There’s no disputing it, the pandemic has created significant disruption for hospitality and retail leaving the industry questioning what to do next to regain much needed revenue from their operations.
During this time, self-service kiosks have been instrumental in keeping quick-serve, fast-food, stores, and hotels, resorts, and other hospitality venues operating. Not only have self-service kiosks enabled these businesses to process transactions with limited human to human contact, they’ve also delivered other business outcomes at a time when every interaction counts.
Higher Profits With Lower Operational Costs
While self-service kiosks do require an initial investment, they also offer a relatively fast return on that investment. Some argue that kiosks enable businesses to replace staff with machines, but self-service kiosks equipped with the same technology used across all customer touch points helps with workforce management and removes mundane tasks like order and payment processing to allow staff to focus on higher-value tasks that truly enhance the guest experience.
Kiosks can also provide this industry with flexibility and deliver an extra set of hands when it’s hard to predict staffing requirements. Kiosks give businesses agility and the ability to easily adapt to emerging requirements to better manage labor and reallocate staff to other essential tasks.
Improving Convenience
Self-service kiosks are designed to improve the convenience factor while also driving sales, so the ability to adapt to different requirements and serve more customers in a timely fashion means that self-service solutions are becoming integral to maintaining a satisfied customer.
Self-service kiosks allow customers to educate themselves and become more informed about the products offered even when they can’t find someone in store or don’t want to. In fact, the pandemic has accelerated the broader trend by consumers to use technology for discovering new experiences, and delivery of products and services.
Serve More Customers, Faster
Consumers are finding it quicker and easier to use self-service kiosks rather than full counter service and this has much to do with our evolving comfortability with technology. When customers see a large queue at the counter, they may be more likely to leave. But if they can quickly and easily check out using a self-service kiosk, it prevents you from losing that revenue because the wait was too long.
Increased Sales
The data shows that the average ticket lift is approximately 20% when ordering from a self-service kiosk and there are a few reasons why we see this uptick in spending.
First, with self-service kiosks, customers have more time to consider the add-ons and read descriptions for new menu or catalogue items.
And in some cases, ordering independently can remove some of the stigmas of ordering publicly, like judgement from the order-taker or other customers for ordering particular items, or the potential for mispronunciation.
In addition, self-service kiosks offer improved upselling, particularly in food ordering. Compared to traditional methods of service, with an automated solution, you can ensure each order gets a customized offering that is most likely to engage your customers.
Innovative Monetization
As the hospitality industry looks to the future and more prosperous times, operators are going to have to focus current efforts on preparing the business for the new market environment. In order to survive, operators have to recognize guests want to be presented with a custom-tailored experience.
Smart technology offers the industry the chance to achieve this goal while monetizing every opportunity. For example, Olea strategic partner, UrVenue, a hospitality technology platform, deployed RevPac, their system that generates revenue-per-available-customer. This system allows for the upselling of seating in nightclubs, day clubs, restaurants and lounges, resort pools and beaches, sportsbooks, spas, special events, small group meeting rooms, and recreation services. This technology is deployed at Circa Resort and Casino at its Stadium Swim and Circa Sportsbook on the resort’s website and on a self-service kiosk from Olea Kiosks®.
The Future
By investing in a smart data strategy, self-service kiosk solutions, and analytics, the hospitality industry can not only immediately generate much needed revenue, but it also allows enables them to build loyal customers. As these venues use vital intelligence to identify and act on market conditions and threats, they can further develop and monetize unique guest experiences.
