Kiosks

[wench1]

DId you know if you use kiosk checkin and you have an EXPIRED PASSPORT it DOES NOT PROMPT YOU TO SEE AN AGENT?
Once a pig always a pig- ANOTHER FLAW with QIK!

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

DId you know if you use kiosk checkin and you have an EXPIRED PASSPORT it DOES NOT PROMPT YOU TO SEE AN AGENT?
Once a pig always a pig- ANOTHER FLAW with QIK!

The Kiosks have so many problems, most of which have been reported. Again and again.

 

[Old PSA]

Just a very minor point, the kiosks software does not use QIK. It is a completely separate system and goes to SHARES. That being said, it is developed and modified by US Airways own IT team so I guess it is not much of a jump from the kiosk team to the QIK team.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

Just a very minor point, the kiosks software does not use QIK. It is a completely separate system and goes to SHARES. That being said, it is developed and modified by US Airways own IT team so I guess it is not much of a jump from the kiosk team to the QIK team.

Well, they both leave a great deal to be desired, From the option to check in for non existent cities to letting people check in for mis-connections, to just taking so much longer than Sabre on every function.

 

[SparrowHawk]

Well, they both leave a great deal to be desired, From the option to check in for non existent cities to letting people check in for mis-connections, to just taking so much longer than Sabre on every function.

With all of the emphasis US Airways places upon ancilliary revenue you would think the performance & reliability of the kiosks would be world class. Of course you'd be wrong.

One can only guess ar the "Revenue Leakage" that happens due to IT challenges. It's just like Piney Bob used to say, US knows the Price of everything & the value of nothing in their approach to business.

 

[mweiss]

IT is a funny beast. When the build-or-buy decision is made, it often appears that build is the less expensive option, particularly when one considers that build allows you to make the software's business logic precisely conform to your business, rather than making your business conform to the software's business logic.

The reality is that most IT departments bite off more than they can chew. It looks easy until you start to implement. Then you discover that there are hundreds of corner cases you never considered, and many of them require fundamental rearchitecting.

This looks like another instance of the build=savings fallacy.

[back from the dead, as it were]

 

[BoeingBoy]

[back from the dead, as it were]

Long time no see. Welcome back.

Jim

 

[tadjr]

From the dealings I've had with some in IT, I think part of the problem is they dont understand exactly what we do in the real airport world. I've suggested solutions to many items that happen on an everyday basis and have basically been told that it isnt a problem, management doesnt agree with that, this is the way we've been told they want it to work, etc.
I have realized that in order to get anyone in management to realize something is really an issue and not just another one of those agents trying to get out of work, you have to give it to them in numbers so they'll understand (we dont check people in with this issue occuring all the time so you're kiosk numbers are going to tank!) Hello, what did you just say? You're kiosk numbers are going to TANK! And the only reason they havent yet is because many of the agents go above and beyond what we could do just to keep them up. If one day we took every checkin failure (customer and computer generated) and just let them end up where the system takes it, we would be hurting number wise big time.

There's been a glitch with some international check ins for the past two weeks. Not everyone, but enough that agents are tired of running customers through the entire process to get to the end to be told "International Check In - See an agent." And this was the week that Quebec and Ontario had off . Numbers are going to tank!! Still waiting on a fix, although not really sure what happened to create the issue in the first place.

The second screen says all items must be paid for with a credit card. Advised kiosk IT that people DONT READ this screen and get to how many bags to check, 1, continue, enter credit card....... Hey, I dont have a credit card, I want to pay cash. OK, hit zero bags and continue. There is no 0, it says insert card. OK then, hit restart and start over. (NO CASH OUT OR BACK BUTTON AT THIS SCREEN). Was told two things. 1) The kiosk SAYS you have to use a credit card- Advised IT, lots of people dont read the screen and that response really doesnt help the issue at hand. 2) Kiosk IT was advised by someone from a managers meeting that they didnt want a cash out button because it might ENCOURAGE people to pay cash. - Advised IT, if I have to open a sales report I dont really care if I have $1 or $1000, I still have to close it and balance. What does the manager (or management) care if I have to take money? You are getting people po-ed using the machine when they have to start over. It takes more time per customer/kiosk to start over. YOUR NUMBERS ARE GONNA TANK BECAUSE AGENTS ARENT MAKING THEM START OVER AND ARE JUST CHECKING THEM IN INSTEAD. What? Why? Because we've told you the issue we have on a daily basis, we want to make it customer friendly (and in turn agent friendly) and NO ONE IS LISTENING TO US!!!!!

Get out of the office and join the airport world every now and then. Too bad we cant get an Undercover Boss type thing going where someone would actually come out to the airport and see/listen to what we're saying is going on on a regular basis. We might actually get some things to work better.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

From the dealings I've had with some in IT, I think part of the problem is they dont understand exactly what we do in the real airport world.

Get out of the office and join the airport world every now and then. Too bad we cant get an Undercover Boss type thing going where someone would actually come out to the airport and see/listen to what we're saying is going on on a regular basis. We might actually get some things to work better.

Wonderful post, Tad. Hope the Tempe lurkers read it and pay attention to it.

 

[jimntx]

From the dealings I've had with some in IT, I think part of the problem is they dont understand exactly what we do in the real airport world...

And, they won't unless (as you pointed out), they get out on the front lines. However, I would make one change to your suggestion of telling them that their numbers will tank, etc. When I was in the IT world, an application development team had to go out and work alongside the workers until they had a good grasp on what the day to day job entailed. I don't care what the job or the industry, there is a "computer world" truth that can not be denied. There is the way management says the job is done, and then there is the way the job is done in the real world. Policies and procedures are all well and good, but no manual covers every situation every day.

In a country where people tend to define themselves by what they do for a living, most people try to do a good job. (Stands to reason when your personal self-esteem is tied up with your job.) When computer systems/policies& procedures/physical plant prevent the job from being done the way it "should" be done, the front line workers will find coping methods to get the job done anyway. (Those that don't usually just quit in frustration.)

The IT team probably can not do anything about the policy and physical plant issues, but there should be no reason that the maximum number of "unexpected events" (that happen everyday ) are not addressed in the computer systems that support the job.

Getting out on the line and doing the work is the way to get the IT team to understand what actually goes on at the airport. When I was in Application Development, I learned the job I was supporting well enough that I could pitch in and help when necessary. The IT people who support the ticket counter/check-in apps, should be able to issue a ticket or check-in a passenger, at least for the "easy" ones. And, should understand the steps needed to complete the "not so easy" ones.

But, as long as airlines are run by the accountants, such suggestions will be considered too costly.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

DId you know if you use kiosk checkin and you have an EXPIRED PASSPORT it DOES NOT PROMPT YOU TO SEE AN AGENT?
Once a pig always a pig- ANOTHER FLAW with QIK!

If a person doesn't realize their passport is expired, what do you expect from the kiosk???

 

[wench1]

If a person doesn't realize their passport is expired, what do you expect from the kiosk???

I believe there should be a way to pick up on it, other then having microscoping it.

If the kiosk nbrs are @ 86% they ARE STILL TOO LOW>.

Im offering a suggestion if the sandcastle CAN read this.
You are correct, ppl have nO CLUE when their passport expires.

 

[SS255]

If a person doesn't realize their passport is expired, what do you expect from the kiosk???

To agree.

 

[SparrowHawk]

The thing I keep taking away from all of this is the high cost of sloppy IT.

I can't help but wonder if the "Revenue Leakage" that occurrs annually from the kiosks and internet SNAFU's could somehow be captured would it be enough to pay for the Pilots Contract?

We'll likely never know but it should give pause to those who run the show.

 

[john john]

If a person doesn't realize their passport is expired, what do you expect from the kiosk???

Do you really need to ask NOT ALLOW THE PASSENGERS TO CHECK IN THAT IS THE POINT of the process

The kiosk will also check in passengers using a passport card
The new wallet-size U.S. Passport Card is a travel document that can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry. It cannot be used for international air travel.
Who fault is it if the kiosk CHECKS passengers in with wrong information provided by the passengers and the passengers ends up in a country illegally.
I’ll give you one guess