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5 for 5: McDonald's, order kiosks, mobile power and health care

The most-read articles on Kiosk Marketplace in November reveal a significant interest in order and patient check-in kiosks, mobile power kiosks, and how self-service is being used to improve sales and customer satisfaction.

December 15, 2014 by Nicole Troxell — Associate Editor, Networld Media Group

The most-read articles on Kiosk Marketplace in November reveal a significant interest in order and patient check-in kiosks, mobile power kiosks, and how self-service is being used to improve sales and customer satisfaction.

From the striking use of digital products to revamp tired in-store experiences to industry-specific kiosks, the articles with the most page views in the month of November point to a rising trend in restaurant kiosks and more:

5. "How one health care kiosk is changing provider-patient dynamics"– Q&A with Clearwave COO reveals what his company learned about kiosk user demographics and creating a customized patient registry.

In this article, Clearwave COO Eric Anderson spoke about the company's cloud-based kiosk system and how providers can financially benefit from an application that houses files in one digital location. The top five takeaways from Anderson run the gamut:

• Efficient patient check-in kiosks don't ask questions out of ignorance: When a patient registers for an appointment, the kiosk knows the purpose of the visit; everything patients see on the screen is what they need to see. Unlike front desk staff that has to pull files, patient-registration kiosks are prepared. Customers can skip long waits, leaving staff free to stay ahead of the curve.
• Patient check-in kiosks can serve as a one-stop-shop. Instead of searching for billing, insurance and records departments, registration systems allow patients to enter or correct demographics, validate insurance and pay copayments in one place, saving time and money.
• "We've found that when patients see their information electronically, they take a lot more ownership for it because it's accessible and right in front of them when they check-in," Anderson said in the interview.
• Demographics for health care kiosks are likely to be those of middle-aged and older people as well as people who are chronically ill, in Anderson's experience. It's helpful to keep this in mind when designing a user-friendly interface. Consider things like larger font sizes for sight issues and bigger buttons for patients with arthritic fingers.
• Embedded privacy filters matter more than privacy wings, according to Anderson. Privacy wings offer the perception of privacy, but embedded privacy filters offer security similar to venetian blinds, Anderson explained, in that anyone standing to the left or right of the patient can't see what's entered on the screen.

Read the interview for details here.

4. "McDonald’s 'aggressive change' includes digitization, millennial outreach" – "McDonald's is scrambling for solutions after its profit fell by 30 percent in Q3. The company turned in yet another disappointing quarter, driven by a confluence of negative factors working against the business, including a higher-than-expected tax rate, the supply chain crisis in China, store closures in Russia and the Ukraine and a loss of luster in its flagship US system."

McDonald's staggering profit loss in 2014 forced the company to admit changes had to be made, so the company outlined a new guide for the coming changes called 'The Experience of the Future.'

CEO Don Thompson defined a plan that includes expanded digital efforts and millennial outreach at the forefront, and offers takeaways such as this:

• Mobile and kiosk ordering technologies offer customers multiple, customizable choices in their experience.
• The company admitted it hadn't changed as fast as its customers, and reaching out to millennials is of particular importance in the company's new plan.
• Concerns about millennials can be attributed to a larger QSR issue than a McDonald's-specific issue, according to Thompson.
• The company's plan will follow trends toward a more localized and personalized experience.
• Kiosks provide a way for McDonald's to implement its "Create Your Taste" initiative that will allow for a more customized experience in ordering.

Read about big digital changes ahead for McDonald's here.

3. "Digital 'wow' factor increases sales, customer satisfaction for Time Warner Cable" – "Executives from Time Warner Cable and retail experience firm Reality Interactive looked at this critical issue facing retailers in the seminar "Retail Merchandising in the Digital Age: How to Configure an Interactive Environment" at this year's Customer Engagement World."

The experts at the seminar told Time Warner's digital conversion story, offering these takeaways:

• When creating a "place," mindset matters, they said. It's the difference between "Do we have to be there?" and "Do we want to be there?" 
• Collaborating with a team of experts can get the 'wow' factor you need, which is why the company chose to work with retail designers, digital agencies, brand marketers, queue systems specialists and architects to create an exciting in-store experience.
• Digital designs can create brand awareness, which had been a challenge for Time Warner's mobile apps. The company invested in a retail network to build a consistent stream of localized content on kiosks and tablets to educate customers on products and services.
• Consider the "hit them right when they walk through the door" approach. Reality Interactive installed a large video wall and several kiosks in Time Warner's NYC location to grab customer's attention, and it worked.
• Since the store's update, "People are engaging and interacting, and for Time Warner that's translated into higher conversion rates for customers," according to the company's senior director of corporate marketing, Cindy Heitsman.

Read details about Time Warner's 'wow factor' here. 

2. "Order kiosks make a comeback in the restaurant industry" – "NEC Display Solutions Vice President of Product Marketing and Solutions Operations of Americas Richard Ventura said it's important for brands to incorporate technology, specifically kiosks, especially as they try to reach millennials."

An interview with Ventura revealed key points for restaurateurs to consider as kiosks bounce back to life in the industry:

• Kiosks can be used for more than just order, Ventura said, and this is something fast casual in particular should consider with the complexities of its menus and catering services.
• Kiosks provide a way for restaurants to market services and products. When it comes to multiple products and specialties, such as gluten-free and vegan options, kiosks enable updates to menus and can be configured to advertise services.
• Millennials want quick and easy transactions, according to Ventura. They want to communicate on their level, without having to go back and forth from a counter.
• Where multiple languages are needed, kiosks can provide a simpler way of getting your message to patrons.
• Now is a good time to implement kiosks in your store. According to Ventura, we're in a less expensive phase for technology. We're finally past the adopter phase and costs have decreased.

Read the rest of the article for a complete rundown of the growing trend of order kiosks here. 

1. "No strings attached: MobileQubes unleashes mobile power" – "Almost as common as the mobile phone itself are the times those phones have been rendered useless because there is no place to recharge them."

MobileQubes CEO Sean Carrigan was born this year out of frustration. Like many of us, Carrigan was tired of his battery dying and having no charger. With a team of experts, he designed kiosks for high-traffic areas that dispense charging cubes for mobile phones.

The company had this to offer:

• Based on a gap in the industry, Carrigan and team found a market niche to distribute mobile charging cubes via kiosk, helping solve battery power issues for charging on the go.
• Convenience is key for customers. The cubes can be rented or purchased, as well as returned at any kiosk, allowing customers the convenience of dropping off or charging their cube in multiple locations.
• Price is attractive. At just under $5, most anyone can rent a cube, a draw for potential customers.
• Remote monitoring keeps a system efficient. Managing the kiosks remotely, the team can determine cube inventory or when kiosks need attention.
• Size matters. MobileQubes developed smaller kiosk for locations with tiny spaces requiring countertop models, allowing versatility in where the machines can be housed.

Read the details of this startup here.   

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