The Role of Quick-Service Kiosks in Driving Upselling and Cross-Selling
In the busy and competitive quick-service restaurant (QSR) environment, self-service kiosks are powerful tools for streamlining operations: they increase accuracy and speed of service, and they offer easy device management. But they are also valuable assets for boosting revenue through strategic upselling and cross-selling techniques. Quick-service kiosk point of sale (POS) devices are designed to enhance customer engagement and promote higher-ticket items, often leading to increased order sizes with minimal effort from staff. Here’s how kiosks accomplish those goals.
No-Pressure Environment
Customer preferences are ever-changing, but one currently growing trend is a shift away from face-to-face transactions with employees. The desire for less interpersonal contact is motivated in part by the accompanying decrease in social pressures. Unlike interactions with a cashier, quick-service kiosk orders allow customers to make decisions at their own pace, without feeling rushed or pressured. This freedom can encourage them to explore additional options, as they don’t feel the need to make hasty choices in front of a long line. Kiosks also make people feel more comfortable ordering what (and how much) they really want, without the worry of potentially being judged for their selections. The autonomy and relaxed environment can lead to more thoughtful choices, often resulting in a larger order.
Visual Appeal and Product Placement
With their vibrant digital displays, quick-service kiosks offer a visually appealing platform to showcase premium items, limited-time offers, or seasonal specials. The intuitive touchscreens can provide more photos and information than a traditional menu or static display board, and they can be easily changed or updated, as when adding new items or swapping out seasonal offers.
Humans are quite visually oriented, and customers tend to “buy with their eyes.” The high-definition images of food or beverages on a kiosk point of sale display can entice customers to explore options they may not have considered otherwise. The digital interface makes it easy to position upsells and cross-sells in key areas of the ordering process, driving more engagement with high-margin products. It’s an extremely effective tactic: research has shown that the most successful cross-selling and upselling strategies have the potential to increase profits by 20-30%.
Automated Upselling at the Right Moments
When employing cross-sells and upsells, timing is everything. Quick-service kiosks are programmed to prompt customers with add-on suggestions at optimal points in the order process. For instance, after selecting an entrée, customers may be asked if they want to upgrade their drink size or add a dessert.
By leveraging point-of-sale data such as previous orders or popular meal combinations, kiosks can recommend higher-value items or complementary products. Utilizing information such as customer order history (from integration with a loyalty program, for example) enables personalized recommendations; and while customers may prefer less face-to-face contact, they do appreciate personalized service. These automatic upsell prompts can be perfectly timed, ensuring that they enhance the order without overwhelming the customer.
Because they are automatic and not dependent on fallible human memory, recommendations are made reliably and consistently, so quick-service kiosks ensure that no upselling opportunities are missed. This type of targeted recommendation is subtle but effective, as it’s presented as a helpful option rather than a hard sell.
Data-Driven Upsell Strategies
Utilizing customer data such as order history to create personalized suggestions isn’t the only way quick-service kiosks can leverage information to boost profits. They can allow you to harness real-time sales data to refine your upselling strategies. Restaurant owners can analyze which upsell offers are most effective, adjust them accordingly, and even test different types of promotions to see what resonates with customers.
Data from kiosks can also provide insights that help you plan future promotions and understand your customer base better. The ability to use analytics ensures that kiosks are continuously optimized for maximum profitability.
Quick-Service Kiosks Create Positive Customer Experiences and Cross-Selling Profits
It’s an established truth that keeping existing customers happy (and coming back for more) is more profitable than attracting new ones. Quick-service kiosks improve the customer experience by providing pressure-free transactions, appealing and tempting visuals, and enhanced cross-selling and upselling suggestions that lead to larger tickets and greater profits. Their availability as a point-of-sale option may even help to attract new customers as well. For these reasons and more, kiosks have become a valuable tool for QSRs looking to increase average order sizes and drive revenue growth.
