skiosk® Lite vs. skiosk® Smart: Which is Right for Your Business?
Many of our clients can tell when it’s time to upgrade the payment terminals at their parking facilities, but sometimes they’re not sure which terminal is their best option. Maybe it’s been several years since their last upgrade and they’re not sure what’s available, or maybe they know exactly what’s out there, but they want to see how the new tech has been working for others.
Wetherbee Electric sells and installs SKIDATA parking terminals Automatic Payment Machines (APMs) because they’re high-quality machines that offer robust functionality, and rarely have performance issues. Recently, SKIDATA launched a new family of skiosk® payment terminals that they designed to meet the wide variety of needs of parking facilities. In this article, we’ll compare the skiosk® Light and the skiosk® Smart to help you determine which would best meet your needs.
skiosk® Lite: compact, dynamic, cashless
The skiosk® Lite is the midsize ticketing terminal in SKIDATA’s latest product lineup. The terminal features a compact design, so it’s ideal for tight spaces or areas where you may want several payment terminals. The Lite terminal does not accept cash payments. Depending upon your primary customers, this may be an ideal solution. Many parking facilities appreciate the greater security and accuracy of cashless payment kiosks.
The Lite kiosk features a large 10.4-inch or 18.5-inch touch screen. The software is easy and intuitive for customers to use. The largest version of the Lite terminal also features a split screen that alternates between a customer payment terminal, activated by customer touch, or a dynamic advertising space. Parking businesses can use the advertising space to share relevant information such as local weather and travel tips. They can also promote their own business or sell the ad space to other companies for a new source of revenue.
skiosk® Lite is available in four different heights to accommodate your site. Facilities can also choose heights that are more accessible for customers with disabilities. The skiosk® Lite is a cost-effective solution for facilities that want to prioritize efficiency and maximize profits. If you feel like your facility is outgrowing the skiosk® Lite in the future, you can enhance the device with add-ons to better meet your changing business.
skiosk® Smart: robust, versatile, customizable
One of the primary highlights of the skiosk® Smart is that it accepts a variety of payment methods, including cash, credit, debit, and RFID. The coin dispenser has self-refilling capabilities, and the terminal also includes a banknote validator scanner to reduce the likelihood of accepting counterfeit bills.
The large format screen is attractive to customers and features the same split screen capabilities as the Lite. However, the Smart features a proximity sensor that automatically switches to the operational screen when a customer approaches the terminal.
The Smart kiosk is a vivid information center that parking facilities can customize for their business. The terminal includes robust features such as the ability to use vouchers or loyalty cards to access discounts, the ability to read cards in multiple directions to create an easier customer experience, and the capability to print a receipt.
skiosk® Smart is a great option for facilities that prioritize a superior customer experience. If your goal is to cultivate customer loyalty, skiosk® Smart can help you achieve it. The size is considerably larger than the Lite, so it may not be a good match for all spaces. However, it’s even more customizable than the Lite. For example, facilities can mount additional accessories, such as PIN pads, printers, and credit card terminals. Lite can also have these features, so if your space is tight, it may be the better fit.
Robust SKIDATA software
Both members of the SKIDATA skiosk® Family ‘Parking’ line are RFID enabled for reading keycards. Since they feature the robust SKIDATA software, customers can access several convenient options, such as reserving tickets online and picking them up directly at the terminals.
A feature that most parking facilities can’t wait to use is the remote customer service, which allows them to speak directly with customers at the terminal from a remote location. Both the Lite and Smart terminals have bi-directional intercoms so you can address customer issues in real-time, directly at the terminal. The Smart kiosk also has video capabilities, for future-forward facilities.
Still not sure which skiosk® is right for your facility?
At Wetherbee, we’re passionate about parking. If you still have questions about the skiosk® Family ‘Parking’ line, get in touch with us. We’d love to discuss your facility, your goals, and your needs to help you determine which payment terminal would be the right fit for you.
