unattended kiosk
unattended kiosk
allow both remote management
of the unit — so the operator can
monitor parameters like stock levels
and temperature — as well as the
online authorisation required for
card payments. Some card readers
now incorporate a SIM so transaction
data can be passed directly to the
payment gateway via the internet, for
authorisation by the bank.
Self-service checkout kiosks situated
throughout traditional stores or even in
completely cashierless stores could allow
consumers to scan items,
tap their card or phone,
and leave the store without
being in close proximity to
a sales assistant. Similarly,
QR codes enable shoppers
to scan items on their
phones, complete transactions and
have items delivered directly to their
homes without physically interacting
with products on the shelf.
of payment. Instead, number plate
recognition and RFID (radio-frequency
identification) tags on vehicles will
allow drivers to simply drive in and out
of cark parks, similar to the Amazon
Go experience.
Taking unattended payments a
step further, kiosks can even create
opportunities for increased charitable
giving. “Tap-and-go” donation kiosks that
accept contactless payments create a
frictionless experience for people who
want to make charitable donations in
a new layer of sanitary
awareness will become part
of day-today activities
shopping centres, restaurants, street
corners or other locations. In fact,
when Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal,
the Bristol Children’s Hospital charity,
implemented unattended contactless
donation points around Bristol during
a fundraising event, it saw a 309%
increase in donations.
At the end of the day, consumers
crave seamless and unique experiences,
from their first brand engagement to
their final transaction. As we slowly
resume normal buying routines, a new
layer of sanitary awareness will become
part and parcel of day-to-day activities
like shopping in stores, parking our cars
and giving back to our communities.
Although much of our
new normal is out of our
control, we can control the
amount of contact it takes
to perform these common,
everyday activities — and
the businesses that will
succeed are the ones that are able
to reduce the number of touchpoints
between locating an item on the shelf
and walking out the door with it. n
where contactless adoption is ahead
of the U.S., cash usage halved within
days as shops and banks agreed to
raise the limit for contactless payments.
Vending machines and kiosks offer a
unique opportunity because they allow
consumers to pay by card while avoiding
interaction with a sales assistant —
taking an additional physical touchpoint
out of the purchase experience.
Unattended service stations also
offer a contactless payment option.
improving safety by
The difference is that they improve
safety by eliminating physical contact
with a touchscreen and allow shoppers
to quickly tap their card or even
smartphones to complete a transaction.
Although the standard usage instructions
are "tap to pay," in reality, consumers can
bring their device close to the pay station
without actually making contact. It’s
important to note that opportunities for
contactless payment experiences aren’t
limited to large retailers — 27% of U.S.
small businesses have already seen an
increase in customers using contactless
payment methods like Apple Pay and
Google Pay.
As consumers return to regular
in-store shopping routines, they will
embrace kiosks and vending machines,
especially those offering contactless
payment
options to
eliminate the
exchange
of physical
money or
cards and
human interaction — common retail
activities that contribute to the spread of
the virus and other contaminants during
transactions. Whether in a shopping
centre, at a grocery store or even at the
airport, these vending machines and
kiosks give consumers the convenience
and cleanliness required post-pandemic.
eliminating physical contact
with a touchscreen
A safe and speedy experience
The push for faster and more
convenient retail purchase experiences
isn’t new. Prior to the coronavirus,
e-commerce led many consumers to
trade face-to-face interactions with
sales associates for the speed and
convenience of shopping online or
shopping on their mobile devices. In
a post-pandemic economy, kiosks,
especially those in bricks-and-mortar
stores and supermarkets, allow shoppers
to retain the experience of exploring
items in-person, while reducing the
number of physical touchpoints, and
improving the speed and convenience of
the purchase process.
So, how can your business integrate
contactless payment options into your
operation ahead of an eventual surge
of in-store shopping? Thanks to IoT
technology, it’s not as hard as it may
seem. While the IoT doesn’t necessarily
enable new processes, it makes the
things we do easier, payments included.
For example, kiosks and vending
machines equipped with IoT technology
Unattended kiosks go beyond
in-store shopping
While the introduction of kiosks
and vending machines into in-store
shopping experiences is a priority for
traditional retailers, grocery stores and
other businesses should also consider
the consumer experience beyond the
physical store.
For example, many multi-storey car
parks require drivers to interact with a
ticket barrier when they enter, keep hold
of the ticket for the duration of their stay
and then interact with a paystation or
exit barrier to leave — the driver inserts
the ticket and pays with cash or card.
But like the kiosks available for in-store
payments, parking pay stations can
also provide drivers with the option
to simply tap a card or smartphone at
entry to initiate the parking payment
and then tap it again at exit to complete
the transaction.
As contactless or Near-Field
Communication (NFC) advances, we
may soon see the introduction of car
parks that do not require any exchange
30 KIOSK solutions
KIOSK solutions 31