Blog

Help, there's an iPad in my kiosk!

June 22, 2011

Even though it's just over a year old, the iPad has become one of the most well-known and technologically-advanced products to hit the market, and consumers have become fast adopters. Following quickly on the heels of consumer excitement, more companies are looking for ways to integrate tablets into running their businesses to increase efficiencies and enhance the customer experience. For retailers, there is no better way to reach consumers than to make use of technologies they already use in their everyday lives.

Tablets are low-cost, offer many capabilities and include familiar, intuitive touchscreens. Not only are retailers introducing tablets for use by their staff, but also employing them for direct-use by the consumer. One way they are doing this is by embedding iPads into self-service kiosks.

In fact, there are several businesses already employing iPad-based kiosk applications:

• At JFK and LaGuardia airports in New York, travelers can use iPad kiosks to order food from airport restaurants for delivery at their gate, check flight information and play games.
• City Sports, a store in Washington D.C., uses an iPad kiosk as a cost-effective way to enhance the customer experience. At the kiosk, customers have easy access to the retailer's website, product and informational videos, and local updates such as news about running clubs and events.
• Personalized gift retailer Things Remembered uses an iPad kiosk to allow customers to view many possible engraving messages to inspire their own, and then place an order via the touchscreen. This increases ordering speed and accuracy over the store's original paper-based system.
• Malaysian Kuala Lumpur Airline is testing an iPad ticketing and check-in kiosk.
• Finally, Disney's first redesigned store opened with an iPad-mounted display that allowed children to browse products organized according to Disney characters·

Beyond these applications, companies can consider using iPad-embedded kiosks for videos, such as running product demos and advertisements, up-selling items by linking to accessories, viewing inventory availability and accessing reviews. Additionally, using print applications that link to the kiosk printers, consumers can print coupons, gift registry lists, receipts, recipes, nutrition information and more to enhance their shopping experience.

As technologies continue to evolve, retailers must continue to introduce innovative applications to reach their consumers in an increasingly competitive landscape. Using items consumers are familiar with and use in their everyday lives, such as tablets, are one surefire way to enhance the customer experience.