Starbucks customers say lines are getting long, and the wait times are probably making customers cranky as they wait 15 minutes or more for their coffee. But Starbucks says everything is fine–and that its staffing algorithm, which supposedly led to the line issue, is “upgraded,” along with the company’s staffing policies.
I’m not a coffee drinker, so I rarely visit a Starbucks. But I can tell you that this is a classic case of how relying too much on technology becomes a problem.
Technology is often cheaper than employees, so if you can have an algorithm figure out your staffing needs rather than training a store manager to do so, that’s a tremendous cost savings. But it can lead to problems.
Algorithms and predictive models in general can be very helpful in planning, but you have to remember the very important programming phrase: garbage in; garbage out.
To keep reading, click here: Starbucks Leadership: ‘Everything Is Fine.’ Starbucks Customers: ‘Where’s My Coffee?’
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