Ah, queues. Does anyone remember those?
Just kidding, it hasn’t gone that far just yet, but this reality slowly edges nearer each day as more and more businesses utilise some sort of self-service device for customers in their stores. It’s not hard to see why, they are a glimpse into the future of service and they offer a great opportunity for businesses to gain a return on investment.
Table-ordering and Self-service Kiosks
Let’s first define what sorts of self-ordering devices are currently being implemented by many businesses.
Table-ordering devices are as the name suggests, devices (e.g. iPad) that are placed on each table-top for customers to take their own orders. Kiosks are ordering stations set up at the front of the store or at the counter, so customers can put through their order regardless of what table they’re at. They also prompt the customer to pay by cash or card on the spot.
Why should you start integrating Self-service in your business?
Speed is everything!
It’s quite simple really. More access points for orders, faster transaction times, and streamlined integration with point of sale systems all make for a larger number of orders being registered by your business.
Getting the maximum number of paying customers through the door is paramount for any business, and so striving to get even that extra couple of dollars every minute can be so rewarding for businesses in the long term.
Additionally, it’s always a win when you are able to declutter your business space, as destructive, long queues will become a thing of the past.
Psst… Steve over there secretly wants onion rings with his meal, but he doesn’t want to tell you.
It does happen. There are times where people won’t order particular items because they are afraid that they may come across judgement. So a good way of allowing your customers to be themselves, and make decisions without any inhibitions is through the implementation of self-ordering devices. It has been found that there can be as much as a 25% increase in order totals when people use self-ordering devices. For example, Pepper Lunch has found that their average transaction sizes have increased by about 15-20% since the adoption of their self-ordering kiosks.
There really are a lot of things that customers aren’t telling you and a lot of revenue that you could be generating.
Sushi Jiro QV
People are also more likely to succumb to up-selling tactics on self-ordering devices than when faced with the same situation with another human being. This links back to the levels of inhibition people feel when interacting with a machine as opposed to a person. It is also found that products that are hard to pronounce are more likely to be purchased when done through self-service.
Yeah… To this day I still wonder what a Weihenstephaner Hefeweisserbier tastes like.
Get the most out of your staff.
Your business begins and ends with your employees. But an issue that echoes across many businesses is getting the most out of their team members.
It is a tough task to balance, but it can be a whole lot easier when you free up time for your employees to perform tasks that matter most.
Self-ordering devices allow your workers to focus on providing proper face-to-face customer service as opposed to staring at a screen, or they can ensure your customers are welcomed delightfully with table service conversation.
Enhance the whole store experience by optimising your labour resources.
In essence,
Utilising self-ordering POS systems for your business whether it’s fast food or dining is something that you should strongly consider. The potential to increase your business efficiency and process a greater amount of transactions is a bonus that is pretty hard to pass by. However, like all business decisions you need to consider whether having a self-ordering kiosk and/or a table-ordering app suits your business goals and store experience.