Editor's Note: This blogpost was first published in May 2022, and has been revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Today’s digital consumers want services that are delivered efficiently and with convenience, and autonomous devices (think: self-service kiosks) offer just that. These devices open up a world of opportunities for businesses. Think of an industry — and there is a use case for it. 

In this blog, we are going to go over the essentials of what it takes to deploy a fleet of autonomous self-service kiosks, so you can maximize your investments. 

Don’t worry, we won’t get too technical! (However, if you are ready to talk technicalities, get in touch with us and we’ll be more than happy to help.)

Functionality

What do you want your kiosk to do? Besides the touchscreen device itself, what peripheral devices need to be housed in the kiosk?

For instance, a digital wayfinding kiosk typically only requires a touchscreen device. 

On the contrary, a self-service ordering kiosk may need a printer, an RFID card reader, and a cash dispenser. It’s good to keep in mind that kiosks come in all shapes and sizes, but peripheral devices do take space and need to be implemented right to provide a pleasant user experience.

Placement

Determine: will the kiosk be indoors or outdoors? 

If outdoors, there are a few things to consider, such as the appropriate cooling or heating system within the hardware so it can continue to operate.

There is also the likelihood of the kiosk operating under direct sunlight or in the dark of the night. Therefore, it is important to pick anti-glare or back-lit screens, depending on the need.

Consider Accessibility

It is also important ensure that kiosks can be accessed and used by users with mobility limitations, as well as hearing or vision impairments. 

Extra thought should not only be taken towards the kiosk unit, but also the UX/UI of the software, the touchscreen device, access to connected peripherals, as well as the space or surface area surrounding the kiosks. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has good guidelines that should be adhered to. 

Security

When deployed to the public, it is important to set devices in kiosk mode, which means that the device’s functionality has been restricted to a single-app or multi-app kiosk mode. 

This ensures that the device is safe from user tampering or configuration changes, whether accidentally or not.

Single-app kiosk mode‍

In a single-app kiosk mode, the device is configured to show a single application. This can either be a privately developed app, an app downloaded from the app store, or a web app locked within a browser. 

‍Multi-app kiosk mode

In a multi-app kiosk mode, users are allowed to switch between apps or access device settings, albeit in a controlled environment and as configured by the IT administrator. If this is the use case you’re going for, it’s good to keep in mind that not many kiosk management platform have this functionality.

To successfully deploy self-service devices, you need a reliable app and device management platform. With the meldCX Core Platform on the Chrome OS, you can:

• Flexibly configure your apps for kiosks - whether it’s single-app or multi-app mode
• Enjoy advanced monitoring, AI-based auto recovery, and uptime tools at your fingertips to build ultra reliable use cases
• Support secure payments across a multi-OS orchestration layer (meldCX Core is PCI DSS level 1 compliant)
• Monetise your kiosk through our integration to third party advertising services that can  provide alternate revenue to your kiosk

Not on Chrome? No worries! meldCX Core is compatible with ChromeOS Flex and most legacy architecture & peripherals. Seamlessly incorporate existing infrastructure into your solutions, saving costs and maximising ROI.

And if you are developing your own app, have access to the meldCX Developer Portal, containing tools so your developers can build commercial apps that are secure and robust in a fraction of the time.

If you want to know more about kiosks on Chrome OS or meldCX Core Platform in general, get in touch with us for a 1:1 demo.