Large supermarkets have already been using self-service checkout counter zones successfully for some time. You can also find them in some restaurants that try to automate their order to cash processes. Such a solution offers a lot of benefits to both your business and your customers.
The benefits of self-service checkout counters
Saving time and space
First and foremost – it’s about saving time and space. The same number of self-checkouts takes considerably less space than cashier-manned ones. This way you can increase your store throughput. (This is especially critical in case of smaller stores.) And improve your customers’ experience as they will spend less time in a queue.
Cost reduction
Let’s take an example here. If you have 4 cashier-staffed desks, you need 4 people to work them. Additionally, there is the need for a number or store assistants and a store manager, depending on the store size. All these people’s job is to keep your business running. And they altogether translate into a considerable employment cost. Creating self-service checkout zones will decrease your labor costs. And if you’re short of staff, you can try to delegate cashiers to other responsibilities.
Self-service checkout counters during the pandemic
The recent pandemic showed us all how non-contact payment methods make our life safer and easier. When the whole world has been trying to limit direct interactions among people to a minimum, self-checkouts have proved to be a great alternative to traditional retail points of sale. Properly and systematically disinfected, self-checkouts provided the feeling of safety and relative comfort for shoppers.
Improve customer experience and your bottom line
Self-service checkouts make a perfect payment method for foreigners. The machine software can be available in many languages. With this option, a visitor from abroad can successfully shop at your store. This also presents an opportunity for your brand to provide a great customer experience.
Costs down, sales up with self-services checkout counters!
The software used in self-checkouts gives you so much more than time savings, cost reductions and improved customer experiences. You can start selling more! Technology enables showing advertisements and promotional offers on the checkout screen. Flashing your current and seasonal deals is a great tool for both stores and fast-food restaurants. Research proves that this brings better results than when a cashier offers the same in person. Customers tend to benefit from promotions more often when they see them on the self-checkout screen.
Investment in self-service checkout counters
Investing in self-checkouts results in many benefits. However, one needs to consider some typical challenges when introducing this new way of payment. First of all, creating a self-service checkout zone presents a significant investment. Design, manufacture and installation of this type of checkout needs to be secured in a store budget.
Are cashless payments for everybody?
Adapting to new trends and technologies in retail is critical to keep up with competitors. That’s why it’s important to implement new in-store innovations. These can bring efficiency to both customer shopping and store operations. However, one always needs to consider their target group. Not everyone can quickly and easily adapt to new ways of shopping. Self-service checkouts can be challenging especially for older people. The obligation of paying with a card only can meet resistance and fear in some seniors.
In many cases customers need a reply to a question they might have. And a self-service checkout is not going to provide any. That’s why in these situations a win-win solution is to provide customers with a choice. This can be done by installing both traditional and self-checkouts. Doing that you adapt your space to customers who expect fast, in-store technology shopping. But you also make it comfortable for customers who are used to the traditional payment option.
Designing and delivering self-checkout zones: an experienced partner is key
Now you have reviewed all the aspects of self-service checkouts implementation. If you have decided to go with this innovation, remember to choose an experienced and reliable supplier.
The CAPS Group team have been working in the shopfitting business for almost 20 years. We understand how retail trends have been evolving. In our portfolio you can find smaller domestic companies as well as international and global brands. We have done display and fixture design, manufacture and installation for many brands across Europe and beyond. And always thinking in a customer experience category along the way.
Prototype of a 2 in-1 cashier & self-service checkout counter
One of our recent projects is designing, manufacturing and installing self-service checkout counter prototypes for a leading supermarket chain in Europe. In our prototype we smoothly combined a cashier assistant station with self-checkout. The fixture is done so it ensures an efficient and comfortable customer service and payment, while taking as little space as possible.
Characteristics of self-service checkout zone concept
What did we do exactly? Our head designer grouped the appliances in a compact way combining cashier’s assistant function with a cashier payment station itself. The fixture features a complete checkout with scanner and scales, cash drawer and assistant’s monitor. We secured a special area for personal space, equipment storage and cable and assembly ducts. The whole fixture is neat and pleasant for the eye. And, most importantly – it meets payment and information requirements that are expected by customers.
Impulse shopping in a self- checkout zone
The impulse shopping category is critical for store performance. A well-designed retail checkout zone with impulse shopping fixtures and display will help to generate more sales. For our customer’s 2-in-1 checkout counter we applied, for example, a customisable shelving system with lighting, hook set and other elements for a fixture personalisation. We also added a cigarette dispenser.
How to do this? You can read more here
Convenience store intelligent fixtures
In western countries smart stores have been implemented at least a few years back. In the USA, Amazon Go is an example of an intelligent store. To shop there, one just needs the Amazon Go application on their phone and credit card linked to it. And you are good to go! All you have to do is take what you need and leave the store. The system will scan the products you purchased and your card will be charged accordingly.
Take&GO intelligent stores in Poland
In 2019 Take&GO, an intelligent convenience store brand, made its debut on the Polish market. The company used their own smart in-store software to enable shopping with the use of a special application and a mobile phone. The payment was done by at a self-service checkout counter also by using the app in the phone.
CAPS Group prepared the adaptation of the store concept to provide the maximum efficiency. We also supplied the store fixtures and did the installation in all 3 stores. You can read more about this project here
