Commentary
Why smart lockers are the future of order pickup
With locker systems helping restaurants and retailers focusing on customer satisfaction and addressing operational challenges, now is the right time for many businesses to learn how a locker system could improve their operations.
August 16, 2021 by Katie Kochelek — Marketing Specialist, Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc.
With recent data showing a significant growth in click-and-collect sales over the past year, it's no surprise that innovative technology like smart locker systems has gained momentum as a convenient solution for both customers and businesses alike.
Not only are quick service restaurants rolling out food lockers at their locations, but Amazon has been offering customers a secure place for packages to be delivered for years now with its Amazon Hub Locker program.
With companies focused on nurturing the customer experience as well as mitigating labor and cost challenges, smart locker systems will be a solution on a growing number of business strategies.
Smart lockers defined
What is a smart locker system?
Smart lockers are an electronic storage and distribution solution with built-in technology that automates the purchase, notification and retrieval process. While popular in the QSR space, they also provide benefits to other industries, including retail, hospitality, cannabis, education and more.
Using an electronic locker system is simple.
In most use cases, customers place an order through a register, mobile device or kiosk, and the order is immediately communicated with a business's back-end system. Once complete, the order is assigned a locker, and through text or email, the locker's software application alerts the customer it's ready. A unique PIN or QR code allows the patron to then open the corresponding locker door and retrieve the order.
Customer benefits
While self-service's adoption rate before 2020 was already steadily growing, the pandemic only sped up its acceptance as customers sought out contactless shopping experiences for safety.
Smart lockers offer shoppers and patrons the convenience synonymous with self service. Without relying on an employee, customers can place an order, skip the line and simply pick up their items when notified. This seamless process not only minimizes face-to-face interaction but reduces the chance of a stolen order or mix up.
In addition, lockers are favorable for programs like equipment rental, package delivery, grocery pickup and more.
Further, lockers can also provide a safe storage solution, which makes them beneficial for places like theme parks or malls where people want to store valuables in a secure location.
Advantages for businesses
While customers can benefit from their convenience and safety, businesses also profit from contactless lockers included in their operations.
As quick-service restaurants and retailers struggle to fill labor gaps, smart lockers provide a solution to save on costs and reassign current employees to other tasks.
Additionally, lockers offer patrons an efficient transaction process that removes customer experience destroyers like long lines, increased wait times and order inaccuracies.
Smart locker systems have created a lot of buzz, with self-service solutions topping businesses' to-do lists as a result of encouraging customer response toward new technology as well as heightened safety concerns during the pandemic.
With locker systems helping restaurants and retailers focusing on customer satisfaction and addressing operational challenges, now is the right time for many businesses to learn how a locker system could improve their operations.
About Katie Kochelek
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Frank Mayer and Associates
Kiosk Design | Manufacturer
Frank Mayer Kiosks and Displays specializes in large-scale rollouts of custom digital kiosks for enterprise and growth-oriented brands. With a relentless focus on premium design, customization, and end-to-end service, we manufacture self-service customer engagement solutions that expand market reach, boost sales, and enhance brand equity.
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