An Interactive kiosk is an electronic communications tool that enables user to quickly access information and serve them. The information kiosk is a tool that functions like a self help or self service system to answer customer queries and needs.
What are the needs/ requirements
and concerns of mall users / visitors / shoppers?
The
interactive kiosk should engage,
attract, inform and serve customers, shoppers and
visitors to provide a competitive business edge that results in improved self
service, increased sales and higher customer satisfaction. The requirements and needs of a Shopper, Visitor and
Customer are diverse and it is a tedious process to attend to their queries at
an individual level. This is where an interactive kiosk can bridge the gap and
ensure that visitors and customers can avail the best services and information.
The interactive information kiosk can be designed to function in various
scenarios such as -
- Multi-lingual
communication
- I
don’t speak English and the regional language
- Path-Finder/Store
Locator
- How
to go to Store X?
- Where
is the restroom?
- Where
is the lounge?
- How
to get to the cinema theatre?
- What
brands are available and where are they located?
- What
restaurants are here and where are they located?
- Feedback
/ Survey
- I
want to give feedback
- I
want to compliment the mall staff
- I
want to give them few suggestions
- I
want to complain
- Need
for Information
- I
need information on which movie is being shown in which screen, timings
of shows and availability of tickets
- I
want information on city, hotels, restaurants, hotspots and other tourist
spots
- I
want price listing and product catalogues of company X
- I
want to check offers running at stores and shops across the mall
- I
wish to see live news
- I
want specific information such as time in X country, currency and exchange
rates, travelers guide etc
- Advertise
- I
wish to view offers and discounts running at a store
- I
want to view an interactive advertisement here
What are the needs/ requirements
and concerns of a mall administrator / owner?
The malls
administrators and owners constantly keep working towards improving and
providing the best service to their customers. An information kiosk can be
utilized strategically to not only dispense information and answer queries, but
also act as an interface to study customer behavior patterns and obtain
information regarding the same. A kiosk also provides advertising opportunities
and can double as a digital signage display. Thus, the information kiosk can
not only be a source to dispense information but to garner information
regarding customer behaviors and revenue sources.
How does an Interactive/Information
kiosk help mall users / Visitors / shoppers?
Having considered the various situations and scenarios
that a kiosk can attend to, the solutions which can be provided by the Mall
Administration are summarized below:
- An
interactive kiosk which is capable of multilingual support ensures that
foreign nationals and outsiders have no trouble in accessing the required
information
- Way
finding – interactive and animated path from source to destination or
static maps for an overview of the facility helps visitors to find their
way about.
o
Relevant to Facility:
Provides all relevant information
regarding the facility and the mall. The information may vary from the
discounts and offers at different shops, restaurants, movies, commodities etc.
There can be a section to address the catalogues and menus of the various shops
and retail chains. There can be live flash to display the latest news from
around the globe. The administrators can provide information regarding the
transportation facilities available at the mall. The kiosk can even be utilized
to dispense information about the company profile and factsheets.
o
General city information:
The kiosk can function as a
general information kiosk that helps tourists and outsiders to answer a variety
of questions such as
- Main
tourist attractions, museums, galleries, city park, important buildings,
etc
- Data
about cultural and natural heritage
- Information
about the tourist agency, hotels and accommodation
- Information
about restaurants, cafe bars, clubs
- Calendar
of cultural events in the city
- Information
about public transport
- Information
about emergency services, hospital, police, fire, etc.
- Banks
and money exchange
- Feedback
system
- For
compliments, complaints, suggestions and general feedback
- Capable
of conducting Surveys to understand the customers/visitors/buyers with an
inbuilt reporting system.
The kiosk can be a source of
revenue by functioning as a strategically placed point of sale device which
- Allows
shop owners, brands, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and
suppliers to target customers and digitally provide them information of
the complete product range.
- Self
checkout empowers retailers to re-assign counter staff to more productive
sales and customer service roles.
- Remotely
locating interactive kiosks and digital signage system enables retailers
to target customers more effectively by placing virtual stores across an
unlimited geographical footprint.
- Improves
customers’ in-store experience and loyalty
- The
ticket vending kiosks for a multiplex/cinema theater can be kept on any
floor for customers to see what is running and to pick up and buy
tickets.
- Advertisement
display system
- A
Single screen or dual screen kiosk can be used for displaying
advertisements.
- The
kiosk can showcase products under relevant categories and subcategories
as static information. For example the advertisers can opt to view
content under “Offers” or “New Arrivals” categories or subcategories.
- Advertisements
can be displayed as screen savers.
I would like to add that the information kiosk
is going to change the face of help desks and support staff at the malls. It
provides the next step towards virtual assistance and floor staff. The
interactive information kiosk has a lot of potential in the present time as
people are becoming more inclined towards technology and want information and
service at their finger tips without waiting in long queues. The application of
an interactive information kiosk solution is umpteen. A few areas where the
interactive information kiosk has been implemented successfully are: Airports,
Museums, Trade Shows, Events, Exhibitions, Educational Institutions, Universities,
Health care, Hospitals, Hospitality Industry, Hotels, Railway Stations, Bus
Stations, Airports, Property Management, Real Estate, Banks, etc to name a few
amongst the customer service sectors.