A Canada-based health-food company is testing 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 800-381-0266 Video-based cashier systems were spotted by reporters in Canadian Freshii locations, allowing customers to ring up their products with the help of a video call support person on a screen. Unlike self-checkout systems that have become ubiquitous in supermarkets across North America, this system doesn't even require a person to be standing guard. Two cashiers were working in a call center. The Toronto Star reported on April 26 that there were three such systems in Ontario, Canada. The cashier window bears the words "Hi Percy" above the screen showing the call center employee wearing headphones as they ring up orders. Freshii, a fast casual restaurant that sells salads, burritos, wraps, yogurt, and the like, still had employees making the orders, but did not require anyone to man the register. Two of the virtual employees the Star talked to were making less than $4 an hour in US dollars. The minimum wage in Ontario is $11.70 an hour. The systems were installed in January and have been there since at least November. Freshii has 343 locations in North America, as well as more in Central America, South America and Europe. Gizmodo couldn't confirm if there were any other stores using the Percy system.
Freshii reported that its sales figures for the last quarter of the year included a 10% growth in same-store sales, with 42 new stores opening in Canada and the U.S.
We believe we succeeded in driving significant growth in our Retail and Ecommerce segment through a challenging period for the restaurant industry.
Freshii has been looking for ways to save money on labor. The company said in its financial report that they were developing/piloting labor maximization programs that have the potential to scale and drive further cost savings for their franchise partners.
It's well-worn to focus the work overseas. The minimum wage is established by the sector. A call center employee in Nicaragua makes just under $8,000 a year. According to Glassdoor, the median Canadian call center agent makes less than the standard living wage in high cost areas like Ontario.
Pandemic-related challenges were cited by the company. The company said in its yearly report that as of last December 97 percent of its businesses were operational, but they expect there to be ups and downs in customer traffic and revenue due to the rise and fall of different Covid variants.
Freshii didn't return requests for comment about whether they had already implemented or were planning to implement a system like that in the U.S. The company that owns and operates the virtual cashier machines is said to be outsourcing the Hi Percy automated cashier systems. If more information becomes available, we will update the post.
Freshii's Chief Business Development Officer Paul Hughes told the Toronto Star that the Percy systems were similar to other tech-based innovations in the restaurant scene.
It's not likely the last we'll see of companies trying to cut costs at the expense of people in a global economy.
The article was updated at 6 p.m. The currencies used for wages were not explained in the article.
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