Apple has recently launched its brand new iPad2 which is a touch screen tablet computer. It is designed primarily to feature audio-visual media such as books, films, games, music and the internet.

But what has any of this got to do with a touch screen kiosk?

The term iPad kiosk has been featured on several occasions in the media and fundamentally it is an iPad which is embedded into a self-service kiosk.

A kiosk benefits businesses by increasing efficiencies and enhancing customer experiences and due to the fact that tablets are low-cost and many people are already familiar with using the interface in their everyday lives, some firms are integrating the two in a way to better reach consumers and to make use of advanced technologies.

Some retailers are introducing tablets for use by staff but also employing them for direct-use by a consumer via an iPad-based kiosk application. Examples include the JFK and LaGuardia airports in New York, America in which passengers order food from the airport restaurants via an iPad kiosk as well as play games and check flight information; as well as the Disney store in Florida which has an iPad mounted display that allows kids to browse products organised according to Disney characters.

A touch screen kiosk can also do such things as well as provide videos, printing capabilities, ticket dispensing, way finding, internet, payment, ordering, loyalty and more.

Whatever type of touch screen unit you use, stay ahead of the game and keep up-to-date with technology in order to compete in such competitive markets.

Deploy a kiosk with Protouch; Europe’s number one manufacturer and distributor of touch screen technology.

ENDS

As soon as a customer enters your store the first thing they should expect to see is a kiosk system, which stands out, is inviting to use and can offer them additional services, valued customer service and a solution to their problem.

You need to make sure that your customer’s first impression of your kiosk is a good one and that they would happily come back and use it again.

Francie Mendelsohn, president of Summit Research Associates, a kiosk consulting firm, said, “If the software isn’t easy to use,  I don’t care how gorgeous a kiosk is, (the kiosk) will ultimately prove to be a failure,” she said.

Many businesses tend to drag whatever is on their website and place it all on the kiosk failing to conduct usability tests which can result in the kiosk system failing.

Here are a few common problems that happens when it comes to the deployment of kiosks.

Too complex

Some kiosk systems can be very overwhelming, particularly for first-time users. It is so important to make the kiosk as easy and simple to use as possible.

Make sure you receive user feedback when developing your kiosk, involving them in all stages. The worst thing you can do is leave customer feedback till the very end as the whole idea and kiosk system may not be in favour or the users and you will have to go back to the drawing board.

 

 

 

 

Non consistent

Many kiosk deployers like to have lots of colour, various screens and font sizes to add variety to the kiosk.

This is a bad move.

“Don’t completely change mid-stream what you want the user to do,” Mendelsohn said.

If you have a ‘next’ button make sure you keep it consistent and in the same place throughout so customers become familiar with the system.

 

With sound or without sound

If you work in a busy environment where there is a lot of sound then a kiosk with sound isn’t going to be too much of a problem. However, if you work in a quiet environment, the sound of a kiosk system can be annoying for staff and embarrassing to customer’s using it.

Sound is good in small doses, maybe a little ping here and there which can increase a kiosks usability.

Some users need to be walked through the process and sound can help them do this quicker by directing them to the next step and what will happen next.

“From a user interface standpoint, having the ability to put clicks and beeps or some other type of mechanism to validate that, yes, you have touched the button and it’s going to move onto the next activity can be very helpful,” said BobVentresca, Vice President of marketing for kiosk and digital signage provider Netkey Inc.

Website as your interface

Many people start off a kiosk by putting their website as the main page, when in reality a kiosk and a website are two very different things.

“Time and time again we have learned and our customers have learned through experience that that is not the way to do business,” Ventresca said. “That is not to say you don’t leverage your website and leverage the content and information that is on your website.”

A website is designed for people who have time to browse while a kiosk system is deployed in a retail and often very busy environment with the primary aim of allowing customer’s to quickly find product information or services that they require.

“With the advent of things like the Web services, you can still use all of the assets you have developed for your website – it just needs to be displayed in a different way, one that is most appropriate for an interactive, self service environment,” said Ventresca.

New technology can be an exciting and innovative new addition to your business if deployed in  the correct manner. It is important to consider your customer throughout the whole process and ensure that the system you are developing will suit the end users needs and requirements.