June 16, 2011Self-Service Automated Kiosks Offer Business, Benefits and BucksWith the proliferation of self-service automated kiosks in nearly every industry and marketplace, it’s not surprising that Phoenix Kiosk is expanding their kiosk software and applications too Self-Service Automated Kiosks Offer Business, Benefits and Bucks | Point of Sale News What may have begun as a simple way to retrieve cash, has now become a virtual jack-of-all-trades. Phoenix Kiosk has a wide range of sleek sophisticated interactive kiosks, fully customizable, that are saving companies a lot of money and rendering some unexpected benefits. Who is using them? Industries across the board are catching on to the beauty of the self-serve automated kiosk. They are now to be found in the arenas of healthcare, utility, retail and vending, education, and government , to name a few. Point of sale capability is only the beginning of the benefits of the self-serve kiosk. Kiosks may also serve to greet, inform and serve customers. They can collect and store data. They provide opportunities to gain a competitive edge by marketing, promoting a brand and improving customer relations. Most importantly, they offer big savings on labor costs, administration, marketing and advertising, and the all too expensive ‘overhead.’ They help consumers to save time by avoiding lines, retrieve information quickly, self-monitor, manage accounts, offer feedback and so on. Specs include: rugged and compact steel construction, high resolution LCD (with some LED) displays, allowance for peripherals including printers and credit card readers. The smallest floor standing model needs a mere 2 square feet of floor space. Floor Standing: Sleek and slim, these offer many functions, and are stable enough to stand alone in the middle of a floor. Desktop: Keyboard optional and portable enough to offer mobility. Used for data collection, cataloging, as well as point of sale (can handle cash collection.) Wall Mounted: Affixed to a wall (hardware supplied) with a hinged door to allow further maintenance. Heights are adjustable. These make excellent ticket vendors. Alternately, the company can take a client through the whole process of designing and building a customized unit: assessing their needs, designing the concept, creating a prototype then producing the model and following it all up with service and support. Phoenix Kiosk provides digital signage too. The offering of more than 20 models of kiosks can be customized with the logo of the company. ssautomated1Retail & Vending Kiosks can catalog inventory, allowing customers to source their product in other stores (or warehouse.) This saves on overhead because it reduces inventory. The kiosk also functions as point of purchase (often a ‘self- check-out’) and allows for tracking of orders. Benefits include lowered transaction costs, branding and more. Marketing Kiosks work to boost the marketing strategies of any given company, providing branding and lead generation. They may be used for product campaigns, surveys or product information. This allows companies to increase branding and product awareness and collect information on their suspects and prospects Utility Kiosks can handle any temperatures for outdoor needs. They offer estimations of energy consumption, suggestions of alternate energy sources (including cost- saving estimates). Customers can make bill payments and manage their accounts. Benefits in overhead savings, branding and customer service abound. Healthcare Kiosks cater to most areas of the industry and are HIPAA compliant. These are used for ‘track and trend management.’ A patient can check in for an appointment, schedule their next appointment or find a directory to help navigate them through the medical center. Obviously, these will reduce costs for administrative and overhead, cut back on wait times and offer a further way to store data. The Personal Health Station allows for self-monitoring: a patient can check and chart their blood pressure, body mass index, and weight. These are now showing up in health clubs, and will work well in large proactive corporations that are committed to employee health. Education Kiosks serve students and faculty in a campus setting. Registering for classes, tracking payments, ordering school books, and other school related tasks can be carried out quickly and easily. This is one of the biggest and fastest growing markets for interactive kiosks. The kiosks can get the student out of the admin building and into the bar with ease and speed. More: Other popular kiosks include solar energy monitoring and gaming kiosks / family entertainment. Both the public sector as well as Government agencies are benefiting from unique kiosk applications. Consider other applications of the self-serve automated kiosk: a virtual receptionist, a virtual concierge, a Chamber of Commerce business directory, a one-stop company information locale, a scan to win station, a cataloging solution. The possibilities are limited only by imagination. Phoenix is reputed to have great service and support. Their kiosks include a warranty, installation services, technical support and on-site repair.
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