Gokis Kiosk Self-Service

Kiosk Self-Service Study - Consumers prefer self-service

New study from NCR and BuzzBack points out consumer preference for self-service and we might be wrong but looks to be the first time that Bill Nuti is at the mike so to speak. Whether or not the majority of the public prefers self-service and the demographics of that audience, it's a foregone conclusion that business will continue to find it much more effective/profitable to provide self-service if only as part of its mix.

The real pointer/clue here is the side mention of mobile phones and allowing them to control/authenticate with the self-service terminals. That's one of the holy grails still to be hatched.

Consumers prefer self-service, study finds > Inside Retailing > Source

An American study for NCR has found modern consumers prefer to deal with retailers who offer self-service options.

‘On-the-go consumers’ prefer to handle an increasing number of transactions themselves through self-service devices, and are more likely to do business with companies that make it easier to for them to do so, according to the study, conducted by BuzzBack Market Research.

More than three out of four (77%) of the 633 US and Canadian consumers polled said they were more likely to do business with organisations that offered self-service, and 92% value combining mobile devices – like mobile phones or PDAs – with the internet and self-service kiosks or ATMs to improve their overall service experience.

“People want more control of their interaction with your business,” said NCR president and CEO Bill Nuti. “Why wait for assistance with transactions they can more quickly and easily do themselves at guaranteed quality? Consumers increasingly expect to be served where and when they choose, and are putting pressure on businesses and government agencies to deliver seamless service through the integration of self-serve devices, including the internet, mobile devices and multipurpose kiosks.”

Some of the more frequently cited transactions respondents said they would like to see automated through multipurpose kiosks include: renewing drivers’ licenses or vehicle registration (76%); checking the status of items ordered online (71%); purchasing transit or airline tickets (62%); making photo copies (57%); and ordering flowers, books and other items (54%). The top-three locations where respondents would like to see this type of convenience are in airports (70%); malls (65%); and grocery stores (55%).

Respondents also showed a strong preference for self-service when it comes to printing on-the-go. An overwhelming majority (85% to 94%) of respondents indicated they would prefer to use self-service to print items such as maps, tickets, schedules, coupons and other items while banking, shopping, travelling, dining or visiting a medical clinic.

The research also examined the extent to which consumers would prefer to wait for personal assistance when banking, shopping, dining, travelling or visiting a physician. Results showed that while respondents prefer to manage the majority of activities on their own, a significant number still prefer person-to-person interaction for complex transactions such as obtaining mortgage or investment advice.

“Proper deployment of self-service will allow business to focus personal assistance where consumers find it most valuable,” said Nuti. “Companies that want to remain competitive in the future will need to understand how to deploy self-service to maximise convenience and provide the flexibility required by consumers.”

Industry-specific consumer preferences for self-service:

Retail:
printing loyalty points or coupons – 89%
printing food and wine information and recipes – 88%
picking up, signing-in or checking the status of merchandise ordered online – 84%

Banking:
transferring funds – 78%
printing statements, mortgage or loan documents – 77%
dispensing stamps – 75%

Travel:
printing maps or directions – 94%
checking departure or arrival status – 88%
obtaining alerts such as weather delays or flight changes – 88%

Dining:
accessing entertainment content – 83%
getting information such as menu, prices, directions and reviews – 78%
receiving promotions and tendering coupons – 72%

Most consumers showed a preference for serving themselves across a number of industries. However, results indicate many respondents prefer to obtain personal assistance with more consultative, financial transactions. For example, 74% said they would prefer to speak with someone to obtain investment advice, 73% would prefer this option for purchasing insurance, and 69% would like assistance obtaining mortgage advice.

* Background on survey methodology: A total of 633 US and Canadian respondents, at least 18 years old, participated in this study. The total sample is representative for age, gender, household income and region.

Posted by staff at August 8, 2007 07:25 AM