Pro-Touch

Month: February 2013

Examples Of Kiosks Utilised In Diverse Environments

Posted on by Tom Quarry

Touch screens are being utilised more and more in a wide variety of environments. Here are a few examples to show some the latest uses across different sectors.

Retail
Marks and Spencer has jumped on the ‘multi channel retailing’ bandwagon, by introducing multiple touch screens within its stores. Their main function is to provide customers with an outlet to order online, but in store. The screens acts as a virtual ‘stylist’ that allows users to combine clothing garments to create their own outfits, guided by catwalk videos and physical displays. With the applications in place, loyal customers have full access to the M&S range. The question is; how will these touch screens take off with Marks and Spencer’s older clientele?

Public
New York City has recently launched 250 multi-function public screens to replace pay phones. Subverting the concept of a phone booth, these live touch screens offer many advantages and services for the public. Following the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the screens aim to improve communication in emergencies. The public can either dial an emergency number or receive safety instructions. They serve to display information, emergency alerts and local business deals. Implemented in high traffic locations, such as outside main subways, the screens also provide users, especially tourists, with useful way finding information. Eventually, the public interactive screens will be also be utilised as platforms for advertising.

Fast Food
In the US, Subway has implemented touch screen kiosks into their food ordering system. Positioned in the Drive Thru, customers are able to select their order and make a payment, which accelerates the overall process. With light sensors and a resilient touch screen, the system is designed for all weather conditions, time of day and anti-vandal. It can also move up and down to accommodate for different vehicles passing through the Drive Tru. The kiosks have been described as “faster, more accurate and more profitable”.

Museums
Museums have shifted from showing collections of objects, to creating interactive spaces in which audiences can engage. They are utilizing kiosks as information points and multi-touch screens to invite visitors to interact with the exhibition. For example, a recent exhibition space in Birmingham installed large multi-touch tables so visitors could interact and explore the Birmingham skyline. As another example, The British Museum uses touch screen kiosks to manage ticketing and control queues for the paid entry exhibitions. Touch screen technology is encouraging people of all ages to interact and learn within museum environments.

Take a look at Protouch's case studies to see how our kiosks have been implemented in a range of different domains. 

Touchscreen Technology Is Bettering Customer Service

Posted on by Tom Quarry

Providing a quality service and building a rapport with customers is at forefront of most businesses, despite the recession. There is focus on empowering employees and technology is changing the way they engage with customers. 

Kiosk technology is freeing staff from the shop counter and allowing them to cater to the individual customer’s needs. As a result, is the counter becoming obsolete? Automated reception kiosks, for instance, provide hotels with self-service points for visitors to register their arrival. This minimises the need for a manned reception and reduces staff costs.

  • ‘Customer facing technology’ such as self service kiosks and digital signage, are used to display immediate information meaning that there is less need for customers to interact fact to face with staff. 
  • ‘Employee facing technology’ refers to when the technology allows a salesperson to focus more on delivery of customer service. For example, with a digital kiosk deployed in store, an employee can be more available to help with specific queries and concentrate on the individual. The employee is able to flourish in productivity in sales and customer service.

Products
Before now, a salesperson would have to trawl through catalogues to look up products and check availability of stock. Now, with digital screens in retail environments, the customer has more control. Self-service kiosks allow consumers to browse through an entire product range without assistance. This means product lists information can be instantly updated in real time. Furthermore, with efficient access to a product range, there is less necessity to stock all products in store, saving space. 

Payment
Implementing touch screens at the point of payment improves overall efficiency and speed of services, as the task of processing payment is made easier for staff. Hand held touch screen devices are also being used on the shop floor to process sales away from the counter. Reducing queuing times and accelerating process within busy, demanding environements is the key to a happy shopper.

Training
The UK Employer Skills Survey (2011) has estimated that, on average, training a single new employee can cost £3275 and take up to 9 days. Training staff to navigate a self-service kiosk is estimated to take 15 minutes. Establishing kiosks is highly advantageous for businesses as it minimises training costs. Employees would require basic training to become familiar with the touch screen technology, to know how to navigate the system.

HR
Kiosks can be utilised to provide HR functions for employees, for example they assist with clocking in and out of work, managing a team of employees and general administrative tasks. Implementing a kiosk in a business place can add value to aspects such as employee relations and financial management. The benefits lead to reducing costs and improving overall communication strategies.

In all, touchscreen technology empowers employees in providing the opportunity to maximise the quality of customer service, gain customer satisfaction and boost sales.

Touch Screen Monitors: A Boost Within Budget

Posted on by Tom Quarry

Despite interactive screens moving towards the ‘bigger the better’, touch screen monitors can offer businesses a boost within budget. They combine both an input and output device, eliminating the need for separate plug-ins, such as a mouse and keyboard.

Types of touch screens

  • Capacative – durable and resistant, commonly used for industrial/ outdoor applications
  • Resistive – the most versatile and accurate 
  • Infared – reacts with heat and light, slower to react 
  • Multi touch- highly durable, registers 3 or more touches at a time

Multi touch monitors bring a unique touch screen experience for consumers, across a variety of applications and industries. Usually seen in busy retail environments or hospitality till points, touch screen monitors are beneficial in many ways. They are deployed to increase efficiency and accelerate services, in the aim to enhance the ‘customer experience’.

Retail
Touch screen monitors are more commonly being implemented in retail environments, predominately at the point of purchase (POP). Deployed at the till points, monitors quicken the payment process, reduce queuing time and in turn, keep customers happy. Managing the flow of customers efficiently can result in maximising sales and boosting business. Installing multiple monitors in demanding retail environments is advantageous for both staff and customers. Even smaller retailers can benefit from these applications, as they are affordable and can be used for both transactions and display purposes.

Hospitality
A plethora of fast food chains and restaurants are now utilising touch screen monitors to improve communication and efficiency. They are used for a number of functions, food ordering, tracking orders and payment. Cash management is another key use of touch screens within restaurants, processing bill payment more efficiently and quickly. Monitors allow for multiple terminals to be installed, used to create a networking system.

Hotels are also making use of touch screen monitors in their receptions and lobbies. Receptionists are able to interact with a user interface to register visitors upon arrival, check availability and process payments. In some cases, visitors use them to inquire about rooms and rates, without needing to talk to someone at a front desk.

Key benefits of touch screen monitors

  • Easy to deploy
  • Accessibility and connectivity
  • Flexible installation
  • Multi-touch experience
  • Cost effective
  • Durable and long shelf life
  • Usable screen sizes

Contact Protouch to see how our commercial grade touch screen monitors could have a positive impact on your business’ operations.

SportsDirect.com Rolls Out More Protouch Touch Screens

Posted on by Tom Quarry

Sportsdirect.com have recently bought 20 JJB stores, which they plan to upgrade by rolling out more Protouch touch screens. With 4000 touch screens already in place from Protouch, Sportsdirect have also acquired a further 400 units of the Geode2 17” touch screens for their new stores.

Sportsdirect.com required an easy-to-use system that manages their large flow of customers and improves their customer's shopping experience. These latest commercial grade touch screens have been put in place to boost the efficiency of the shops’ services, by accelerating processes, reducing queuing times and augmenting customer service. All in all, these improvements help to keep customers happy and in turn, maximise sales.

Protouch aim to meet the company's needs, in supplying reliable touch screen hardware and software, within set time frame and budget. Get in touch if your retail business needs a boost.