Commentary

5 considerations when planning a self-service kiosk deployment

While the kiosk industry’s expansion offers more choices to potential technology users, the growth of product offerings now requires users to consider a wider swath of options before deciding on what solutions to invest in.

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March 13, 2024 by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

Many businesses and organizations are discovering the benefits of self-service kiosks as customer engagement technology improves. Whether it be a public library seeking to offer unattended library services, a retailer looking to serve more shoppers with fewer employees or a public utility interested in making bill payments available after hours.

Beyond the mass merchants, supermarkets and transportation hubs that already have been using self-service technology for decades, many smaller retailers and organizations are now finding that self-service kiosks offer a great way to extend operating hours to serve more customers with less overhead than a traditional customer facing option.

As the self-service industry continues to expand, the number of companies offering self-service technology also grows to meet the demand. Hence, companies and organizations looking to invest in self-service equipment have more choices than ever.

While the industry's expansion offers more choices to potential technology users, the growth of product offerings now requires users to consider a wider swath of options before deciding on what solutions to invest in.

Following are five considerations a potential user of self-service kiosks should follow before making an investment.

1. Hardware and software selection

The two biggest decisions when planning a self-service kiosk are the hardware and the software. The prospective owner/operator can choose hardware and software separately, or together.

As kiosks have evolved over the years, many hardware providers have expanded into software, and vice versa. As interactive capabilities have expanded, kiosk hardware providers recognized the need for software specialists. And as kiosk manufacturers expanded into software, software manufacturers responded in kind to the competition.

Many kiosk manufacturers have found this dual capability improves their ability to meet customers' needs since they have more control over the entire project.

Choosing hardware and software from the same company offers the advantage of knowing that the software selected will work with the hardware.

Hardware choices include the touchscreen, payment equipment if the kiosk will be accepting payment, printers if it will be printing receipts or other statements, and possibly barcode scanners, facial recognition cameras and fingerprint readers.

Software choices will cover any number of tasks, depending on what tasks you want the kiosks to do. When selecting software, the owner/operator must make a list of all functions needed and share this with the software provider.

Off-the-shelf software exists for many kiosk tasks, such as conducting point-of-sale transactions. But depending on how complex the tasks are for your particular project, it may be necessary to hire a software engineer to write the software.

Depending on your project, the software engineer will need to code for a variety of peripherals, such as payment equipment, receipt printers, printers, currency dispensers, etc.

2. Performance management

Kiosks are used in managing a variety of tasks for businesses and organizations, such as checking people in, taking orders for products, answering questions, etc.

Once you have decided what functions you need a kiosk to perform, you need to have a system in place to monitor the execution of those functions.

For example, touchscreens, keypads, barcode scanners and printers have to be maintained. If the kiosks generate tickets or receipts, the paper has to be periodically replenished.

Having backups for network and power, or what is also called "systems redundancy," is key to a successful kiosk performance as connectivity failure is perhaps the leading headache for operators and customers.

IT support, whether it is a staff technician, vendor support or a combination of the two, must ensure that potential operational issues — such as connectivity failure, power outage or kiosk malfunction — are flagged and resolved in a timely manner. Otherwise, performance issues can undermine the customer experience.

In addition, businesses and organizations must keep their user content up to date to enhance the user experience and ensure the content is relevant to the consumer. Keeping content relevant can include running a web app or videos on a loop.

3. Physical and cyber security

Security — both physical and cyber — is critical to successful kiosk performance.

Physical security is most important for outdoor kiosks that are exposed to the elements, vandalism and break ins.

Outdoor kiosks are usually engineered to be water resistant and withstand elements like rain, snow and wind, and often made of stainless steel with an outdoor-rated powder-coating to prevent rust, according to Frank Mayer and Associates Inc.

High brightness touchscreen monitors with PCAP touch panels, sunlight readable displays, UV reflection film and anti-reflective coating are essential for outdoor units.

Depending on a kiosk's location, it may also require ventilation or heating and cooling units to regulate internal temperatures and ensure components stay within their operating range.

Because outdoor kiosks are typically unmanned, they often need additional security measures such as metal cages and/or surveillance cameras to prevent vandalism or theft.

Physical maintenance is especially challenging for kiosks that accept and dispense cash. The operator needs to have someone who can be trusted with access to large sums of cash and has the technical competence to access a bill validator or unjam a bill dispenser.

Cyber security is critical for all kiosks — both outdoors and indoors — as hackers have become more adept at stealing data.

The IT function must ensure regular software updates and data security checks to prevent hacker attacks. Kiosk management software often includes tools such as passcode protection, data encryption, remote locking and the ability to remotely wipe the device.

Organizations can also utilize network security settings to ensure appropriate firewalls are in place. Network security can be deployed using private APNs, device -to-server VPNs and firewalls, said Kevin Dalton, chief experience officer at OptConnect.

John Hickey, co-founder of Tech 2 Success, offers the following data protection guidelines:

Update routers when security patches are introduced.
Do not share passwords and logins.
Implement multi-factor authentication.
Turn up spam settings.
Implement web security on your domain name server.
Eliminate any unnecessary software and operating systems.

4. Payments management

For kiosks that accept payments, consumers are now able to use cash, debit cards, credit cards, contactless tap-and-pay, stored value accounts, mobile wallets and cryptocurrency. The option(s) they choose will vary based on their individual characteristics and the venue they are patronizing.

Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards compliance is a major consideration if you are processing payments.

PCI standards are mandated by payment card brands to control cardholder data and reduce credit card fraud. The standards can prove challenging for businesses and organizations whose main focus is not managing payments. Hence, organizations that accept card payments often find that it is best to have a third-party payment provider handle customer payment information.

Many kiosk operators that accept payments contract the payment processing to third party players such as PayPal, Stripe and others. Third party processors maintain PCI compliance and ensure that customer payment data is never handled by the kiosk operator.

In addition to PCI standards, kiosk operators must also offer EMV (Europay, Mastercard and Visa) compliant payment equipment. The major card brands require EMV compliance for unattended contactless (tap card and NFC card) transactions. The card brands have shifted the liability for card fraud losses to acquirers and passed them on to operators (or merchants) unless EMV capable cards are processed on EMV compliant payment terminals.

While cashless has become the preferred payment method in most situations, cash remains important for many consumers. Hence, kiosk operators need to consider cash acceptance, depending on their customers' preferences.

Cash handling technology has evolved that can help businesses and organizations automate their cash and digitize the cash handling process.

A payment kiosk that accepts cash can also eliminate employees handling any cash payments, which reduces risk and increases efficiency.

5. Logistics and installation

Once a kiosk has been selected, the operator needs to transport and install the kiosk at the location.

Before the deployment is scheduled, the operator should conduct a site survey to determine how to get power and connectivity to the kiosk at the location. The survey should also determine what obstacles will impede the installation, such as insufficient door clearance or stairwell space.

Delivering the kiosk from the factory warehouse to the location should be as simple as possible a process. Deliveries should not require shipments to travel to different destination points. The company making the delivery needs to be cognizant of a kiosk's fragility while in transit.

Kiosk consultant Ben Wheeler recommends using a dedicated truck and a foam-padded, precisely fitted crate when transporting a kiosk.

You will also need to know that the location's doors are wide enough, the walls can be modified to get power/connectivity and that the building has a ramp or dock to allow access into the building.

You will also need to know what tools, if any, will be needed to secure the kiosk at the location.

Once the kiosk is delivered to the location, an electrician should be on-site and conduct electrical installations.

Whether your business or organization is just beginning its self-service kiosk journey or has used kiosks and is looking for additional kiosk options, these five considerations should offer a helpful roadmap.

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