Madrid, Jun 22, 2023 – You have probably seen them and used them, but you have not named them. Interactive kiosks are computer terminals that are complemented by specialized hardware and software to provide access to information. In other words, interactive kiosksare hardware devices that use specialized embedded software to create an intuitive interface.
Their aim is to provide attractive information to users and enable them to conduct certain transactions. This is precisely what differentiates them from other forms of signage: self-service. Users can obtain the information, product or result they want on their own.
Technological advances, coupled with changing consumer preferences, are driving more innovation in this market than ever before. In fact, the size of the global interactive kiosk market hovered around $30 billion last year and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.56% through 2026.
And this market is expected to continue to grow for one simple reason: we hate waiting in line. It is not trivial. The way a company manages these waiting times can account for billions in their profit and loss account.
According to a survey, some companies lost up to 75% of their customers because of waiting times. In any case, it is not necessary to undertake large studies to know that we do not like to waste our valuable time and we want to carry out formalities and procedures as quickly as possible. Time is of the essence.
Types of interactive kiosks
Interactive kiosks have various applications for end users. They are common in the communication, education, retail, travel and tourism, banking, financial institutions and food and beverage industries.
Regarding the type of interactive kiosks, the wide range of uses that have been developed in recent years is surprising. In general terms, they can be divided into two broad categories:
Self-service kiosks
They basically allow users to skip a counter or desk. The most popular are:
ATM kiosks
Inseparable friends that we visit on a regular basis, mainly to withdraw cash. According to 2020 data, ATMs led the interactive kiosk market and accounted for more than 50% of global revenues.
Ticket issuing kiosks
Indispensable in public administrations for managing queues and assigning appointments. In fact, there are already some kiosks where a procedure can be directly conducted without the help of a civil servant, for example, obtaining a census certificate on the spot.
Patient kiosks
Already common in healthcare centers and hospitals. These kiosks save patients from waiting in line at the counter and offer them a certain degree of autonomy in their administrative procedures.
For example, if patients belong to a mutual insurance company, they can scan their card using a scanner integrated into the kiosk. By choosing this option, they can directly access their records. The documents are then sent to the hospital staff.
Once the information has been recorded, the kiosk prints the documents, which will accompany patients throughout their stay, in particular the stickers used by the healthcare services or the internal mobility card.
Kiosks also offer other service functionalities such as updating the healthcare card or obtaining a connection code to enjoy free Wi-Fi in the center. Healthcare payment kiosks also allow settling outstanding balances.
Payment kiosks
Accept cash, card payments,and allow ordering, for example, in restaurants. We do not just want fast food; we want fast payment. We also use them regularly in supermarkets to avoid waiting in checkout lines.
Automated check-in terminals
Essential at airports.Hongqiao Airport in Shanghai has had fully automated self-service kiosks for flight and baggage check-in, security clearance and boarding with facial recognition technology for years.
Information and advertising kiosks
Their purpose is to provide accurate and concise information. They are clearly visible in shopping malls, where they guide us, show us directories and maps, or announce new products, promotions, and movie premieres.
In very large spaces, they orient visitors towards the main entry points, indicate the geographic location and help people know where they are and how to get to their destination.
Interactive kiosks can meet the needs of almost any industryand can be integrated into a variety of businesses. Just ask document software companies, which, for example, provide a high value-added service to logistics operatorsthrough this type of kiosk.
Logistics operators receive documents from different sources(delivery notes, invoices) and in different formats at these interactive kiosks, where they are consolidated and presented as a single set of documents for the joy of carriers and the administrative department.
Key market trends
Demand is growing strongly in a context where customers want convenience and speed. Stores must improve their experience if they do not want their customers to abandon them for good.
Based on the Raydiant State of Consumer Behavior survey conducted in 2021, 46% of respondents would prefer to buy in-store rather than online. Six in ten respondents stopped being a customer for good because of a bad in-store experience and about two-thirds (65%) indicated that a positive in-store experience makes them more likely to shop online.
Interactive kiosks can also create a more engaging experience than traditional advertising channels. In addition, digital content can be more contextually relevantby displaying the right message at the right time and place.
Tomorrow’s consumers will not only prefer but expect self-service innovations. A ZenDesk survey revealed that 67% of respondents would prefer to find a solution themselves rather than talk to a store clerk. Similarly, according to a report from American Express, 60% of U.S. consumers say their go-to channel for simple queries is a digital self-service tool.
Benefits of interactive kiosks
Companies that canadapt to these changes in consumer preferences will enjoy the following advantages:
- Reduction in staff workload and overall labor and resource costs
- Ability to reach a wider audience
- Increased consumer or patient satisfaction, which boosts loyalty
- Opportunity to obtain customer information
- Shorter waiting times and queues
- Improved user experience
- Simplified access to information
- Increased revenues due to reduced waiting times
About DocPath
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Founded in 1993, DocPath is based in Europe, USA and Latin America and is present with its Solutions in companies around the world. Among its customers there are prestigious banks and top-tier corporations, facilitating the difficult and complex task of designing, generating and distributing their business-critical documents. DocPath keeps a strong commitment to R+D+i, an area to which it allocates a large part of its revenues, and in which lies one of the keys to its success.
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