ass=”alignright” src=”http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR1goh_8vrg_fRxcH7rpYuhwn0iJqk7nR1MNI7hygkS6wyEDkxy” alt=”" width=”273″ height=”185″ />When baking a cake, there are certain ingredients to use that make the perfect mixture. With a sprinkle of sugar and a dash of icing you can create a delicious masterpiece, so long as the instructions are followed closely and to each and every step.

Just as with cooking, a kiosk has many ingredients to make it a recipe success but if certain elements and items are added into the mix that are not required, the technology can fall flat.

Too often kiosk technology is manufactured without the customer in mind, so to deploy an efficient and fruitful touch screen that is beneficial to all learn from some of these common mistakes.

The main reasons why kiosk projects fail are because…

- There are not enough kiosks installed so there are long waiting times.

- The units are placed in inconvenient locations that are inaccessible to consumers.

- The kiosk has poor browsing mechanisms that are frustrate and turn people off from using it.

So here are some top motives and obstacles that wind consumers up and irritate them to the extent, that they become not interested in using your technology; and if a kiosk in unused then what is even the point in its deployment.

- A pinch of location

This is an important aspect of installation to ensure it is visible to all. If a customer cannot reach a kiosk or doesn’t even know where it exists, it won’t be used. Locate it in a prime location so people know where it is but also balance the concept so it doesn’t stand out too much and becomes an eye-sore.

- Sprinkle some presentation

Just as decorating the cake is vital, so is a kiosk appearance. Bad first impressions often put consumers off from ever returning so keep the interface software simple and the kiosk looking appealing to attract and engage with its users. Computers can be deemed as boring, time-consuming and often associated with work. Make the kiosk design have a toy-like quality with bright colours so it is less like an ATM machine and people are encouraged to interact with it.

- A dash of multiples

Many installations distributed throughout the store will ensure people are not waiting for long periods of time behind each other queuing. It will also reduce the fact that people have to walk a far distance to use the kiosk. As well as waiting to use a unit though, consumers don’t like waiting for the software. It can be frustrating lingering on the spot waiting for a page to refresh, so all browsing delays should be limited to less than 0.5 second and put multiple products on one page so the user doesn’t have to flick from screen to screen.

- A cup of privacy

In locations like a doctor surgery or healthcare facility, privacy is vital for patients especially in terms of medical records. A larger screen is ideal for customers who are partially sighted however to maintain privacy keep the screen small.

So make sure you have all the ingredients for Touch screen success with Protouch by clicking here.

Source: Whitepaper by RedDotNet

A business can’t force its customers to do what it wants. A consumer has its own mind and due to human free-will, we cannot make someone use your services.

But how can we entice and convince them to want to use you without pressure or hassling?

There are many tactics that can be put into place that will make a consumer more likely to want to use your Touch screen kiosk as it is appealing. The most important concept of all is that the unit must remain user-friendly and simple. By definition, it means how usable an object is and how easy it is to interact with it, learn how to use it and have a satisfied experience upon completion.

How can a kiosk be made user-friendly though?

The following functionalities better consumer usability and therefore increase customer loyalty and ultimately, sales;

- Multi Lingual

Language is essential to communicate to the customers to express what we want to say. Societies are ever-growing in multi-ethnicity and nationalities and it is because of this that multiple languages are required to target an expanded number of citizens. The more customers one appeals to and the bigger range of type of consumers, in effect increases the business chance of success.

- Accessible

A kiosk needs to be accessible physically. If a customer cannot reach it, or get to the unit due to obstructions then there is no point in it even being deployed. And if it is inaccessible to certain demographics and groups then it might be unlawful; such as the blind, disabled or deaf.

But as well as physically being able to reach the machine, it also needs to be noticed and easily identifiable. A consumer needs to be able to see it to want to use it, so the design needs to be eye-catching and visible. The balance between standing out but not being obtrusive and not blending into the background needs to be mastered.

- Easy To Navigate

As well as being accessible, it needs to be easy to use. What is the point in a consumer making all the hard effort to get to the machine, if upon arrival it then cannot use it?

Large buttons and big text sizes simplify screen navigation and ability to understand the services. Eyesight and hand coordination are challenges to overcome but ultimately, they are essential to tackling machine comprehension.

Protouch are Europe’s number one manufacturer and distributor in Touch screen technology and are experts in designing Kiosks

that are user-friendly.

Why Kiosks will Change Local and Long-Distance Travel:

Kiosks are rapidly changing the travel industry, both on the commercial and administrative side. Deployment of self service kiosks and information points in airports, particularly in immigration settings and check-in areas, has resulted in a significant change in staffing requirements for airlines. With the travel industry shifting away from large staffing requirements, self service kiosks are allowing airlines to minimize per-customer costs and offer more competitive airfares.

Of course, the effects of kiosks aren’t limited to long-distance air travel. Local governments and tourism associations are embracing informational kiosks as a way to make their towns and cities more accessible and traveller-friendly. From mapping kiosks to multi-function information and payment points, kiosks have positively affected the public travel sector.

What Does a Successful Kiosk Deployment Require?

With the advanced that kiosks have caused in these three industries, it’s inevitable that they’ll begin to spread further. However, a successful kiosk deployment depends on more than just presence – effective kiosks need effective placement, on-screen software and navigation systems, and a long-term revenue model.

Self service kiosks can be tailored to an extreme extent – often with specific designs and user-friendly form. On-screen software can be customized to provide limited or relatively open access to information, or even designed with a clear purpose and on-screen journey in mind. From placement to function, accessibility to overall marketing purpose, a range of factors can influence a kiosk deployment.

What is the Future of Kiosks?

The developments in staffing and automation are clear: businesses are embracing automation and self service. Kiosks have, by and large, received a great deal of customer approval. From empowering customers to research independently to reducing staffing costs for businesses, the deployment and usage of self service kiosks has been almost exclusively effective for the businesses and public operations that have employed them.

With this customer and merchant approval, it’s likely that kiosks will spread to more industries and economic sectors. Using retail and travel as a stepping stone, customers should expect to see kiosks become commonplace in public areas, offices, and service-based businesses over the next decade.