Free Kiosk - Not !!!

OldGuyinPA

Veteran
Aug 20, 2002
700
8
Remember when ATM'S were free to use. Maybe we need to think about charging for kiosk usage...$1.00 per customer. Just like the banking industry. The banks told us how easy they were to use, and they sucked us right in.

A new profit center for us. It's really only a matter of time. Right CCY....

Their so easy to use.
 
Doubt that would ever happen..unless the company did away with front desk agents and just had Kiosk..then we could charge $5 bucks to check in JK
 
Please explain how ATMs are not still free. I never pay fees to use an ATM, unless I'm using one not part of my bank.
 
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On 6/7/2003 1:52:54 PM USFlyer wrote:

Please explain how ATMs are not still free. I never pay fees to use an ATM, unless I''m using one not part of my bank.

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I don''t get it either. All of the ATMs at my bank are free. If you want to charge for check-in kiosks like for ATMs, then charges should be set up as follows:

If you''re on airline A, you can check in for free at any of airline A''s kiosks in the airport. However, if you want to use Airline B''s kiosks to check in for a flight on airline A, you''ll get a charge of xxx dollars or xxx percent of the ticket price. How many people do you think would use USAirway''s kiosks to check in for an American flight if that was the deal? That''s right - just about none.

Now, my previous bank once tried to increase ATM usage by charging a fee for using a teller for basic transactions(ATMs are significantly cheaper per transaction than using tellers). I believe the charge was something like $2-3 per transaction. Needless to say, I (and many others) immediately closed our accounts and went to other banks. I suppose you could try the same thing - make kiosks free, but charge for using a counter agent, but I have a feeling you''d have the same massive customer backlash.
 
I thought I remember reading somewhere that the Kiosks that will be available in Europe will be multifunctional Kiosks, meaning the will work for all airlines.

I wonder if one day, when the Kiosks are "smarter" and allow you to makes changes, invol reroutes, etc, if you won''t see Kiosks where we used to have CTO''s. Imagine you are a CUSTOMER at Gateway center, the Pentagon, etc and needed to make a change to your ticket. You could run down to the Kiosk, look at your options, change your ticket, pay the add collect/svc charge, and get your boarding pass close to your office. Or if you were notified that your flight was canceled, you could do the samething.

If you took the bag tag stock out of the machine, you could put them almost anywhere that had the traffic to support them.
 
Pity,

I think you went a little far there.....Just as other industries have used technology to improve their products so will our industry. Will it cost airline employee jobs, yes. Just as it cost many thousands of jobs in the auto industry and others. But it will also create a demand for jobs in the IT/Computer related fields. Close a door, open a window.

While it is sad that many of our brothers and sisters will lose their jobs, Kisoks and ATM machines are not the downfall of civilization.
 
Watch how this will work...

In the next couple of years you will see kiosk machines in shopping malls. You'll be able to purchase tickets with credit cards in these machines (all for a nominal fee). There won't be Ticketing offices, just Kiosk machines everywhere, even gorcery stores. In fact, the rent a car business, and hotel business may join in and its one-store-shopping all through a machine.

You'll have all these unemployed folks on the street, no jobs, no work, no money, having to go to the government to support them, and you guys who invented these machines will have MAJOR TAXES TO PAY TO SUPPORT ALL OF US.Not only that, you watch crime rate soar upward.

No free ride.

I have learned in life, there must always be a balance; otherwise, there is CHAOS.
 
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On 6/7/2003 1:20:33 PM OldGuyinPA wrote:

Remember when ATM''S were free to use. Maybe we need to think about charging for kiosk usage...$1.00 per customer. Just like the banking industry. The banks told us how easy they were to use, and they sucked us right in.

A new profit center for us. It''s really only a matter of time. Right CCY....

Their so easy to use.

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Are you serious? Not sure you are aware of this, but just like banks...you WANT customers to use kiosks. They are cheaper, don''t get angry and never take a lunch break. Plus, they are very hard to unionize.

I could see U giving a discount of FF miles or charge for talking to a human...but charging for kiosks? Naaaah.
 
Rational,

Electronic/computer age is still in its infancy. Hell 10 years ago very few folks had mobile phones, and only 5% of americans had personal computers with NO internet service. Crime is on the rise, however, and alot has to do with the Haves and the have nots.

If you don''t think there is a significant corralation between crime and unemployment, you need to pick up a Sociology book and refresh yourself.

There is more crime today than ever in history, and if it makes you "feel good" to think this is due to violence on TV, and music well, help yourself.

High crime follows unemployment, that''s not economics, friend, that simple Sociology and human behavior.
 
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On 6/8/2003 10:49:19 AM PITbull wrote:

Watch how this will work...

In the next couple of years you will see kiosk machines in shopping malls. You'll be able to purchase tickets with credit cards in these machines (all for a nominal fee). There won't be Ticketing offices, just Kiosk machines everywhere, even gorcery stores. In fact, the rent a car business, and hotel business may join in and its one-store-shopping all through a machine.

You'll have all these unemployed folks on the street, no jobs, no work, no money, having to go to the government to support them, and you guys who invented these machines will have MAJOR TAXES TO PAY TO SUPPORT ALL OF US.Not only that, you watch crime rate sore upward.

No free ride.

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Are you serious? Your hypothesis that self-service machine penetration will lead to the decline of civilization is interesting. You should expand on it.

While your at it...could you do a refresher on economics.

Taking your theory back into history would imply that we should not have progressed beyond the stone age and that the invention of the wheel should have resulted in the decline of early human civilization (less need for people to haul material around, which results in layoffs and mass unemployment, logically resulting in crime and disorder). Since that did not occur, your theory has some hurdles to overcome.

Good luck...you'll either win a Nobel or a Darwin. Not sure which one.
 
Yes... Bob.... that's the way unions should be thinking.

The whole economy isn't going to stop and say "no more changning, because gate agents and flight attendents don't like it."

Was it Luddites that hacked up steam engines?

Why don't gate agents become computer specialists?

ooh ooh... I just thought about something completely different. Airlines stop hiring customer service agents... turn whomever wants to stay into kiosk specialists and roving problem solvers and have independent companies operate air travel consultancies at airports and ticket offices that use their expertise at to manipulate the airline's machines the the customer's benefit. I mean travel agent's are going to have to redefine themselves anyway.. This way customer service agents can actually work for the customer, develop expertise in all airlines schedules, services and loyalty programs.

Why don't flight attendents become deputized security officers?

Unlike you, however, I don't value technology for the sake of 'e-schmoozing.'

There are real things that need to be done that don't involve making pax FEEL appreciated ALL THE TIME!

I'd prefer flight attendant's laying down the line and kicking butt..... maybe I'll get a coke. You know, I flew LH once and the flight attendents were more.... efficient than friendly... you'd hate it!
 
MMW wrote:

"If you took the bag tag stock out of the machine, you could put them almost anywhere that had the traffic to support them."

You wont find bag tag stock in a kiosk. It prints off behind the counter and an agent/SAR tags and moves the luggage.

Rowunderdca wrote:
"Why don''t gate agents become computer specialists?"

We are.We have to cope with the given hardware/software somehow. I hate calling for help, so I learn.

In the year 2050 youll end up with the ''Kioskinator''. "Gifve me your vallet." "Hasta la vista."
 
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On 6/8/2003 11:11:35 AM PITbull wrote:

If you don''t think there is a significant corralation between crime and unemployment, you need to pick up a Sociology book and refresh yourself.

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Never said there wasn''t. It''s just your theory of technology resulting in negative social outcomes that I have a challenge with. It makes you a bit of a Luddite. Technology forces industry restructuring. But these people find new jobs. The transition is not painless. How many COBOL or FORTRAN programmers are there in the world? Less than before...since most are now Java, C++, Coldfusion,... programmers. P

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On 6/8/2003 11:11:35 AM PITbull wrote:

There is more crime today than ever in history, and if it makes you "feel good" to think this is due to violence on TV, and music well, help yourself.

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Well, part of the reason is improved weaponry. Hard to kill 20 people with a battle axe or a cross bow. Easier with an AK47.
 
ooh ooh, again.

Right and in the air.. you''d have airline flight attendants providing FAA mandated security and safety (no more air marshalls sitting in first class seats), making a hell of a lot more money..

And the airline would provide space for a vendor to sell in-flight service items. I think I heard that Alitalia does something like this... inflight is contracted out? Well, that''s a little on the edge.
 
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On 6/7/2003 1:52:54 PM USFlyer wrote:

Please explain how ATMs are not still free. I never pay fees to use an ATM, unless I''m using one not part of my bank.

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You explained your own question!!! They are NOT free if you use a bank/atm outside of your network. How many USfcu atm''s are in the area...4, 2 at the airport and 2 at the credit union. Otherwise, you are going to pay a fee...that is how it is NOT free.

P.S. BTW Sam''s club at The Point near Robinsion Towne Centre as an ATM right inside the door that does not charge a fee. (for those of you that are close to the area) Don''t have to be a member since you don''t go in. Just some food for thought
 

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