Chipotle即將利用機(jī)器人幫助切鱷梨,并削減成本。關(guān)于Autocado機(jī)器人的消息最早出現(xiàn)在去年夏天,當(dāng)時(shí)該快餐公司計(jì)劃首先利用機(jī)器人進(jìn)行鱷梨的切塊、去核和剝皮,然后由人類搗碎,制作Chipotle的招牌酪梨醬。該公司的第一季度財(cái)報(bào)顯示,這款機(jī)器人即將發(fā)布。
公司首席執(zhí)行官布萊恩·尼科爾召開了一次相當(dāng)愉快的電話會(huì)議,他宣布公司銷售額“增長了14%,達(dá)到27億美元”,這要得益于Chicken Al Pastor等熱門菜肴的回歸。本月早些時(shí)候,一些人猜測(cè),隨著加州20美元最低時(shí)薪法律的出臺(tái),快餐公司可能會(huì)身陷困境,但Chipotle最近的業(yè)績表明,快餐公司可以在為員工支付良好薪酬的同時(shí)維持盈利,他們只需要做出明智的調(diào)整即可。
其中一種措施就是讓機(jī)器人搭配人類員工。尼科爾表示:“我們的餐廳不斷探索利用技術(shù)工具,提高效率,并改善團(tuán)隊(duì)的整體體驗(yàn)?!边@款鱷梨搗碎器就可以降低成本和提高效率,同時(shí)提高員工的薪酬。他補(bǔ)充道,該公司還在研究利用“機(jī)器人和人工智能,并尋找其他提高效率的方式”。
尼科爾還表示,他“對(duì)今年下半年將這些技術(shù)引入餐廳感到非常滿意。”準(zhǔn)備好迎接機(jī)器人-人類混合加工鱷梨泥吧。目前,這位CEO表示公司經(jīng)歷了史上最低的人員流動(dòng)率。
當(dāng)然,這些工具有時(shí)可能讓員工緊張,他們擔(dān)心當(dāng)管理者尋求交易而不是按照?qǐng)F(tuán)隊(duì)的價(jià)值支付報(bào)酬時(shí),他們的工作會(huì)被外包或侵占。例如,溫迪快餐廳(Wendy’s)最近在得來速餐廳采用了人工智能技術(shù),素食外賣公司Kernel則使用一個(gè)六軸機(jī)械臂,在生產(chǎn)線中增加素食漢堡。當(dāng)然,事情并非總是一帆風(fēng)順,例如Chipotle已經(jīng)停止使用其玉米片AI機(jī)器,原因是難以清洗。但總的來說,快餐公司站在了使用人工智能服務(wù)的最前沿,并且許多公司已經(jīng)找到了讓人類和機(jī)器人和平共處的方法。
美國銀行(Bank of America)分析師莎拉·塞納托雷與《財(cái)富》雜志的薩莎·羅格爾伯格談到這些人工智能工具時(shí)表示:“這些公司不一定要裁員?!?她補(bǔ)充道:“它們更有可能提高員工的效率和幸福感?!?她在一份報(bào)告中解釋稱,自動(dòng)化工具能夠降低勞動(dòng)力成本,這些成本在餐廳成本中的平均占比為36%。
接受新的技術(shù)創(chuàng)新只是連鎖餐廳在各州的新法律下維持生存的方式之一。他們也可以稍微漲價(jià),例如Chipotle表示,在加利福尼亞將菜單價(jià)格提高了6%至7%。
在過去的一年里,Chipotle的店內(nèi)銷售額飆升了19%,因?yàn)樵撈放聘鱾€(gè)收入階層的消費(fèi)者普遍增長。雖然有些人可能對(duì)為奶酪醬額外支付一美元有些不滿,但需求仍然存在,而且客戶能夠接受漲價(jià)。
該公司首席財(cái)務(wù)和首席行政官杰克·哈廷在電話會(huì)議上表示:“我們認(rèn)為Chipotle會(huì)維持在預(yù)算范圍內(nèi)?!笨傊?,這家墨西哥卷餅品牌的成功,對(duì)于那些對(duì)新勞工權(quán)利法的實(shí)施感到擔(dān)憂的連鎖餐廳品牌來說,是一個(gè)積極的信號(hào)。只要首席執(zhí)行官們能夠在削減成本和提高效率方面發(fā)揮創(chuàng)意,他們就可以繼續(xù)給自己和員工提供更多機(jī)會(huì)。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
Chipotle即將利用機(jī)器人幫助切鱷梨,并削減成本。關(guān)于Autocado機(jī)器人的消息最早出現(xiàn)在去年夏天,當(dāng)時(shí)該快餐公司計(jì)劃首先利用機(jī)器人進(jìn)行鱷梨的切塊、去核和剝皮,然后由人類搗碎,制作Chipotle的招牌酪梨醬。該公司的第一季度財(cái)報(bào)顯示,這款機(jī)器人即將發(fā)布。
公司首席執(zhí)行官布萊恩·尼科爾召開了一次相當(dāng)愉快的電話會(huì)議,他宣布公司銷售額“增長了14%,達(dá)到27億美元”,這要得益于Chicken Al Pastor等熱門菜肴的回歸。本月早些時(shí)候,一些人猜測(cè),隨著加州20美元最低時(shí)薪法律的出臺(tái),快餐公司可能會(huì)身陷困境,但Chipotle最近的業(yè)績表明,快餐公司可以在為員工支付良好薪酬的同時(shí)維持盈利,他們只需要做出明智的調(diào)整即可。
其中一種措施就是讓機(jī)器人搭配人類員工。尼科爾表示:“我們的餐廳不斷探索利用技術(shù)工具,提高效率,并改善團(tuán)隊(duì)的整體體驗(yàn)。”這款鱷梨搗碎器就可以降低成本和提高效率,同時(shí)提高員工的薪酬。他補(bǔ)充道,該公司還在研究利用“機(jī)器人和人工智能,并尋找其他提高效率的方式”。
尼科爾還表示,他“對(duì)今年下半年將這些技術(shù)引入餐廳感到非常滿意?!睖?zhǔn)備好迎接機(jī)器人-人類混合加工鱷梨泥吧。目前,這位CEO表示公司經(jīng)歷了史上最低的人員流動(dòng)率。
當(dāng)然,這些工具有時(shí)可能讓員工緊張,他們擔(dān)心當(dāng)管理者尋求交易而不是按照?qǐng)F(tuán)隊(duì)的價(jià)值支付報(bào)酬時(shí),他們的工作會(huì)被外包或侵占。例如,溫迪快餐廳(Wendy’s)最近在得來速餐廳采用了人工智能技術(shù),素食外賣公司Kernel則使用一個(gè)六軸機(jī)械臂,在生產(chǎn)線中增加素食漢堡。當(dāng)然,事情并非總是一帆風(fēng)順,例如Chipotle已經(jīng)停止使用其玉米片AI機(jī)器,原因是難以清洗。但總的來說,快餐公司站在了使用人工智能服務(wù)的最前沿,并且許多公司已經(jīng)找到了讓人類和機(jī)器人和平共處的方法。
美國銀行(Bank of America)分析師莎拉·塞納托雷與《財(cái)富》雜志的薩莎·羅格爾伯格談到這些人工智能工具時(shí)表示:“這些公司不一定要裁員?!?她補(bǔ)充道:“它們更有可能提高員工的效率和幸福感?!?她在一份報(bào)告中解釋稱,自動(dòng)化工具能夠降低勞動(dòng)力成本,這些成本在餐廳成本中的平均占比為36%。
接受新的技術(shù)創(chuàng)新只是連鎖餐廳在各州的新法律下維持生存的方式之一。他們也可以稍微漲價(jià),例如Chipotle表示,在加利福尼亞將菜單價(jià)格提高了6%至7%。
在過去的一年里,Chipotle的店內(nèi)銷售額飆升了19%,因?yàn)樵撈放聘鱾€(gè)收入階層的消費(fèi)者普遍增長。雖然有些人可能對(duì)為奶酪醬額外支付一美元有些不滿,但需求仍然存在,而且客戶能夠接受漲價(jià)。
該公司首席財(cái)務(wù)和首席行政官杰克·哈廷在電話會(huì)議上表示:“我們認(rèn)為Chipotle會(huì)維持在預(yù)算范圍內(nèi)?!笨傊?,這家墨西哥卷餅品牌的成功,對(duì)于那些對(duì)新勞工權(quán)利法的實(shí)施感到擔(dān)憂的連鎖餐廳品牌來說,是一個(gè)積極的信號(hào)。只要首席執(zhí)行官們能夠在削減成本和提高效率方面發(fā)揮創(chuàng)意,他們就可以繼續(xù)給自己和員工提供更多機(jī)會(huì)。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
Chipotle is about to get some robotic help to cut both costs and avocados. News of an Autocado robot first arose last summer, as the fast-food company looked to robots to cut, core, and peel avocados before a human takes on the mashing part for Chipotle’s signature guacamole. And the robot unveiling is imminent, according to the company’s first-quarter earnings.
CEO Brian Niccol led a pretty chipper call, saying company sales “grew by 14% to reach $2.7 billion,” boosted by the return of popular menu items like chicken al pastor. Earlier this month, some speculated fast-food companies would be in hot water following California’s new $20 minimum-wage law, but Chipotle’s recent earnings shows companies can afford to maintain profits and pay workers well—they just have to be smart about how they adjust.
One such effort is using robots alongside workers. “In our restaurants, we continue to explore technology tools that could drive higher productivity and improve the overall experience for our teams,” Niccol said. This avocado masher could be one such way to reduce costs and increase productivity while paying workers more. The company is looking to use “robotics and AI and finding other ways to do productivity,” he added.
Niccol also said he’s “feeling really good about getting those into a restaurant probably in the back half of this year.” So get ready for some robot-human-hybrid guac. Currently, the CEO boasted of some of the lowest turnovers the company has seen.
Of course, such tools can sometimes make workers nervous about their jobs being outsourced or encroached upon as managers look for a deal rather than paying their team what they’re worth. For instance, Wendy’s recently implemented AI in its drive-thrus, and vegan takeout company Kernel hired a six-axis robot arm to add veggie burgers to the assembly line. Of course, it doesn’t always go without a hitch, as Chipotle itself stopped using its tortilla-chip AI machine because it was too difficult to clean. But in general, fast-food companies are on the frontline of adding in these AI services, and many have found a way to keep both humans and robots living in peace.
“It’s not that they are necessarily reducing the number of people,” Bank of America analyst Sara Senatore told Fortune’s Sasha Rogelberg of these AI tools. “It’s more that they’re making those people more productive and happier,” she added, explaining in a note that automated tools cut down on labor costs, which account on average for 36% of restaurant’s costs.
Embracing new technological innovations is just one way chains can stay afloat under new state laws. They also can afford to raise their prices a bit, as Chipotle said it raised its menu prices by 6% to 7% in California.
Over this past year, in-store sales at Chipotle soared by 19% as the brand saw gains with consumers of all income brackets. It seems as if while some people might grumble a bit at an extra dollar for queso, the demand is still there and customers are willing to pay more.
“We think Chipotle will stay in the budget,” Jack Hartung, the company’s chief financial and chief administrative officer, said on the call. To wrap it all up, the burrito brand’s success marks early good signs for chains worried about implementing the new workers’ rights law. CEOs can serve themselves—and their employees, too—an extra helping of guac, as long as they really think creatively about how to cut costs and enhance productivity.