4 ms·

In Japan right now and I see a ton of automation everywhere, self checkout at grocery stores and restaurants, but what you also see is a live humanbeing assigne

In Japan right now and I see a ton of automation everywhere, self checkout at grocery stores and restaurants, but what you also see is a live humanbeing assigned to the machines to help you if you have issues.

nicbou 2y ago
Japan has a LOT of make-work jobs for the elderly.
- yoyohello13 2y ago
  Isn’t that good?
  - boringg 2y ago
    absolutely - far better than any other model I've seen.
    - jimnotgym 2y ago
      Far better than UBI?
      - johnnyanmac 2y ago
        Maybe GP hasn't seen UBI at scale. I sure haven't. Maybe one day.
      - boringg 2y ago
        Definitely. UBI doesn't give you any connection to the world or meaning just money.
throwaway150 2y ago
> In Japan right now and I see a ton of automation everywhere, self checkout at grocery stores and restaurants, but what you also see is a live humanbeing assigned to the machines to help you if you have issues. Isn't that how self checkout happens in every part of the world that has self checkout? I'm failing to see what's special about self checkout in Japan.
- OJFord 2y ago
  Ah, how much you (and we in the west) have to learn! This is the ancient Japanese art of serufuchekkuauto de no ningen no sapōto.
- klausa 2y ago
  Anecdotally, the staff:machines ratio is much lower here than I've seen in Europe or US, and they also just pay more attention, and are more proactive (you'll get staff at Muji making sure that you're aware that you can't check out tax-free). The staff will also instantly materialize if they are needed to confirm you can buy alcohol, or there is some kind of problem; which is also not my experience elsewhere. It's not a worldshattering difference, but it is noticeable.
  - plondon514 2y ago
    Exactly, In my local pharmacy in NYC there is no attendant specifically for the self-checkouts, it's usually someone floating around or the same person doing manual checkout. In Japan the person is very present, willing to help, and says thank you very much, which also prompts me to say thank you in return.
    - galaxyLogic 2y ago
      But in Trader Joe employees are curiously happy, and it seems genuine. I wonder why that is? Some other grocery stores nearby employees are grumpy. Why?
      - lotsofpulp 2y ago
        My theory is the mid scale full service grocery stores with huge footprints and multiple specialized departments is on the way out. They are stuck with expensive legacy union employee contracts, while smaller and more efficient operations like TJs and Aldi and Lidl and Costco and Walmart and Winco eat all the consistent low margin sales, leaving the big grocery stores with only volatile high margin sales. People per household has been trending down for a long time, which also impacts the amount/variety of cooking.

nicbou 2y ago

Japan has a LOT of make-work jobs for the elderly.

yoyohello13 2y ago
Isn’t that good?
- boringg 2y ago
  absolutely - far better than any other model I've seen.
  - jimnotgym 2y ago
    Far better than UBI?
    - johnnyanmac 2y ago
      Maybe GP hasn't seen UBI at scale. I sure haven't. Maybe one day.
    - boringg 2y ago
      Definitely. UBI doesn't give you any connection to the world or meaning just money.

throwaway150 2y ago

> In Japan right now and I see a ton of automation everywhere, self checkout at grocery stores and restaurants, but what you also see is a live humanbeing assigned to the machines to help you if you have issues. Isn't that how self checkout happens in every part of the world that has self checkout? I'm failing to see what's special about self checkout in Japan.

OJFord 2y ago
Ah, how much you (and we in the west) have to learn! This is the ancient Japanese art of serufuchekkuauto de no ningen no sapōto.
klausa 2y ago
Anecdotally, the staff:machines ratio is much lower here than I've seen in Europe or US, and they also just pay more attention, and are more proactive (you'll get staff at Muji making sure that you're aware that you can't check out tax-free). The staff will also instantly materialize if they are needed to confirm you can buy alcohol, or there is some kind of problem; which is also not my experience elsewhere. It's not a worldshattering difference, but it is noticeable.
- plondon514 2y ago
  Exactly, In my local pharmacy in NYC there is no attendant specifically for the self-checkouts, it's usually someone floating around or the same person doing manual checkout. In Japan the person is very present, willing to help, and says thank you very much, which also prompts me to say thank you in return.
  - galaxyLogic 2y ago
    But in Trader Joe employees are curiously happy, and it seems genuine. I wonder why that is? Some other grocery stores nearby employees are grumpy. Why?
    - lotsofpulp 2y ago
      My theory is the mid scale full service grocery stores with huge footprints and multiple specialized departments is on the way out. They are stuck with expensive legacy union employee contracts, while smaller and more efficient operations like TJs and Aldi and Lidl and Costco and Walmart and Winco eat all the consistent low margin sales, leaving the big grocery stores with only volatile high margin sales. People per household has been trending down for a long time, which also impacts the amount/variety of cooking.