ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- The military personnel flight is automating their front desk in an effort to bring faster service to the customer.
A new kiosk has been set up outside of the military personnel section in the Rushmore Center that allows the user to enter all of their information and get help instantly.
“The new kiosk fits all the needs of the customer and makes our squadron more effective,” said 2nd Lt. Alyssa Hofilena, the 28th Force Support Squadron military personnel flight chief. “It streamlined our process and made it easier for us to see who needs help and how we can provide that help.”
MPF hopes to eliminate the front desk position by the time Thanksgiving break is over. The automated system will free up more Airmen to assist with personnel needs, which increases the flight’s customer service capabilities.
“Instead of having shifts of Airmen manning the front desk, we will be able to have everyone back in the office helping customers and accomplishing our mission,” Hofilena said. “It will save us over 2,000 hours of manpower and thousands of dollars each year.”
Utilizing the kiosk, MPF customers will be prompted to fill out tabs on the screen, where they can make or confirm their appointments. From there, the system sends the information back to a queue that has all waiting customers’ information and how long ago each arrived.
Squadron Innovation Funds provided the resources for the new kiosk. The kiosk is only the 7th of its kind for Military Personnel Flights in the Air Force.
The kiosk is a product of the Air Force Squadron Innovation Fund. The Air Force distributed $64 million across all total force squadrons in 2018 to fund Airmen-led innovations that increase readiness, reduce cost, return time back to Airmen or enhance lethality of the force.