I've been on elevators all around the world. Glass elevators at shopping malls. Elevators in office buildings that only visit floors 1-15. The world's fastest elevator in Building 101 in Taipei.
All of these elevators work on the same principle. The passenger approaches the elevator door and presses one of two buttons. The upper button calls an elevator to take the passenger up; the lower button brings an elevator to take the passenger down. Sometimes there is only one button which makes the decision that much easier.
Once the passenger has boarded the elevator, there is a large number of buttons next to the elevator door, usually labeled with numbers and each representing a floor in the building that houses the elevator. Sometimes difficulties can arise at this point from carelessness on part of the passenger. They may neglect to insert their hotel room key into the key reader before selecting a floor. They may have boarded an up-going elevator and choose a downward floor. Sometimes an unobservant passenger will even push the button (several times) for the floor from which they have boarded the elevator before realizing their mistake and either disembarking or making an alternate choice.
In all cases, the principle is the same: Call the elevator, get on and select a floor.
But somewhere in the world there is an efficiency expert who is experimenting with this model, trying to get three steps down to two.
The first day I went to our Santiago office, I approached the elevators, saw an open one that was going up and hopped in. Per the usual method, I turned to push the button for floor 10 and... there wasn't one. There was a button to open the doors and a button to close the doors. Not a single button to indicate any particular floor in the building.
My fellow passengers immediately noticed my confusion and politely asked me in Spanish which floor I wanted. At least, I assume that's what they asked. One of the few things I can actually do in Spanish is count to ten, but not after a 20 hour trip from London. So I smiled and looked sheepish for a few minutes and contemplated the sign over the door with the numbers 9 and 11 illuminated.
The Chileans are very friendly and helpful people and someone tried again in English "What floor?".
"10 please."
The elevator doors opened for his floor, he hopped out and pushed 1-0 on the number panel outside the elevator doors, 10 lit up on the inside panel, the doors closed and away we went.
When I left the office, I felt I could navigate the elevators on my own. I approached one of the number pads (there are two shared between 6 elevators). I pushed 1. And the screen responded G. G??? I pushed 1 again and got another G in return. Finally, hoping for the best, I stepped away and looked around. And then I understood.
Each elevator is labeled with a letter. You tell the number pad which floor you want to go to, and it tells you which elevator to ride. And if there are too many people who want to take that elevator, and you decide to wait for the next one, well, it's too bad for the rest of them who have to stop at your floor anyway.
Someone call that efficiency expert and remind him - if a system ain't broke...
All of these elevators work on the same principle. The passenger approaches the elevator door and presses one of two buttons. The upper button calls an elevator to take the passenger up; the lower button brings an elevator to take the passenger down. Sometimes there is only one button which makes the decision that much easier.
Once the passenger has boarded the elevator, there is a large number of buttons next to the elevator door, usually labeled with numbers and each representing a floor in the building that houses the elevator. Sometimes difficulties can arise at this point from carelessness on part of the passenger. They may neglect to insert their hotel room key into the key reader before selecting a floor. They may have boarded an up-going elevator and choose a downward floor. Sometimes an unobservant passenger will even push the button (several times) for the floor from which they have boarded the elevator before realizing their mistake and either disembarking or making an alternate choice.
In all cases, the principle is the same: Call the elevator, get on and select a floor.
But somewhere in the world there is an efficiency expert who is experimenting with this model, trying to get three steps down to two.
The first day I went to our Santiago office, I approached the elevators, saw an open one that was going up and hopped in. Per the usual method, I turned to push the button for floor 10 and... there wasn't one. There was a button to open the doors and a button to close the doors. Not a single button to indicate any particular floor in the building.
My fellow passengers immediately noticed my confusion and politely asked me in Spanish which floor I wanted. At least, I assume that's what they asked. One of the few things I can actually do in Spanish is count to ten, but not after a 20 hour trip from London. So I smiled and looked sheepish for a few minutes and contemplated the sign over the door with the numbers 9 and 11 illuminated.
The Chileans are very friendly and helpful people and someone tried again in English "What floor?".
"10 please."
The elevator doors opened for his floor, he hopped out and pushed 1-0 on the number panel outside the elevator doors, 10 lit up on the inside panel, the doors closed and away we went.
When I left the office, I felt I could navigate the elevators on my own. I approached one of the number pads (there are two shared between 6 elevators). I pushed 1. And the screen responded G. G??? I pushed 1 again and got another G in return. Finally, hoping for the best, I stepped away and looked around. And then I understood.
Each elevator is labeled with a letter. You tell the number pad which floor you want to go to, and it tells you which elevator to ride. And if there are too many people who want to take that elevator, and you decide to wait for the next one, well, it's too bad for the rest of them who have to stop at your floor anyway.
Someone call that efficiency expert and remind him - if a system ain't broke...
This is hysterical - seriously! I'm laughing just thinking about it!
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