An introduction to kiosk software and its uses
Do you want your organization to stand out among others and captivate the attention of the target audience? Try out kiosk software and be amazed by its intuitive interfaces and interactive features. It assists organizations to develop engaging and lasting impressions on the minds of the audience.
What is kiosk software?
It is security software that restricts a device to kiosk mode software. It transforms a normal device to work as a purpose-driven terminal so that it can access certain approved applications only. These are self-contained mounted devices that provide a collaborative digital experience to perform specific tasks.
All other functionalities of the device are locked by the kiosk software and the user cannot even access the basic functions of the device other than the approved transactions. It is most commonly used in healthcare, retail, logistics, cafeterias, restaurants, and airports.
Android Kiosk Mode is a specialized feature that locks a device into running a single app or a specific set of apps, restricting users from accessing other functionalities. It’s often utilized in public spaces like museums, retail stores, and exhibitions to provide information or to showcase a particular application. Businesses also employ Kiosk Mode for dedicated tasks, ensuring that the device remains focused on a singular function, enhancing security and user experience.
Types of kiosks
Depending on the functionality and usage, kiosks can be classified into four categories, which are discussed below.
Informational kiosks
These kiosks are used to disseminate information or awareness regarding some product or service. The basic objective is to educate users so that they can make informed decisions. Such kiosks are deployed at museums, shopping malls, and theme parks as way finders. The informational kiosks can be interactive in nature and users can pinch elements by touching the screen.
Their application in hospitals is vital as it can create awareness regarding pandemics, specific diseases, and other precautionary measures. Likewise, during complex surgeries, it displays patient records, medical history, allergies, and current values of attached wearable sensors. In retail, it provides information regarding products along with their availability status. In the transport sector, these informational kiosks are placed to display schedules and the status of vehicles.
Internet kiosks
Such kiosks are stand-alone touchscreen terminals that are used for accessing the internet in public places. These kiosks can be tablets, computers, iPads, or laptops with stable internet access and browser. Internet kiosks can be commonly found in transport hubs, hotel lobbies, and airports.
Self-service kiosks
Such kiosks are interactive screens that can be used by customers to place orders, pay bills, schedule appointments, fill out forms, and order food in a self-service restaurant. The most common examples of self-service kiosks in daily life are ATM machines, purchasing tickets, and self-check-in at airports. These kiosks improve customer experience by saving lots of time.
Digital signages
These types of digital signage kiosks are normally used for advertising purposes. They are actually big screens with images, presentations, videos, and audio to display products and are located at the main hubs of the city, hospitals and hotel waiting areas, and other common places of trade shows, expos, events, and offices.
Advantages of kiosk software for businesses
Kiosk software locks down a device to single or multiple approved apps. The kiosk software can easily be configured and set up using Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions like Vantage MDM. Restricting a device to a handful of necessary apps increases the productivity of employees and improves time efficiency as well.
Using Vantage MDM, you can configure kiosks on Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, and Chromebook. It provides the following important functionalities to manage kiosks. It helps in improving the security posture of an organization as without employing security controls, organizations are prone to both internal and external threats which puts sensitive data in danger and the organization’s reputation at stake.
By enabling kiosk mode, employees’ access to organization resources can be limited and based on the principle of least privilege. In such a way, the company’s resources and assets can be controlled. Apart from this, the restricted environment it provides eases the tasks of employees as they do not have to switch between different apps and windows and hence can focus on their tasks. Similarly, locked devices cannot be used for entertainment purposes and for watching inappropriate content. This again improves the productivity of employees.
Kiosk features offered by Vantage MDM
Vantage MDM offers state-of-the-art kiosk features which can be used by corporates to restrict access of employees to company resources remotely. Vantage MDM implements kiosk mode in the following ways.
Single app kiosk
It restricts the digital device to one app only. The user cannot access any other app or functionality of the device. The app deployed through a single app kiosk appears in the foreground and the user cannot close it. Vantage MDM also enables the admin to customize the interface by blocking the power button, scroll bar, notification bar, etc.
Multi app kiosk
In this kiosk, an employee’s device can be locked down to a set of approved apps and he can switch between those apps to perform specific tasks like making a reservation or paying different bills.
Web app kiosk
This feature enables the admin to restrict the digital device of an employee to a specific website by creating web clips. They appear on devices like any other app but are actually a bookmark to a web page that the company wants the employee to access without opening a browser.