The New Era Of Self-Service Concession Outlets For Venues And Stadiums.

The concept of self-service technologies has passed its stage of development and deployment. Now, it’s currently on its way to being adapted my various venues such as stadium food, sporting arenas, e-commerce stores, and the food and beverage industry. From vending machines to Self Service Concession outlets, technology has come a long way, and it’s time for sectors to embrace it with open arms as it becomes the new normal. Over time, self-service kiosks are entering the market, and their cost-to-benefit advantage is giving them a clear advantage over traditional labour options. For operators looking for a competitive edge in the market, self-service kiosks can be the obvious solution.

Are There Benefits Of A Self-Service Kiosk?

With the demand for quick and effective service increasing from consumers, it stands to reason why companies would make the transition. Its practical application has been seen in sporting arenas and stadiums and fast food chains such as McDonald’s and KFC. The digital information centres, i.e. self-service kiosks, provide an “interactive” experience and combine it with automation.

Self-Service Kiosks Efficiency:

Visual menus and suggestive selling programming for menus helps companies in achieving higher profitability. Point of Sale services and bill payment can be automated, which, in turn, lowers the need for human resources and thus, lowers cost. It also enables customers to get a timely response, which improves the overall customer experience.

Self-Service Kiosks Adaptability:

Generally, digital devices have an advantage over traditional methods of doing things. With just one update action, nearly all digital devices seamlessly adapt to the new instructions without redesigning.

Self-Service Kiosks are Hands off:

With Covid-19 acting as a bottleneck for physical interactions, the benefits of the kiosk for various sectors are numerous. A self-service offering reduces the risk of human contact and provides a safer customer experience.

Where Are Self-Service Kiosks Being Used?

Self-Service Kiosks have established themselves as an indispensable asset to companies and their customers alike. The ability to promote comprehensive offerings and various usage possibilities empowers the customer to make a direct request without waiting or delay. Moreover, they also increase the profit margin for the business and create a standard for customer interactions. Here are a few companies that utilise self-service to their advantage:

Amazon Go

You might be familiar with the self-service Amazon go grocery stores and make the process effective, fast, and convenient for customers. The customer only needs an Amazon account and the amazon go application, and the rest becomes simple. The e-commerce system enables the customer to scan the QR via the app at their entrance, shop as they would, and then leave the store. All inventory is maintained in a virtual cart, and receipts are charged through the amazon accounts. With the self-service capability, there are no cashiers or checkout employees involved. Instead, with e-grocery technologies – the entire process is a seamless transition.

Worchester Red Sox Stadium

One of the most taxing things in a stadium arena for a customer is nothing other than waiting in line. Be it for tickets or snacks – the endless waiting had ruined many customer experiences and caused numerous delays. Luckily, the case for Polar Park is different, thanks to automation. The stadium includes an autonomous checkout store that reduces the entertainment venue’s waiting time with intelligent and machine vision technology. The process removes unnecessary bottlenecks from the occasion, such as waiting in line, stopping, checking out, and completing payment.

McDonald’s

For quick-service restaurants (QSRs), this is the way of the future, and Mcdonald’s has embraced the technology with open arms. With a kiosk ordering model, the standard of service is improved in terms of quality and efficiency. McDonald’s self-order kiosks help lower costs due to limited labour involvement and deliver customers with speed and choice. Customers can build their burgers without having to repeat, wait, or request changes.

What Value Do Self-Service Kiosks Create?

Australian labour costs for the hospitality sector continues to grow in the March quarter of 2021, as reported by the labour price index of Australia. The figures show that there has been a steady increase in the cost in the last three quarters. Similarly, the hours worked in June 2021 Australia observed a decrease of 1.8%, from 33.4 million hours to 1.7 million hours. COVID impact considered correlate the two, it can be concluded that the labour force requires more funds, and is putting in fewer hours. This remains a critical business issue for the Australian hospitality sector.

The demand for products is expected to increase as the pandemic subsides, according to the Restaurants in Australia industry outlook (2020-2025) as the discretionary income increase. While the luxury of investing in a Self Service Solution may have been a choice in the past, labour cost and accessabilty may expediate this investment style for operators in the future.

Of course, this requires a complete 360 view of things and a strategy that works, and we understand how it can be difficult to create on your own. Fortunately, the path to success is filled with rewards, and investing in the persona of your end users is always rewarded. Provide healthy holistic solutions, and embrace sustainability.