What to Look For in a Kiosk Manufacturer
Over the past several years, the kiosk industry has continued to evolve and progress, offering convenient and accessible customer service options for consumers in a vast variety of industries. From information and scheduling kiosk stations to self-service kiosks found in food service or hospitality settings, finding the ideal kiosk manufacturer to enhance user experience has become a top priority for businesses across the board, especially since the pandemic.
Quality kiosk design and installation requires immense attention to detail, not to mention determining a number of other manufacturing factors ranging from budgeting needs to installation services.
If your business is looking to reap the customer service benefits of professional kiosk enclosures, take a look at these qualities you need to look for when it comes to choosing an applicable kiosk manufacturer.
Do They Cater to Your Industry?
Before you start to assess any determining cost, installation, or experience factors, you’ll need to coordinate with your kiosk manufacturer on what specific design details will best reflect the needs of consumers in your company’s industry.
Kiosk stations serve a multitude of purposes that are intended to delegate certain tasks typically reserved for your employees to help improve workflow, communication, and overall customer experience.
Depending on what industry or working environment your company is in, you’ll want to sort out with your kiosk manufacturer how to effectively utilize your kiosk enclosure and sort out design aspirations.
Healthcare
From pharmacies and laboratories to clinics, healthcare environments need solutions that enhance workflow and allow your team to work cohesively.
Design considerations may include: self check-in, appointment scheduling, wait time monitoring, prescription medication ordering, etc.
Retail
In retail environments, properly displaying and maintaining products is key.
Design considerations may include: ticket dispensing, wayfinding or navigation assistance, customer service support, FAQ, etc.
Government
R.C. Smith understands the importance of having high-functioning cabinets at government establishments, which is why we are happy to assist all GSA and VA authorized customers.
Your design considerations may include: ID card printing, appointment scheduling, employee badge scanning, security functions, etc.
Grocery & Convenience Stores
Organization and layout in a grocery or convenience store are crucial to employee productivity and customer satisfaction.
Design considerations may include: self check-out, item assistance, store mapping, etc.
Hospitality
When your hospitality space is designed with organization and efficiency in mind, your company can operate with greater ease and precision.
Design considerations may include: self check-in, wayfinding and mapping assistance, information access, room and booking FAQ, etc.
Commercial & Office Environments
Because organization and productivity are critical to the success of your business, establishing a cohesive and comfortable office environment is extremely important.
Design considerations may include: ID card scanning, badge printing, mapping assistance, staff notifications, visitor registration, etc.
Collaborating with your kiosk manufacturer on your kiosk station’s desired functionalities and design elements will help you gain clearer insight as to how it will improve your workspace, as well as better determine any budgeting or installation concerns.
Detailing the Design
Once you’ve established what features you want your kiosk station to have, you’ll want to work with your kiosk manufacturer to evaluate the design aesthetics you want to emphasize to achieve maximum accessibility.
For starters, you want to give your kiosk enclosure an elegant, sleek and modern appearance; a look that will entice a passerby enough to invite them over for a closer inspection without coming across as too intimidating or complex.
After you’ve established the visual dynamics that are necessary for your kiosk display, it’s time to focus on creating a simplistic, extremely accessible experience that provides the user with a fast and efficient means to make use of its features.
Finally, you’ll want to review any physical requirements your desired kiosk display needs to employ, in order to utilize any spacing or sizing demands, maximizing the arrangement and layout of your kiosk enclosure’s potential.
Cost & Installation Requirements
Once you have your visual and functional concepts realized, it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty in terms of your financial and labor needs.
Don’t be shy when it comes to inquiring with your kiosk manufacturer candidate on what specific details determine costs, such as does their initial asking price include installation fees, or what kind of warranty options can they offer your business.
A reputable kiosk manufacturer will be entirely upfront on what they charge for both design and installation fees, so you won’t be stuck with a higher-than-initially-agreed-upon asking price.
Check Their References
Experience should be the final deciding factor when it comes to choosing a kiosk manufacturer. Be sure to review whether the types of kiosks they design and install are relevant within your company’s industry, while being stern about asking for references with any of their previous clients.
Any signs of unwillingness to provide you with client references should be a tell-tale sign that you need to look elsewhere for a reputable kiosk manufacturer.
What Are Their Values?
Your company's branding and message will be based on its values, and one of the most important considerations is whether the kiosk manufacturers reflect yours. If you are a company that works with sustainable products, you want to find a manufacturer that will support that and utilize energy-efficient options.
Or, if your priority is art and beauty, you want a manufacturer who values design as a critical element. No matter what type of values your company supports, you need products that offer a consistent message for your customers and buyers, so choosing a manufacturer that represents this is crucial.
Where Is the Manufacturer Located?
You also want to know where the manufacturer is located. Are they assembling the kiosks in the US, or is it outsourced to another country? And how much will the shipping costs be?
Additionally, is someone available to meet face-to-face to help work out details and an effective solution that works for your company?
Different variables will affect the overall price of the product, including transportation, taxation, and even local labor, and needs to be considered in your decision. This means you need to consider their location because you need a company that can help you stay on budget while at the same time enhancing access and convenience to their services.
Do They Offer Support?
Problems can arise even with the highest quality products, and you need to know the company you are working with is going to be able to offer you support if you need help with the kiosk. Is there a call center to reach customer service? Do they offer appointments with the technician for an in-person solution?
From design elements like great aesthetics to intuitive interfaces and low-maintenance features, these require specific care and upkeep levels. So, if you are a company that prefers face-to-face interactions, you will want to ensure the manufacturers will meet this need.
Customized Kiosk Design & Installation Services From R.C. Smith
At the end of the day, you need a kiosk manufacturer that’s willing to abide by your aesthetic, financial, and functionality needs to provide your business with an efficient, multi-use kiosk station that enhances the customer experience.
At R.C. Smith, our custom casework and millwork services includes kiosk design, fabrication, and installation, all performed by our experienced and expertly trained craftsman.
Contact us online today to learn more about our kiosk design capabilities, or give us a call at 800-747-7648 to speak directly with our casework specialists.