Wayfinding kiosks are some of the most important machines a business can invest in. These are multi-purpose, combining a number of features that your customers can benefit from.
But it’s just as important to understand how to make the most out of these digital kiosks as well as which are right for you, so that you get the fastest return on your investment.
For decades we have provided iconic wayfinding solutions for a variety of different sectors environments across the UK and mainland Europe including shopping centres, hospitals, and other public spaces. Our hardware is designed to complement the setting and can be made from a range of materials depending on your requirements.
Wayfinding kiosks is an umbrella term for a few different types of digital kiosk, but they all share the same goal: to help people navigate a space. They can be purely informational, essentially a digital sign post, or fully interactive, with maps and detailed directions available at the tap of a screen.
They are often confused with digital signage, although this is understandable. Both types of kiosk help people to find their way and go hand in hand to do so. The main difference is their placement; signs are where you’d expect a sign to be, attached to walls and ceilings, whereas wayfinding kiosks are normally static machines fitted to the floor.
So what are wayfinding kiosks for? Well, as you can imagine, they’re to help with navigation, but this means they aren’t necessary for all applications. However, in shopping centres, schools, and shared offices, they’re a very important addition to your fleet of kiosks.
Picture this: you’ve just entered a large shop that you haven’t visited before. It has multiple floors, each with their own product lines. Naturally you want to check out the floor that suits you. You head over to the escalators, where there is a sign that tells you what is on each floor. All you need, right? Well what if you’re looking for something more specific than the ‘men’s clothes’ section? Or want more information than just ‘tech and gaming’.
You have a choice, either go exploring or find a member of staff, not great options if you’re in a rush or have limited mobility. If the store had wayfinding or information kiosks in place, this wouldn’t be an issue. You simply tap the screen, and it will tell you more details about each area, as well as a digital map of the layout. Some of these kiosks can also give you access to stocklists, so you can search for something specific in seconds.
Let’s stick to this example but fast forward a little. That shop didn’t have the exact thing you were looking for, so you leave and find yourself in the shopping centre. Now you’re running late, but still need that all important item, and therefore want to go straight to another shop that may sell it. Instead of wandering around aimlessly, you can go to another wayfinding kiosk that the owners of the shopping centre have very kindly installed. It once again gives you a map, as well as a list of all their stores, so you can find the one you need. Some of the models we’ve designed in the past also included opening times for each store, so there are no unfortunate surprises when customers get there.
Digital kiosks are all about convenience. You want to give your customers the best experience possible, and removing their wayfinding frustrations is a huge way to do that.
As we mentioned, wayfinding kiosks and digital signage go hand in hand. Investing in one but not the other restricts the help you provide for visitors or customers.
Wayfinding kiosks are brilliant for providing directions, but sadly you can’t take them with you. Therefore customers must rely on signage to stay on track, a much simpler solution than having wayfinding kiosks every 100m.
Digital signage is also needed to stay compliant, as emergency signage is always necessary regardless of your business or the size of your application. Unlike traditional signage, which once installed is very hard to remove, digital signs are versatile and can have their displays changed whenever a change is needed. If you like to change the arrangements within your building on a semi-regular basis, this can save you a fortune in the long run.
Wayfinding kiosks aren’t just slightly more complicated signposts. They’re designed for versatility, providing far more information than any sign can. Think of it as the centre of a web, and your signage are the strands that lead to the edges. Information they can offer includes:
Your wayfinding kiosks can also ask its users for feedback about the overall experience your customers are having – this is invaluable data that you can use to make both small adjustments and bigger changes in the future.
We’ve talked a lot about the retail industry already, but it’s far from the only sector that can benefit from wayfinding kiosks. Others include:
No matter where you use your wayfinding kiosks, accessibility should always be a priority. There are many people who have sight issues, and even more whose first language may not be English. By offering accessibility features and using visual language wherever possible, anyone can benefit from your kiosks, and many will thank you for it.
So now you understand the importance of these kiosks, let’s explain why we’re the go-to provider in both the UK and across Europe.
At 10 Squared we offer a full root to branch service. From initial consultation, through concept design, prototype manufacture & testing to full production, installation & maintenance all from our UK based technology centre and all in constant collaboration with the client to ensure they have full visibility of the process and the product.
Our digital kiosks are bespoke, so they will include unique branding and any features you want your machines to have. All of this is established long before the design process begins, so the final products will be exactly what you envisioned.
