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There has been an economic boom in bill payment self-service technology in certain countries around the world, according to a recent report.
GWD Media, a supplier of Genkiosk kiosk software, has stated that there is a new drive in regions such as Indonesia, the Philippines and the Pacific Islands, for bill payment units.
According to the report, there is an increasing need by citizens in Southeast Asia, Oceania and the Pacific for Kiosks that provides services like bill payment, Internet access and money transfer.
This concurs with consumer trends from around the globe, including the UK, where there is a thriving must for flexible and easy-to-use facilities without the need for credit cards and bank accounts.
Statistical analysis worldwide and local market research suggests that in the Middle East, bill payment kiosks have seen a huge success, especially for potions of the population that is under banked because they can pay cash straight into a kiosk without standing in line.
So why are bill payment kiosks so beneficial?
A bill payment kiosk can help consumers in many countries and the touch screen technology is used across a wide array of industry sectors. Whether it is to aid the retail industry and replace over the counter transactions to free up staff’s time, or help the transport sector in taxis and airports, payment systems are very useful.
The featured kiosks are becoming so popular that units have even been deployed in some American prisons to enable the jailed inmates to process their own bail charges. What is more, they can help outdoor and indoor car parks to improve customer experience.
So if the latest report is anything to go by, 2012 will see a rising trend of bill payment kiosks and your business can get involved with the help of Protouch UK!
Pic Credit: SouthEndPatch
A touch screen kiosk can be already deployed in many car parks, both indoor and outdoor, in order to take payments from car users.
The advantages of kiosks in this transport sector include consistent and valuable service 24 hours a day. This is extremely beneficial in that most car parks are typically self-service and non-staff attended.
But as well as paying to park a car via a touch screen unit, one can now rent out a bike.
Bike kiosks are being deployed in various countries in an effort to encourage the public to ditch their cars at home, be green and go for an environmentally-friendly bike ride.
Some stations in America consist of bike racks with bicycles attached to a solar-powered touch screen kiosk where members can swipe cards to rent bikes. Citizens can pay a set figure for all day, or have free trips that are 30 minutes or less.
The bike kiosks will require the same approach as outdoor kiosks in that they need to be designed specifically to handle the environment and elements. The units should be sturdy, highly robust, weather-proof and readable in the high glare sunlight.
In urban areas, vandalism is rife so ensure the machines and the display screens are anti-vandal; and that it is made from powerful material such as special anodized aluminium and special powder paint for outdoor use. An internal heating/ventilation system is essential to keep the PC at optimum running temperature and a water proof shell.
The bike kiosks can be stabilised and secured through bolts set into a purpose-set concrete base and a sophisticated locking mechanism.
So why not go for a leisurely bike ride with the partner and kids this summer with the help of a bike kiosk!
A popular feature of a touch screen kiosk is payment from consumers.
Many industries deploy kiosks purely for its payment methods; be it a touch screen for car parking, paying medical bills at hospitals, paying for a room at a hotel or posting bail in a jail.
These are just a few of the many sectors that reap the advantages of kiosks, just like when Kiddicare deployed Protouch kiosks to allow customers to purchase individual brand merchandise via the unit.
Paying via a kiosk has many benefits including;
Easier for customers as opposed to cheque or paying over the phone.
- A payment method that is right there in front of you increases the probability of a customer actually paying their debts.
- A receipt dispensing feature provides greater security and privacy.
- Reduces paper work and staff time spent on taking payments.
And now it seems governments courts are jumping onto the band wagon.
Topeka, the capital city of Kansas, in America has deployed some new kiosks to provide the public an easier way to pay fines.
The city now has municipal court kiosks which are installed in the court lobbies to offer a new option for paying court penalties.
The kiosk, which cost $4000, has a touch screen and keyboard so customers can access frequently asked questions about court cases and make payments using several different credit cards.
The technology is hoped to aid the court functioning as due to current government cutbacks and budgets, the court staff numbers have been reduced by nearly 18% over the past two years.
When the word church is mentioned thoughts that spring to mind are old-fashioned, traditional, holy and grounded. So the concept of technology, ATMs and touch screen kiosks are not really what you would associate with religion and the Bible.
But it seems the church sector is going all tech-savvy and modernised to keep up-to-date with the 21st century.
Churches in America are deploying ATMs as a quick and easy option for worshippers to pay with their bank cards at “giving-kiosk units”.
Throughout the country kiosks are now located inside the holy buildings to eradicate church-goers writing cheques out, or ministers collecting cash in baskets.
It is estimated around 325 churches nationwide are using the efficient technology; which on a practical level makes sense with reports that we are moving into a more cashless society.
With the “giving kiosk units” a religious believer can donate as much money he or she wants to on Sunday service, with no bars or limits as to how much because of what change they have in their purses.
Many religious establishments are taking it one step further and providing online access to give money, so one does not necessarily have to be on location to donate cash.
A church pastor has argued that the kiosk is the way to go since many people use debit cards nowadays.
Many of the units already deployed include touch screen interfaces, numeric keypads and magnetic strip readers. An internal printer produces a receipt for the consumer and the donation is tax-deductible.
But the design of the kiosks is something to consider; especially as tall floor-standing kiosks may appear out of place alongside the wooden pews and old-style carpets.
Embrace Touch screen technology like the church sector with Protouch; Europe’s number one touch screen manufacturer and distributor.
We can trace kiosk systems back to the first bank Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in the early 1960s. Jerry Larson, who helped develop these early original TABS machines, said that ATM machines started their reign in New York’s First National City Bank (now known as Citibank) as a machine in bank branch lobbies. The machines allowed bank customers to pay utility bills and get receipts without having to consult with a bank assistant. In 1967 the first cash dispenser ATMs were deployed at Barclay’s Bank in London. From mid to late 1970s and early 80s ATMs started to be deposited across all cities and towns.
The retail kiosk took shape in the late 1990s when the Internet started to take off. Personal computer technology became standardised and kiosks were adopted into retail stores as an off-line advertisement and information point, manually updated by hand.
Since the emergence of the Internet worldwide, kiosks are integrated into stores connected to the Internet, with rich content management systems that can publish content from a central management console. This then connects to the back end database to retrieve information that is of value and interest to the customer.
Protouch Kiosks
Today kiosks are used across a plethora of industry sectors. Retailers are realising the benefits of servicing customers through automated machines. Stores are able to provide customers with the information they need and a self service order and payment system giving customers more options to how they wish to shop. They are also used as a cost effective tool for retail stores that can’t afford to employ dedicated staff who can sell their products and services well. For example, if you sell specialist equipment you will need to make sure that your staff members are fully equipped and understand the product you are selling and how it works. Implementing a kiosk system removes this lack of understanding as the kiosks can provide customers with all of the information they need without having to ask questions to a store assistant.
Kiosks are also a great way to train your employees. Staff can learn more about how the products and services work to enable them to sell better.
The future of kiosks could move in any direction; however many believe that retail kiosks will become more general-purpose. Many retailers may require suppliers to run their applications on existing store-owner and store managed kiosk systems. Providing that user interfaces will become more of a priority than ever, kiosk manufacturers will have to develop kiosks that are of a good quality design, easy to use and appealing to the customer.
For ways in which you can adopt self service kiosks into your business visit Protouch today, the leading distributor and manufacturer of touch screen equipment in Europe.
A little over ten years ago self service check in units began popping up across retail and supermarket stores. Firstly greeted with a sense of suspicion and an arrogance to why the work shouldn’t be done by staff, self check in systems have become a beloved friend to us all and often the first port of call before a manned self check out service.
Paul Denimarck, who handles strategic marketing for the self checkout division at Honeywell Scanning and Mobility, the data connections and wireless communications solutions company has suggested that self service systems can be divided into one of two types; stationary and portable.
“Stationary self checkout platforms are located at the front of the store,” he said. “A customer using a stationary self checkout platform brings their merchandise to the lane, identifies the items they are purchasing with the scanners and tenders payment at the same location.
“Portable self checkout platforms disperse the transaction process at different points – the customer identifies individual items using a bar code scanner at the point of selection, and then the customer takes the items to a separate location to tender payment.”
There are a variety of different types of self service kiosks available and all work for different types of stores.
Modular Kiosk: Most commonly seen in a supermarket store. They are stand alone units most often deployed next to a few more kiosks at a fixed station.
Carousel Kiosk:
Often a lay-aside area for scanned items and a larger bagging area, which is usually situated on a rotating carousel which makes the bagging process easier.
Cashier Optional:
This option allows the retailer to change from a self service option to a manned kiosk instantly.
Countertop/In counter: Ideal for retailers with a single cash counter, such as convenience stores, deli’s and food areas.
Kiosk/Mobile checkout:
This are versatile units that can be placed anywhere in a store. Smaller than self checkout terminals and are ideal for grab and go services and products.
Paying for bills, cashing in cheques were all at one point time consuming tasks that many people could never find the time to do.
It often meant that many people would have to nip out on their lunch break to stand in a queue at the local post office or their bank to cash in a cheque or pay their bills, leaving them no time for rest and recuperation on their much needed lunch break.
And then on a Saturday the banks tend to close at midday or some are not open at all, which can be a nightmare for people who work 9-5 and have no time to get to do daily necessary tasks.
Nowadays there are a growing number of ways in which people can make payments in and out of their account on a daily basis. Customers can pay via Internet banking, via phone or mail, post office and payment centres as well as payment kiosks designed to make life a whole lot easier.
Payment kiosks enable customers to make payments at a kiosk in their own time when is most convenient for them. These types of kiosks not only give customers a new way to bank but also cuts down the cost of opening payment centres and extra staff to process the bills.
“To use skilled employees to count change may not be the most efficient use of their time,” said Jim Bennett CEO of Tulsa, Oklahoma based US Payment Systems company. “It may appear to be a good service, but most agree dealing with more complex customer service issues is the best application of (those employees) talents.”
From a customer service point of view a bill payment kiosk delivers consistent, valuable service 24 hours a day, 265 days a year. These types of kiosks offer extended business services which many customers need.
Payment systems can also reduce personnel and overhead costs if further deployed in convenience stores which can function as a satellite office but without the overheads.
Reconciliation costs are also greatly reduced as there is no longer a need to manually count deposits and reconcile them to accounts paid.
It can also further reduce the amount of thefts as well as the miscounting of money as fewer hands actually touch the funds.
Bridget Debus, Senior Accountant of Administration for Kansas Gas Service, said, “Payment kiosks offer uses the convenience to conduct business transactions on demand. Payment kiosks are user friendly and convenient.”
And by partnering with other brands such as convenience stores or petrol stations, you are able to establish your brand further than your current company locations.
There is so much that can be gained from deploying self service kiosks as payment systems for your customers that missing out on this new and exciting opportunity limits you and your business and the services you offer to your clients.
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