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 problems by create some mathematical models 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 and time queuing in line so that
customers are not upset in the queue and they do not cause a loss of customers. There are four models of
simulation and they were 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 (two cashiers) with utility of all cashiers > 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 needs for primary and secondary needs could not be separated from retail bussiness es.
Supermarkets tend to be more desirable than traditional market by most people because supermarkets has
better service factors than the traditional markets, although the price offered in supermarket s is more
expensive than the traditional markets. 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 Seturan has 8 cashiers to serve customers, but there are only less than 4 cashiers are ready to
serve customers every day. In Superindo Seturan, customers queue at the cashiers happens almost in
every server that make customers wait for a long time to pay.
This study aims to find the optimum solution of the problem of queues at Superindo Seturan which has
probabilistic parameters that are hard to solve analytically. The purpose of Superindo Seturan simulation
study is to determine how many server should be opened to reduce the number of people and time
queuing in line so that customers are not upset in the queue and They do 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 high precision and accuracy level.
Figure 1 showing the stages of the research undertaken.
The observations were made by taking the primary data in the form of consumers interarrival time at one
of the cashier and service time of two cashiers at Superindo Seturan. In addition, the observations was
also made to survey the condition of the real system.
 Martin Octavianus Astardi / M10501802

Figure 1. Flowchart of Research Stage

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

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 simulations 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
distributions 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,
thus the number of replication minimum to do the simulation at the beginning of the month and at the end
of the month was three replications. 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 limit software Arena in generating entity, so that the
Comparison (1 Server) model is not feasible as an alternative solution. Waiting time, number of waiting
and utility of the superindo seturan queuing system directly proportional to the number of servers that are
 Martin Octavianus Astardi / M10501802

opened. The more servers that are opened , the lesser waiting time, number of waiting and utility that are
obtained.

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 up to 4 server because when we
simulate with 4 server, the utility gained become small ranged around 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 are 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 models which express
the actual system. The result of the simulation cannot represent 100% accurately and precisely, but we can
make a 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 mechanism, 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 hypotheses. The Author conclude that
the initial model is the best model and has been appropriately applied at Superindo Seturan because the
initial model provide the biggest utility of all models (utilities > 50%). In addition, the mean and the
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 hypotheses,
the authors also conclude that models of simulations and the actual system are not significantly different.
Decision taken also considered in terms of costs that may be covered more by Superindo Seturan if
Superindo Seturan open more than 2 servers with benefits that are not much different than open 2 servers.
Wastage costs that may arise are cost of labor, cost of investment in machinery, electricity, etc. However,
 Martin Octavianus Astardi / M10501802

in accordance with the limitation issues in this case, we did not get the costs associated with this queue
system. Thus, we do not provide financial considerations.