Attendant in or out?

[Earl Weiss]

I see conveyors with 2 business models. This is with and without gated entry.
One has the guide on attendant standing next to the conveyor and doing whatever. I don't know why, but in one tunnel with gated entry he actualy seemed to push a button or 2. Perhaps they program something for pickup trucks or other issues the gated entry can't account for.

The other model has the attendant in a booth, and that attendant in a booth is typicaly the guide on person and cashier.

What is the advantage of having the attendant not in a booth?

Obviously, inside a booth the comfort level is much greater.

 

[robert roman]

I believe it is crucial to have a guard shed near the pay station.

A. It provides direct access so the attendant can readily address issues and problems at pay station or facilitate marketing and promotional initiatives

B. It provides protection against UV and the elements

C. It provides an area where attendant can perform administrative tasks

If there is no shed, entrance to office is typically in end wall of building and attendant has to walk back and forth to pay station for each instance or stand outside continually. Of course, with this entrance configuration you can staff with just one person.

Down side of a shed is you need a minimum of two people (pay station and conveyor loading) and lazy people will tend to camp out in shed.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Down side of a shed is you need a minimum of two people (pay station and conveyor loading) and lazy people will tend to camp out in shed.

This is not accurate. Person in booth is loader and cashier.

 

[my2cents]

The exterior wash models you speak of are "Express" with the gates and "Attended" with people. In the Express model, you typically have auto cashiers taking payment and sequencing the vehicles toward the entrance of the wash where an employee may take a quick look at the vehicle being washed for issues and then directing the customer to place car in nuetral, do not brake or steer and lower antenna. He will then push a button to activate the roller up to push the vehicle. It may be necessary to have an employee stand near the auto cashiers when the wash is new to train customers on the use of the auto cashier. Usually 90 days is sufficient and then no need for a booth so to speak.
The manned version or "Attended" basically has humans take payment and up sell customers right at a kiosk or at the wash entrance. This kiosk would keep your employees out of the elements. The employees then prep the vehicle and call the appropriate wash package which includes the roller up.
There are pros and cons to both methods which I believe have been mentioned on this website before, but many equipment manufacturers can discuss in better detail if you contact them.

 

[rph9168]

Until there is a more fool proof method of allowing customers to self load on a conveyor without some guidance from an employee I think using an unattended POS system is risky business. I am also a believer that a person does a better job at advising customers on which services are best for them than an automated system.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Well, I didn't want to morph this topic into a gates versus no gates thing, and I guess if your loader needs to prep the Kiosk is more of a convenience thing for them.

Gates or no gates, assuming no prep, why have the loader standing next to the track versus in a booth?

Now, for the record I have put booths in 4 places for the cashier / loader where none existed. 2 places loaded outside the building so it was really a comfort thing. Plus, I would rather heat a booth than the tunnel to provide the employee with some level of comfort.

I don't see the downside and just wondered why I am now seeing exteriors both with and without gates where the loader is standing next to the conveyor.

 

[my2cents]

The loader keeps the customer from pulling too far ahead on the conveyor so as not to break the photo eye before a roller engages the tire. Also istructs the customer and this best done in the 25' of landing area at the entrance of the wash.

 

[Earl Weiss]

The loader keeps the customer from pulling too far ahead on the conveyor so as not to break the photo eye before a roller engages the tire. Also istructs the customer and this best done in the 25' of landing area at the entrance of the wash.

I think I get the concept.

What I don't get is the relative advantage of having a loader standing next to the conveyor versus being in a booth next to the conveyor.

Well. I get one. For the numb nuts who can't figure out what to do it's easier to open the door to the car and shif it into neutral or pull their foot of the brake or turn the wheel if you are standing next to the conveyor.

Perhaps that's it.

 

[my2cents]

My bad, I must be the dumb @$$ that assumed the first 25' of the conveyor was under roof! When the conveyor extends outside of the entrance, the attendant will need some place to stay warm when in cold climates. Also, there may be a need for gate control equipment or manual input stations that need to stay out of the elements. the booth would be a good spot for that.