This article presents the advantages and disadvantages of the usage of self-service kiosks. People might wonder what is a kiosk? As for me, I’m also very curious at first when I came across the word. After some brief research about the word, I would like to introduce kiosk and their general background before entering into the highlight of this article.
Introduction
What is Kiosk?
From a historical perspective, the word “kiosk” originates from a Middle Persian word, kōšk, which translates as a small pavilion that was set up in gardens across Persia (Iran), Indian subcontinents, and regions under the former Ottoman Empire rule. In the 21st century, most Western countries referred to the kiosk as a booth that sells magazines, maps, and newspapers. In Australia, kiosk is always known as stalls that sell takeaway foods and drinks. In the arrival of the digital age, kiosks are integrated with the internet and software which replaced the actual service that requires communication between customers and vendors. These kiosks are known as “Interactive kiosks” or self-service kiosks. Self-service kiosks can be seen in most of the service areas, from restaurants to government buildings. These kinds of kiosks only require customers to access the information they need by just using their fingers touching the screen. Then, customers may just need seconds to obtain the information or the services they need. That sounds great, right? Despite that, self-service kiosks can have disadvantages as well. Without further ado, let us look at the advantages and disadvantages of self-service kiosks.
Advantages of Self-service Kiosk
- Reduce the waiting time for customers
This is quite useful in services that require customers to make orders at the counter desk, especially in restaurants. According to NCR Corporation, merchants that provide self-service choices experienced a 40% reduction in consumer wait times. Queue management systems, in addition to kiosks, are an excellent tool for reducing wait times and improving the shopping experience. This technology allows personnel to respond to consumer demand as rapidly as possible, ensuring that the checkout process runs smoothly and customers are happy.
- Sales increase
Kiosks that provide self-service are the way of the future. They boost productivity, streamline procedures, and increase income — all while creating happier consumers. Kiosks are engineered to more successfully upsell and cross-sell than personnel. They also avoid the possibility of social criticism because they do not require a human connection.
- Personalized Experience
Self-service kiosks not only expedite the procedure; they also improve the overall experience. Kiosks may provide unprecedented levels of personalization and customization, with selections tailored directly to the user. They also help with order accuracy. In-store customer experience is substantially enhanced with reduced wait time and more people ready to assist consumers throughout their purchasing journey.
Disadvantages of Self-service Kiosk
- Unsatisfied Customer Experience
This is what you might not expect from a machine that is ment to reduce waiting time and improve efficiency in customer service. While 66 percent of consumers prefer self-service checkout, 34 percent do not. Human connection is important in the customer experience, hence a sizable percentage of consumers like to interact with a salesperson at the checkout lane, especially in unexpected scenarios like a malfunction. Thus, owners must also cater to these clients. As a result, most establishments that have implemented self-service checkout still include traditional cashiering stations.
- Layoff Criticism
In a perfect scenario, self-ordering kiosks would increase earnings, and the gain would be recirculated via the company’s resources, including its employees. Displacement of employees should not be considered a disadvantage if that is one of the aims. Adopting self-order kiosks means allowing technology to do what it does best while freeing up personnel to do what humans do best: optimize resources rather than jeopardize them.
Conclusion:
Despite the disadvantages mentioned, self-service kiosks have become a growing trend in the service industry that shop owners across the globe are gradually adapting.
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