< Previous10 Kiosk and Digital Signage only aligns with the broader shift away from cash but also reflects a commitment to sustainability. It’s clear that businesses and public institutions are reevaluating their payment methods to optimise efficiency and meet the evolving demands of a cashless society. The role of self-service kiosks In a world where convenience is key to customers and sustainability is important to businesses, self-service payment kiosks fulfil these roles perfectly. Kiosks are a one-stop shop for customer information, promotion and payment solutions. The vast majority of transactions for most businesses are simple: purchase goods, a service, or admission to an event. Self-service payment kiosks are more than equipped to handle these requests, freeing up staff to deal with more complex queries. This improves customer satisfaction overall, as every customer feels dealt with more quickly; no more bottlenecks as the three available cashiers are dealing with complicated requests while everyone else waits. What’s more, companies can opt to display whatever they choose on a kiosk – whether that’s useful information, wayfinding features such as maps, or promotional offers and upsell opportunities. The fact that a staff member isn’t handling every transaction, doesn’t mean the customer has to miss out on what’s available to them. In addition, contactless payment kiosks are sustainable for more reasons than the lack of carbon used during cash collection runs. They are designed from the ground up to be energy efficient, using much less power than traditional manned service points that deal with payments, and their connection with the internet means that the vast majority of issues can be dealt with remotely. Contactless payments and cashless transactions are becoming the norm and self- service kiosks are proving to be invaluable tools for businesses and government entities. They cater to the changing preferences of consumers and align with the broader trend toward more convenient and efficient payment methods. As cash continues to take a backseat in our daily lives, embracing self-service kiosks becomes not just a competitive advantage but a necessity for staying relevant in a rapidly evolving payment landscape. Contactless payments and cashless transactions are becoming the normKiosk and Digital Signage 11 It’s clear that businesses and public institutions are reevaluating their payment methods to optimise efficiency and meet the evolving demands of a cashless society.12 Kiosk and Digital Signage Y ou’ve invested in the digital signage platform, but that doesn’t guarantee success on its own. Not only do you need to come up with the right content ideas to display, you also need to present them in such a way as to not just capture your audience’s attention, but keep it, and – if applicable – encourage engagement with your message. Content ideas Target the right audience: you need to identify the people you wish to attract. Your existing marketing strategy may help here, but remember to focus on those people likely to come into contact with the sign – customers in your shop, or visitors to your venue. These may not be the same audience you’re targeting through other channels, such as through social media, email marketing or printed mailshots. Focus your content ideas: with your targets identified, think about what content you can deliver that’s relevant and interesting to them. While you don’t want to appeal to a very narrow demographic, it’s better to have a message that maximises engagement from your targets rather than something that aims – and fails – to appeal to everyone. Deliver content of value: don’t be too sales- oriented, try to incorporate useful tips and tricks, answer your customers’ questions, and anticipate their needs. This helps boost your business’s reputation for being helpful, honest and reliable. Work out average viewing time: how long will someone tend to be standing in front of your display? Tailor your content to this length of time, even if it’s only a matter of seconds. Don’t simply repeat advertising from other mediums, such as a full-length TV ad. Include calls to action: encourage your audience to directly engage by including a call to action as part of your content. Point people to a website, provide an exclusive discount, incorporate a QR code – find ways of providing unique call to actions (CTAs) that can be measured for success. Link to other channels: find out what’s happening elsewhere in your business, and let your digital signage adapt accordingly (for example, only show promotions for products that are in stock). ADVERTORIAL: Maximise your digital signage engagement Gianni Brancazio, B2B and commercial marketing lead, ASUS www.asus.comKiosk and Digital Signage 13 Content design Capture your audience’s attention: you need to make sure your display is eye-catching to make people stop and look. Use bright colours, and try to make the content dynamic – if it’s a slideshow-based presentation, for example, make sure you use animated transition effects to inject a sense of motion. Keep design simple: don’t try to incorporate too many elements on the screen. Limit yourself to a maximum of three, with your primary message given the majority of screen space so that other messages don’t distract your reader from the main point you’re trying to make. Also, don’t overcomplicate things: keep your messaging simple and make use of visuals rather than large amounts of text to get your point across – this makes your signage easier to follow, even from a distance. Entertain: depending where you signage is located – foyers, waiting rooms, cafeterias and so on – you might prefer to use signage to entertain people while they wait. This can be done with video, news feeds, live video or TV, for example. Be consistent: if your signage is likely to be viewed by the same people on a regular basis, make sure the basic design remains the same – not just for readability purposes, but to reinforce the overall brand message you’re conveying. It’ll also help with updating content, as you can simply drop in new elements without having to worry about a complete redesign. Content delivery Sound: this can be an important way of attracting attention, but it may not always be audible if situated outdoors or in busy areas. Make sure your message can be understood even if your audience can’t hear any accompanying soundtrack. Placement: make sure your digital signage is placed where it can easily be read or seen – go for eye level or shelf level where people are likely to find it, or place it in a location where it’s easy to read while people wait in a queue. When to refresh: work out the optimal schedule for displaying your content. Obviously if you’re simply presenting information, then updating it is only required when that information changes; otherwise, try to keep it fresh and updated on a regular basis. Consider changing it over a number of hours or days rather than just weeks. If your content’s delivered by a dynamic platform, consider building in time-sensitive content that’s displayed at specific times and days depending on who you’re targeting and what you think will appeal or benefit them. Content can also be scheduled based on the weather, so a cafe might promote soup when the temperature drops, or ice cream when the sun comes out.14 Kiosk and Digital Signage Modular panel PCs: empowering flexibility and performance John Stone - sales director – Relec – www.relec.co.uk E nter the game-changing solution of modular panel PCs, which offer a unique blend of adaptability, performance and reliability. By combining cutting-edge hardware components with a modular approach, these devices provide unparalleled flexibility to suit various applications. Benefits of modular panel PCs a) Enhanced customisation: One of the primary advantages of modular panel PCs is their ability to be tailored precisely to the specific needs of the user or application. The modular design allows for easy integration and swapping of components, enabling customisation without compromising performance or functionality. b) Scalability and futureproofing: With rapidly evolving technology, scalability is a critical factor in any computing solution. Modular panel PCs provide the flexibility to upgrade or expand individual modules as required, extending the lifespan of the system and reducing the need for full-scale replacements. This future-proofing capability ensures that organisations can adapt to changing demands while minimising costs. c) Streamlined maintenance and repair: Traditional panel PCs often require significant effort for maintenance and repairs, often leading to prolonged downtime. The modular panel PCs simplify this process by allowing for quick and efficient replacement of faulty components. This feature significantly reduces system downtime, optimising productivity and minimising operational disruptions.Kiosk and Digital Signage 15 d) Versatility across industries: Modular panel PCs find applications in a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, retail, hospitality, healthcare, transportation and more. Their adaptability enables seamless integration into diverse environments, catering to specific industry requirements and enhancing operational efficiency. Components for modular panel PCs Modular panel PCs offer a comprehensive selection of components that can be customised to create tailored computing solutions. The available components include: a) Processor modules: These modules form the core processing unit and determine the system’s performance capabilities. Relec Electronics offers a range of processor options, including Intel Core i-series processors, Intel Celeron, and Intel Atom processors, allowing users to select the optimal balance between power and energy efficiency. b) Display modules: The display modules form the interface through which users interact with the panel PC. Relec Electronics provides various display options, such as TFT LCDs, touchscreens, and high-resolution displays, ensuring excellent visual clarity and responsiveness. c) Cameras: Integration enhances visual monitoring, enables video conferencing, supports machine vision applications, facilitates remote diagnostics, and provides surveillance capabilities for enhanced security and situational awareness. d) Barcode and RFID scanners: Streamlines data entry and enhances asset tracking, improves supply chain efficiency through automated data capture, and simplifies identification processes in various industries. e) Thermal printers: Ideal for receipts, ticketing and reports, depending on the application and industry. f) Expansion modules: Expansion modules facilitate the addition of specialised functionalities to the panel PC. Users can choose from a wide array of expansion options, including additional I/O ports, serial ports, USB connections, Ethernet ports, wireless connectivity and more. This versatility ensures compatibility with specific industry protocols and requirements. g) Storage modules: Storage modules offer ample space for data storage and retrieval. Users can opt for solid-state drives (SSDs) or hard disk drives (HDDs) depending on their storage capacity needs, data access speed requirements, and durability considerations. h) Mounting options: versatile options including, wall mount, floor mount, and desktop stands, as well as panel mount, and VESA mounts allowing seamless integration into diverse environments and user preferences for optimal convenience and flexibility. Modular panel PCs provide a paradigm shift in the world of computing solutions, offering unparalleled flexibility, customisation and performance. With the ability to seamlessly integrate and swap components, these devices empower users to create tailored solutions that adapt to evolving requirements. The modular approach enhances scalability, simplifies maintenance and repairs, and ensures compatibility with various industry standards. By harnessing the benefits of modular panel PCs, organisations can optimise their operations, streamline processes, and stay ahead in today’s dynamic business landscape.16 Kiosk and Digital Signage Are you sitting comfortably? Harnessing tech for effective storytelling T echnology has infiltrated every aspect of our daily lives, altering our daily routines in countless ways. The retail sector mirrors this transformation, with technology underpinning its very foundation. In fact, the vast array of technological advancements in retail has reshaped the shopping experience, setting new benchmarks for customer expectations. With this in mind, how can retailers optimise the use of tech? How can they adapt their retail models to resonate better with their customers? Despite technology’s pivotal role, people are – and always will be – the essence of retail. This human element should be the focal point of all technological investments made by retail leaders. Whether considering the customers with whom they seek to connect or the employees utilising the technology for success, forging genuine connections remains the cornerstone of any technological advancement. And the key to all of this? Powerful storytelling. Storytelling is instrumental in establishing an emotional bond and fostering engagement with customers. Amidst all of the technological innovations in retail, the true barometer of success is their capacity to connect. Whether through personalisation, engagement, trust or pure innovation, only the retailers that truly resonate with customers make a lasting impact on the industry. The power of storytelling Everyone loves a good story. Whether you are thinking about the movie that made you smile, the TV series that made you cry or the book that inspired you - at the heart of it lay a good story. And this feeling isn’t exclusive to media entertainment. For retailers, effective storytelling can be a powerful tool in captivating shoppers, eliciting a powerful emotional connection to create loyal customers. Alexios Blanos, UK business director, M-Cube – mcubedigital. comKiosk and Digital Signage 17 Effective stories give us a moment to step away from the reality of life. Our brain feeds off of this feeling, creating a true emotional connection. In scientific terms, what occurs during this process is the release of dopamine. And when we experience a story, or even just hear about it, certain parts of our brain release excess dopamine - making it easier to remember it with greater accuracy. It is exactly the reason why we may struggle to remember what we had for dinner less than a month ago, yet we can still remember specific lines from movies we watched years ago. And it’s exactly the reason why mastering storytelling is crucial for brands in the retail landscape. It’s so much more than narrating something intriguing. It’s about creating something that will resonate with your audience, evoking particular emotions, and ultimately, influencing their buying decisions. The emphasis is on ‘ultimately’ because the heart of storytelling is its capacity to forge emotional connections between consumers and brands. The power of physical experiences There are several ways to bring a story to life in retail. Marketing teams have been doing it for years to capture the essence of a brand. Just look at the festive period for example. The Christmas period is filled with brands creating expensive adverts that have little to nothing to do with the actual brand, just to connect with customers. And it works. John Lewis managed to garner more than 21,000 Twitter mentions between the 1 and 16 November 2022 for its Christmas advert, as well as an impressive 367 million potential impressions. When you consider the engagements across other social media platforms, the TV spots, the conversation generated around it; you begin to see the picture clearly. It isn’t just an advert, it is an event. 18 Kiosk and Digital Signage But how do businesses do this outside of marketing? In fact, how do businesses do this to help marketing? The answer to this question lies in the in-store experience. Of course, this is not to undermine the importance of the online experience. The pandemic brought forth an age where the online experience became a necessity. But as the world reopened, the coin flipped again and the importance of the in-store experience grew exponentially - and in turn, changed significantly. It is no longer just about having a brick-and- mortar store, but about crafting an experience that will resonate with customers. And technology is the key to these experiences. The power of digital signage Technology is key to storytelling. However it is not as simple as that. It isn’t just about investing in all of the latest technology. As mentioned throughout this piece, it is about using this technology to craft an engaging story that will connect with customers. Take the Benetton group as an example. It used a digital mirror to allow customers to look through the window and see themselves. At first glance, it is simple technology using a digital screen and a camera. It comes with no virtual reality or augmented reality to have people pictured in a different location. It simply reflects what is really important - the customers. What truly revolutionised this approach was the incorporation of the customer into the narrative. By not just making the story about the customers, but with them, a profound connection was established. In the case of the Benetton group, the digital mirror didn’t transport the user to a fantastical world; instead, it grounded the experience in reality, making the customer the star of a story unfolding in real-time. This ingenious application of technology facilitated a personalised story, allowing individuals to see themselves not just as passive spectators but as active participants in the brand’s narrative. It’s a testament to the power of storytelling intertwined with technology, where the ultimate success lies in celebrating the customer’s role, creating an immersive, shared story that resonates on a deeply personal level. This strategy elevated the customer experience from a transactional interaction to an emotional bond, reinforcing loyalty and trust in the brand. And from this, Benetton was able to replicate this idea across multiple regions, attracting a new range of customers while boosting customer loyalty along its own customer base. And this is not the only way to do this. Digital screens could be used to showcase the latest products in an engaging way. LED lights can be used to create an immersive room that tells the story of your brand. In whichever way it is structured, technology has the power to craft engaging experiences that go beyond normal retail experiences. The bottom line Technology continues to permeate every layer of the retail industry, and it brings with it a transformative shift not just in how products are sold, but in how stories are told. When executed well, it leads to deeply engaging, memorable, and emotionally Kiosk and Digital Signage 19 charged experiences for customers. This isn’t about replacing the human element, but enhancing it, turning each customer journey into something more profound than a simple transaction. This is the future of retail. A future where technology serves as a bridge between the digital and the physical, amplifying human connection. The successful retailers of tomorrow are those who understand this delicate balance and who can harness the innovative tools at their disposal to tell stories that resonate. These stories, grounded in genuine human emotion and experience, are what will foster loyalty with a brand. It’s not merely the implementation of technology that counts but how it’s used to reflect the customers’ desires, aspirations and identities that truly makes the difference.Next >