Title: The hybrid queuing and bi-objective integer programming model for scheduling frontline employees in a retail organisation

Authors: Emanuel Melachrinoudis, Hokey Min

Addresses: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA. ' Department of Management, BAA 3008C, College of Business Administration, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43404, USA

Abstract: This paper presents a computerised system for scheduling frontline employees of a retail store. It determines the minimum staff level at the front office that is required to maintain an acceptable level of customer service, although customers arrive randomly at check-out stations and their order sizes fluctuate over time. A bi-objective mathematical model for scheduling employees is developed that balances labour costs with employees| schedule preferences while assuring service quality. Data collected from the Point of Sale (POS) system are integrated into a PC-based spreadsheet model. The practicality and usefulness of the proposed model were validated through its application to actual cashier scheduling problems encountered by a supermarket store.

Keywords: workforce scheduling; retail services; queuing; frontline employees; staffing levels; customer service; labour costs; schedule preferences; service quality assurance; spreadsheet models; cashier scheduling; supermarkets; integer programming.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTM.2008.016810

International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2008 Vol.9 No.1, pp.33 - 50

Published online: 24 Jan 2008 *

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