Long-Term Branch Advantages of Self-Service Kiosk
Self-service kiosks have become important in many of our lives in few years. Whether we’re looking for a quick way to pay or go at supermarket, ordering at a fast-food outlet or at conferences or events, these devices come in variety of shapes and sizes. Do they really make things easier for customers or businesses? What are the pros and cons? Investment by the travel, retail, food &drink, banking, healthcare, hospitality industries is worth it?
In this article, we’ll try our best to solve your queries, with an example related to your industry and will check whether this system is suitable for your industry or not?
What is a self-service kiosk?
Also known as an interactive kiosk, a self-service kiosk Is basically a screen device, fixed at a point, a self-service tablet kiosk is one that someone uses themselves. Self-service kiosk is used to display information or an action to its users. It could be a good point for sales, self-service or touch screen kiosk check-out, similar to those which are used in supermarkets, an informative point in a tourist attraction, we can see kiosk in airport also that allows people to check-in without joining a counter queue. The self-service kiosk meaning will be different for everyone, depends upon planned application.
Benefits of self-service kiosks
Self-service kiosk benefits are in countless number. Depending on the sector in which they are utilized, some of them are:
• Less queuing which helps in reducing waiting times for customers/passengers
• More people are served in a short space of time, increasing efficiency and related profits
• Offering number of features, the same kiosk can you information such as take payments, print tickets, more
• Smaller kiosks, such as tablet kiosks, are adjustable, which is user friendly, means they can be moved when required to meet according to need of your business.
• Enhancing customer experience by giving them control of finding out information or checking in/out
Role of Self-service kiosks in healthcare
This type of technology is strongly establishing a place for itself in the healthcare sector. Healthcare departments in various part of the country now use self-service health kiosks system which allows patients to check themselves in lesser time, which reduces the stress on reception staff and is also designed to reduce queuing system. Also used by many local healthcare departments to help and regulate patient arrivals and waiting times, this type of technology is becoming more useful in this type of system.
Another self-service kiosks healthcare application is an restore to the weighing machines that is found in hospitals across the country. A screen on which you can not only see your weight, but can also insert a few other select details, such as age, height can offer a range of quality choice recommendations to the consumer.
Role of Self-Service kiosks in food & drink industry
Self-service kiosks for food purchases are becoming more common place. Now, KFC has also started its self-service kiosks in the UK, currently at service stations on the motorway network, along with Burger King is a self-service kiosk in same locations. In settings like this, with huge volumes of customers coming through, it makes sense to introduce self-service kiosks as it will help to reduce queue and timing and it will help in increasing revenue by fulfilling more orders in a shorter amount of time.
Role of Self-service kiosks in the hospitality & travel industry
One of the first places to adopt use of self-service kiosks were airports. This technology itself lends well to the type of busy, fast-paced or crowdy environment where many constant tasks don’t necessary require a human interaction in the most of the cases. Self-service kiosks in airports can be a big factor in reducing time and queue, although not every passenger is comfortable in using self-service kiosks.
Airports don’t have any monopoly when it comes to travelling sector, train operators are also using self-service ticket kiosks and informative points for point of some time. Passengers have a good chance to avoid counter queue, they can use a self-service printing kiosk for simple and easy purchase of tickets, they can also find out answer to frequently-asked question in short period, something that reduces staff resource for any other activities and can help to improve the flow of people through the railway station and to their destinations.
Role of Self-service kiosks in Banking
When it comes to in banking, anyone with a more complex requirement than wanting to withdraw or pay in money has regularly needed to queue up at a counter or arrange an appointment to speak with staff. However, with self-service banking kiosks, customers can not only carry out simple transactions but can get some related information to their account, can also find out about other financial products, such as mortgages, loans, insurance or savings accounts all in at one place and staff on another hand if needed to start the process straight away if required.
Self- service kiosks in banks not only reduce queue time but also free staff for other duties, put their customers in according to their banking system. For some, a self-service machine will not be enough if they have a complex enquiry, self-service kiosks can be used to solve the frequently asked questions and queries, it cannot solve multiple problems of multiple people at same point of time as it is technology it will perform every task accordingly. For some issues physical present will be required
Are self-service kiosks worth the investment?
As with any potential investment for a business or an organization, the numbers need to be crunched to determine whether it’s financially applicable and how long it will take the savings made as a result of self-service kiosks to overcome the expenses and maintenance costs.
How much does a self-service kiosk cost?
According to the requirements of your business or organization in relation to self-service kiosks, the costs of the hardware and software may differ widely, it may touch thousands of dollars.