card issuance kiosks
gathering information, even if they’ve
done research online beforehand.
Presenting them with an option for
savings through loyalty memberships
or store branded credit cards makes
it easier to take advantage of those
rewards right away. And according to
a study from marketing researchers at
Colloquy, 53% of Americans enrol in
loyalty programs just because they’re easy
to use. Furthermore, an Accenture survey
showed that 41% of consumers are loyal
to organisations that present them with
new experiences, products or services.
Not to mention 33% are loyal to brands
that use multi-sensory experiences.
Digital self-service kiosks offering
rewards through loyalty memberships
or store branded credit cards can mix
32 KIOSK solutions
in new technologies that will excite and
delight customers as they search for
rewards they can use, enrol in loyalty
programs or sign up for store credit
cards. Facial recognition sensors for
identity verification are a good example of
new technologies serving a dual purpose.
On top of adding some wow factor to the
loyalty enrolment process, modern, and
publicly hyped, security technologies also
serve to reassure customers that their
information is secure with retail brands.
Better for business
Like their customers, retailers value
security against all types of risk. Identity
fraud can be damaging in many ways – on
top of monetary losses due to fraudulent
purchases, retailers may also see fewer
customers coming through the door
if an incident is reported in the news.
Today’s front line against fraud consists
of checkout clerks, not forensic experts
who can reliably identify genuine or
inauthentic IDs. This makes it easier than
it needs to be for fraudsters to apply for
and receive store credit cards with stolen
identities, then rack up charges that
retailers will need to settle later.
More training could make clerks more
effective, but that’s another expense
for retailers. Retailers can feel more
assured in the security of their loyalty
and store credit card offerings with self-
service kiosks doing the work of verifying
customer identities. Removing the burden
from store employees also saves money.
With self-service kiosks for loyalty
memberships and store credit cards
at store entrances, retailers can also
get instant top-of-wallet status for their
branded credit cards. Kiosks that can
verify customer identities and approve
them for lines of store credit can also
be outfitted to print loyalty membership
or store credit cards on the spot. With a
card in hand customers are more likely
to make additional purchases. They are
also more likely to return, a survey from
market research firm Ipsos found earlier
this year.
Loyal customers are a key part of
business for retailers. Accenture found
in a study last year that members of
retail loyalty programs generate between
12–18% more revenue for retailers than
non-loyalty members, with earnings
reports from major retailers including
Kohl’s, Macy’s and Target showing that
retailers rely on store credit cards for a
significant portion of their profits.
It’s evident that enrolling more
customers in loyalty programs and
for store credit can have a big impact
on retailers’ bottom lines. Creating
opportunities for customers to engage
with loyalty offerings at the start of in-
store experiences can help retailers to
realise that impact. n