Digital technologies and tablets are having a massive impact on the way businesses interact and engage with customers.
Over the last few years, we’ve seen the impact a well-designed and executed digital strategy can have on a business. Whether results are felt on the bottom line or purely on the customer experience, there are countless success stories that validate the tablet’s place among some of the business world’s most important, and successful tools.
Here’s a look at six places iPad and tablet kiosks are making the biggest impact:
Retail
You could argue that no industry has evolved and become as digitally focused as retail. Despite the rise of e-commerce, physical retail stores are still a pivotal factor in engaging and retaining customers. Retailers winning amid this disruption are successfully delivering high-quality customer experiences – tablets are often an integral part of retailer’s digital strategy. Versatile and user-friendly, we’ve seen these devices used as an iPad POS solutions, digital display, self-service point, as well as employee-facing devices, to name a few.
Restaurants, Pubs and Coffee Shops
Dining has gone digital! Everywhere from franchise chain restaurants, sports bars and pubs, coffee shops and even upscale restaurants, digital technology has taken over and is revolutionizing restaurant service. The most common use case you’ll see tablets being used is at point-of-sale terminals, but we’re increasingly seeing them used as digital menus for patrons to order food and drinks, or even for family entertainment like in McDonald’s ‘Spirit of Family’ concept restaurant locations.
Banks and Credit Unions
Countless financial institutions are redesigning branch locations, trading in their traditional glass counters for tablets to create more personalized, customer-friendly experiences. While self-service kiosks are extremely convenient and streamline tasks for do-it-yourself customers, bank associates are using tablets to provide on-the-spot assistance, where and when customers need it.
Hotels
Hoteliers have enlisted digital strategies to keep up with tech savvy travelers, and provide them the information and services they need in fun and engaging ways. citizenM Hotels lets visitors check-in and out through self-service kiosks in the lobby of each of their hotels. Additionally, every room in a citizenM hotel is equipped with a tablet, which serves as the control center for the entire room letting you turn on the television, adjust lighting, schedule wake-up calls and more.
Airports
Digital touch points have not only become self-service points for travelers but also engagement opportunities for airlines and other companies to entertain, inform and relax flyers, as well as new revenue streams. And in both Gatwick and Heathrow Airports, you can’t walk too far without seeing numerous Bouncepad kiosks scattered about the terminals, restaurants and retail shops in each airport. In the U.S., American Airlines’ Admiral Lounges recently installed more than 200 Bouncepad units in their lounge locations for its members to answer emails, check flight and hotel information, as well as purchase food or drinks in between flights.
Trade Shows and Exhibitions
Marketing teams have adjusted their approach to trade show booths and displays for industry events and conferences. Traditionally bland, and overdone with expensive handouts that end up in the trash any way, the look and feel of exhibition booths is much different today. B2B organizations are increasingly using digital displays and tablet kiosks to showcase their branded content – whether it’s simply signage, or more functional like capturing contact info, providing product and company information, or even to sell products, exhibitors are displaying content in new and inviting ways (check out our guide for using tablets at trade shows).
In a short span of time, we’ve seen some truly innovative and amazing projects sprouting up everywhere, in every industry. There is no doubt that these digital projects will continue to innovate right before our eyes, growing more sophisticated through cross-platform integrations and project design.