Page 36 - GS191001

Education

The smart kiosk – a better customer experience

By Dinesh Saparamadu • Provide self-payment options with advanced pay-
Applova Inc. ment security and reliability
• Provide seamless payment processing integration
he first interactive self-service kiosks were with onsite POS, inventory systems, and kitchen
developed in 1977 at the University of Illinois. display monitors
Designed to provide campus information for
T students, staff and visitors, these early kiosks AI enables machines to work and react similarly to hu-
generated significant interest, with a reported 30,000 indi- mans. In many industries, AI technology is adopted to
viduals using them in the first few weeks alone. make our interactions with machines more convenient,
enjoyable and empowering. Businesses that improve hu-
In 1985, the first network of interactive kiosks used for man-machine interaction enjoy significant benefits, in-
commercial purposes was developed by shoe retailer cluding improved customer satisfaction.
Florsheim Shoe Co. This network consisted of over 600
kiosks, connected via dial-up, and allowed customers to When customer satisfaction increases, businesses typi-
search for shoes in other stores if they weren't in stock cally see a positive correlation in sales, profits and client
at the store they were visiting. Customers were able to retention. According to a recent Deloitte Study, 82 percent
purchase shoes using kiosks and have them shipped to of companies that have already invested in AI have gained
their homes. a financial return on their investment. We employ AI tech-
nology every day for such functions as email spam filters
In 1991, the first commercial kiosk with internet and mobile checking deposit apps. Even commercial air-
connection was displayed at Comdex – a computer expo lines employ AI in standard autopilot systems.
and tradeshow. Functionality and use of kiosks expanded
quickly throughout the 1990s with rapid advancements in Smart kiosks can make real-time menu recommendations
technology. to customers during the ordering process. Recommenda-
tions may be based on a specific customer's previous or-
As you can see, kiosk technology has been evolving for ders and preferences or on insights gleaned from all cus-
over 40 years. And just like those early users in 1977, tomer orders. These suggestions have a higher propensity
today's users are delighted by new kiosk features and for customer acceptance and help lead to those 20 to 30
functionality. percent increases in ticket size.
The "smart kiosk" moniker is used widely today, and
in absolute terms means "smart access." Kiosk content, The saying that we "eat with our eyes" comes into play
digital signage, functionality and monitoring can be with smart kiosks. The rich visual imagery of food, es-
accessed from a single remote processing center. In most pecially when we are hungry, drives impulse ordering.
industries, "smart kiosk" is also synonymous with a great When a customer orders a sandwich and beautiful dessert
user experience. images appear, the likelihood of a dessert order increases
exponentially when compared with an order taken by a
Delivering a better customer experience human.
In the restaurant industry, where competition is fierce and
margins are slim, delivering a great customer experience One of the most important benefits of a smart kiosk is the
is everything. This begins with the menu order. Smart ability to self-pay. As a society, we've grown accustomed
kiosks can delight customers during the ordering process to digital purchasing over the internet; self-pay with ki-
– and can help increase customer ticket sizes by 20 to 30 osks is a logical extension of that. We love the ability to
percent. pay without human interaction. And, as we migrate to-
ward a cashless society, the ease of credit or debit card use
Customer-centric functionality can: to execute an order is increasingly easy, convenient and
• Integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and cognitive expected.
functionality to create a richer user experience For those who still want to pay with cash, orders can be
• Provide intelligent menu recommendations based processed through the kiosk with cash payment made at
on current and historical buyer behaviors the counter. Smart kiosks also can provide seamless inte-
• Estimate order wait times based on selected items, gration with on-site POS, inventory systems, kitchen dis-
day/time, order queue, and kitchen support plays and public announcement systems. This enhanced
integration helps level the playing field for restaurants of
• Enhance the visual experience with personal cus- all sizes.
tomization and imagery

36