The self-service kiosk market is booming. According to Grand View Research, the market for kiosks with unattended payments totaled nearly $21.5 billion in 2021, and they anticipate the market will continue to grow at a 6.5 percent CAGR over the next six years.
The growth in this market represents a tantalizing opportunity for value-added resellers (VARs) and independent software vendors (ISVs). Best of all, the increase in the deployment and adaptation of self-service kiosks is driven by their mutual benefit for consumers and merchants demanding these solutions.
Self-Service Is Redefining Payment Experiences for Customers
It turns out customers like using self-serve kiosks. The convenience provided by unattended payments makes it easier for dinners and shoppers to pay. According to a recent study by Radyant, 60 percent of consumers surveyed stated they preferred not to interact with someone when checking out. About half of those surveyed went on to say that they use self-checkout kiosks for nearly every purchase.
Consumers have more control over their experiences when using unattended payments – the social pressure of being the one holding the line the reduced or eliminated. Dinners can take more time to peruse the menu. They get to decide when and how they order. With solutions that allow customers to order using their phones, their sense of control and agency is increased even more.
Kiosks can also provide a way to aid customers with disabilities too. Some ways that kiosks can accommodate customers with disabilities include: proper physical height for wheelchair accessibility, zoom access, audio feedback systems, braille keyboards, and high-contrast colors. Catering to consumers of all segments is key to making them feel welcome and building loyalty.
Additionally, kiosks are great at busting lines. With kiosks strategically deployed, customers don’t have to wait their turn in a queue for service. Business owners also appreciate the fact that employee time previously dedicated to checking out customers can now be used on more strategically important tasks.
Unattended Payment Benefits Are Driving Change
Business owners are deploying self-serve kiosks for many reasons. The first is that these kiosks are much less labor intensive than the traditional cash register model. The difficulty of finding qualified labor, the cost of training new employees, and the time involved in complying with myriads of labor regulations make relying on technology an attractive option.
Consistency and convenience are two more reasons for operators to adopt unattended payment kiosks. The cliché of an inattentive server getting orders wrong and or a cashier making errors at the point of sale have been actual experiences for many patrons. Consistent customer experiences gives businesses credibility and reflect positively on their brand. Customers know what to expect, and as long as their experience is positive, they are much more likely to return.
Self-service kiosks with unattended payments, including the ability to accept credit, debit, contactless, or cash, can deliver those experiences.
For additional security, some forward-thinking businesses like Daddy’s Chicken have added facial recognition to give their customers an easy way to manipulate their loyalty and rewards accounts across multiple physical locations.
No Turning Back
Consumers are getting used to unattended payments, and most prefer them. Whether customers use self-service kiosks to avoid waiting in line or human interaction or for the convenience and consistency of the experience, consumers have come to enjoy and expect the option to use unattended payments.
As long as retail stores and restaurants struggle to fill job openings, automation will continue to become more common. More and more businesses will adopt the technology, and new processes with unattended payments are becoming standard.
VARs and ISVs should help businesses make the transition. Provide solutions that complement the business’ brand and are tailored to meet customers’ demands.
What started as a trend is becoming standard operating procedure. Learn more about providing unattended payment solutions by contacting Datacap Systems.
