Order Kiosks for Customers & Digital Messaging

Complete case study on the positive impact that customer order kiosks provide to a relatively small retail shop. Ordering and digital messaging signage
Order Kiosks for Customers & Digital Messaging
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Most of us like to think in terms of 14,000 kiosks at Mcdonald’s and relegate small businesses to the footnotes.  It’s a challenge aggregating literally tens of thousands of SMBs and dealing with an overall number literally 3X the number of Mcdonald’s.  The fact is this is a small bubble tea shop in Kansas City and they have been killing it with 100-200+ orders a day through their kiosks.  A great example of how kiosks can help a business save costs as well as how readily customers adopt the technology these days.  More orders and faster orders with fewer people. One of the main points the restaurant makes is shortening the decision process customers go thru when ordering (and not tying up employees to wait on them while they do).

And the nice thing about this technology is that you can order online and get it in 2 weeks. And you never have to spend 2 hours with some sales rep wanting to know everything about your business.

Functionally -- these units serve a dual purpose. On the one hand, they allow customers to enter their orders. Secondly, they provide digital signage and digital messaging in-store.

So, Are They Cost-Effective? 

Clover calculations are 16 weeks to be profitable. With affordable kiosk hardware and a low monthly cost of only $69 per kiosk.  It has been suggested that order kiosk solutions like these could find a place in the typical ATM provider portfolio.  Rather than placing and operating ATMs in restaurants, they could operate the order kiosks. Good transition to credit payments from cash oriented.

In Brief Summary

  • Goal - increase efficiency in small space
  • Fast turnaround for customers
  • High foot traffic and mobile orders to deal with
  • Employee focus on making orders and good customer service
  • Less time spent modifying orders
  • CommandPoint CMS by Nano very useful
  • 50 to 60 drinks took 2 hours to setup
  • More thruput with fewer employees
  • Digital messaging and content functions as well
  • Originally not a Clover customer but became one thanks to integration of kiosk

More Info

Here is some background on this equation. It is basically three companies: Clover, Samsung and Nanonation. Nanonation has taken an interesting path with marketing on this as they acquired and launched the "orderingkiosk.net" website in Sept 2022.  My guess is Nanonation will likely spin off a digital signage SOC system on a chip subsite in the future. They have their platform running on every imaginable right now except for native Linux or Google Flex.

This is a  nice use of multichannel marketing, with focus. You can actually purchase the solution and options online too.  No long discussion with some rep wanting to know your life story before they give you a quote.  I did note that there is no quantity discount and they accept coupon codes.

Can I do that with digital signage?

Product Overview

Let the kiosk do the work of order taking and free your team to be providing fast, efficient, and friendly customer service.

The kiosk brings together three best-in-class solutions to deliver you a seamless solution for your restaurant. The kiosk itself is a Samsung KM24A Kiosk – built for the self-service environment the kiosk is an enterprise-grade solution that will stand up to years of use in your restaurant.  The software that drives the kiosk is created by Nanonation, one of the top providers of interactive kiosk solutions.  And finally, the Clover POS system you already use is the heart of the solution.  You never have to recreate your menu or manage content and princes in multiple systems.

The Hardware

  • 24” commercial touch screen with antimicrobial coating
  • Countertop and floor stand options
  • Clover Flex payment terminal
  • Uses standard 3-1/8” thermal receipt paper

The Software

  • Connects to and pulls your menu directly from your Clover POS system – ensures that your items and pricing are always in sync
  • Pulls item images from Clover or you can add your own
  • Orders show on your KDS or print to your kitchen printer just as if they were placed at your counter
  • Easily turn categories, menu items, or modifiers on/off on the kiosk via a web-based tool
  • Add your own content, promotions, and specials to the attract loop ( the content that runs when the kiosk is not in-use)
  • Setup Software and Hardware Guides

So How Much is Self-Order?

  • We checked the "Buy" page and they have the Samsung listed for $3200. The optional floor stand is $600.
  • You do need to purchase Clover Flex (handheld terminal)
  • Shipping is $240
  • You can buy it online, add to your shopping cart and pay for it
  • Two weeks later you get it
  • You can actually purchase the solution and options online.  No long discussion with some rep wanting to know your life story before they give you a quote.  I did note that there is no quantity discount and they accept coupon codes.
  • 3 years of support is nice too

All in all very impressed with this turnkey solution.

Resources

Restaurant Industry Statistics

  • $799 billion: Restaurant industry sales in 2021, down $65 billion from 2019's pre-pandemic levels 
  • 14.5 million: Restaurant industry employees at the end of 2021, down 1 million from pre-pandemic levels
  • 90,000: Restaurant locations temporarily or permanently closed because of the pandemic
  • 9 in 10 restaurants have fewer than 50 employees
  • 7 in 10 restaurants are single-unit operations
  • 8 in 10 restaurant owners started their industry careers in entry-level positions
  • 9 in 10 restaurant managers started in entry-level positions
  • Restaurants employ more minority managers than any other industry
  • 41% of restaurant firms are owned by minorities – compared to 30% of businesses in the overall private sector.
  • Waitstaff at fullservice restaurants earn a median of $27.00 an hour, with the highest paid group making $41.50 an hour and the lowest, $19.00 an hour.

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