5 Best Self-Service Kiosk Solutions for Small Businesses in 2024
Think about the last time you ate at a McDonald’s. When you entered, did you use a self-service option — like the self-order kiosk — to place your order and pay your bill? Or did you wait in line at the quick service restaurant to speak with a human being? If you are like most people, you use a self-service option. Indeed, data shows that many consumers want the ability to help themselves. As noted from the 2022 Digital-First Customer Experience Report, 81% of all customers prefer self-service options before interacting with a live representative.
Why Should You Use Self-Service Kiosks?
Small businesses can benefit from using self-service kiosk solutions in several ways.
1. Cost savings- Self service kiosk software provide an exciting opportunity for small businesses to reduce spending. When companies add interactive kiosks to the equation, they offload a share of the work to the customers, reducing operational costs.
2. Increased efficiency- Digital kiosks provide customers with necessary product information or act as point of sale (POS) systems for convenient checkouts. In retail, customers interact with kiosks for in-store activities such as comparison of product pricing, obtaining product information, and checking product availability.
3. Improved customer satisfaction- As customers handle more simple tasks, frontline staff can address issues that customers can’t solve independently.
4. Data collection- Small businesses with good sales and profitable customers need continuous feedback to boost revenues. Many self service kiosk software have data collection facilities that help you collect feedback quickly.
Self-Service Kiosks: Examples
Shorter waiting lines, boosted revenues, lower labor costs, satisfied customers — small businesses must determine how to utilize self-service kiosks best to meet their needs. Five common self-service kiosk types are used in multiple industries.
- Self-ordering kiosks (ideal for fast food chains and quick service restaurants)
- Check-in kiosks (ideal for hotels and airports)
- Ticketing kiosks (ideal for movie theaters, theme parks, and stadiums)
- Bill payment kiosks (ideal for retail, hospitals, and healthcare)
- Wayfinding kiosks (ideal for complex buildings and campuses)
Top Self-service Kiosk Solutions
1. Scalefusion
Scalefusion is a mobile device management platform designed to turn your smartphones, tablets, and standalone screens into secured self-service kiosks. Small businesses can choose a lockdown option from single or multiple apps. The kiosk solutions can present interactive web apps and digital signage content. It is built for all popular web browsers and allows you to tailor the customer experience and apply restrictions such as an allowed list of URLs and disabling navigation buttons. If you need to transform your mobile devices into dedicated devices for customer- or employee-specific needs, Scalefusion will help create an immersive user experience.
Key features: content management, application management, customized branding, alerts/notifications, device reporting, and analytics, asset tracking.
Platforms supported: Android, iOS, Windows
Cost: 14-day free trial. Pricing starts at $2 per device/month billed annually
2. KioWare
KioWare is a cloud-based kiosk solution designed to help small to large businesses manage device security and convert Android or Windows devices into self-service kiosks. KioWare allows administrators to define multiple user roles, server-console access, internet or system restrictions, and database authorizations. The platform also helps secure applications against malicious activities and prohibits connectivity with external devices.
Key features: digital signage, remote access, reporting, order fulfillment, secure browsing, and a virtual keyboard.
Platform supported: Android, Windows, Chrome OS
Cost: Pricing starts at $24
3. NoviSign Digital Signage
NoviSign digital signage is a cloud-based software platform that enables users to create, manage, and broadcast rich, engaging digital content. You can use Online Studio — a CMS feature — to build rich digital campaigns by combining images, videos, slideshow, and advanced widgets, with the ability to split screen according to campaign needs. Using NoviSign’s online digital signage software, you can create, broadcast, and manage one to many interactive kiosks located on different sites.
Key features: Content management, customizable branding, social media integration, third-party integration.
Platforms supported: Android and Chrome OS
Cost: Pricing starts at $20 per screen/month
4. Arreya
Arreya is a cloud-based software for creating, managing, and deploying interactive and digital signages. You can use its Creative Studio to easily drag and drop content, add videos, RSS feeds, Twitter posts, slideshows, and weather and Google App content to create your digital signage. As a Chrome Enterprise Partner, Arreya provides Chrome devices with remote management features to run digital signage.
Key features: Drag and drop, multi-screen support, auto-update, content management, ADA compliance, access controls/ permissions
Platforms supported: Android
Cost: Pricing is based on your channel of content, not per device. A monthly subscription starts at $74.95
5. HootBoard
HootBoard is a cloud-based kiosk solution that helps small businesses manage internal communications and engage visitors, employees, or students. The bulletin board software platform comes with a Community Calendar that allows companies to automate the import of events to the calendar and highlight important dates. Additionally, the solution enables firms to filter through kiosk content using hashtags, optimizing task duration and workforce productivity.
Key features: Touch-screen support, digital signage, weather widget, content filtering, and bulletin board.
Platforms supported: Android, iOS.
Cost: HootBoard offers a free trial. Pricing is available on request.
Wrapping Up
The way consumers transact with businesses is changing. Self-service kiosk solutions help manage customer behavior by minimizing human contact, providing reliability, and allowing consumers to interact with businesses how they want. So, what’s in it for businesses? A multifold revenue increase, decreased operating costs, and enhanced customer experience.
