SECOND QUARTER 2026  21
COVER STORY
business owners can reap those gains, they should expect 
some pains.
One issue Machesney said cleaners should expect is a 
learning curve after having a kiosk installed—one that 
should be overcome before trying to teach customers how 
to use it.
“At the beginning, we waited 24 hours until we had the 
kiosk procedure really down pat, she said. “That gave us a 
chance to explain it to customers in person without them 
wandering in.”
Another area where cleaners may experience pain is from 
the reaction of customers. Although many may feel com­
fortable with using the technology, some may not warm 
up to it as much—and there’s a possibility they’ll take their 
business elsewhere. 
While customer retention is always important, Waterstraat 
said you shouldn’t allow it to keep you from your automation 
plans because the benefits of having a kiosk will far outweigh 
the risks. Since he felt implementing a kiosk would help 
him address his staffing shortfalls, he had to get over the 
initial reluctance the idea of losing customers caused. 
“I did have that concern, but I made the decision. I be­
lieved a kiosk was a solution, and until something told me 
it wasn’t, I couldn’t focus on it—even if I had 10 custom­
ers that complained,” said Waterstraat. “If you can get over 
your own mental hurdle as an owner that you might lose a 
couple customers, and they might not be the right customer 
fit for you, everything just keeps moving.”
Be prepared to get buy-ins. A business owner may be 
convinced that a kiosk is the best choice for their compa­
ny, but that doesn’t mean everyone will automatically be 
on board. To boost post-installation success, it’s necessary 
to get a buy-in from your staff because if employees aren’t 
interested in the kiosk, clients won’t be either. 
When Machesney decided to implement automation, 
her employees were initially concerned about job security. 
However, they warmed up to the idea once she explained 
the purpose of the kiosk was not to reduce staff, but to make 
everyone’s job even better. One selling point was the fact 
that when a team member needed to go on maternity or 
continued from page 20
continued on page 22
Sudsies in Miami, Florida, measures the ROI on the company’s kiosks by how happy customers are with the convenience they bring.

View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.