The new system involves a touch-screen kiosk, which people use to indicate whether they are renewing tags or getting title work done. The kiosk then prints out a ticket, which is reflected on a large screen situated above the kiosk. The screen shows, with updates every five seconds, the tickets' expected waiting time.
Treasurer's office launches automated system
Early indicators show system working well, easy to use
The Shawnee County Treasurer's Office launched its automated ticketing system Monday, and by early indicators, people were having no trouble checking in.
The new system involves a touch-screen kiosk, which people use to indicate whether they are renewing tags or getting title work done. The kiosk then prints out a ticket, which is reflected on a large screen situated above the kiosk. The screen shows, with updates every five seconds, the tickets' expected waiting time.
Eventually, people will be able to secure their tickets online, and receive text messages when their number is 20 minutes away from being pulled.
That addition -- as well as installing the system at the annex -- will have to wait until the system has been fully vetted at the courthouse, said Treasurer Larry Mah.
"We'll hold off on those until we know it works just exactly the way we want it to," he said. "We really need to experience actual customers using it. We've been playing with it for so long, we no longer see its weaknesses."
Once the system operates to his liking, Mah said, it will be simple to add the online and annex components. He said he expected the annex, 5938 S.W. 17th, Suite 500, to be live by the end of this week.
As of 8 a.m. at the courthouse, about 10 people had signed in, most with Mah's help. However, while he was being interviewed by The Topeka Capital-Journal, two people used the system without assistance.
"That's a good sign," Mah noted.
County information technology staff, whom Mah credited with the production of the system, were on hand to help and direct people to the kiosk for much of Monday.
Adeline Falk, the first to use the automated system, said it was easy and "much better" than her experience with the office in May, when she had 50 people ahead of her at 6:30 a.m.
"They walked me through it with no problems," she said. "If this works, I think it's going to really be faster."
Falk said she liked that the system divided tags and titles.
