6 Advantages of Installing Self-Serve Kiosks for Your Retail Business

If you’ve seen more self-serve kiosks pop up in retail businesses around you—such as in a local fast food chain, a supermarket, a drug store, or other multichannel store—there are two good reasons behind their newfound popularity. More retail businesses are embracing self-serve kiosks because they help achieve the following: greater speed and efficiency in processing customers’ orders, and being more up-to-date with their stores’ financial transactions.

Do you yourself own a retail business? Are you wondering if the upfront investment on new self-serve kiosks, and the point of sale (POS) systems that accompany them, will make a difference on your sales? Here’s a six-part argument for enhancing your sales with self-serve kiosks and improving your customers’ overall retail experience at the same time.

1. You’ll increase your sales by reducing queuing time for customers. Nothing is more discouraging to a customer than a long queue. If they think they’ll spend too much time queuing just to place an order, they’re less likely to push through with a purchase. In cases such as those, the purpose of a self-serve kiosk is simple: it will enable customers to get their orders processed immediately, and it will shorten the time it takes between their placing an order and receiving it.
2. Lots of cool features can be integrated into a self-serve kiosk. Depending on what you’ll need it to do, a self-serve kiosk can house a lot of cool features: full touch screen functionality, the ability to play audio and video, or perhaps even different channels for payment. Your supplier for these machines will be able to customize them according to your retail business’s needs.
3. Customers will be treated to an interface that’s easy and fun to use. With features like hi-res photo displays and animation, customers will get a better idea of what they’re ordering and how much they’ll have to pay—which will make them more willing to complete the transaction. The interface on a self-serve kiosk could also resolve problems like language barriers. Even a foreigner who is visiting your store for the first time can use it to buy their product of choice.
4. The self-serve kiosks’ POS system will help with real-time inventory management and keeping of financial records. Upgrading your store’s queuing system to include self-serve kiosks will also mean upgrading to a new POS system at large. With this at your disposal, it’ll be easier for you to calculate your sales, track your stock of materials, and see if your most lucrative products are still available. There will be little to no ambiguity with regard to your store’s cash flow, your stock of ingredients, your ability to supply for certain products, and the like.
5. The kiosks will empower staff to concentrate on more complex tasks. Some retail business owners think that the self-serve kiosks can be a substitute for their human staff. But this isn’t the case at all—self-serve kiosks and retail staff can work in perfect harmony together. While the machines lessen bottlenecks in the queuing process, such as taking orders and calculating payments, the staff can be freed up to do more complex and human-related tasks, such as handling disputes or making adjustments on special orders.
6. Using self-serve kiosks will increase customers’ loyalty and brand satisfaction. Not only will the kiosks affect your present sales, but they could also guarantee stronger sales for you in the future. This is because customers may perceive your business as relevant, innovative, and willing to keep up with the times. So, do think about investing in a self-serve kiosk for the staying power it may afford to your business.

In summary, there are several advantages to be had for your retail business when you install new self-service kiosks.  See for yourself what a difference it will make in your sales, your queue management, and your ability to draw in brand-new customers.