Inefficient System of Interactive Photo Booth Kiosk

A couple months ago when I hung out with some friends to Taman Anggrek Mall at West of Jakarta, Indonesia and found one place that fully crowded by many teenagers. I tried to get closer to see what was happened there. It was an instant photo booth outlet actually. In a glimpse, I noticed that this booth has some monitors at next of those booth that we could choose by ourself many template designs for the final print. I was attracted to try but because there are too many people, so I delayed it.


And finally a couple days ago, I went there again in the afternoon of weekday to avoid the crowd and had experiences about it. And yes, they were only had one customer at that time so I can have more free time to get some insight from this business. 


Please note that right here I just focus on the interactive digital experience and criticize the system, NOT the whole business they do. 

As a new comer,  I was asking their staff the mechanism how to take pictures in this booth. The explanation was quite comprehensive and I feel that any customers will getting confuse and would asking and asking again to the staff about how to using it. After getting  clear direction, I started to get a try. I took some accessories provided by them and decided to get some hats and scarf. 

Before take a picture, I should choose one of the 12 backgrounds they have. They have 2 buttons to pick the background, one is for moving the background  up and the second is too moving down. For me this is such a traditional way to do the background. But that's ok regarding the simple way and cost efficiency I guess. But I don't like the "up" and "down" sticker they stick, because they it's looked ugly.

  

The background I've chosed

After choosing the background, I look at the main panel inside the booth. Below is the look. And again, they don't have any direction how to use this tool, so the staff has to explain the customer. Think how if the staff always have to explain every new customer. Such a waste of time! They should have something more simple and easy way to explain these instruction.

Four main buttons below the monitor

After choosing the background and understanding the way to take the pictures, so the next for me was to do.... NARCISM SHOW TIME!!  :D


Here are the way to take pictures :

• Basically they have 2 types of picture style, one is normal color and the second is with color effect. 
• The camera will take minimum 16 shots that can be divided into two times of cycle according to the packages you choose. The minimum are 16 shots.
• You have to press start button when you ready to take picture. 
• There will be a 5 second count down before the camera captures your pose.
• Everytime camera shot you, then you would have 5 second to change your pose and accessories, then the camera will automatically take the next shot. 
• The camera will continue the shot until the end of the package you choose.

After finishing take my narcism pictures, then appears a password on the screen that I should submit it at the computer outside the booth to have access the computer to edit the pictures I got with the template they have. 


For me they have a weakness. They should have a printer or else that the customer can have it on my hand (for example: a paper that shows those password) so I don't have to try memorize it in my brain or write it in my cell phone. I guess many customers will ask again to the staff about these password, and the staff has to see their computer that has all records of all transaction and then tell it to the customer. For me, this is such a waste of time.

Computer to edit the pictures

Then I submit my password and the computer outside the booth. Here is the look of the monitor.

Overall the design is quite good, but the they have some lack of things here that for me is major issues, such as:

• All text is using english. They suppose to use Indonesia language, because the main market is Indonesian and not all of them understand English as well. 
• Design is not simple, too much distraction elements.
• Every icon doesn't have any description. People that has lack of computer experiences will difficult to understand.
• No instruction how to use this, (and again) the staff should explain the way to edit your pictures.

A feature to add any text, change background, etc. But
unfortunately there is no description of every icon
that will confuse the customer to use it.

No spaces for every font character that will make the
customers have to read more carefully to get the words right.

Staff helps customer to do the editing. If only they have
a user friendly platform,  customer doesn't need
to have any assistant from the staff

So, overall these interactive kiosk has quite much of weakness because of the interface and platform is not user friendly. With this situation, customers would need longer time to finish their purchase. And for the owner of the business, off course this will slow the business. The employee should work harder, in fact they don't suppose to repeat again and again some basic things for the customer, instead of focusing to other necessary productive things in the outlet.  At the end the business will need more time to closing the sales. 


According to the store supervisor, they should provide 5 employees in every outlet. For me this is too much employee for this small place. If they have more user friendly interface, more simple system and store design, I believe that this interactive kiosk will generate more sales and profit.


To see a glimpse of how their software works, this is the link:
http://youtu.be/aV0A3xKCVJI