Introduction
A kiosk refers to a booth, which is small in size, used for marketing purposes. It is generally manned by one or two persons or styled for self-use by customers electronically. Kiosks help in test marketing new products in a low-cost manner. Kiosks can be operated through a small space inside a shopping mall or in the compound.
Understanding Kiosk
Kiosks are set up in areas or places which see a large footfall of customers. Different types of products can be displayed, such as food products offered to taste, mobile phones, cars, and so on. In the case of services, a person at the kiosk helps explain the service offerings, such as fine dining offers of a hotel, services of an e-commerce or fintech platform, insurance products, and so on.
Small kiosks are also set up within an existing space or franchisee shop to display new products or services. Example of such offering includes skincare products launched by a company traditionally selling hair care products, insurance cum investment (ULIP) products offered by a traditional insurance company.
They also include self-service kiosks, which are operated as interactive computer terminals that help customers update their information or personal records. For example, updating personal data of change in address, mobile phone number in kiosks set up by banks which allow customers to update their records without human intervention and long-standing queues.
The owners of a kiosk, malls, or other lessors who sub-let space for kiosks charge a rent for the space let-out. The rent is less in comparison to high rent charged for a larger outlet or showroom. The low rent also suits the business which may be in its early stages and not able to pay for a larger space.
Conclusion
Kiosks are often strategically placed to attract the right customers. For example, credit card kiosks are set up in a tech park to advertise the facilities offered by the card to employees of the tech park. Kiosks help in the first-hand collection of information about customers, their likes and dislikes, and building a network.
