Saved by the Kiosk!
Many a time I have arrived at my local cinema, eager to see the latest blockbuster movie. Arriving late (as usual) the movie I only have 5 minutes until the movie starts (stress), I hate missing the start! Let’s hope the trailers will last 20 minutes as usual as I’d like to get some popcorn (at three times the going rate) and an over-priced drink (annoying). But with the ticket queue snaking endlessly round and round it looks like I may have to forgo my refreshments (disappointing). I’m not even sure I’ll make it through that ticket queue in time (despair)!
But wait… what’s that I spy against the back wall, right next to the ticket desk? A full bank of ticket sales/collection kiosks, what a welcome sight (awe). I love an opportunity to beat the system (excitement). I know what you’re thinking, someone who hates queuing so much should really have ordered them online, but where am I going to find the time to sit down and do any advanced planning? I suppose I could ask a friend to book them for me, but I’m not sure I trust him with my credit cards details…
Back in the cinema I’m toying with the idea of giving up my place in the queue to take my chances on the self-service kiosks (uneasy). Taking the plunge, I make my way towards the kiosks. Excellent, queues for these are miniscule (relief)! Upon reaching the first kiosk I see the dreaded “Out of Service” announcement on the screen (dismay), the second kiosk says “Printer out of paper” (aargh), at the third the “card reader isn’t working” (double aargh), but luckily the final kiosk is up and running. I work my way quickly through the screens, insert my card and get the ticket print-outs, rushing through the cinema doors and landing in my seat in time for the opening credits…
With so many kiosks out of action it’s no wonder everyone was queuing to buy tickets. It frustrates me that businesses like this are not doing enough to push people towards self-service. How can they afford to employ the human staff needed to take the strain off their faulty kiosks? An all-singing-all-dancing kiosk software management system such as Genkiosk can solve all of these problems and prevent down-time. Genkiosk monitors the key components of a kiosk’s sub-system and sends the data back to the cloud-based Genkiosk server.
Genkiosk: reducing the “aargh” since 1998.
Zaffar Iqbal.