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Check this out!

Remember the library?  I know many of us don’t use it as much as we should now that there are cushy chairs awaiting us at the local Barnes and Noble.  But I happen to love my local library.  Oak Park, Il, where I call home, opened a better version of the public library in 2003.  There are comfortable reading spaces, an amazing children’s section, study rooms for groups and knowledgeable librarians to steer you in the right direction.  But it’s the building itself and the way it’s designed that is really inviting.  It truly is a community space.  

There is something quaint about the idea of a library in this day and age.  They actually let you borrow things, use them and then return them all at NO charge.  Amazing!

One of the things I love most about my library is the self checkout feature.  The kiosks are positioned throughout the building and are incredibly easy to use and efficient. The beauty is their speed and efficiency.  Here’s the process.  I quickly scan my card,  stack my books in any old way – no need to open or prop or even lay flat out on the counter,  and the machine checks them out.  I see everything that’s happening on the easy-to-read screen.  Similar to the grocery self checkout, I then have the option to print a receipt, complete with an itemized list of what I checked out and when each piece is due.

The receipt has saved me on more than one occasion.  Have you ever checked out books with a 3-year- old?  You leave with a stack of oddly shaped books – some shaped like ducks or fire engines, while some are no bigger than your hand.  You’re pretty sure you checked out four only to discover you actually have six!  So having a checklist makes getting them all back on time much easier.  The self checkout machines have helpful and very clear instructions complete with photo illustrations, next to each station.  So any environmental issues I would have highlighted here are null and void.  They really seem to have thought of everything.

Being a dutiful taxpayer, I’m more than happy to support employees who are there to recommend and help, not just check out books.  The machines do a fine job at that! 

And the Jeannie factors:

Cleanliness: B — As usual, cleaning wipes nearby would be appreciated. Although the machines seem clean, I’m sure there are a lot of dirty fingers hitting that screen.

Feeling secure:  A —All the self checkout stations are inside the library building.  No problems here.

Convenience: A+ — No lines, no wait, and a helpful receipt at the end. 

Environmental Factors: A — This particular library has self checkout stations well placed all over, exactly where you’d expect them.  There are a few in the children’s section, a few near fiction, etc.  There are also a few options in the lobby, close to the main checkout desk - where the real people sit. 

This experience gives me hope!  The whole process really does improve the customer experience, leading to a loyal customer…. me.

Where does the time go when you’re busy analyzing self-service kiosks? I’ve been offline a bit thanks to client work and travel, but fear not – I’ve been dutifully trying out various self-service options along the way…including:

1. Hilton Check-in/Check-out Kiosk: oops! Not working. For now, just a lobby decoration.

2. Southwest Airlines self-service kiosks: As with most airline kiosks, screen usability is not the issue, it’s the environment that leaves a lot to be desired.

3. Fill ‘er up: What’s more stressful than racing to the gas station to fill up the rental car before returning it? Without pay-at-the-pump, I’d still be in Philadelphia!

As with most things, there’s room for improvement across the board. But, so far on my exploits, I’ve picked a few favorites and a few not so favorites.

The best, so far:

Overall, banks have figured it out. By providing excellent legibility and overall ease of use, they prove they understand the purpose of creating a faster, more efficient method for customers to serve themselves. Customers have responded in kind, and today there are an estimated 1.5 million ATMs in use worldwide[1]. The crazy idea of charging customers who prefer human tellers was blasted out of the marketplace a few years ago and rightfully so[2]. Overall customers use and are happy with the 24/7 access ATMs provide. Remember the idea of “I have to go to the bank to get some cash”? That’s SO 1990. Chase is a great example of intuitive design and simple, convenient options.

Another successful model of self-service is the predictable, albeit excessively pricey, gas station pump which has become the preferred way to fill up for most people. Any way I can avoid walking into one of those gas cubes (or whatever those little bitty buildings are called) and waiting in line has got to be an improvement. An intriguing future lies ahead with entertainment and advertisements available via self-service pumps. Perhaps going to the gas station won’t be such a dreaded task if I can pass the time with a few minutes of Access Hollywood.

And now for the worst, so far:

While I love the convenience of White Hen, their self-service deli kiosks leave a lot to be desired. A big favorite with the time-pressed lunch crowd, customers are left scratching their heads as they attempt to order a simple ham and cheese sandwich. Navigation is unnecessarily complicated and the only help available is from the “I’m busy…must avoid eye contact,” deli employee. When I’m pressed for time, I love the idea of being able to order a custom-made to my liking sandwich; I just wish it wasn’t so confusing! A few tweaks to this system’s navigation could really help improve the overall customer experience. After all, customers love when they can accomplish something quickly and easily on their own.

Another lackluster self-service machine, grocery store self check-out machines. Why does it keep beeping at me? Ok, I’m ready to pay, now what? Where’s my receipt? Help…someone, anyone. Today, nearly a quarter of all supermarket chains offer self-checkout, up from only 6 percent in 1999, and an estimated 50% of customers use them[3]. Whether you love them or hate them, self check-out machines are here to stay and it’s likely you’ll be seeing a lot more of them in a variety of different retail settings. It would serve the kiosk industry well to be proactive and survey customers to find out what needs improvement before self check-out kiosks take over the retail industry.

While designed to empower customers, nothing can cause more frustration than a poorly designed self-service machine. Here are a few questions I’d like to pose to the self-service industry to challenge them to improve:

1. How can we make them cleaner? Yuck. Is someone supposed to clean these machines? Because in general, they don’t.

2. How can we make them more secure? A bit part of usability is about making the “user” feel comfortable. In some cases, security concerns far outweigh convenience factors. It’s a scary world out there, let your customers know you care and pay attention. Install better lighting and ways to connect to a human.

3. How can we hear “thanks” a little more often? A true missing feature is the human touch. Shell gas station made a point to say “Thank You” when the transaction was complete. This stood out because it’s not as common as it should be.

[1] ATM Marketplace, December 2007

[2] Barry Meier, “Need a Teller? A Big Bank Plans $3 Fee,” New York Times, April 27, 1995

[3] Joel Elson, “Computers seen transforming supermarket of the future,” Supermarket News, April 23, 1984

White Hen Pantry

I’m not a big fan of “auto-ordering” when it comes to food. After all who wants to spend top dollar and never even see someone. For the sake of time and convenience, though, it can be a great option.

The White Hen Pantry (now owned by 7-11) offers self-service kiosks where customers can place sandwich orders. While a good idea, like most self-service options, the execution leaves a bit to be desired.

As has been my experience with most service machines, the overall environment takes away from the ease of use. The lack of signage and instructions, along with an overall clumsy layout, causes first-time customers to stand awkwardly in front of the screen, looking for help that doesn’t exist.

Two-thirds of the monitor screen is occupied by the advertised “feature” sandwich. It takes a minute to review and realize there’s an actual menu, but it is organized in a way that doesn’t allow customers to review all choices at once. The vertical tabs on the left are not immediately obvious, and they are organized by choices like “breakfast,” “hot and toasted subs,” “cold subs,” etc…

There are better ways to organize options to help customers find what they’re looking for. For example, why not have all the sandwich choices on the “feature” screen so customers are presented with the entire menu right away? Custom orders could be part of the menu. Feature sandwiches and specials could still be promoted in this format, but not by hijacking the entire experience.

The process leads the customer to a point of purchase, but prior to that an offer is made: would you like to add chips and a drink for a combo price? Here’s my issue with this: there is no option to add just a drink or just chips. It’s inflexible and irritating.

Finally, a small receipt pops out of the printer next to the monitor, (the receipt has your order number, but no total and no description). Instructions tell you to take your receipt to the counter. I’ve watched numerous people stand there dumbfounded as they search the deli counter for some sort of “pick up/pay” area, but there is none. It’s up to you to bring the receipt to the store counter, and remember your number when it’s called out.

While the auto-deli works for those of us looking to grab a quick bite at lunchtime, I’ve seen too many people stumble through the process to really call it effective.

And the Jeannie factors:

Cleanliness: D — I’m at a loss about what to do about this issue. Just make it a practice to wash your hands after being out in the world, ok?

Feeling secure: A —Wasn’t really an issue. No cash is involved and there’s no actual transaction via machine, so there’s no security risk that I could see.

Convenience: B — Process feels faster and there is an accuracy issue, too. The machine will accept whatever selection you make, and not forget about holding the mayo. The speed to completion is still dependant on the human factor behind the deli however.

Environmental Factors: C — Better signage with clear instructions and ceiling-mounted directional arrows would help a lot here. Once you pay, where should you wait? Another issue to address in store design.

As a busy person who needs to grab lunch quickly, I appreciate the convenience of the auto deli in my local White Hen. Improving a few features in the process would make it more of a buzz-worthy customer experience.

It’s hard to believe that Pay-at-the-Pump has been around for more than 20 years. While convenient for consumers, Pay-at-the-Pump has created business challenges for station owners, whose profit margin would be much higher if customers come into their stores. Today customers are avoiding the stores for the convenience Pay-at-the-Pump provides.

Enter the next generation of self-service pumps: TV screens that tell us things while we’re pumping gas. So what does this mean to customers?

I was ready to take on this new-fangled pump. The Shell gas station near my house has screens with talking heads that welcome you to the station. The nice welcome was great, but the few minutes of Access Hollywood were even better! Then an ad came on for sunscreen. Sunscreen? It’s January in Chicago. It seemed very out of place and caught me off guard. It got me thinking – wouldn’t it be cool if there were tips on how to deal with the layers of salt covering my car? Or winter weather driving tips? That would be information Chicagoans would welcome during January.

The actual pay at the pump experience has become standard and super easy. There are a few things you have to watch for as a customer, like which gas you choose. Each station seems to be different and you no longer assume the left-to-right order is logically regular, plus and super. In fact, they are often mixed up in no order whatsoever. There’s also the receipt issue. Is it printing automatically? Do you have to choose yes or no? But overall I believe customers are used to making these choices and the whole process is fairly second nature now.

So the fact that now there is something to watch while my gas quietly makes the journey from pump to car is actually pretty cool. Increasing the relevance would really make for a powerful customer experience. Just imagine the NEXT generation of gas pumps. The information shared from the monitor could really be customized, based on the actual individual. “It’s time for your oil change.” Just consider the loyalty implications for the first company to truly get it right. I guess I’ll tackle that one in a few years.

For now, the pumps are pleasantly serving their purpose, although it would be better if the industry came to some standards for the sake of customers. It’s truly not in a customer’s best interest to have the gas octane rankings mixed up for them to figure out.

The good news is that we do figure it out.

And the Jeannie factors:

Cleanliness: D — There are few places ickier than a gas station. But the new ones are brighter and lighter, and many have hand sanitizer pumps available post-fill up.

Feeling secure: D — Pay at the pump can mean feeling pretty isolated. I know I’m not the only one who has passed up cheaper gas for a more secure gas station. Improvement here could be increased lighting, plus easier ways to get the store attendant’s attention.

Convenience: A — The average time it takes to fill up is 2 minutes. Walking into a store, waiting in line and then paying would add at least that much time to the process. Hurrah for speedy transactions!

Environmental Factors: B — Newer gas stations are much more open and spacious. While this feels better, special attention should be paid to the far-flung pumps.

Shell is getting my attention by improving the customer experience with monitors. What else is out there improving this process for customers?

Next up … Auto-Deli!

American Airlines Kiosks at LaGuardia Airport, NYC

While Chicago’s O’Hare Airport might be one of the busiest, New York’s LaGuardia has got to be one of the most chaotic — based on my experience on a recent busy Friday morning.

First, an aside, I couldn’t find a decent cup of coffee to save my life. What gives? Starbucks — please invade LaGuardia as you have everywhere else. Thanks!

I should mention that my mental state was not good. The previous night, I stayed at the worst hotel of my life for $350 per night (gotta love Manhattan) and I hadn’t had my usual morning cup of joe. Let’s just say I wasn’t a happy camper.

The check-in kiosk itself didn’t offend me. The airline industry has surpassed others in adopting self-service, so as a customer I find the whole process very intuitive. I like that I can start with any old credit card to identify myself, then we’re off to the races. I also like the brilliant cross-sell strategy I’ve seen lately — would you like to upgrade for a mere $110, Ms. Walters? Why, yes, sometimes at that moment I would. I know most people use self-service check-in whenever they can once they discover how quick and easy it really is.

Airports, however, weren’t designed for this. A mass of people waiting in line for agents blocked the marooned self-service kiosks. Most were occupied, so my travel companion and I waited for a free one. I was nervous we were in the wrong spot. I don’t like to cut people off or shove in front of my rightful place in line. I’m still not convinced we didn’t jump to the front, but it was nearly impossible to determine what was going on. Why not station an agent there to assist passengers as they attempt to find a free kiosk? I’ve seen this in other airports.

We checked baggage, which is always a little bit of a toss-up as far as experience goes. I’ve learned by now that once I check bags at the kiosk, my luggage tags and claim tickets print … somewhere. So we walked up to the counter, bypassing the hundred or so people waiting in line for a counter agent, and our names were called. But this part was chaos. Then we, of course, had to drag our luggage over to the security screeners.

Forget the kiosks — airports desperately need to examine the customer experience and redesign accordingly!

Jeannie Factors:

Cleanliness — I can only imagine how many people use these kiosks on any given day. Ick.

Feeling Secure — It was crowded and bustling. I was worried about my bags. I was also aware of pulling out my credit card here. There is more to be done about this issue.

Convenience — Similar to other self-service options, the real convenience is in the shorter lines. It feels faster because you are more in control, but that doesn’t mean the actual process takes less time. The system for checking baggage definitely needs improvement.

Environmental Factors — This was by far the worst part of the experience. The lines made no sense, and nobody was there to guide travelers. The result was a mass of confused people. I noticed one man who obviously didn’t speak English as his first language who was very confused about the kiosks, the lines and his flight. Getting from the front door to our gate was chaotic. A helpful guide to assist people would do wonders. But the airport layout itself seems doomed.

Chase Bank

To be fair, I’ve used Chase Bank’s ATMs for several years, (if you include when I was a customer of First Chicago, which became Bank One, which is now Chase.) I do like that they keep improving. I remember having to open my car door and stretch to reach the dang thing several years ago. They repositioned them so they are now accessible for this 5’4” woman, both from my low Honda Accord and my high Honda CRV, (yes, we’re a Honda family.) ATM screens are also more glare-resistant, and industry-wide adoptions of phrases like “Fast Cash” now allow for speedier transactions.

It seems like (gasp) banks are listening to customers. Just think about all those wasted receipts years ago. Now, most offer you a choice. Do you want a receipt? It’s a simple question, but one that makes a big difference.

Ok, so most of my transactions at ATMs are withdrawals and I find the whole process really intuitive. It seems that some of my frustrations from a few years ago have been addressed.

Chase ATMs are practically on every street corner in Chicago, and yet there isn’t one very close to either my home or office. In fact, the closest one to my office is in the Chicago Transit Authority building. There are so many things wrong with this location it’s crazy. The ATM is located inside the sales office on the second floor of the building. This means you can only use it during sales office hours. Isn’t one of the touted benefits of ATMs that you can use them 24/7? Also, the ATM is along the wall, right next to the long line of unhappy people waiting to purchase fare cards.

So, aside from that small rant, I’d say these machines are pretty good.

And the Jeannie factors:
Cleanliness: D — Yuck. There is often a mysterious sheen on the touch screen that you just can’t let yourself think about too much. What about offering screen wipes and/or hand sanitizer? What about a recycle bin for receipts? I swear I’m not a germaphobe – but sometimes I do reach for the Purell after a withdrawal.

Feeling secure: B — Banks know this is a key factor. Why not put the drive-up ATMs closer to the building instead of out in the boonies? Better lighting at night would be great too.

Convenience: A — This is a resounding YES! I can’t remember the last time I got out of my car to get a few bucks from my bank account.

Environmental Factors: B — This is another dramatically improved area. Today’s ATM layout allows for more comfortable and speedier transactions. You don’t see the lady in front of you falling out of her car to reach the ATM any more.

This was one bank, what about yours? Is Chase ahead of the game?

Next up … Airline Self-Service Kiosks!

Jewel Food Stores (owned by Albertson’s)

Self checkouts seem to scare people. There can be a line 20 people deep at the lone cashier’s aisle, and some folks still avoid the self checkout lane like the plague. Why? Unfamiliarity is certainly part of it, but it’s also about not being able to find help when you need it.

So I took my varied items; including three boxes of Gerber’s Baby Rice Cereal, a gallon of milk, two hand-picked onions, a jar of peanut butter and a bottle of wine, and decided to give it a go. I was especially curious about the alcohol, since self checkout seems like an inviting avenue for the under-21 crowd.

To start, I scanned my preferred customer card and began scanning my items. The peanut butter and other packaged goods scanned easily and I had no problems, although it was slightly irritating to be reminded that I saved 33 cents every time I scanned a box of rice cereal. Imagine if I had bought 10 of something? Then I got to the onions. I placed them on the scanner where the friendly machine asked if it was fresh produce. Why yes, it was. Ok – let’s try the basics. Bananas? Potatoes? Nope. So I selected the “other produce” button and selected onions alphabetically. I was then offered a few varieties to choose from. Here’s where it got a bit tricky. Were they Vidalia or Bermuda? Um…I’ll take Vidalia, but I’m not 100% confident in my selection.

Next, I scanned the wine. Some sort of alert must have gone off because the cashier a few aisles over yelled “it’s ok!” She had to yell a few times before I realized she was talking to me. The machine just informed me to wait for a cashier. When I realized she was yelling at me, I looked down at the screen to see the machine was ready to go again. She must have punched a button remotely, after seeing I was (ahem) slightly older than 21.

Now on to payment. At this point, I looked around and realized I was one of the quick ones. Several people, stumped by some point in the process, are frantically looking around for help. A lone Jewel employee stands aimlessly in the self checkout aisle, apparently waiting to help people. You can tell that people don’t want to ask for help, but they’d take it if it was offered. What’s the employee waiting for I wonder?

Finally, I’m ready to pay. The machine wants to know if I’m sure. Have I checked my basket? I like this – it’s a helpful reminder. But, yes, I’m ready! What’s my payment method? There are - no joke - about 15 choices. I’m just trying to find the credit card option. Why so many choices? There is no rhyme or reason to the payment selection screen. There is nothing visually to help me determine one choice from the other; it’s just a bunch of boxes with words and graphics. The “bank card” selection is somewhere in this mess, but not standing out at all.

I selected the credit card option and I am asked to finish at the touchpad to my right. I scan my card, and the touchpad asks me to complete my transaction at the checkout screen. I almost make it through with my credit card, but get reprimanded by the machine’s friendly voice that I tried to take my bag too quickly. So you have to leave your bags until the very end. Don’t try to load up anything too quickly, Missy. Although an annoyance, I understand, because otherwise it’d be pretty easy to shoplift using self-service kiosks. Ooops – one more delay. Apparently any transaction over $50 requires cashier approval which seems very odd. What prompted this requirement?

After getting the ok from the same cashier who decided I looked just a day over 21, I’m out the door. My bags are not well organized. I am definitely not a natural-born bagger and it’s a good thing I didn’t buy eggs.

Literally one foot out the door and I hear my machine thank me for shopping at Jewel. A nice touch, but a little late…especially in the “Express Lane.”

Usability Scorecard Criteria

Also, the Jeannie factors:

Cleanliness –Everything seemed pretty clean. The bagging system made it easy to transport items directly into the bags. The screen itself certainly had that “used” feel, but also looked like it was cleaned a few times per day. Everything seemed ok here.

Feeling secure –I’m not sure if this really applies here.

Convenience – Convenience comes with shorter lines. The actual act of scanning and bagging myself is probably slower than the experienced cashiers, but the line itself was much shorter.

Environmental Factors –The self checkout aisle is bigger and more open than traditional checkout lanes. It felt clean, bright and cheery. Signs for the self checkout aisle could be better. I saw people who ended up there without realizing it and others who pointed to it from their long line, saying they missed it.

Next up….. ATMs!

Today is World Usability Day, a whole day devoted to ensuring that services and products “are easier to access and simpler to use.” In our industry, we talk a lot about usability. We discuss it at length with our clients and regularly apply usability standards when reviewing websites. However, usability is a term that shouldn’t solely be reserved to online interfaces. It’s a term that permeates our everyday lives as we have officially become a self-service nation.

Everywhere you turn these days there are opportunities to (literally) “help yourself.” You can pay for gas at the pump, check in for a flight and check out of a hotel; all without having to deal with a single pesky human being.

As part of the never-ending quest to make our lives easier and more convenient, we as a society agreed to this. We said, “Bring it on!” Who needs a bank teller when it’s faster, easier and, in some cases, more secure to get cash via an ATM? Plus, with self-service, you’re often rewarded with shorter lines and less hassle.

So I decided to commit to a little experiment, to test and examine various self-service opportunities. How many ACTUALLY save time? How many are TRULY easy to use?

I’ll be tackling automated systems with a focus on usability and sharing my experiences here.
While there are obvious differences, self-service usability qualifiers do mimic those used when examining website interactions, namely:

Usability Scorecard Criteria
Orientation/Wayfinding — Do I know where to find things? Do I know what to do next?

Search/Help Features — What if I run into trouble? How do I get help?

Legibility — Are the instructions and information clear and easy-to-read?

Intuitive — I don’t want to deal with reading lengthy instructions. Can I figure it out on my own — and quickly?

Ease of Use — Is it truly easy or easier to use?

These will be my guiding factors as I evaluate the true usability of self-service machines, but since this is also the real world, I’ve added my personal usability criteria.

Cleanliness — This isn’t my safe little laptop. I’m sharing these machines with the world. Are they dirty and gross?

Security — When entering personal information or swiping my credit card, do I feel vulnerable to prying eyes, cameras or general scariness?

Convenience — Are they truly faster and more convenient than the human option?

Environmental Factors — Does the layout make sense? Is there a place to put things down? Was it easy to find the automated option?

I’m looking forward to taking on the machines of the world! Stay tuned and let me know if you have ideas on machines I should tackle.

Comcast has suffered the slings and arrows of many disgruntled customers over the last several years. Forgive me while I pile on. They are nuts. Check out this transcript of an online chat my wife (Marti) withstood today. Just for the record, we’ve been paying for Comcast service monthly for the full seven years we’ve lived in the house in question. And the purpose of my wife’s original inquiry - which she never was given the chance to even articulate? We wanted to SPEND MORE MONEY on a better tv package. Note: I altered our address and phone number. Enjoy.

LaTisha > Hello Marti, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is LaTisha. Please give me one moment to review your information.
LaTisha > Can you please confirm your address and phone number, So I can process your order correctly.Thanks Alot
Marti > 123 South Main Oak Park, IL 60302 708-555-1234
LaTisha > I am sorry however we are unable to process your order at this time. The previous resident(s) at the address you entered has not yet disconnected service. In order to resolve this issue, we need you to go to your local Comcast office so that proper verification of the change in residence can be recorded. You will need to bring a copy of your lease agreement or title of ownership to one of our in-person payment centers for verification.
Would you like the location of the closest Comcast store?
Marti > I am the resident of the house
Marti > We have lived here for 7 years
LaTisha > You already have service
LaTisha > is this correct
Marti > we want to change our Comcast cable srvice
LaTisha > What is the name on the account ?
Marti > William J Cusick
LaTisha > No I’m sorry this is incorrect
Marti > What do you mean it is incorrect?
Marti > I pay the bill every month, I know we have a Comcast acct
LaTisha > Well that name that you gave isnt right
LaTisha > Do you have the account number
Marti > You haven’t sent the bill for this month, so I don’t have the acct number
Marti > Our address and phone have not changed
LaTisha > You will need to go into the local office becasue the information that you gave me doesnt match .
LaTisha > Analyst has closed chat and left the room

Apparently that bouncing smiley face in Walmart’s television ads is too busy to pick up the phone if you run into issues using the Walmart web site. As stated in a New York Times blog last week, the company announced that they were removing the customer service number from www.walmart.com. And upon visiting the site, it’s pretty clear they aren’t looking to have you call: whether the number still exists or not, I couldn’t find it.

Amy Colella, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, said the customer service phone number was being removed because “a significant number of calls are related to order tracking,” and the improvements to the Web site will make the tracking easier. Well, I can see how it makes things easier…for Walmart. You wonder what the cost savings will be for the company, as compared to the additional frustration it’s adding for Walmart customers. Let’s think about who might have been using the service number. If, as the company says, the typical customer is checking the tracking of an order, it’s probably a person who either: 1) is not yet used to shopping online and is unaware of the tracking feature on the website; 2) knows the feature exists, but is not confident in how to use it; or 3) knows the feature is there, knows how to use it, but is not getting the desired results (usability or technical glitches).

Seems to me, in any of those three scenarios, it would be wise for a company to allow a customer to give a call. What do you think?