Percy was a Canadian technology company that specialized in providing virtual cashier services.[1][2] The company's system utilized videotelephony technology to employ remote workers, often from developing countries.[3][4] It was based in Toronto, Canada.[5]
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Call center |
| Founded | 2021 |
| Founders | Matthew Corrin Angela Argo Ali Aqueel |
| Defunct | 2023 |
| Headquarters | , Canada |
Areas served | Canada United States |
| Website | hipercy.com |
History
editPercy was founded in 2021 by Matthew Corrin, Angela Argo, and Ali Aqueel.[6][7] The concept of Percy originated as a response to staffing shortages experienced by Freshii, a fast-food chain. It was named after the character of the "reliable and eager-to-please" tank engine from the children's television series Thomas and Friends.[8] In an effort to mitigate these challenges, Matthew Corrin, then-CEO of Freshii, initiated a pilot project in November 2021.[9][8] The project involved the deployment of Percy devices: video-calling units attached to cash registers at selected Freshii locations.[9] These devices would activate when customers approached, connecting them to cashiers who were physically located in distant locations, such as a call center in Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Pakistan.[10][11][6]
The remote cashiers, equipped with headsets, managed customer orders from their offshore locations.[9] This system allowed for operational cost savings, as the wages paid to these virtual cashiers were significantly lower than the minimum wage in Ontario.[9] Despite being part of the customer service process, these remote employees were distinctly separated from the on-site staff who performed tasks such as food preparation and maintenance.[9]
In February 2022, after its initial testing and development phase, Percy was officially launched.[11]
In January 2023, Crazy Pita, a local restaurant in Las Vegas, started using Percy.[12][13]
In August 2023, Freshii announced its decision to discontinue the use of its virtual cashier system, Percy.[14]
Controversy
editFreshii, a user of Percy virtual cashier system, faced controversy for replacing some Ontario-based in-store cashiers with Nicaraguan workers operating remotely, at a wage of $3.75 per hour.[15][16][17] Labor organizations, including the Canadian Labour Congress, condemned the move, highlighting the negative impact on local employment and international labour laws.[16]
References
edit- ^ "Freshii introduces 'Percy' virtual cashier, outsourcing jobs to Central America | Globalnews.ca". Global News.
- ^ "The Outrage over Freshii's 'Percy'" – via PressReader.
- ^ "Meet your new offshore cashier" – via PressReader.
- ^ Lorinc, Jacob (July 8, 2022). "Freshii's 'virtual cashiers' make $3.75 an hour and have been called 'outrageous' — now the chain's founder wants to go global". Toronto Star.
- ^ https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/virtual-cashiers-how-a-toronto-company-is-addressing-a-staffing-shortage-from-a-distance-1.6005238
- ^ a b Carroll, Patrick (July 15, 2022). ""It's In-Your-Face Capitalism." Low-Paid 'Virtual Cashiers' Provoke Outrage among Labor Activists | Patrick Carroll". fee.org.
- ^ https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1126167551
- ^ a b "Freshii's new virtual cashier "Percy" speaks out in attempt to curb outrage | Dished". dailyhive.com.
- ^ a b c d e Lorinc, Jacob (April 26, 2022). "Apr 2022: Meet Freshii's new 'virtual cashier' — who works from Nicaragua for $3.75 an hour".
- ^ Report, Profit (October 31, 2022). "Virtual Cashiers: a new outsourcing opportunity?". Profit by Pakistan Today.
- ^ a b Hassan, Taimoor (November 6, 2022). "Hello, can I take your order from 6500 miles away?". Profit by Pakistan Today.
- ^ "Las Vegas business using 'virtual cashiers' to make up for lack of workforce". January 8, 2023.
- ^ "Las Vegas business using technology to make up for lack of workforce". January 6, 2023.
- ^ "Canadian fast-casual restaurant chain scraps controversial virtual cashier | Dished". dailyhive.com.
- ^ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/freshii-virtual-cashiers-bc-1.6467798
- ^ a b "Freshii under fire for paying workers $3.75/hr in Nicaragua". CTVNews. April 27, 2022.
- ^ "Want to Order Food From a Minimally-Paid Call Center Employee from Central America? Visit a Freshii in Canada". Gizmodo. April 26, 2022.