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As far as I can see. These front desk jobs exist as theft/crime deterrent and to handle edge cases. Sure you could fully automate fuel stations but who is going
by SilverRed 5y ago
As far as I can see. These front desk jobs exist as theft/crime deterrent and to handle edge cases. Sure you could fully automate fuel stations but who is going to call the police when kids start spray painting the windows unless you have someone sitting at a desk watching cctv all day. And who is going to deal with customers who are trying to report something is wrong with a pump. These jobs have already been automated to the point that one person can handle a large store/hotel.
- hypertele-Xii 5y ago> but who is going to call the police when kids start spray painting the windows unless you have someone sitting at a desk watching cctv all day. A neural network trained to classify spray-painting kids?
- toomanybeersies 5y agoThe deterrent effect is less because clerks are more effective than cameras at detecting crime, and more because people don't like committing crimes when there are other people nearby. Obviously that's not an absolute statement, especially considering that armed robbery is a thing. But in general humans are better crime deterrents than security cameras or robots. In a lot of cases, that's the sole reason for employing security guards, since the only thing they're actually allowed to do when they encounter crimes in progress is ring the police.
- InitialLastName 5y agoI can't wait until short window-washers start getting arrested.
- maeln 5y agoThere is a lot of 24h/24h fuel station here in France with no staff and it is working out.
- Ekaros 5y agoHere in Finland even the full-service 24h stations have automated self-service and that might even be most used option.
- MomoXenosaga 5y agoI kinda feel some countries care a lot about full employment. How they can afford it is beyond me though.
- kwhitefoot 5y agoIf we can afford to keep people alive surely we can arrange for them to do something useful too. Unless we intend to condemn large numbers of people to chronic poverty we have to pay more than starvation wages even to those who do nothing. It seems to me that the question to be answered is: how can we afford to not have full employment?
- ratww 5y agoIt's quite simple: they can afford it by having full employment. Full employment means lots of good things: a population that's richer per-capita and spends more, less expenses on welfare, less poverty, less crime, less billionaires, etc.
- Kiro 5y ago> Sure you could fully automate fuel stations Where are you from? I thought fuel stations in most Western countries were fully automated already. In Sweden there are loads with no people at all but even the ones with a store you just pay at the pump. You only go inside if you need to buy something else. Very strange example to use and kind of invalidates your whole point.
- Twisol 5y agoApparently, it's illegal to pump your own gas in New Jersey. [0] [0] https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/74549/why-cant-you-pump-your-own-gas-new-jersey https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/74549/why-cant-you-pump-...
- Workaccount2 5y agoFrom NJ, wouldn't change it. No need to get out of your car and deal with a dirty pump. You can also get out to go in the store while they fill your tank, or some smaller places you can buy stuff right from the attendant. Gas doesn't cost any extra because of it either. We used to have some of the cheapest gas in the country before a recent tax hike. Basically a free service, no tipping either. One downside is that if it is busy you might have to wait, but the guys are usually pretty quick.
- someguy321 5y agoYou pay for that service whether you realize it or not.
- savingsPossible 5y agoApparently not? The cost can come from the margin for the gas station, not the consumer
- someguy321 5y agoGas stations are a notoriously low-margin business. Realistically costs get passed on to the consumer.