If the service is bad, you'll have only yourself to blame. Self-service kiosks--those ATM-like machines that let you check in at the airport or check out at the grocery store all on your own--are sweeping into more retailers and service spots. Big-box stores like Home Depot and Wal-Mart are rolling them out, as are movie theaters, convenience stores, sports venues and even courthouses.
U.S. consumers spent $128 billion at kiosks last year, an 80% jump from the year before, according to IHL Consulting Group. By 2007, that figure could hit $1.3 trillion. Companies like the technology because kiosks let them...