The retail industry have undergone various changes throughout the years. Even long way back buyers and merchants were using barter and commodities to trade, then the metal coins, then the currency bills, and we have witnessed this revolution to credit/debit card, online gateways and POS. Now a days, the retail sector in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and all around the UAE is looking more intuitive ways to please their customers with satisfactory transactions and digital experience. The interactive self-service kiosk is one of that, and it is not only limited to retail but almost all service-based businesses (B2C) are adopting modern methods and technologies to facilitate payments and transactional interactions. There is another most important thing to understand is that businesses in general are turning themselves into more customer-centric models to obtain higher customer satisfaction. And customer-centric businesses models tend to be more successful comparing to traditional business models.
Furthermore the customer behavior, market trends and tougher competition also compel businesses to take drastic steps and build innovative solutions for their customers. A digital self-service payment kiosk is one of the most effective payment solution. The payment kiosks have also transformed completely over the past decade. From a simple cash-accepting solution to a sophisticated self-service terminal, the payment kiosks have completely transformed and become much more effective than ever before. In this blog we will discuss how businesses can leverage the self-service payment kiosks to obtain customer satisfaction and a great competitive advantage.
The Evolution of Payment Kiosk from Cash to Digital
What are the Key Components of a Payment Kiosk Machine?
A payment kiosk is a computer terminal, equipped with several software and hardware components which help enhancing transactional interaction via a self-service experience. The traditional cash counters are usually very busy, it is common to witness long waiting lines, which undermine customer experience. And the customer experience has emerged as one of the most crucial factor contributing to a business’s success. Furthermore there are several other aspects of traditional cash counters and service centers which can impact customer experience. Therefore businesses have started implementing digital solutions to ensure a better and convenience interaction and improved payment processes. Here are a few components of a payment kiosk machine:
- Cash Acceptor Device – Cash deposit, withdrawal, and Cash Recycler or Cash Return
- Coin Acceptor Device – Coin Acceptor and Change Return
- POS Integration, Credit/Debit Card Payments and Digital Payment Modes, etc.
- Interactive Touch Screen with Intuitive UI (User Interface)
- In-built Computer Terminal to Run the Application Software
- Payment Kiosk Management Software– Server Side Application with Centralized Management
- In-built Thermal Printer or Receipt Printer
- QR-Code/Barcode Scanner, EID Scanner, RFID and NFC Reader, etc.
- In-built CCTV Security Camera – Facial Recognition, Retina Scanners, etc.
- Secure and Protective Body Frame with Physical Security Feature
See Also: What is a Bill Payment Kiosk: Everything You Need to Know
These are just regularly used components. Every business have different payment process and workflows, with different needs and requirements. The payment kiosk machines can be customized as per the needs, more components can be added based on the business requirements. All these components form a complete payment kiosk system. Businesses can integrate payment kiosk machine software with a very flexible and convenient third-party system integration to further incorporate innovative features.
What are the Key Components of a Payment Kiosk Machine?
How Payment Kiosk Machine Elevate Customer Experience?
A payment kiosk machine offers a variety of features, it is not just limited to accepting payments but it is capable of delivering an excellent customer experience. There are several advantages which makes payment kiosk machines superior. In traditional customer service centers, there are long wait time, poorly organized queue, and delays at cash counters which can greatly undermine the customer experience. Businesses in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and all around the UAE are well-aware of the importance of the digital experience. The internet is widely available to everyone, the online interactions have risen tremendously, a common consumer is more familiar with digital interaction, and this is what gives rise to interactive digital solutions. When it comes to payment various service-based and retail industries are benefiting from the convenience and efficiency offered by interactive self-service payment kiosk machines.
See Also: How Can Businesses Benefit From Self-Service Payment Kiosks?
Here are some key advantages of payment kiosk machines which can greatly enhance and elevate customer experience:
Payment Kiosk Machines Streamline Transactions
The payment kiosk machines have emerged as an ideal solution to streamline transactions and improve payment processes. A payment kiosk automates several customer journey steps, leaving no space for unnecessary delays. Moreover it offer a full-on self-service experience, eliminating the interaction with service staff which prevents all kind of human errors, unwanted and unpredictable delays, and above all it offers an intuitive experience with its innovative features. Businesses in service, retail, transportation, food, utility and government sector are rapidly adopting self-service payment kiosk machines to offer an enhanced self-service experience.
The payment kiosk machines comes with a powerful software application, which is capable of digitalizing and automating several internal processes. It is also capable of getting data from other connected systems and databases, which help streamlining the transactions and also ensures all the information are updated in real-time and reflected to all channels. Moreover the interactive self-service payment kiosk machines can be integrated with multiple payment methods such as cash, coins, credit/debit cards, smart payment methods, digital wallets, and much more. All these features and updated information can expedite the service delivery process to streamline transactions and enhance customer experience.
See Also: What Is a Self-Service Payment Kiosk? Unveiling the Future of Transactions
Payment Kiosk Machines Streamline Transactions
Payment Kiosk Machines Offer Freedom and Convenience
The interactive self-service payment kiosk machines can operate 24/7 without any delay in the service. It is this ability that greatly increase the accessibility and convenience. Whether the customer wants to acquire latest information, check on their current subscription, or if they want to make payments during off hours, the interactive self-service payment kiosk machines are there to serve them. This also gives customer more freedom and control. Most of the times there are several services for which the customers must have to visit the service centers to make the payments, and those service centers usually operates during office hours, which makes it difficult for customers to go there.
However, the interactive self-service payment kiosk machines operates 24/7 and can be installed on off-campus locations as well, which gives more freedom and control to customers and enable them to stop by coming back from their work or going to market or at the weekend. Above all the payment kiosk machines offers instant service, there is no wait time or long queues, which also add value to customer experience. Control, freedom, easy-accessibility, no wait time and instant service delivery are ideal to achieve higher customer satisfaction.
See Also: The Evolution of Payment Kiosk from Cash to Digital
Payment Kiosk Machines Offer Freedom and Convenience
Payment Kiosk Machines Provide Personalized Customer Experience
One of the biggest factor that please the customers is the personalized experience. When a business successfully cater services to the customers aligned with their needs, expectations, preference and behavior, the customers feel more valued, connected and satisfied. An interactive self-service payment kiosk machines comes with a backend software application which is equipped with smart algorithms, AI tools and advanced analytical tools.
The payment kiosk software can closely monitor customer behavior, trends, and preferences this help it to personalize customer journey as per their expectations. The interactive self-service payment kiosk machines are good at delivering a personalized customer experienced by leveraging the inbuilt analytical tools, smart algorithms, and customer profiling along with its ability to integrate with third-party systems, software, databases and central information system.
The payment kiosk machines can provide information that are most relevant to customer’s past choices, and profile. It can also push the most relevant promotions, offerings, and discounts along with suggestions and add-ons for upselling. Personalized customer experience can greatly improve customer satisfaction.
See Also: How to Choose a Right Self-Service Payment Kiosk for your Business?
Payment Kiosk Machines Provide Personalized Customer Experience
Payment Kiosk Machines Help Improving the Customer Flow
For any customer facing environment the custom flow is one of the most important and crucial factor when it comes to managing the customer experience. The customer experience pretty much depends on their perception of you brand and the interaction they are having with your any channel. If the wait time is not optimized and there are long queues, the customers’ perception of you brand will be lower and their experience will be undermined. Therefore it is important to maintain and optimize the customer flow. An interactive self-service payment kiosk machine serve as an alternative service channel.
Some of your customers will prefer to use the payment kiosk machine instead of waiting in long queues. This will not only elevate their experience but it will also have positive impact on the entire branch/service center. If some of your customers will be served at the interactive self-service payment kiosk machine it will reduce the overall load from all of the service staff. This will raise their efficiency and productivity and help them delivering a good service. When the service agents works under a balanced workload, their service quality and productivity increases which reflects on the entire customer flow and reduce the overall customer wait time.
See Also: Analyzing the Impact of Payment Kiosks on Consumer Behavior
Payment Kiosk Machines Help Improving the Customer Flow
Payment Kiosk Machines Collect Valuable Analytical Data
The interactive self-service payment kiosk machines are built on advanced technology platform and a powerful software framework. This enables it to collect and analyze analytical and statistical data from the entire customer journey.
For example:
- How many customers are served?
- How much payment is made and against which service?
- What are the most popular services?
- What are the most popular payment modes?
- How much time is required to complete one service?
Businesses can also identify trends and patterns using the historical data, such as:
- Peak Hours
- Busiest Days/Hours
- Customer Preference (Past Purchases)
- Most Accessed Information/Features
And all such details are kept within the system. Furthermore the interactive self-service payment kiosk machines also offer in-built analytical tools and customized reporting. The management can set alerts and automate reporting process. The daily, weekly, monthly reports can be sent directly to the relevant management or team. The management or supervisor can set alerts such as when the threshold number of services reached or when a pre-set amount is collected in the cash acceptor module, etc.
Moreover the interactive self-service payment kiosk machines can also collect customer feedbacks directly from its UIs. The customers can be asked to submit their feedback at the end of each interaction or a feedback form can be sent to them via SMS or email. All the data collected, complied and analyzed by the payment kiosk machine can be incorporate within the decision making process to make informed strategic decision for the betterment of the customers which will help businesses enhance customer experience and raise customer satisfaction.
Payment Kiosk Machines Collect Valuable Analytical Data
Conclusion
The evolution of payment kiosk machines have completely transformed the way businesses and customers interacting. From a traditional cash payment to highly sophisticated, modern, and secure digital self-service solutions, the interactive self-service payment kiosk machines are transforming various industries. The payment kiosk machines digitalize internal business processes, drive automation and make transections seamless and efficient. The importance of the customer experience is paramount, the interactive self-service payment kiosk machines offer multi-lingual intuitive UIs with personalized and tailored experience to elevate and enhance customer experience.
Furthermore businesses can leverage various software and hardware based components to introduce innovative and intuitive features to further enhance customer experience. The interactive self-service payment kiosk machines doesn’t only facilitate transactions and enhance customer experience, but they also collect valuable businesses intelligence data which help businesses improve their strategies and enable them to make informed decisions.
All these features can greatly improve customer satisfaction and overall operational efficiency. In this blog we have discussed how the payment kiosk machines are revolutionizing the payment and transaction processes, if you want to learn more about the subject or if you want our help to design a bespoke interactive self-service payment kiosk machine for your business or organization, please feel free to contact us through our Contact Us page or leave a comment in the comment box below and we will get in touch with you soon.