Pro-Touch

Thistle Hotels Go Beyond The Typical WiFi Connectivity

GLH Hotels Management Group recently used Protouch to install over 70 touch screens in Thistle Hotels throughout the UK. The aim was to provide an ‘out of home’ experience for the guests, to give them the opportunity to perform both leisure and corporate activities with ease and speed.

With bespoke software on our PKM platform, and a support service that monitors the entire network 24/7, the solution ensures users had a greater technology access rather than just providing the standard WiFi connection. Protouch offered a commercial grade touch screen which fitted Thistle’s needs exactly.

Key benefits:

  • Printer capacity for presentations, boarding passes, rail and theatre tickets
  • Easy internet and software access for all guests
  • Full MS Office 2013 suite of software and social media apps
  • Privacy protected instant history deletion
  • USB capability extraction

The Protouch Kiosk Management (PKM) software allows both Protouch and Thistle to be in total control of their entire touchscreen estate in one overview. Notifications can be sent to IT management to alert them of issues such as loss of power. Durability is guaranteed with the reliable hardware, yet the experience is kept inviting by the likeness to a personal computer.

By providing this extra service, hotels can offer a greater experience for guests during their stay. Our whole lives now revolve around technology, and to keep up with the ever changing needs of the guests, hotels need to provide to suit them.

User privacy is maintained very simply – once you click ‘end session’, no other user can read your browsing history or any information of your time online, and the original formatting is restored. Yet whilst you are in session, you have full access to Office 2013, social apps, printing facilities and internet browsing.

To find out how you too could benefit from Protouch’s solutions, check out our full range of touch screens.

Monthly Round Up

Wondering what you’ve been missing these past few months? Here’s an overview of the latest industry and Protouch news to keep you informed.

The Risks of Deploying a Tablet Kiosk

Tablets have become a staple in many homes, and are universally very popular. However, they are increasingly being used in more commercial situations, when they have not been designed to do so. Companies are now realising the disadvantages of replacing stand-alone kiosks with tablets, from reasons such as overheating devices to lack of screen durability. To discover more on the cons of tablet kiosks, read on.

Protouch Rolls Out Countrywide Kiosks

This new project has provided 55 stores with tailor-made kiosks that suit Countrywide’s needs exactly, providing customers with more options in store. There is now a greater choice; more chance of the customer finding exactly what they want; and customers have the opportunity to experience endless aisle shopping, where they have access to view all the products available which may not be in store. Have a look at the details here.

Kiosk Shows of 2014

Want to learn more and experience the technology for yourself? Then check out this blog, where our top shows are listed, and find out which shows to attend this year. Here we will give you a few details on each event, as well as links to the websites, so if you are interested take a look at this post.

Lloyds Pharmacy Introduce Touchscreen Health Kiosks

Lloyds Pharmacy has taken on a trial run in 9 of its stores, trying out our full kiosk solution to help improve customer experience with simple and easy to use self-service touch screens. Not only can they scan in their product for more information and watch videos on product usage, but customers can also print out relevant health advice leaflets to take away. The kiosks allow click and collect on the full product range. To find out why they chose us, and how it has benefitted Lloyds Pharmacy, read more in the full post.

A Summary Of Protouch’s Retail Kiosk Guide

Find out how retail kiosks can help you to boost your business success, with our straight-forward guide. Through three simple steps, you can enhance customer experience, increase sales, whilst it being cost efficient. Simply check it out here to learn more.

The Risks of Deploying a Tablet Kiosk

While familiarity and reliance on consumer devices grows, so does the desire for more digital touch points in the areas where people work, shop, travel and socialise. This current trend has lead to some business owners choosing tablets and iPads as retail self-serve solutions, over the more traditional stand alone kiosks. However, as they are now finding, consumer devices do not necessarily thrive in commercial environments and companies may be doing themselves a disservice by deploying them. When taken into the commercial domain consumer devices have several limitations which we must consider.

Usability

It is becoming increasingly transparent that tablet devices aren't designed to meet commercial needs and, quite simply, stand alone kiosks have the upper advantage. Consumers choose tablet devices because they are small, lightweight and easy to navigate. All favourable factors when you're using the tablet whilst lounging at home, or as a portable device to perform menial tasks such as checking emails. However, tablet devices designed for commercial environments limit consumers considerably; for the reason that tablet devices are too small. The units that we install are 19″, which is approximately 4 times the screen size of an iPad or tablet. This means that when the units are mounted on a counter at a 45 degree angle, the user can easily read the text whilst standing.

The size of tablets limits usability in a commercial environment, whereas with a stand alone kiosk the screen real estate allows for more content to be displayed and for easier navigation for the user. Unlike tablets, stand alone kiosks also cater for important peripherals required in commercial sectors such as retail scanners, payment modules and printers.

Durability

Tablets are intended for personal use so durability is limited to few people operating the device, intermittently. After extended periods of use tablets can overheat, become unresponsive and often shut down. For this reason tablet devices are not robust enough to withstand the demands of 24/7 operation in the public domain. Commercial devices are built to industrial grade with this very purpose in mind and so are much more durable; designed to cope with intense, all-day, every day use.

Depending on the requirements, and when executed correctly, tablet kiosks can prove to be useful tools for enhancing the consumers experience. However, whilst it is tempting to chase the latest trends and keep acquisition costs to a minimum it is important to choose the right solution for your business. As we are now finding, retailers looking to showcase their extended stock in intuitive, easy-to-use ways require a kiosk solution which is more robust and built for purpose.

Lloyds Pharmacy Introduce Touchscreen Health Kiosks

Lloyds Pharmacy choose Protouch to supply kiosk based solution in a number of their premium stores. Protouch were specifically selected to provide Lloyds with a cost effective kiosk solution that met its business requirements.

With the latest PKM software in place, the kiosks aim to improve their customers' in store experience at the touch of a button.

The interactive kiosks give customers the freedom to browse full product range, place orders and make card payments. They also enable users to scan in store products for further information and watch step by step videos of how to use them. With gained access to information, Lloyds customers will also be able to print health advice leaflets from the touch screen units.

Key benefits:

• Convenience
• Speed
• Wider choice of products
• Readily available advice
• Greater access to information

Lloyds Pharmacy has entered for the Oracle Retail Week Awards 2014 with Protouch’s kiosk solutions at the core of its success. Now deployed in 9 of its premium stores, the Touchscreen Health Kiosks have proven popular with Lloyds customers. Collected data has demonstrated the high level of interaction with the kiosks and particular features such as product scanning.

The initial focus was to update the pharmacy’s image and improve the way customers access healthcare. With the desire to enhance the customer experience and augment its services, the business chose to introduce an innovative retail solution. Lloyds Pharmacy trialled tablet devices in two of its stores which failed to deliver efficient service in a fast-paced retail environment.

Following the trial, Lloyds Pharmacy switched to self-service touch screen solutions that proved to be a fast, reliable platform. With greater access to a wider range of items, these kiosks provided an alternative to purchasing and ordering specific products. As well as providing customers with improved information access and engaging content, the innovative kiosk solutions also assisted staff in making sales.

With Protouch’s latest kiosk solutions in place, Lloyds Pharmacy has transformed access to healthcare in a pharmacy environment. The success of the deployment is evident and Lloyds Pharmacy is able to achieve its goal in delivering effective, efficient healthcare services.