Vending kiosks, or vending machines as they’re more commonly known, are one of the most popular types of kiosk for businesses. You might not see them in high numbers, like our advertising totems, but more and more companies are seeing the value they bring.
So let’s dive into the benefits of interactive vending kiosks and find out if they’re right for your business.
What are Interactive Vending Kiosks?
When you think of vending machines, you’ll most likely picture a large, rectangular box containing a few drinks and snacks. These can be in a number of locations, including:
- Train Stations
- Bus Stations
- Airports
- Gyms
- Schools, Academies, & Universities
- Hospitals & Clinics
- Hotels
And that’s only a few examples! Essentially, if your application has a lot of foot traffic, people will be glad of the opportunity to pick up a drink or a bite to eat while they’re there. Snack and drink vending machines are a fast, cheap alternative to going to a café or restaurant, perfect for anyone on the go but with only a few minutes to grab something.
However, providing a tasty beverage is only a fraction of what vending kiosks can do.
Non-Food and Drink Vending Machines
If you’re willing to push the boat out with your vending kiosks, you’ll find them to be a lot more versatile than you may initially realise. These days vending machines can dispense much more than just food and drink – they can even be used to sell your business (more about that in a moment).
Vending kiosks can be stocked with tech items, chargers, plugs, and even small devices. These are perfect for airports and public transportation, as commuters and travellers may need a new lead or plug if they left theirs at home. They are also useful for hospitals, giving patients and any visitors that are planning on staying overnight a way to charge their devices.
One downside of these machines is that, with much more valuable contents, thieves may target them. Thankfully, our machines are designed with security in mind, and their tough shells prevent any tampering or damage. They can also be fixed in place if you don’t intend to move them for a long time.
Since all of our kiosks are bespoke to you, they can be customised to only dispense relevant products for your business. Tanning salons, for example, are using our vending kiosks to provide oils, goggles, and creams for their clients’ use, as well as drinks for after a long session on a bed.
For a unique branding opportunity, why not invest in a vending machine that releases your products at events or Expos? These can be paid or free, and will show potential customers how much you’re willing to invest in the latest tech.
There’s also parcel collection machines. You may have seen a few of these around already, mostly Amazon’s collection points. These are a type of vending kiosk, as you enter a code or key, and your item is released. They’re safe and convenient, so why not consider how your business can benefit from them?
In a similar vein are the self-service kiosks we’ve designed for pharmacies. If you’re unable to get to the pharmacy during its opening hours, these machines allow you to still access the medication you need at a time that suits you or collect them for a loved one.
We could spend all day talking about the other types of vending kiosk, so to prevent this blog being ten pages long, let’s just say that vending machines can be beneficial for any business if you know how to use them. But before you get in touch with us to start designing yours, let’s first talk about what features you’ll want for your machines.
Important Features for Vending Kiosks
Vending machines are fairly universal in design, unless you’re using them for a niche purpose or have very little space in your application. You can do something bold with the shell, making it a more interesting shape, but there’s nothing wrong with keeping things familiar.
Inside is where our machines really stand out. The classic headache of your chocolate bar getting stuck against the glass is a thing of the past – we use robotic arms and advanced conveyor belts that are quick and reliable and are less likely to damage the contents than just letting them drop.
If you are keeping food and drink in your machines, we can make your vending kiosk refrigerated. This keeps food fresher for longer, and liquids more refreshing.
On the outside of your machine, we use touch screen controls that fit seamlessly into the outer shell. Touch screens are interactive, easier to use, quicker to clean, and can have more options than regular buttons. We work hard to make our digital kiosks look and feel as modern as possible; touch screens are a major part of this.
The Best Interactive Vending Kiosks
If you want vending kiosks for your business, they should stand out. Adding your personal branding to the side helps, but they’re only truly memorable if they do something different or are clearly bespoke from the ground up.
We don’t do ‘off-the-shelf’ solutions. All of our digital kiosks are designed from scratch to suit your exact needs. We’ll work closely with you to create the perfect design, then assemble everything on site to minimize delays.
If you aren’t sure what type of kiosk you need, we’ll take you on a tour around our factory and showroom so you can see and test the prototypes we’ve designed in the past. With this knowledge in mind, you can leave us to it knowing that the final product will be perfect.
To get started, or find out more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you!
