I've started using c.staley's kiosk again. I wasn't it using due to my previous kiosk machine biting the big one and had to wait for a replacement to come in. It finally arrived last week and I finally got it up and running for my last two shows. Works great and there are definitely many benefits.
They are, so far:
-No more high book printing costs (I'll only print 1 of each book from now on, artist and title)
-No more carrying and distributing said books, which means that the search for the missing books at the end of the night are over.
-No more printing slips (Saves on toner and paper) which means no more wasted slips because the drunks can't be bothered to pick them out of the beer spilled on the table or pick them up off the floor.
-No more misplaced slips. Although I have never once missed a slip, as someone pointed out, people tend to toss filled in slips any old place and sometimes even in the discard pile, forcing you to be on the look out at all times.
-Song list is ALWAYS current
-No more slips filled out with songs I don't have because they didn't bother to check the book
-No more drunken writing to decipher
-No more having to ask the person who put in "X song" to come see me because I have more than one James or Sally. The kiosk can force the user to enter a last initial.
-No more having to argue with people that I may or may not be able to get their song in because time is running short. The Kiosk can be set to automatically give that warning.
-I have had feedback that the customers LOVE that I'm "keeping up with the times" and I've "gone techno" and I'm more advanced than any of the other shows around. It impresses them and shows them that I care about improving my business.
And last but not least (and by far in my opinion), the best benefit:
-No more arguing with the drunks who beg you just to squeeze them in for one more song. The kiosk can be set to tell people that you are out of time and not taking any more requests.
What are they going to do? Argue with the computer? Many are too drunk to figure out that I'm the one who controls it and all they would have to do is walk over and argue with me, but instead, they just don't!
I LOVE it!
As for the kiosk reducing my interaction with the customers, it actually improves it! I can now take the time to interact in a pleasant manner with them and it's a little more like visiting, instead of having to ask them what it is they wrote, explain to them that yes, it REALLY IS possible that there IS more than one Sally in the room ("But they aren't singing right now" - And how on earth do you know they haven't put in a song already and just haven't sung it yet? You just got here, for Pete's sake! Arrg!), arguing with them and having to explain why I need to go home and get sleep at the end of the night and that since I've already gone 20 minutes overtime on MY time (not getting paid), then no, one more song is not on the agenda (See above re: arguing).
It just makes life more pleasant all around.
I've yet to see a negative, other than one, and it's easily taken care of.
I had a customer the first night I had the kiosk back in operation who wanted to play "roulette". That's what one of each book is for, and also for those (like myself) who like to just browse.
Those who are technophobes can have a friend help them or I can come and show them how it's done. In such a case, there's more POSITIVE interaction with the custies.
It's a win - win for everyone.
I've often thought about the phone enabled thing, but I'm really not sure it would be worth it for me right now. Many of my customers do have capable phones, but I'm not really sure the phone owners are capable of grasping the concept. Some are for sure, but 2 or 3 in a night just doesn't make the expense worth it at this point. Maybe in another year or two...
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