Self-service Terminals play a vital role in automating any ecosystem. As a result of their versatility, these terminals have permeated very quickly through several consumer-facing industries. By putting the power of every transaction back in the customer's hands, the self-service channel has had a significant impact on consumer behaviour. Interactive digital kiosks have been able to push the boundaries of hyper-personalization in a physical location, allowing organizations to deliver convenience like never before.
As per a recent survey of approximately 1000 customers by Forbes Magazine, it was revealed that self-service channels drive impulse purchases, leads to higher revenue, causes fewer returns, and increases customer loyalty. More than 40% of customers surveyed confirmed that they would return after a shopping experience if it provided them a sense of personalization. Hence, the personalization capabilities of Self-service Kiosks cannot be overlooked.
What is a Self-service Kiosk?
A Self-service Kiosk, also known as an interactive kiosk, is a terminal that facilitates action or displays a piece of information.
By eliminating the need for any external assistance, these intuitive machines can give each customer complete control of every transaction they undertake. Combining technology-led innovation and integrated communication has enabled many businesses to adopt Self-service terminals to augment the consumer experience quickly. From an organizational standpoint, Self-service Kiosks have significantly improved efficiency and customer throughput at teller and checkout counters while ensuring operational costs are kept in check.
Benefits of Self-service Kiosks:
Self-service Terminals have been able to transform the nature of transactions in a variety of customer-facing industries, including Banking, Retail, and Entertainment, The benefits of a Self-service Kiosk are as follows:
Better Efficiency:
Businesses with multiple deployments of these intuitive, automated terminals can handle many customers with ease during busy hours. Simply put, no longer are organizations bound with a 1:1 teller to checkout counter ratio.
Customer Satisfaction:
By limiting, and in many cases eliminating, the need for a teller, the self-service channel has enabled businesses to remain open whenever the customer wants. If we were to look at the BFSI sector, activities were governed by Banking Hours. The self-service channel has allowed for several transactions to be undertaken round the clock. By giving customers complete control over their transactions, these terminals have reinvented the idea of customer satisfaction.
Adaptability:
Depending upon configuration, Self-service Terminals can adapt to various conditions. Physically, Based on the build, deployment of these terminals can be done in almost any environment. Additionally, in terms of utility, in many cases, minimal hardware up-gradation, coupled with the ability to upgrade software on these terminals remotely, allows for newer functionalities to be made available to all customers almost instantaneously.
Uses of a Self-service Kiosk:
Self-service Kiosks have established themselves as critical components of customer facing digital infrast enabling the kind of experience that subsequently empowers the customer with better decision power and flexibility, without sacrificing the growth or profitability of the business.
Versatility:
The automated nature of Self-service Kiosks can provide information, engage with the customers, perform specific tasks or functions such as check-ins at the airport. They have an unmatched potential across various industries as they are beneficial, efficient, cost-effective, and easy to use.
Hyper personalized Advertising:
Self-service Terminals placed strategically in a store or in a window display act as dynamic digital signage because they are used to display product demos and brand stories and augment the overall store experience. Terminals integrated with Digital signage are a great way to target customers based on their historical shopping patterns.
A means to fight the Pandemic:
Self-service Kiosks have worked as a boon during the pandemic. They have significantly reduced the risk of transmission by limiting the exposure. Many industrial sectors and various organizations have used Self-service terminals to reduce human-to-human interaction in everyday tasks. There are several ways in which self-service kiosks can help fight against Covid-19:
- It has eliminated the need for 1:1 human interaction.
- It has reduced closed proximity and physical contact, thereby mitigating the transmission risk in any industry that uses Self-service Kiosks.
- Self-service Terminals have eliminated long-standing queues at the reception or banks.
- It has helped significantly establish user confidence. Customers feel that they are not exposed to viruses when using a properly maintained Self-service Kiosk compared to interacting with people at any interface.
- A specialized Self-service Kiosk can be used to prevent transmission and the spread of Covid-19. Safety requirements and Covid-19 protocols such as temperature recognition can be followed at the entrance. This helps to screen the body temperature of people to allow only those with average body temperature to enter inside.
Key Takeaway:
Self-service Kiosks have revolutionized customer experiences by giving them complete control of every transaction. In essence, They've become synonymous with convenience. These terminals find themselves as critical components of automating any ecosystem as they can provide customers with a high degree of operational flexibility. By putting the power of every transaction back in the hands of the consumer organizations too, benefit. They help limit the staffing needs, but autonomous transactions allow businesses to transact 24x7, further enhancing the overall ROI.