The UK‘s leading supplier of self-service kiosks, Protouch, believe that they can bring a greater return on investment for your business and have put together a 3-step guide for retailers looking to boost in-store sales.

In the guide, Protouch‘s Marketing Manager Amanda Wallace explains that customers' needs and expectations for fast and convenient service are growing. Which means a traditional, more slowly-paced service can leave people frustrated, downing goods and walking away empty handed; taking the store‘s profits with them.

This is one of many reasons why the self-service checkout is surging in popularity with Supermarkets leading the way. As of May 2010, Tesco will have self-service counters in 256 UK stores, where they are responsible for a quarter of all transactions. Sainsbury‘s is following suit, with a growing 220 stores offering self-service, and more set to follow. Wal-Mart has had self-service checkout lanes since 2004.

The guide admits it‘s not just a case of plonking down a new kiosk and waiting for a flurry of revenue.

“Getting kiosk deployment right goes a long way to having a successful rollout. It needs to guide the customer through a clear on-screen journey. If the home screen looks too complex, too much like an advert or simply doesn't portray the purpose of the kiosk the customer may be put off. The idea is to invite the customer in and take them on a step by step journey leading to your target action.”

For a kiosk to do its job effectively customers need to know what and where it is, so positioning is just as crucial as presentation.

“Kiosks must be placed in a prime location so they are easily seen by customers, serviceable by staff and do not detract from an existing product display. It needs to be accessible to all potential users,” says Amanda.

“Use in-store advertising to lead customers to the kiosk and promote its function with branded messaging on the kiosk body. Try shopping from the customer's perspective to see where improvements can be made.”

The guide goes on to point out that it‘s not about ditching traditional manpower in favour of machines and encourages retailers to opt for a hybrid of the two. So with both self-service and staffed check-outs here to stay, it‘s advisable that they both get along.

“Your employees need to know that the kiosk is there as a selling tool to help them, not as substitute to them,” Amanda adds. “Explain what their new role is and how the kiosk operates so they feel confident in educating customers. The enthusiasm of your workforce will be your biggest asset in making a kiosk successful.”

Automated services, cost saving, augmenting the sales process are just some if the benefits outlined as a result of a successful kiosk deployment.

You can read the full Protouch guide to boosting in-store sales at: http://beta.protouch.co.uk/ProtouchGuides/84/Goodbye_tills,_hello_kiosks_-_3_step_guide_to_boosting_in-store_sales

Contact Details
Amanda Wallace Protouch Marketing Manager - [email protected]

About Protouch

Protouch is the UK‘s leading supplier of touch screen and kiosk systems. Included in our range is our award winning kiosk solution that has won EPoS Innovation awards across the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality industries.

We provide products for a great number of services including: payment, ordering, product look up and ticket printing; utilising many innovative devices like chip and pin, RFID, keyboard, bluetooth, web cameras, printers, scanners, wifi and much more.

Our experience in exclusively supplying touch screen and kiosk products gives us the in house understanding and expertise to achieve the results you need. Our tried and tested product designs have been perfected over 10 years so that you can now buy them off the shelf ready to be customised. Each is made to approved ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems standards and our success is reflected in the clients we now have such as: Cineworld, Vogel‘s, IKEA and Kiddicare.