3 considerations when deploying payment kiosks

Tags: Banks / Financial, Bill Payment Kiosks, Security

 

 

By Jennifer Wickham

 

There are many benefits to deploying payment-accepting kiosks. With the average American feeling like they have more and more bills to pay with less and less time to do it, self-service payment kiosks can be a quick way for customers to pay their bills when, where and how it is convenient for them.

 

However, a successful payment kiosk deployment is not without challenges. In order for a bill-payment kiosk to be beneficial, it must be convenient not just for customers, but for staff and the company as a whole.

 

Here are three possible issues to consider before deploying a payment kiosk:

 

Integration Issues

 

To help prevent a lot of headaches and frustration in the future, seek out a kiosk provider that integrates your existing processing system with their kiosk payment processing system. That will help ensure the correct customer accounts get paid and will help create less work for your staff and accounting team.

 

Additionally, be aware whether the kiosk provider offers real-time transaction processing. Without this, customers may get charged on late or reconnection fees if their payments are the next business day.

 

Maintenance

 

So you have deployed your payment kiosks ... but what about servicing and maintaining them?

 

Many payment kiosk providers build and deploy these kiosks for you but do not offer maintenance as well. What is the benefit in having a service that is great for customers but more work and money for your company?

 

In order for a payment kiosk to be worthwhile to your company in the long run, ensure that you either find a reliable kiosk maintenance company or work out a maintenance deal with the provider that is right for your needs. Such deals should include fair pricing on hardware maintenance (i.e paper for printable receipts, parts replacement), software maintenance (i.e updates), and a cash removal schedule (if the kiosk you decide to deploy accepts cash). In addition to this, some sort of back-end platform that monitors maintenance and help desk questions/issues from customers is also very beneficial and valuable.

 

Security Issues

 

You never want to be at the center of attention when it comes to a breach in your customers' security in regards to their account information. Whichever company you chose, most importantly, make certain that they are PCI compliant.

 

Two other important security issues to consider when deploying payment kiosks are location and type of internet connection. The right location in a secure building is important, but the right location within that building is also important. If you want to deploy kiosks in other retail locations such as grocery or convenience stores, it can be challenging to find a great location that has appropriate internet access.

 

The most secure would be a hard wire, but access to one may not always be in the most convenient area and moving this connection may also become expensive. A second option to consider is a system that utilizes a similar 3G wireless network used by cellular phones; however, this may not be available. Finally, there is wireless internet connection. It may not be the most secure means of transmitting customer data or credit card information when it comes to hacker and fraud prevention, but is probably the most readily available. Ask your kiosk provider to check out and recommend which locations are secure and right for your company.

 

Jennifer Wickham is a marketing coordinator at TIO Networks Corp., a cloud-based multichannel bill-payment processor.