There’s been more and more talk lately about whether (or in some cases, when) robots will replace human jobs.
Robots can be programmed to perform a variety of jobs and tasks these days, ranging from administrative work to manufacturing and production. And according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report, released in January, robots and smart technology could replace more than 5 million jobs by 2020. But the report also explains that in many cases, robots will be used to perform more mundane tasks, freeing up human workers to do other things.
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And while robots and automation may be more efficient for some things, apparently customer service isn’t their forte.
According a recent report from Chinese newspaper Workers’ Daily, three restaurants in one Chinese city were forced to fire their robot wait staff for ‘incompetence.’
Robots may not make the best waiters
CBS quoted one human employee as telling the Chinese newspaper, ‘The robots weren’t able to carry soup or other food steady and they would frequently break down.’
Customers reportedly complained that the robots also weren’t so great at pouring beverages and couldn’t even take orders — two essential aspects of the job. Two of three restaurants reportedly had to shut down, and the third is going back to employing a human wait staff.
According to CBS, one of the restaurants told the Chinese paper, ‘The robots can attract plenty of customers, but they definitely can’t reduce the need for human labor.’
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