Touchscreen Pay Stations

[TechGuy]

Can anyone share experience or give advice on a reliable touchscreen pay station? I'm looking at ICS and Hamilton right now. There's a lot I like about the Hamilton, even though it may be a little more upfront, including the fact that I know two local guys who work on them. However, the option to dispense gift cards on the ICS seems like a no-brainer. "Get this wash free when you buy a $25 gift card!" would probably work... Any thoughts?

We're getting a slightly used Washworld High Velocity and they're going to begin the install within a couple of weeks.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Can anyone share experience or give advice on a reliable touchscreen pay station? I'm looking at ICS and Hamilton right now. There's a lot I like about the Hamilton, even though it may be a little more upfront, including the fact that I know two local guys who work on them. However, the option to dispense gift cards on the ICS seems like a no-brainer. "Get this wash free when you buy a $25 gift card!" would probably work... Any thoughts?

We're getting a slightly used Washworld High Velocity and they're going to begin the install within a couple of weeks.

Thanks in advance!

If your paystation will face south, make sure the NIT rating on the screen is at least 1000 or it will be damn near impossible to see during the day. That's about the only input I have.

 

[TechGuy]

Well, the system will face east, but it is on the south side of the building with plenty of sun. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Sorry I wasn't more help, but that's a big thing when I visit other washes is that the screen gets washed out so easy, it makes any additional upsells quite an uphill battle. Good Luck! You are going to love Washworld tech support, they are the best!

 

[DavidM]

If this is an unattended site, I would not choose ICS. The paystation is essential to washing cars, it has to be rock solid. I have them at our tunnel and it isn't a big deal if you have to restart something every once in a while but we are there and know immediately if they crash. I would not be comfortable with them at any of my unattended inbays.

I also like pay stations with the ability to text or email if there is a problem like "wash is down", "out of change", "credit card failure", etc.

I do not have experience with Hamilton, only ICS and the older Unitec machines (before touch screens)

David

 

[TechGuy]

This site is attended - our express exterior will be only a few feet from the pay station, but I still don't want to have to mess with it often. Also, with my luck, it will always go down when no one is on site.

How do you know when they crash? Can you tell from a distance or have to wait for a customer complaint? How often does that happen? I assume ICS has not been responsive to the issue?

By the way, how does the screen look in the sunlight?

Thanks for your time!

 

[DavidM]

I don't want to suggest they crash all the time, maybe once a month or so. The problem is that at an inbay, I don't want the risk of a crash at 6:00pm keeping my wash out of service until I get back there the next morning.

We find out usually when we see a customer backing out of a lane to go to the other one.

Our machines are the EXPs, so not the newest version but i believe the software is basically the same. We have recently replaced the motherboards and hardrives so they are running the latest and greatest.

The screens are good most of the day except when the sun is low in the sky shining directly at them.

Where in PA are you located?

David

 

[TechGuy]

Wow, Dave! I didn't notice you were in PA. I'm in Waynesboro, very south-central and just off I-81 near Maryland. I'm heading to Pittsburgh tomorrow to visit some family, though. Where are you?

 

[DavidM]

I'm in central PA.
Sent you a PM.