Integrating Kiosk Hardware in Store Environments with Tyler Marpes
29m
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Beyond Technology: The Experience Podcast
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Integrating kiosks into a store or restaurant environment starts with a meeting of the minds. One of the most important things to understand as early as possible in the process--before implementation--is who the consumer is and what the store wants to achieve both today and tomorrow.
While there are a number of initial decisions to be made before implementation for a successful return, including color, size, aesthetics and location, that discovery phase of understanding of the customer journey takes time and research to figure out. When a business takes the time to understand these decisions beforehand, it makes for a much more successful implementation down the road, according to Tyler Marpes of Acrelec America.
On this episode of Beyond Technology, the Experience Podcast by Acrelec, Marpes and host Daniel Litwin get into the nitty gritty of deploying kiosk hardware in a brick and mortar environment, and what makes for a seamless integration.
Kiosk implementation should not only improve guest experiences, but also improve business operations, allowing employees to handle other tasks that they might not have had time for before, Marpes said.
In addition, a successfully implemented kiosk should be a “disruptive but well integrated technology.” In other words, with consumers already familiar with touchscreens, it’s important to incorporate a kiosk that is easy to use and familiar, yet stands out and enhances the customer experience.
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QSRs were in a relatively good place to adjust to the pandemic. Owen said, “The pandemic accelerated trends already in place like mobile ordering and curbside pickup. QSRs had to prioritize the value of off-premises dining, considering new ways to get food to customers.”
QSR technology enabled these enhanced channels to meet customers where they are. Bisiaux spoke about new technology in the drive-thru that identifies and tracks customers. “It provides identification and tracking of the customer to improve engagement and loyalty.”
Regarding what’s next in online ordering and delivery, Owen described a new concept of consumer-driven selections. “The consumer will have more control to decide which third-party delivery service to use, and they’ll have to bid on this from customer to customer.”
The pandemic did expose some pain points of QSRs. Bisiaux explained how operators have to streamline the traffic and flow of users. “With most operations being drive-thru, higher volume requires optimization with things like order confirmation displays.”
For the future, the industry will continue to embrace technology, as consumer behavior is driving more contactless and digital interaction. Owen added, “I think that we’re going to continue to see increased use of automation and digitizing the consumer experience.”
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