Sometimes it's clear when a business implements a solution based on cost at the expense of user experience. Fairview Southdale Hospital installed a parking garage payment system that completely fails for the customer.
There are many parking payment systems out there, so the choices may be overwhelming. In the end, though, a priority must be to select one that allows customers to be out quickly to prevent a long line from forming inside the garage. Cost is also a major determining factor as most businesses do not have an unlimited budget. But balance is crucial. Saving money on a system that confuses customers means increased costs in time for hospital staff in assisting the customer, the time it takes to haphazardly label a machine in the hopes of solving problems, and time and frustration for customers who do have other options in where they receive medical care.
Let's take a closer look at why this payment machine fails.
1. There are multiple steps indicated but for most customers, step two doesn't apply. Cash carrying customers are fewer and fewer but there isn't a clear indication that step one can also be step two. Step two only applies to cash customers.
2. The ticket taker is also the credit card reader. Novel to consolidate and reduce inputs but also confusing because customers have been observed looking for a credit card slot and trying to insert a card in the cash slot.
3. There is a receipt button. Very unnecessary for a machine that prints a receipt regardless of whether the button is pressed. Wastes paper and reduces privacy for those customers whose receipts are left behind.
4. The receipt prints much lower than many car windows. If the customer is high and close enough for the credit card slot, he is probably not low enough for the receipt slot. I've observed several customers attempt to get out of the car to get the receipt but if the customer is close enough to use the machine, he is too close to open the car door. This means the car moves forward so the customer can get out of the car and get it. A major risk here - fender bender. The car behind expects the car in front to keep going.
5. The machine is a blabber mouth. A loud message greets each customer, "Please insert your parking ticket. Please insert your parking ticket." Yes, twice. The customer is then instructed to insert a payment method that includes "bank notes" and "points". Okay, bank notes is cash, I get that, but points? What the heck are points? I'm sure no one knows.
6. A dim screen must communicate something to the customer but I couldn't tell you. It's really impossible to see from the car. The screen should be bright and used to communicate the cost to hearing impaired customers. It doesn't need to be large, dim, or communicate anything else.
7. Generally speaking, when I see so many aftermarket, taped-on notes about how to use a machine, I assume it stinks. Clearly something is wrong here. I also often overhear patients asking nurses and other staff how to use the parking system. It should be drive-up-and-use but it isn't. At a hospital, design must accomodate a wide range of ages and technology experiences. Keep it simple and clean.
8. On many occasions (I'm usually there 2-3 times a week), I wait several minutes for a confused customer to figure out how to exit the garage. Whether I'm second in line or tenth, I wait and I wait and I wait. I'm tired of waiting. I want to go home. Paying for parking shouldn't take more than 30 seconds.
Conversely, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport truly considered their customers when installing a new parking payment system. When driving in, the customer can insert a credit card (thus avoiding the need to store a paper ticket), which saves a little money off the parking fee. Upon leaving, simply insert the card, see the total, agree to pay, and if you want, get a receipt. One slot. That's it. It's easy, it's simple, it's good design.
I searched in vain for someone at the hospital who manages the parking garage technology but haven't a clue who that would be or how to find the person on their website. If anyone knows, I would love to talk about better ways to communicate how the system works and discuss what it would take to install a better system that meets the needs of the patients rather than the bottom line.
6 comments:
Huh. Presbyterian hospital in Philly has a similar prepay system, but it's not for drive-up. The machine greets you when you walk into the garage to go to your car. It allows you to get a receipt and a barcoded slip that you then feed into the slip-reader in the exit lane of the parking garage. In fact, they opened up the garage exit to two lanes so that one lane can still take cash, and the other lane is "express" for employees and people with the prepaid slips.
I can't imagine Presby's system was much more expensive - it sounds like a significantly different experience exist primarily because they don't ask you to handle payment while driving.
I like the prepay systems. It's easier to deal with because there is less peer pressure to move quickly. I think with the drive-up systems, customers feel rushed and make mistakes or get confused more easily.
Do you have a picture of Presbyterian's payment system?
You blogged. We heard. First, we want to apologize that we failed to deliver an exceptional experience. Whether it's in our hospital or in our parking areas, we strive to make everyone's experience with Fairview Southdale Hospital first rate. Thank you for such a detailed and constructive description of what went wrong and why. We'd really like to talk with you about your experience and see what we can do to improve...for you and our other patients and guests. Please contact Barb Precht, Patient and Guest Services Manager at Fairview Southdale Hospital. Barb's email is bprecht1@fairview.org. Thanks again for drawing our attention to this situation.
Wow! Dean, thank you so much for listening! I will most definitely be in touch with Barb.
By the way, if you know who's responsible for the much better cafeteria food, please say thank you on behalf of myself and several oncology nurses. :)
Thanks, Samantha. We have a fantastic new chef. I'll be sure to send your kind words to him and the rest of the nutrition team. I eat in our cafeteria myself and have to agree...they do a great job!
I too found the parking system confusing at Southdale and was concerned to find that there are zero free parking options for those who may find it necessary to come to the hospital and not be prepared or unable to pay for parking.
Also, I've just spent 30 minutes on the hospitals web page trying to find information about the cafeteria and it's hours. I've been through every option listed and am coming up empty. Even doing a search for cafeteria came up empty!
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