Across the country, citizens struggle to access government services restricted by business hours and single locations. Prince William County (PWC) Circuit Court, Va., was no exception.
For many residents, completing essential government business meant navigating major inconveniences. Taking a full day off work was often the only way to complete court or licensing tasks. Those without reliable transportation faced hours on public transit — sometimes up to 3.5 hours each way — just to reach the courthouse. And with services available only during the workday, there were no evening or weekend options for people balancing jobs and families.
The situation was especially difficult for residents who rely on public transportation. Long commutes were further complicated by inconsistent schedules and rising fares. Even a simple task, like submitting a document, could consume nearly an entire day.
Recognizing the need to reduce both time and travel burdens, court officials partnered with Advanced Kiosks to explore a better way. Their goal: create a system that allows citizens to complete essential business closer to home, on their own schedule, and without unnecessary disruption to work or family life.
In our community, we have one courthouse centrally located in the county. Still, for people who live on one side or the other, if they don’t have reliable transportation, it takes them up to 3.5 hours to get here by bus.
— Jacqueline Smith, Clerk of Circuit Court, Prince William County, VA
Prince William County turned to Advanced Kiosks for a more efficient and convenient way to deliver government services. The answer was the Kiosk Office Suite, a turnkey self-service system that allows residents to complete essential tasks on their own time, without the burden of travel or office-hour restrictions.
With kiosks located in the courthouse, public library and other community areas, citizens now have 24/7 access to essential services. What once required a full day’s commitment can now be done in minutes.
At the kiosks, residents can:
- Submit documents by scanning directly into the system.
- Print forms or receipts instantly for personal records.
- Complete applications digitally, reducing paperwork delays and eliminating errors from manual entry.
- Pay fees and fines securely using integrated payment options.
- Simplify complex form-filling with the built-in eForms Assistant.
“Our ultimate goal is to allow customers access to essential court services outside of regular business hours,” said Clerk of Court Jacqueline Smith. “For people without reliable transportation, it used to take up to 3.5 hours just to get here by bus. With kiosks, those barriers no longer stand in the way.”
THE RESULTS: FASTER, FAIRER ACCESS
The introduction of self-service kiosks has transformed how Prince William County residents interact with their government. What once required a day of travel and waiting now takes just minutes at a local kiosk. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, from citizens to court officials.
Key outcomes include:
- Easy setup and rollout: After just a few meetings with the Advanced Kiosks Onboarding team, the kiosks were shipped fully configured and ready to plug in from day 1.
- Exceptional performance: The kiosks have proven highly reliable, avoiding the glitches and hiccups that often plague new technology.
- Fairer access: Residents can now conduct business at convenient times and locations, including evenings and weekends, without major interruptions to their daily routine.
- Language equity: Non-English speakers can navigate services in their own language, often with greater clarity than an in-person exchange.
- Community support: Success in the Clerk’s Office quickly caught the attention of judges and other departments, leading to broader demand and new grant funding.
- Scalable growth: Six additional freestanding kiosks, all connected and managed through Zamok Kiosk Management Software, are expanding access across the county.
Behind these results lies a commitment to thoughtful design and onboarding. Advanced Kiosks worked closely with county officials to ensure workflows aligned with existing operations and required minimal disruption. The interface was customized to the court’s needs, making it simple for users of all ages and technical backgrounds to navigate.
“We employ a lot of technology in the office, and there’s always hiccups and glitches,” said Smith. “We’ve had none of that with Advanced Kiosks. They have thought through everything. While it was not quite plug and play, it’s about as close to plug and play as a kiosk could be. I’ve been so impressed!”
One of the most transformative impacts has been language access. “If they have language separation, customers can go on the kiosk and utilize our online tools that will communicate with them in their language and help them understand better than our employees could,” Smith explained.
Community enthusiasm has also been clear. “The chief judge and clerk of one of the lower courts came upstairs to look at the kiosks and said, ‘We need these,’” Smith said. “I have been in this position for three years, and the chief judge has never come up here previously. People are talking!”
Encouraged by this response, the Clerk’s Office secured grant funding for six additional kiosks, enabling expansion to more public spaces. Managed through Zamok Kiosk Management Software, these units can be configured, updated and monitored remotely, ensuring a consistent and reliable experience across all locations.
WHAT'S NEXT: A FORWARD-THINKING MODEL
Prince William County isn’t just solving today’s challenges — it’s shaping the future of citizen service. The county has already shown how kiosks can expand access, improve equity and streamline operations. Now, leaders are looking ahead to new technologies that will push those benefits even further.
Key future-focused initiatives include:
- AI-powered support: Prince William County has been selected to pilot Zamok Genie, an artificial intelligence chatbot designed to make kiosks even more intuitive and responsive.
- Continuous improvement: Usage data and feedback from residents are being used to refine workflows and improve service delivery across all kiosk locations.
- Expanding access to justice: By offering services in multiple languages, in more places and outside of regular hours, the county is setting a new standard for equitable access to government.
For Prince William County, kiosks are more than just machines — they’re part of a broader mission to ensure every resident can engage with the government on equal footing. By embracing innovation and leading the way in testing new features, the county is modeling what smarter, fairer and more accessible government can look like across the nation.
Government works best when it works for everyone. These kiosks help us meet people where they are — and that’s powerful.
— Jacqueline Smith, Clerk of Circuit Court, Prince William County, VA
COMING NEXT
This story is part of a broader look at how local governments are modernizing front-line services. Next quarter, we’ll explore how Decatur, Texas, and Itasca County, Minn., are using kiosk technology in their law enforcement facilities to automate essential services and deliver faster, more citizen-friendly support.
Advanced Kiosks, a division of H32 Design and Development LLC, is a leading provider of self-service kiosk solutions for government, business and community organizations. With more than 20 years of experience, they specialize in designing and manufacturing turnkey kiosk systems that combine durable hardware with powerful software. Their Zamok Kiosk Management Software and industry-specific applications — such as the Kiosk Office Suite — help streamline operations, improve customer service, and ensure secure, reliable access to information and services. Backed by an excellent CPARS rating and a strong history of federal and municipal contracts, Advanced Kiosks is recognized as an innovative, trusted partner in self-service technology.
