MIS Improvement Program

Evaluation component 2
PGDM NO. 15006
Submitted to
Akshay Choudhary
Prof. Malathi Sriram

Question 1
What computer system technologies and functions are included in selfservice kiosks? What other technologies should be provided?

At Airport possibility is that an airline passenger has used self-service technology

to print out a boarding pass or check the status of a flight status. Standing in
long lines at the airport are increasingly becoming a thing of the past. Using selfservice kiosks is especially convenient for short-term travellers who do not need
to check-in large quantities of luggage. Indeed, with the maximum allowance of
two carry-on pieces of luggage, there is less need to use the airports airline
counters.
Kinetics, USA had developed various self-service terminals including the

TouchPort II,
ResortPort,
ScanPort,
K4200 E-Service Printer

At present, Delta Airlines and many other airline companies are utilizing one, if
not all, of these models. The TouchPort II is a modular device that makes
swapping out, or servicing issues, extremely simple. The TouchPort II supports a
broad range of operating platforms, including Microsoft Windows NT, 2000, and
XP. This version is customizable and can be modified to include weather resistant
features, multimedia options, passport reading capabilities, and an integrated
barcode imager. The TouchPort II can be installed into a podium or tabletop
platform or can be mounted on a wall, if so desired.
The slim design of the ScanPort allows this kiosk to the integrated into multiple
environments without cluttering the esthetic look of an airport. Additional options
available on the ScanPort include: bag tag printers, passport readers, biometric

functionality, smart cards, and RFID (radio frequency identification). RFID

provides the following solutions:

Improved ability to accurately determine inventory at various stages of

production
Reduced cycle times through automation
Lowered operational risks
Improved return on investment
Enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty

What other technologies should be provided?

A standardization of services amongst the various kiosks might be one solution.
The services offered by each airlines airport kiosk system vary. At some airports,
the game of musical lines still occurs because most airlines set their kiosks on a
timer to prevent customers from checking bags without airline supervision. If the
kiosks could be synchronized so that airport supervision is not necessary, then
more airline passengers would opt for the kiosks.

Although most airlines offer same day check-in and seat selection at kiosks, not
all offer the ability to purchase a ticket. Another technological function should be
the ability to purchase a ticket for a friend without the unpleasant realization that
the kiosk would only sell a ticket for the person named on the credit card used
for payment. This could alleviate further delays and possibly missing a flight.
Finally, the use of biometrics is another technology that is gradually gaining in
popularity. Biometrics will be used as an effective tool for access control and
authentication. The ability to scan someones retina or take a fingerprint and
identify an individual, should clearly be exploited, but is heavily reliant upon
advances in technology. The significant difficulties (e.g., worn finger pads, no
retina, or individuals with lost limbs) that attend most biometric technologies
make the proposal for a full X-ray skeleton recognition look very intriguing. For,
each person has a unique skeletal structure, which can be used to identify the
unique characteristics of our bodily frame.

Question 2
What is the customer value of self-service kiosks for airline check-ins?
The customer value can be summed up in two primary categories: time savings,
convenience and control of ones travel experience. First, lets consider the time
savings and convenience. Self-service kiosks are undoubtedly tremendous time
savers. Travellers who have stood in line at a major airline terminal in a large
airport, in order to check their luggage and get their boarding pass, will
understand the matter of time? Especially if, for any reason, they are running
behind schedule. This can be a real issue with frequent business flyers, whose

job requirements do not always allow them to get to the airport several hours
before a flight. In these cases, the kiosk can mean the difference between
making, or missing, a flight. Leisure travellers are equally unwilling to add to an
hour or more standing in a line to their schedule. Most of the time, people take
flights to vacation destinations because they need to de-stress. Standing in a line
for even 20 minutes can seem like an eternity to the traveling consumer.
Secondly, convenience? As represented by a no-hassle experience? Is also an
essential value to the customer? Simply having that ease of access to the
luggage check and boarding passes for originating or connecting flights is a
value to the customer that can be measured by repeat business. Kiosks can even
allow travellers to change their flights altogether. People want easy access and
convenience to everything, including airport check-in. Kiosks provide that
convenience.
A third essential value to the customer is the ability to have control over ones
traveling experience. Most travellers are not only looking for speed and ease of
check-in, but they are usually also anxious to know their seating assignment.
After all, not too many travellers want the middle seat on that 5-hour flight
across the country. In that regard, kiosks provide a solution for the customer.
They are very user-friendly, using touch screens with easy to follow steps for
assigning ones own seat. Seating charts are typically laid out in the floor design
of the plane a traveller is on, and a pictorial shows what seats have been
assigned and which ones are available.
Another great advantage to the consumer is the ability to quickly check ones
frequent flyer status. Business travellers in particular want to keep a close watch
on their frequent flyer miles, since they generally convert these miles for use for
personal vacation travel. One additional value that self-service kiosks offer to the
customer is the ability to initiate ones own multi-party check-in.

What other services should be provided?

An example of services that should be provided could be baggage claim
identification at ones destination city. This is another one of those just one less
thing to have to figure out issues that the frequent traveller is especially
sensitive to. It is simply more comforting to know before you get off the plane
exactly where your bags will be when you get there. Displaying the current gate
information and flight status would also be beneficial. If you can get specific
details about your flight and gate, it makes it just that much easier heading to
the security line. Another service that could be incorporated would be to provide
destination city travel information. Travellers need to know what they are
heading into. Information like current weather status and delay information
printed out with the boarding pass would be great, especially for connecting
flights and business travel.

Question 3

What is the business value of self-service kiosks for airline check-ins?

There are several values that self-serve kiosks bring to the airline industry.
However, the majority falls under a couple of key areas. First, the kiosk provides
better customer service overall, since the airlines are able to place more control
in the hands of their customers. Customers like to know they are in control. If
customers know that even before they get to the airport, they can handle their
own flight details with a particular airline, they are more likely to use that airline
again and again. Better customer service most certainly will equate to repeat
customers. Ultimately, this is the key goal of an airline.
Also, the kiosks are a major contributor in reducing the airlines costs of check in.
By providing self-service kiosks, airlines are not helping their customers, but they
are also reducing costs by eliminating the need for check-in clerks who usually
provide this service. The staff that has been left idle due to the kiosks can then
be re-assigned to other areas of the terminal in order to even further assist in
making the flight experience a good one for the consumer and to work towards
higher overall efficiency. As in any other industry, higher throughput will
translate into increases in revenue. The more of any product a company can
produce without adding resources, the higher the rate of revenue per unit. In this
case, this is represented by the number of travellers processed through the
system to a flight on an airline, with a given number of staff. Kiosks provide
higher throughput.
Do self-service kiosks give airlines a competitive advantage? Why, or
why not.
The answer today is definitely yes. However, it will be a short-lived advantage.
The use of self-service kiosks is on the rise, because customers and business
both see them as an advantage. While all airlines have not adopted them yet,
there is a race to be run. British Airways representatives have stated that 45% of
their customers currently use self-service kiosks and only 12-15% check-in
online. They also added that they expect a reversal. In the next two years, KLM
expects online checking to be, with as many as 70% of their customers using the
online services that are consistently being improved. So, for the moment, airlines
with self-service kiosks hold a strategic advantage over an airline that does not.
However, the party will be short. Either all of the airlines will be on board with
kiosks and/or the online services will diminish their value.
Top Deployments of Kiosks by Application

Photo Applications: Kodak Picture Maker Family (35,000 units deployed)

Checkout Applications: NCR Fastlane (16,000 units)
Human Resources Applications: Jobpoint (9,000 units)
Financial Applications: CoinStar (11,800 units)
Information: Healthnotes (6,500 units)
Gift: Wal-Mart (3,000 units)
Travel: Northwest Airlines (934 units)
Food Service: Burger King Fun Center (650 units)
Web: BT (Great Britain) (1,200 units)

Entertainment: Regal Entertainment (300 units)

While the previously mentioned of self-service/kiosk applications are important,

kiosks can also have some noteworthy drawbacks. Firstly, they tend to be costly,
either in terms of initial capital investment required, or ongoing costs (e.g.,
ongoing cost of ink, photo paper, etc., for digital printing stations). Secondly,
their size may present limitations on the extent of unit deployments. Thirdly, the
small memory space of stand-alone terminals often limits the number of vendors
and products that can be stored. Fourthly, their performance is not always
optimal in terms of time savings (e.g., time required at some photo printing
kiosks may be longer than the customer expects). Lastly, the absence of human
contact (e.g., kiosks cant give a smile) and the concerns about job elimination
constitute important drawbacks. It is likely, however, that most downsides will be
overcome as technology advances.

References

www.kineticsusa.com
www.usairways.com/travel/webcheckin
www.ibm.com/industries/travel/doc/content/solution/184451306.html
www.flightinternational.com/articles/article.aspx
eMagazine (Kiosk Magazine, September/October 2010 issue)