Report • 22.10.2015
Freedom for the customer - 5 reasons for a kiosk system
A worst-case scenario for the retailer - because it is difficult to make up for such a bad impression. Kiosk terminals provide an attractive alternative here. At those terminals the customer can find out about the entire product portfolio and compare the different alternatives. Ideally, such terminals also have an integrated ordering function and save the customer queuing at the checkout.
We show five reasons why installing a kiosk terminal is worthwhile and why is the ordering function is especially important:
- The customer searches the retailers own products - Just like an online shop kiosk terminals are able to show the entire product portfolio. Customers using these terminals continue to move around the corresponding portfolio of the given retailer and do not search in online shops of competitors. This reduces the chance of the customer looking for better deals. The more touchpoints a retailer offers and the better they are intertwined, it becomes less and less attractive for the customer to look at a competitor’s products.
- An attractive alternative to smartphone research - Where would you prefer to search for further information - on your 5" smartphone or on a modern 30" touchscreen, which is placed directly in the store? Probably on the latter, because the quality of the display and thus the presentation of the product is just better. This is also known to the customers, who use the terminals willingly.
- Easy implementation of multichannel concepts - Kiosk systems are an integral part of a successful multichannel strategy. And with current software solutions the connection of the terminal in the store with the webshop is no longer rocket science. "Out-of-the-box" solutions prepare the data of the online stores automatically for the terminal and can be integrated into any existing IT infrastructure.
- The retailer shows that he goes with the technical developments - Customers are now accustomed to the use of touchscreens and digital devices. In their private life they are using smartphone, tablet and laptop. A retailer who provides such digital devices in his stores indicates that he did not oversleep the latest technological developments, in which touchscreen terminals are becoming increasingly important as an information medium in public space.
- The customer can make the purchase by himself – Now we are back to the initial situation: The customer is in the store and requires consultation but there is no free salesperson in sight. If he now can not only inform himself about the products at the terminal but can also order the desired product directly, he perceives this as better service: He no longer has to stand in a queue at the checkout but can shop directly at the terminal. If the product is not available in the store, he can also have it sent directly to his doorstep.
Simple kiosk systems are available starting at a price of about 2,500 Euro, making the purchase worthwhile even for smaller retailers. But in general any retailer - whether large or small, and no matter what product area - benefits from the use of a kiosk system. Whether it is used "only" for information or with a buying function. In any case it adds alue to the shopping experience of the customers and the processes of the retailer.
Read more about kiosk terminals, applications and advantages on iXtenso in our interviews and articles on the topic:
- "In-store terminals facilitate a virtual expansion of the sales floor" - Interview with Frieder Hansen, CEO of Pyramid Computer GmbH
- "Self-service kiosks are the standard in customer communication at the point-of-sale" - Interview with Alexandre Plavinski, Managing Director of Kiosk Solutions
- New ways to improve customer communication - Digital media at the POS are becoming increasingly popular
Author: Daniel Stöter, iXtenso.com
