The self service kiosk is top dog in the retail industry today. Customers'needs and expectations are growing and it's a case of out with the traditional, more slowly paced service and in with the modern, fast and convenient.
As we shift to enhancing a customer's experience, self service kiosks are in demand and with them they bring a greater per-customer ROI. But installing a kiosk won't bring in big results unless you do it right.
Here's a quick 3 step guide to help to make your kiosk deployment a success and boost your in-store sales.
Step 1. How a kiosk can help your store
Customers' needs and expectations for fast and convenient service are growing. Traditional, more slowly paced service can leave people frustrated, downing goods and walking away empty handed, taking your profits with them. Today the focus has shifted to enhancing a customer's experience. Self service kiosks are in demand and with them they bring a greater per-customer ROI.
How it works:
Empower your customer
How many times have you heard a customer say: "It would be quicker if I did it myself"? Empowering your customers to shop independently with a self service kiosk is the first step to improving your store. Kiosks can both automate services and bring the benefits of Internet shopping in-store, making the sales process faster, simpler and hassle free. They offer:
Information on products and complementary items Take payments & arrange collection or home delivery Plus they'll cut the queues at the checkouts Change the role of staff
While self service kiosks are managing the majority of everyday customer activities, the reliance on shop floor staff will be typically lowered. As a result staff members are free to focus on more specific, one-to-one customer assistance. The result:
Staff offer a more rewarding style of customer service Customers shop with greater satisfaction Staffing commitments are likely to be lowered Engage customers while they shop
If a customer has to wait a while, then make it worth their while and give them more reason to stay in-store. Self Service Kiosks can be multi-functional so think about alternative uses:
Sign up for store memberships Dispense the loyalty cards and reward vouchers Enter store promotions Access to internet Step 2. Get the best out of your kiosk
Getting kiosk deployment right goes a long way to having a successful rollout.
Here are the top 5 points to think about:
What's the purpose of your kiosk? You should be able to summarise the purpose and intent of your kiosk in one brief sentence. If you can' do this, the chances are that your customer won't know what the kiosk is for and may well ignore it. This isn't to say that you must have one purpose per kiosk. You can in fact combine multiple, related functions in one kiosk. Such as, a product finder kiosk that offers payment, ordering and collection or delivery.
Software should be a simple journey Kiosk software needs to guide the customer through a clear on-screen journey. If the home screen looks too complex, too much like an advert or simply doesn't portray the purpose of the kiosk the customer may be put off. The idea is to invite the customer in and take them on a step by step journey leading to your target action. An example 'sale' journey:
1. A retail kiosk presents store merchandise by dividing products into categories that the user can browse through.
2. Once a user has selected their item the screen also displays additional products that are related to the user's purchase.
3. When all products are selected for purchase the user is directed to a payment device using on screen prompts, such as, pop up messages or visual aids.
4. Finally the screen asks if the user would like to collect the goods in store or have the items delivered and prints a receipt.
Maximise your investment with good marketing For a kiosk to do its job effectively customers need to know what and where it is. Use in-store advertising to lead customers to the kiosk and promote its function with branded messaging on the kiosk body. Try shopping from the customer's perspective to see where improvements can be made.
Location, location, location Kiosks must be placed in a prime location so they are easily seen by customers, serviceable by staff and do not detract from an existing product display. It needs to be accessible to all potential users. The location of the kiosk will also affect the style of kiosk you need.
Make sure staff are on board Get staff involved as early as possible and their enthusiasm will be your biggest asset in making a kiosk successful. Your employees need to know that the kiosk is there as a selling tool to help them, not as substitute to them. Explain what their new role is and how the kiosk operates so they feel confident in educating customers.
Step 3. Reap the benefits
What's in it for you? Automated services - Improve efficiency, manage more customers with faster processes and cut waiting times Cost saving - save on paper work, staff hours and apply staff's focus elsewhere Increased ROI - Significantly boost your sales by putting revenue-generating applications within kiosks What's in it for your customers? Enhanced shopping experience - NO time queuing and convenient purchase methods Improved product information and access - Kiosks are not reliant on staff knowledge or in-stock products Augments the sales process -Faster, simpler, hassle free