< Previous20KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE room displays can all be exciting ways to add the spark of connectivity back into your hybrid work environment. Promoting wellbeing and motivation Since the majority of office employees switched to hybrid and home working, 27% have reported a drop in their motivation. Unmotivated employees are less productive, less likely to stay in their jobs, and - most importantly - less happy to be at work. When employees do come into the office they are often greeted by empty chairs and an environment that feels even less inspiring than home. To address this issue, many companies are looking to introduce a little workplace culture - literally! Research has shown that art in the workplace helps businesses address key challenges such as reducing stress (78% agree), increasing creativity (64% agreed) and encouraging expression of opinions (77% agreed). And digital signage can provide a great way to bring these creative, interactive art installations into the workplace. These installations have a proven impact on employee wellbeing and can give a sense of connection with the values of the business and the wider community. Displays can also be used to uplift and motivate employees. Examples of this include sharing celebrating company successes, sharing work milestones, and showboating great work from employees. These are all great ways to keep staff engaged and encourage them to take a break from the home office and enjoy coming into the physical workplace. Digital signage and recruitment While most companies are switched on to the benefits of digital displays for current employees, what many overlook is the effect this technology has on new recruits. With interviews reverting back to being in- person, your office space is a huge selling point for new hires, especially if you are asking employees to spend time there regularly. By using digital signage creatively, you can build a futuristic and engaging work environment. From personalised art to brainstorming pods, the right technology can help turn outdated offices into interactive and innovative workplace hubs. Looking ahead There are many types of digital signage which you can incorporate into your company’s workspace, but before deciding which style is right for you, it’s important to research the needs of your employees. As with any workplace tech, it’s important to start with employee goals in mind and work backwards from there. What is stopping employees from feeling engaged at work? Is the workplace uninspiring? Are people feeling distanced from their colleagues? These are the questions that will help decide the best possible technology for your organisation. Digital signage is evolving every day and the applications go far beyond a traditional lobby greeting screen. Ultimately, this technology is about maximising communication and making the workplace a fun, exciting and creative environment. This not only encourages collaboration and drives employee motivation, it can also provide an essential way to boost productivity. KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE magazine (KDS), is the leading technical journal for manufacturers, integrators and deployers of self-service terminals and digital signage integrators. Published six times a year, KDS reaches a readership of 25,000 individuals throughout the UK and Europe, comprised of customer service directors, design engineers, project managers, CIOs, CTOs, CFOs and many more. This presents a unique opportunity to reach a qualified audience not available through any other channel. Independent KDS is an independent publication, aiming to offer an objective view of the industry. Articles may present newsworthy acts and/or opinions of named companies, but all measures are taken to ensure that articles within KDS report the objective facts without bias. Editorial We welcome contributions and submissions of news, features, thought leadership posts and interviews from companies and individuals regarding the kiosk and digital signage industry. Send your story to the editor, Hazel Davis, at editor@kdseurope.com. All editorial that we receive from third parties is subject to the editor-in-chief’s ultimate approval, and submission of an article is no guarantee of publication. To ensure that all articles meet the editorial policy, we reserve the right to edit the whole or part of any material selected for publication. You can find our editorial policy on our website by clicking HERE. Advertising If you would like to discuss one of our advertising or advertorial packages please download our media pack HERE or contact sales@kdseurope.com.I t has long been customary for franchised dealer retail staff to receive sales training through their career. More often than not, training is instigated by OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to ensure potential buyers are interacted with in a consistent, effective and ‘on-brand’ manner. It also gives manufacturers the opportunity to furnish sales executives with information about features and benefits of the latest models to grace the showroom floor. However, ‘soft skills’ sales training - equipping personnel to explain, sell, cross-sell and upsell - is typically not provided to service reception staff. The irony is that the aftersales department can be a far more reliable profit generator, particularly when staff feel equipped to sell products and services effectively. Service advisers need to possess a varied skillset. Interpersonal skills are a high priority, but they also need to build strong technical knowledge, get to grips with processes and paperwork, and gen up on warranty terms and conditions. An ability to upsell products and services is crucial but is often neglected due to the demands of the other facets of the role. There was a time when service advisers might only be called upon to sell service plans, tyres, windscreen wiper blades and the odd air conditioning re-gas. Now there’s extended warranty plans, premium lubricants, season-specific tyres and breakdown and valeting kits. Trying to explain and upsell all of these items when you’re trying to keep the various other plates spinning is not an easy ask. Without effective sales training, many service advisors will lack the confidence to upsell effectively, particularly when they’re under time pressure. Encouraging customers to part with more of their hard-earned cash when they’re already making a ‘distress’ purchase of a service, MOT or repair can be difficult, to say the least. Then there’s the products themselves, which often require a fair amount of familiarisation to effectively communicate their advantages. Effective training is therefore essential. Providing training helps unlock significant profit potential. Our own survey highlighted that 30% of customers would consider buying tyres when their car is in for a service, while 27% would consider new pads and discs, 26% new windscreen wipers and 20% a new battery. But customers typically won’t instigate these purchases themselves, especially if they’ve already queued just to drop off or collect their keys. Despite the benefits that sales training can bring to aftersales, many dealers are reluctant to invest. Staff churn rates can be very high, with staff often lured outside the sector. However, by offering effective sales training, aftersales staff are better able to secure commissions that will improve their overall earnings, and they also feel that the business is investing in them - both help to boost loyalty. And for the business, more sales brings obvious benefits. A win-win all round. There are times when selling additional products and services is easier said than done. When designing our digital check-in solutions, we purposely built-in functionality that also allows dealers to offer their customers products and services away from the service reception. 25% of customers we surveyed feel pressurised to buy extra products and services at the aftersales desk, so it can be better to help them make an informed purchase decision in their own time - for example when checking-in digitally at home. Explaining the benefits of more complex products and services on-screen during check-in enhances take-up rates. Last year, our technologies helped dealers sell £5,048,908 worth of additional value- added sales through digital check-ins. By combining this added digital resource with effective sales training, dealers will avoid the risk of missing out on any additional potential revenue, and pressure can be taken off service advisers during peak periods, allowing them to deploy their newfound sales skills in a more relaxed and effective way. Christian Mark, CEO and co-founder, Tjekvik 22KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE The importance of adding digital resources to effective sales training23 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE24KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE Self-service screens and daily life: The dominance of digital touchscreens in 2023 G rowing in popularity within all industries, digital kiosks and touchscreens are expected to reach a market value of $30.8 billion by 2024. The continued exponential growth and increasing reliance on this technology has meant that more sectors are turning to digital kiosks to automate processes and help enhance customer and consumer experiences. In light of this, digital signage company TrouDigital has explored the prevalence of digital touch screens in daily life. The research looked at how the increasingly heavy use of kiosks and screens gives rise to hygiene concerns that call for appropriate measures. Our new research reveals that 86% of people now use a touch screen/self-service food ordering kiosk in public places. Digital kiosks and touch screens encourage more food orders From automation and self-service to information and guidance, interactive and digital screens have quickly replaced printed/paper versions and helped to streamline processes and efficiency. Within the retail sector, self-service kiosks have helped to reduce waiting times and steadily reduced queuing times. In the hospitality industry, particularly fast-food chains, research shows that kiosks and digital signage boards reportedly encourage people to spend 20-30% more on average, and have them twice as likely to order a dessert. One in five use food-ordering kiosks all the time Fast-food restaurants have continued to adapt to a new way of food ordering, with fewer ‘manned’ pay points, more digital self-service kiosks and a larger pick-up area. However, the increasing popularity and use of self-service kiosks can Alistair Cousins, TrouDigital Marketing Manager25 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE Growing in popularity within all industries, digital kiosks and touchscreens are expected to reach a market value of $30.8 billion by 2024 come with some concerns about cleanliness. The research from TrouDigital found that today one in five (18%) people use self-service points all the time, and 43% use them more than half of the time. Cleaning and maintenance can be irregular during busy periods While we found that most businesses conduct regular maintenance and cleaning, the constant flow of people during peak periods and busy times can make cleaning patterns more irregular. As many as four in 10 people we surveyed, report that they have often found food-ordering self- service kiosks physically dirty, with wet, sticky or smudged screens. Despite all the efforts and campaigns devoted to raising public health awareness, still only a quarter of people willingly sanitise their hands before using a public food-ordering kiosk. At the same time, almost a fifth (18%) of consumers don’t really think about it, admitting they never bother doing so. As usage increases, cleanliness of digital screens remains a focal point Digital kiosks and touch screens have become integrated into most people’s daily lives, including shopping and food ordering through hotel check-in and navigation. How businesses can ensure cleanliness of self- service kiosks and screens: >Creating a regular cleaning schedule for all screens and touchpoints, where screens are cleaned with sanitising spray between uses. >Cleaning self-service and digital screens at the beginning and end of each business day. >Have hand sanitising stations or hand sanitiser points - with at least 60% alcohol to kill germs - available for customers. >Consider having disposable sanitising/ alcohol screen wipes available for customers wanting to use them. For years, digital signage and touch screens have enhanced consumer experiences and have become a stamp of organisational success. As the usage of screens continues to grow at an exponential rate, digital displays and self-service kiosks have become a ubiquitous feature of modern-daily life, whether in retail, hospitality or healthcare. This screen-based technology has helped develop efficiencies and convenience while being cost-effective. However, as the popularity and usage of self-service kiosks and digital screens increase, we must ensure that hygiene and safety concerns are adequately addressed to ensure their continued success.lorem ipsum dolor sit amet KDS Magazine is the leading technical journal for manufacturers, integrators and deployers of self service terminals and digital signage. Published on a bi-monthly basis, KDS features news, articles and features from industry-leading bodies, and the very latest information on innovative technology. Past issues can be found on our website: www.kdseurope.com, along with news, features and information on events throughout the year. 2023’s media pack can also be accessed on the website HERE www.kdseurope.com | sales@kdseurope.com | editor@kdseurope.comNext >