Martin Octavianus Astardi / M10501802

DETERMINATION OF THE NUMBER OF CASHIERS IN SUPERINDO

SUPERMARKET USING SIMULATION INDUSTRY TECHNIQUE
Astardi Martin Octavianus
Department of Industrial Engineering, Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
martinastardi@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this research was to solve a complex problem that could not be solved analytically by
using simulation industry technique. Simulation industry technique can be used as a technique to solve
probabilistic and complex problem by create some mathematics model as a system that represent the
actual system. In this case, some alternatives have been made to determine how many cashiers should be
opened in Superindo Supermarket to reduce the number of people in line and time queuing in line so that
customers are not upset in the queue and it does not cause a loss of customers. There are 4 models
simulation and they classified into two classification, one initial model and three alternatives comparison
models. Simulation has been done using software Arena, and validation of all models has been
conducted using t hypothesis test. The result of simulation shows that the optimum result of this
simulation is the initial model with two cashiers with utility > 50%, . All comparison models have utility
under 50%, therefore all comparison models unselected as the optimum model for this case.
Keywords: simulation industry tecnique, simulation, utility, queu

INTRODUCTION
The human need for primary and secondary needs could not be separated from retail bussiness.
Supermarkets tend to be more desirable than traditional market by most people because the supermarket
has a service factor that is much better than the traditional markets, although the price offered in
supermarkets is more expensive than the traditional market. Superindo is one of the middle-class
supermarket which has many retail in Indonesia, and one of the most favorite Superindo is located on the
road of Seturan, Yogyakarta. Superindo has 8 cashier queue to serve customers, but there are only less
than 4 cashiers are ready to serve customers every day. In Superindo, customers queue at the cashier
happens almost in every server that make customers wait a long time to pay.
This study aims to find the optimum solution of the problem of queues at Superindo which has a
probabilistic parameters that are hard to solve analytically. The purpose in Superindo simulation study is
to determine how many server should be opened to reduce the number of people in line and time queuing
in line so that customers are not upset in the queue and it does not cause a loss of customers.

METHODOLOGY
This research was conducted by the method of observation and simulation study so that the results
obtained can describe the characteristics of the actual system that has a level of precision and high
accuracy. Figure 1 showing the stages of research undertaken.
The observations were made by taking the primary data in the form of consumer interarrival time at the
cashier and service time of two server at Superindo. In addition, the observation was also made to survey
the state of the real system.
 Martin Octavianus Astardi / M10501802

Figure 1. Flowchart of Research Stage

After checking the distribution patterns of the data, we create a simulation program using software
Arena. In this model, it will be shown how to simulate part of a queuing system with development of
mathematical model that will describe the actual system. This model will be used to estimate the effects
of various actions (Render, 2005: 474).
The simulation model is based on the business processes performed of cashier queue system at Superindo.
The author makes some simulation model consisting of the initial model and the comparison model. The
initial model is a model that describes the initial conditions in the cashier queue system at Superindo,
while the comparison models are queuing system models of cashier queue system at Superindo with an
addition or a reduction of the number of cashiers. Verification of the models was done by using Arena and
Validation of the models was done by using t-test hypothesis testing.

RESULTS
There is one initial model and three comparison models that the author made, the initial model is two
server models and the comparison models are one server model, three server model, and four server
model. The simulation run with one month simulation time, divided into two parts, that are the beginning
of the month and the end of the month, due to the interarrival of customer arrival has different distribution
between the beginning and the end of the month caused by different arrival volume. Depend on the
calculation of the number of replication using half width statistic when it meets half width < 0.09, the
number of replication minimum to do the simulation at the beginning of the month and the end of the
month was 3 replication. The simulation was done in accordance with the model that has been created as
in the Table 1.
Simulation with comparison model (1 Server) cannot be done at the beginning of the month due to the
distribution of resulting entity beyond the limits software Arena in generating entity, so that the
Comparison (1 Server) is not feasible as an alternative solution. Waiting time, number of waiting and
utility of the Superindo queuing system directly proportional to the number of servers that are opened.
The more servers that are opened , the lesser waiting time, number of waiting and utility that are obtained.
 Martin Octavianus Astardi / M10501802

Tabel 1. Results of Simulation

Good utility is the highest utility, while good waiting time and the number of waiting are the smallest.
Although there are 8 servers are available, we just do the simulation to 4 server because when we
simulate with 4 server, the utility gained become small ranged 20%, which indicates that the workers
(cashiers) have a lot of idling time than working time, so the simulation for 5 - 8 server does not need to
be done because it will give smaller utilities.

DISCUSSION
Data collected by observation method is an effective way because with observation, the user can know the
reality of the actual system. Simulation is the best method to solve the problem which cannot be solved in
analytical way. To do the simulation, we must make some mathematical model which express the actual
system. The result of the simulation cannot represent 100% accurately and precisely, but we can make
hypothesis analysis to make a decision. There is a lot of methods and stages to do a simulation, it depends
on the author situation what methods and how many stages required to do a simulation. Verification and
Validation of the models of simulation should be conducted to make sure that the models created to do a
simulation are similar and represent the actual system. In this simulation, the authors use some help as
assumptions in this analysis. The assumptions researcher used due to lack of information that impossible
to obtain such as employee payroll system, capital of procurement, etc. The lesser assumptions you use,
the complexer models you must make.

CONCLUSION
After conducting an analysis using a lot of simulation models and hypothesis. The Author conclude that
the initial model is the best model and has been appropriately applied in Superindo because the initial
model provide the biggest utility of all models (utilities > 50%). In addition, the mean and maximum
waiting time are obtained and the number of waiting just to have a little difference with the other models,
so it will not affect significantly the queuing system. Based on the results of the hypothesis, the authors
also conclude that models of simulation and the actual system is not significantly different. Decisions
taken also considered in terms of costs that may be covered more by Superindo if Superindo open more
than 2 servers with benefits that are not much different than open 2 server. Wastage costs that may arise
is cost of labor, cost of investment in machinery, electricity, etc. However, in accordance with the
limitation issue in this case, we did not get the costs associated with this queue system. Thus, we do not
provide financial considerations.