Open term sets in modern lists: is this the user experience?

I'm trying to encourage users to make appropriate use of managed metadata in lists, for better discoverability and information linkage.  However, they would prefer using plain text columns to more easily add new metadata values. They (quite reasonably) don't like having to contact a termstore administrator to expand the term sets.

I thought open term sets would be a good compromise, allowing centrally-managed metadata values, while giving users the freedom to extend certain term sets with new terms.

Having set up a list with a managed metadata column that allows "fill-in" choices, I'm concerned that the process of adding new terms is excessively complicated.

Here's what a user has to do to add a new term, after adding an item to the list:

1. In the edit form's field, click the Add Tag button (because you can't just type your new term into the empty box).
2. Click the small link at the bottom of the page: Return to Classic (because you can't add a term from the modern edit form(?!).
3. Click the Add Tag button (again!), this time on the Classic form.
4. Click the Add New Term link at the top of the term selection form.
5. Type in the new term.

6. Click OK

Trying to sell users on the benefit of managed metadata is a hard ask, when it involves forcing them through a 6-step process instead of 1-step process for plain text fields.

Is there an easier way to do this?