PLCB: Kiosk Chaos Continues Until Morale Improves

Would a legitimate business ignore the findings of its own contract evaluation panel that found an inexperienced vendor’s business plan “deficient,” but go on to award a contract that didn’t meet consumer demands let alone pass a common sense sniff test? 

Of course it wouldn’t. But then again, the PLCB is not a legitimate business.  Find out what WGAL NBC 8 Lancaster reported about that failed program last night.

But before giving them a simple brand of mavericks, let’s take a look at the history here.  After ignoring their own employees and council, PLCB leadership pressed on with the doomed plan.  In an interview with the Associated Press where PLCB CEO Joe Conti was touting a successful pilot test in August 2010, he offered the following evaluation:

“The things we were most worried about, the technology, is working rather well,” Conti said.

So the deficient business plan wasn’t what worried you as a “CEO,” Mr. Conti?  And we all know how well the technology side worked out, as machines were frequently broken down, prompting a systemic shutdown and an Auditor General performance audit.

But what’s even more baffling is despite these warnings, contract issues, poor consumer feedback, broken machines and poor results, the PLCB’s announced just weeks ago  they were moving ahead to replicate the failure by adding hard liquor kiosks!

“The board is looking to bring exactly what customers are saying they want — convenience,” a PLCB spokesperson said.

No wonder why the Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial Board called these measures “Orwellian,” and concluded, “Rarely before has any government agency so succinctly, thoroughly, and convincingly made the case for its own elimination.”

Look, these aren’t bad people at the PLCB, this is a bad system incapable of working for consumers, taxpayers or voters no matter who is in charge.  Yes, consumers want convenience, and they want it through having the freedom to make their own buying decisions for a legal commodity in a competitive market. It’s that simple.  Until then, stay thirsty comrades.