Over the past few years, self-service kiosks have made their way into a variety of industries. Now that they’re common in restaurants, many owners are asking whether they should implement these devices into their own eateries.
There are several benefits associated with self-service kiosks in restaurants, from saving business resources to providing faster service. Let’s cover four potential benefits of introducing a self-service kiosk at your fast, casual restaurant.
Smarter Resource Expenditures
While the interaction between customers and service professionals is valuable to the restaurant industry, implementing self-service kiosks improves the way human workers are dispatched. When self-service kiosks handle the majority of orders, employees are free to perform tasks that require human touch. With smarter resource expenditures, restaurants can increase productivity without reducing service quality.
Additionally, by letting self-service kiosks cover most of the order-taking, restaurants can reduce labor costs in line with lowered operational needs.
Faster Service
Self-service kiosks add an element of convenience to the restaurant industry, especially for customers who are visiting for the first time. Instead of having to approach the counter and scan through all of the available options, a self-service kiosk allows them to take their time without interfering with other customers’ wait times. They can browse through options, note special instructions and more from one convenient device.
This keeps lines moving so that customers can get in and out at their convenience. Further, employees are better able to fulfill more accurate orders because the specifics of each order are clearly listed on the receiver screen. Faster, more accurate service greatly improves customer satisfaction.
Improved Accessibility
Self-service kiosks in casual eateries or fast food establishments stand to benefit customers with disabilities in a significant way. Approximately 19% of the US population has some form of disability and accessing the same services as non-disabled people can be a challenge for many in this population. For individuals with anxiety, or those within the non-verbal spectrum, a self-service kiosk can enhance accessibility options for people with disabilities.
Increased Revenue
Self-service kiosks can increase revenue for restaurants in several ways. For one, they provide upselling opportunities when customers are browsing through the various options available.
Additionally, these kiosks help reduce labor costs and increase customer satisfaction by creating a streamlined experience. Kiosks rarely generate errors, so order customization becomes much easier and far more accurate. Satisfied customers tend to return, and as a result, restaurant sales increase and so does the business’s revenue.
Choosing to introduce a self-service kiosk to your fast, casual restaurant requires a great deal of consideration. Should you choose to proceed with this plan, however, your company stands to reap the benefits of unique opportunities.
So much of the customer experience is becoming more technologically advanced, and taking steps to meet the needs of modern society stands to help your business not only grow, but thrive in terms of human capital, cost-savings, and customer care.
