You got it: more customers = more salesmen = more costs. Every new sales outlet means new staff. Each new salesperson means salaries, vacations, layoffs, illnesses. Scaling up means a proportional increase in costs. Want more sales? Hire more people. More people = more costs. More costs = less profitability. Simple. And frustrating.
That's enough to want a salesperson who doesn't get sick, doesn't go on vacation, and works 24/7. right?
How do I know what it looks like for you? There are more people in that place than you think. I've been there, too.
Company that sells bathroom equipment for individual customers. 5 sales points. 12 salesmen. Staff costs: 60% revenue.
That's what it looked like to them. Exactly the same as yours.
More customers = more salespeople = more costs. Every new sales outlet means new staff. Each new salesperson means salaries, vacations, layoffs, illnesses. Scaling up means a proportional increase in costs. Want more sales? Hire more people. More people = more costs. More costs = less profitability. Simple. And frustrating.
Not „a lot of companies have a problem.” They've been there. In the same place as you. It is possible to get out of it. That's what this story is about.
Having a vendor is not the same as having a kiosk that sells 24/7 with no staff costs.
Most say: we already have vendors, we have outlets, customers can come and buy. And the truth is: the question is not „do you have salespeople.” The question is: can you scale sales without a proportional increase in costs? Does each new point of sale mean new personnel, new costs, new problems?
Vendors are for service. Kiosks are for scaling. It's the difference between „more sales = more costs” and „more sales = same profitability.” Sound familiar?
That's what an interactive kiosk does.
What it is. An interactive terminal that allows the customer to independently browse products, configure equipment, check availability, place orders. Not as a replacement for a salesperson, but as a tool that serves customers 24/7 without personnel costs. The kiosk doesn't get sick. It doesn't go on vacation. It doesn't need a break. It works always.
What does it look like in practice? A customer walks up to a kiosk. He browses the products. He configures the equipment. He checks availability. He sees the price. He places an order. Without waiting for a salesperson. Without a queue. Without time constraints. The kiosk serves customers when the vendor is busy. The kiosk serves customers when the outlet is closed. The kiosk serves customers at all times. Vendor talks to ready customers. The kiosk serves the rest. This is the kiosk. Not a payment machine - a tool that scales sales without increasing costs.
A company that sells bathroom equipment to individual customers. Before: 5 points, 12 salesmen, staff costs 60% revenue. After: kiosks at each point. 80% less service costs.
Today with them it looks like this: kiosks serve the majority of customers. Vendors only talk to those who need consultation. Service costs have dropped by 80%. Scaling up no longer means a proportional increase in costs. A new point of sale? A kiosk. No new staff. No new costs. No problems.
Figures:
- Reducing service costs: 80%
- The kiosk serves: 65% customers
- Salespeople only talk to: 35% customers (those that need consultation)
- Kiosk operation: 24/7 (365 days a year)
- Kiosk maintenance costs: 5% of vendor costs
- ROI: return on investment in 4 months
- Scaling: new point = kiosk, no new staff
At first it seemed that their products were too complicated for a kiosk - bathroom equipment has many variants, technical parameters, compatibility, styles, colors. The key turned out to be a logical interface - first product type, then parameters, then variants, then configuration. The system shows only what fits. The customer sees immediately what he can choose. The kiosk handles standard orders. The salesman talks to customers who need individual consultation.
One of their customers put it bluntly: finally I can come in at any time, check everything myself, place an order without waiting for a salesperson - and I can see right away what's available. Not „works great.” Concrete. His words. Two worlds: a point of sale that depends on staff - or a kiosk that always works. It's the latter option that allows you to scale without increasing costs.
The same solution is already being used by companies in very different industries:
- Furniture stores (kiosks with customized furniture configurators)
- Window and door showrooms (kiosks with configurator and visualization)
- Bathroom equipment stores (kiosks with configurator and availability)
- Car dealerships (kiosks with equipment configurators)
- Electronics stores (kiosks with product comparison)
- Customer service points (self-service kiosks)
The common denominator: selling points, personnel costs, scaling - and the frustration when more sales means more costs. People in your industry are already taking advantage of this.
We sometimes hear: „We already have salesmen. Customers prefer to talk to a human being.”
We understand. Many companies already have vendors. Just one thing to check: do customers who want to quickly check availability, place an order, see parameters - have to wait for a vendor? Does the vendor waste time on basic orders that could be handled by a kiosk? Vendors are for consulting. Kiosks are for scaling. If vendors are already doing what you have in mind - great. If they don't - we can talk about what that looks like for you.
We also hear, „It won't work with us - our products are too complicated.”
We hear it often. A company that sells bathroom fixtures to residential customers thought so too. Their products had many variations, technical parameters, compatibility, styles, colors, sizes. With a logical interface and good architecture, it is possible to build a kiosk for any complex products - the system shows only what fits, the customer can see immediately what he can choose. In their case, the kiosk serves 65% customers; the salesman only talks to those who need a consultation. Service costs have dropped by 80%. A question of project scope and price. It's worth seeing if it pays off in your case.
And: „We don't have room for a kiosk.”
We know it too. A company that sells bathroom equipment to individual customers thought so too. It turned out that the kiosk doesn't take up much space - it's a terminal that stands next to the products, it doesn't replace them. A customer can walk up to the kiosk, check something, return to the products, place an order. The kiosk does not require a lot of space. It requires logical placement. In their case, kiosks stand at every point of sale; customers use them eagerly because it's quick and convenient. We are not saying: you must now. We say: if one day there is a moment to make it count - we will be happy to help. No pressure.
It is very possible that your next step is a kiosk that scales sales without increasing costs.
More sales = same profitability. The kiosk works 24/7, doesn't get sick. It doesn't go on vacation. Just like a company that sells bathroom equipment to individual customers and companies in various industries that already use it.
You don't have to go down this road alone. We can talk.
