Article

Cellphone kiosks charge up retail sales

Many shoppers are familiar with the mad rush to find an outlet to charge their cellphone's battery. Cellphone charging kiosks can address this need, while providing retailers with increased customer time and purchases.

November 16, 2015 by Bradley Cooper — Editor, ATM Marketplace & Food Truck Operator

Smartphones have become both ubiquitous and essential. We perform so many basic tasks on our devices, from checking our bank accounts to updating our grocery lists, and checking for the latest coupons and deals. Thus, we can get panicked when our phone battery is almost dead and we are still out shopping. Leaving a smartphone unattended at an outlet would be unwise, so we likely just hurry up with our shopping and leave. However, there are self-service cellphone charging kiosk solutions that benefit consumers, retailers and other businesses.

One solution was designed by ChargeItSpot, which provides a locker where customers can store and charge their phones while shopping. According to Douglas Baldasare, CEO of ChargeItSpot, the kiosk prompts user to enter a 10-digit code as a password to retrieve the phone. The kiosk recommends that using a phone number since it is easy to remember. Next, the kiosk asks the user to choose a security image by showing products in the store and asking, "Which one do you like best?"

The kiosk is free to use, but its true value of the kiosk is passed on to the retailer in the form of additional customer time in the store, according to Baldasare. He has found that when customers leave their phone to charge in the kiosk, they stay at least two-and-a-half times longer in the store. Use of the kiosk also corresponds to a 20 percent increase in customer spending, according to Baldasare.

There also are a number of other ways the kiosk can be used by the retailer, Baldasare said. "We built the UI not just for security but also to message [customers] and gather data." For example, when users enter their phone number as the security code, they receive a text message thanking them for using the kiosk and giving them a link to the retailer's application.

ChargeItSpot can adjust the kiosk to the merchant's needs, as well. For example, some retailers operate in states that don't allow collection of email addresses at the register. They can instead require the customer to enter an email address in order to use the service, which can then be collected for the database. It can also be integrated with loyalty programs.

"With some clients, we tie it in with our loyalty system," Baldasare said. At the Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack, for instance, the kiosk accepts a loyalty card and prompts cardholders to enter their email address. The casion can then add the address to its database.

Other cellphone charging kiosks have targeted different industries. For example, kiosk manufacturer goCharge has crafted a range of coffee table charging kiosks. These allow customers to charge their phone at a bar or restaurant while engaging in small talk with friends or playing a game. In addition, bus shelters in Dubai are deploying kiosks that offer information and cellphone charging to travelers.

When it comes to security, cellphone kiosks use different protocols. For example, the goCharge Atlas Charging Station directs users to enter a four-digit code; the operator holds a master key for all the lockers in case a user forgets his or her code. ChargeItSpot does not use a master key system, but rather, an intercom and facial recognition software. The kiosk takes a picture of users when they deposit a phone. If they forget their code, the kiosk snaps another picture to determine whether it is the same person. If so, the system dials customer service to release the lock remotely.

There are times when having an outlet to charge your phone is a necessity. This need provides both kiosk manufacturers and businesses an opportunity to gain valuable customer data while creating a more convenient and secure solution for customers than a simple wall outlet.

Image courtesy of ChargeItSpot

About Bradley Cooper

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Bradley Cooper is the editor of ATM Marketplace and Food Truck Operator. He was previously the editor of Digital Signage Today. His background is in information technology, advertising, and writing.

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