Month: September 2012

Touch screen kiosks can benefit a vast array of demographics in the UK. The development of the technology means that it can help a wide array of needs and it can boost a business’s efficiency as well as a consumer’s experience. The versatile units embody various features and this makes them ideal to help elderly people. But just how can the technology help senior citizens?

Care homes

A kiosk can help care homes by providing information for both patients and the family members. It can be distressing putting a loved one in care but touch screen technology can help by providing access to information 24 hours a day to ease any nerves. By offering the latest up-to-date information and news such as laws, it helps to support the aging. It also aids staff and visitors with vital information such as what room the resident is living in and regular family members can just check themselves in instead of filling out tedious forms every single visit. Visitors can check-in via the kiosk and make appointments to look around, reducing the burden of administration duties. This therefore gives the staff more time to actually care for the patients. But it can also act as a form of socialising portal as the kiosks can include information on local groups, meetings or clubs for the patient to get involved in. This will boost their mixing and encourage them to meet new people and enjoy new hobbies.

Community education

Kiosks installed in local community establishments can help to educate them on relevant information such as benefits or health advice. Research by a national charity called Turn2us found that 80% of low-income pensioners are unaware of their entitlement to pension credit, so they do not claim what is lawfully theirs. Thousands of retired people in the UK are missing out on £3billion due to not claiming pension credit but a touch screen can help OAPs learn more on such issues and how to take action. By deploying the units in various locations like a library, church, community centre, clinic or town hall, the technology can offer insightful information and tips on care, home energy savings and medicine etc. There are multiple ways that a kiosk can help the elderly; so get in touch today to install the touch screen technology in your local community.

New trends in touch screen technology have been revealed and the findings show that kiosks are here to stay for all sectors and countries. In a research trip to Dubai, it was found that kiosk usage has grown in popularity over the last few years and the highest areas for growth are the Pacific Rim and Middle East. The study, by GenKiosk, showed that:

• Offer greater choice for the customer as the payment is displayed in one location
• More competitive transfer rates
• Inform customers better and give them the control of their payment
• Value-added service as well as more convenience of transferring money

The technology has various functions as well as payment including:

• Ordering
• Loyalty
• Information
• Product browser
• Shop online
• Top-up
• Gift voucher
• Wayfinder
• Promotional
• Help
• Feedback
• Internet
• Queue busting

Here at Protouch, we take great care to keep up-to-date with the latest trends and software. We strive to know what is going on and to stay ahead to better customer’s experiences. Retail environments are hotspots for self-service kiosk activity and payment kiosks are more commonly situated here but touch screen devices can benefit numerous industries. At the start of 2012, mobile technology was definitely an upcoming solution to install in businesses and whilst it is still a phenomenon, kiosks are far from being saturated.

Increase in touch…

The biggest trend for 2013 is the increased use of touch. Touch interfaces are becoming more and more common and soon they will inhabit the majority of all businesses and homes. The comfort level of the technology has soared and now it is almost required by any consumer. Whatever the latest trends, take note that Protouch will be leading the way with the newest software solutions. Businesses are embracing self-service kiosks to empower customers, reduce staffing costs and improve efficiency and the stepping stone will only become widespread over the next decade.

There are a lot of studies and news circulating the web that brick and mortar stores are dying as a result of the World Wide Web. Industry experts claim that high street stores are becoming few and far between because more and more retailers are setting up online. It is true that businesses can benefit from the digital platform, boosting sales and marketing efforts. But high street stores are still important to the consumer and kiosks can help to keep them alive. Here is a guide by Protouch on how kiosks can keep consumers in-store.

High street v online

There are numerous advantages to the internet; it is easy, fast and extremely accessible. Society’s needs have evolved and the World Wide Web caters to these growing requirements but high street can too by updating its technologies and services. A study by Local Corporation, an e-tailing group, found that 90% of shoppers still believe brick and mortar stores are important. Sherry Thomas-Zon, Vice president of Local Corporation, said: “The challenge for national brands and retail marketers is to keep pace with consumers as they move among devices and locations and to provide timely, compelling, engaging information that guides them to the purchase.”

So can how touch screen technology help?

More and more consumers are utilising the latest technology such as smartphones, tablets and kiosks to improve their experience so it is important that you deploy the technology in your store. Consumers are researching and purchasing items via these products and so they have become a vital role in the shopping process of the retail sector.

• Web

An increasing number of consumers are browsing and shopping online and so you should be flexible and adjust to this behaviour. You can do this, by having kiosks in-store that have internet access. Customers will be able to browse products online that you don’t have in-store and gain more information.

• Competitiveness

In order to beat your competition you need to stand out from the crowd and touch screen technology can help you do this. By offering the latest technology, it shows that you are a serious, reputable business and it will boost your status in the local area. As well as displaying that you are a cut above the rest, you can also show your competitor’s prices. Don’t be afraid to show rival rates- it will demonstrate that you are fair.

• Reviews

Kiosks can display product reviews and ratings which will help shoppers make informed purchase decisions. Often or not a consumer may need expert advice when they are stuck buying a particular item and a touch screen unit can help if a sales employee is unavailable.

• Loyalty programs

Kiosks can help to boost consumer loyalty schemes. Shoppers can get access to discounts, coupons and special offers. In such difficult economic times, it is becoming more and more important to try and save money and consumers are always looking for the best deal. A kiosk can dispense ticketing vouchers.

Only recently Protouch revealed in a blog post how the majority of retail shoppers prefer self-service technology. A survey by research firm NCR found that mainstream America favour self-checkouts because of the reduced waiting times. A massive 78% said they prefer it because it is faster than going through cashier-assisted lines. And now another survey recently published confirms that self-checkout is rising in significance. IHL Group found that that technology continues to increase in popularity for retailers across North America.

Key findings from the 2012 North American Kiosk study reveal:

• Self-checkout shipments rose 8% year-to-year
• Self-checkout transactions exceeded $255 billion annually (around £160 billion)
• Self-checkout transactions rose more than 7% per year
• Transactions at self-service kiosks expected to reach $1 trillion by 2014

It took into account ticketing, check-in, postal, food ordering, self-checkout and DVD/other kiosks when analysing the research.

UK deployment trend

The rise in self-checkout popularity isn’t just in the US but the UK too. So why is the technology so widespread? Benefits include:

• Reduce waiting times
• Improve staff efficiency
• Boost consumer independence

Various industries can take advantage of the self-service checkout technology and these consist of:

• Supermarkets
• Department stores
• Post offices
• Shopping malls
• Banks
• Leisure centre
• Attractions
• Train station
• Car park
• Exhibition
• Canteen

The list of environments that can utilise payment functioning is endless and here at Protouch we can help you profit from kiosk technology, whatever sector your business is in. The tech-savvy world which we live in is saying goodbye to tills and hello to self-service technology; it really is the top dog aspect to succeed. Customer’s needs have grown and it’s simply a case of out the traditional slow paced service in favour of modern, fast and convenient. As customer’s expectations evolve, it is the case that self-service technology will increase in demand as businesses compete to stay afloat. If you are interested in gaining a greater per-customer ROI, you do need to deploy kiosks into your premises. Check out this 3-step how to guide to boost your in-store sales.