The Toronto-based business Percy has virtual cashier solutions for restaurants. Percy thinks the moment is right for this concept and wants to quickly grow in the United States. One of its virtual cashiers will start working in Las Vegas this week.
In November, some Toronto Freshii eateries already had Percy’s virtual cashiers in place.
As part of the service, eateries install a screen at the order counter. Customers that contact a call centre speak to a live person who is located hundreds of miles away. They take the order, politely provide alternatives or add-ons, and then input everything into a system that notifies the staff members who work in the kitchen on-site what meals need to be produced.
Currently, there are over 100 Percy employees working in call centres in Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Pakistan.
“We have franchise owners message us and say it’s an absolute life saver.”Angela Argo, Co-founder, Percy.
According to the most recent Statistics Canada data, since the COVID-19 pandemic started, there have been around 171,000 job losses in the food and hospitality industries. Particularly hard-hit and struggling to find and keep staff are the restaurant industry.
It has noted that the workers do not receive anywhere close to the minimum wage that would be given to them in Canada. However, the workers do make at least two to three times the local minimum wage. The minimum salary in Bolivia is about $5,000 per year. It’s closer to $2,000 in Pakistan. It’s a win win situation for both the parties involved.
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