taco Bell has a self service kiosk for ordering and payment. So, in the future, what happens to low skilled people? Their jobs are disappearing.

I am curious if this Kiosk thing is in other places. I’m sure it has to be.


Their app is way better.
 
Haha. Well, kiddo asked for the Taco Bell and it’s not something we do very often, so I indulged her. Doing keto diet myself, so I can’t eat it. Actually feel a lot better not eating processed foods.

I think vocational school is a great thing that should be pushed more. A tradesman can do well, a gender studies major will make coffee in Starbucks. Still, our country is full of people who don’t really have a vocation. They just do a menial job to pay the rent. Robots and kiosks are going to put them out of work. I can see a universal basic income scheme coming in the future.

As for me, I closed an electronic repair business in 1999 because things became throwaway and people stopped having things repaired. I had to start at the bottom of the electrical trade at minimum wage. I stuck it out, got my state license and have endeavored to be the very best I can be at what I do. There is nothing stopping a young person from doing what I did.
 
Home Depot did that to me once, hey there's no waiting at the self check out. I told the nice lady "No thank you, I don't work here".

Our Home Depot shuts down all of the human operated check outs and leaves you with no choice but self checkout.
 
Even the Costco snack bar has the option of ordering at a kiosk. There is still a separate line for counter service if you want to pay cash.
 
Got more and more "self checkouts" at the local stores.

It's not surprising... The raising minimum wage has made such tech "cost effective".

As a nation, we've screwed up very badly. There are no vocational programs in high school for kids to learn skills. What vocational schools there are have become dumping grounds for the kids with behavioral problems. The educators have been looking down their noses at blue collar folks for a while now. A good welder will make more money than most college grads, and will never go without a job, but they won't admit that.

I went to a vo-tech school and it's the best thing I ever did.
Big John I totally agree. The skills I learned 50 years ago are still with me today.
 
Why should a clueless hack be legally paid $15/hr when the manager is probably getting that? You should get paid for the skills you acquire not because you deserve a handout. Here is a novel idea that I believe in...........learn more than basic skills to earn more than minimum wage!!!
 
If there is a line at McDonald's I'll use the kiosk. I can have my order placed and paid for quicker than the counter person can do it, but I refuse to use the self checkout at Walmart. I'm conflicted.
 
I took my daughter to Taco Bell in Black Mountain, NC today. You can look it up and see what a small town it is.

I like Taco Bell once in awhile but I haven't been in years so I don't know if they have gone the Automatron route but the reason I stopped was when I had a counter person of 'diverse' nature I found when I opened the taco that it was of minuscule proportions and when I complained (waste of breath) the clerk advised me that they weigh all proportions.
But then when I get a kid of <ahem, I'll try to be polite here> ah well let's just say some more 'enthusiasm' I would get a taco filled to the brim so to say.

Same with Micky'D's it's not fast and it's not cheap anymore and they want to get to know you by asking your name for the receipt (cooked to order) And we won't go back to the coffee incident I had with them years ago, (last time I visited).

Burger King I've been tempted to try their dollar taco and the pork pulled sandwich, but I haven't walked in their doors for well over a decade as the last couple of Whoppers I had just didn't sit in my gut right, think 'Pink Slime'.

Oh I do go to Checkers but the punk at the window will give you a argument as one time when after he closed the window there was a hand written sign saying that tomatoes were in short supply and had to be requested which made me have to knock on the window and call him back with a final comment. ffs there's plenty of local grown tomatoes down the road at the farm stand, I was just down there this morning! :realcrazy:
 
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If you learn a trade you will never go hungry. You may get dirty, it might be physically demanding, but with a good work ethic you will always be able to provide for your family. In the next decade the trades are going to have many openings that need filled due to the current group of tradesman reaching retirement age.
 
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