Page 20 - GS220902

Views

An ISOs path to kiosks to restaurateurs, ISOs facilitate more credit card
transactions, increasing their residuals.
prosperity starts Kiosks can be tailor-made to suit a merchant’s needs.

Because they come in different forms and sizes, from
at the kiosk the free-standing podium to a table-top display or a
hand-held tablet, merchants can choose which model
or combination of models best fits their QSR. The menu
design can be personalized with the merchant’s color
theme and logo, making the device their own. Ultimately,
merchants get what they want, ensuring satisfaction. ISOs
keep merchants locked in, fending off competitors and
ensuring their income.

Kiosks also create opportunities for ISOs to upsell
other digital solutions. Kitchen display systems and PA
systems can be easily paired with kiosks to streamline the
merchant's workflow. Other forms of digitization like web
ordering and mobile order ahead apps can further enhance
merchant operations. The kiosk's tangible benefits will
make merchants amenable to more automation, opening
up even more revenue streams for ISOs.

Finding the best kiosk
By Bill Vasquez
Advisor to Applova Inc. There are many kiosk vendors, but an ISO needs a good
partner to reap the multiple financial benefits kiosks offer.
nder today's trying economic conditions, the While conducting due diligence, ISOs should look for a
food and beverage (F&B) industry has been provider who will customize software to meet merchant
hard hit. The acute labor shortage faced by requirements. Merchants will be more open to purchasing
U restaurants has been exacerbated by the state kiosks when they have choice and flexibility. All-in-one
of the economy. Spurning minimum wage jobs, potential solutions are not as favorable because merchants have to
restaurant workers are now seeking a livable wage—a fig- pay for features they do not need. In challenging economic
ure that keeps rising due to the current economic context. circumstances, merchants won't be willing to spend on
things that won't add value to their business.
Extra perks and incentives also are becoming imperative to
attract and retain staff, causing painfully high labor costs. Kiosks are ideal for QSRs. However, a creative solutions
This is impacting restaurant revenue, which negatively provider can figure out ways to integrate kiosks into other
affects ISOs whose niche is the F&B sector. types of F&B outlets. By working with a vendor who thinks
creatively and is willing to tweak their software to fit
ISOs working with F&B businesses need their merchant new situations, ISOs can broaden their horizons and sign
restaurants to make profits. Thus, they must help different types of eating and drinking establishments. The
merchants cut costs and earn more, focusing attention on more restaurant categories ISOs can tap, the more they
products that can achieve both so they can continue to will earn.
collect residuals. This is where the kiosk comes in.
Finally, ISOs need a service provider to take away
Earning more in more ways complexity and simplify the process. The software partner
Kiosks are an easy sell for ISOs: they offer merchants, should work directly with the merchant, setting up the
particularly QSRs, an immediate solution to labor issues. menu, making ongoing alterations and changes, providing
By automating the order process, merchants can reduce upgrades, and troubleshooting. Once an ISO has sold
their front-of-store staff or even shift to a completely a kiosk to the merchant, the software partner must take
unattended front of store. By providing an instant over, freeing the ISO to move on to the next sale and make
resolution to a critical challenge restaurants face, ISOs are even more money.
guaranteed a high level of uptake for kiosks, thus bringing Bill Vasquez is senior vice president strategy & business development at
in revenue. ITRenew. He has served for more than 20 years in senior leadership roles
in ITAD, reverse logistics and supply chain management services, and
Kiosk sales are just the beginning for ISOs. As an all-in- has been an advisor to Applova Inc. for over five years. Previously he was
one ordering solution, kiosks allow QSR customers to vice president of ITAD operations at Sims Recycling Solutions and COO
both place orders and make payments. These digitized at TASQ Technology (TASQ later was acquired by First Data, now Fiserv).
platforms drive patrons toward using credit cards, flipping Contact him at wpvasquez@aol.com.
cash purchases to electronic ones. So by introducing
20