£134.95? That's cheap. The (hilarious - I love being served by him) barista in Tesco's Costa charged me £6,000,000,000 the first time he served me. The second time it was only £400, so I told him that was a bargain, and reminded him what he'd charged me the previous time.
On a more serious note, while digital kiosks can be useful in busy settings, I think they should always be in addition to a face-to-face option. They're fine for users who are used to computer technology and when everything goes smoothly, but they're more trouble than they're worth if something goes wrong, if you have a query or if you want to be able to view and compare several things at once. I spend a lot of time on my computer so I'm not exactly computer-illiterate, but I have several times tried to order train tickets online and then given up and gone down to the station, either for advice or because the site simply locked up after I'd navigated back and forth several times, comparing different routes.
I'm totally with you on the train station. I hate ordering the tickets online. I was mightily relieved when the threat of closing our station ticket office was withdrawn!
Ah, kiosks are everywhere, aren't they? I'm not sure why they're set up so weirdly. Why not create a queue so that you can see them and order before heading to the counter? Is there a help button for people unused to self-service? To add to the confusion, you can still order at the McD's register in the US.
Loved this, Fran. I had a very similar experience ordering a brew and biscuit in KFC. Such a challenge!
You can empathise, then. Sometimes I feel as though I'm being nudged to the edge of society and into a state of unfamiliarity with 'how to do things'!
£134.95? That's cheap. The (hilarious - I love being served by him) barista in Tesco's Costa charged me £6,000,000,000 the first time he served me. The second time it was only £400, so I told him that was a bargain, and reminded him what he'd charged me the previous time.
On a more serious note, while digital kiosks can be useful in busy settings, I think they should always be in addition to a face-to-face option. They're fine for users who are used to computer technology and when everything goes smoothly, but they're more trouble than they're worth if something goes wrong, if you have a query or if you want to be able to view and compare several things at once. I spend a lot of time on my computer so I'm not exactly computer-illiterate, but I have several times tried to order train tickets online and then given up and gone down to the station, either for advice or because the site simply locked up after I'd navigated back and forth several times, comparing different routes.
I'm totally with you on the train station. I hate ordering the tickets online. I was mightily relieved when the threat of closing our station ticket office was withdrawn!
This is pure gold 😆Soooo relate to it. Why is everything so digitalised? Such a lovely lolable read. Thank you for sharing your angst with us.
An angst shared is an angst halved!
Ah, kiosks are everywhere, aren't they? I'm not sure why they're set up so weirdly. Why not create a queue so that you can see them and order before heading to the counter? Is there a help button for people unused to self-service? To add to the confusion, you can still order at the McD's register in the US.
Yes, it doesn't help that not everywhere has the same system. Consistency would be welcome as I'm lost enough as it is.
Made me chuckle while drinking my own hot drink. Chai latte! For goodness sake don’t attempt to order one of those from a machine! 😂
Goodness, no. I had enough trouble with a simple white coffee!
😂