Movie night experiences always had one thing in common: visiting the theatre way earlier than usual, getting your tickets, getting in line at the concession counter to grab refreshments, and hoping you get everything before the movie begins.
However, autonomous checkout has brought about a significant change by simplifying visits to concession counters. If you’re wondering how, let’s know here!
1. No Hassle of Long Queues
In traditional theatres, the most troublesome part is the long queue. Everyone wants to munch on something while watching the movie, so they visit the concession stands for food and beverages.
However, when everyone visits these stores simultaneously (before the movie begins or at intervals), it becomes excessively crowded, leading to long queues.
Let’s be honest; nobody wants to miss any part of the movie! Some of the audience would even forsake their spot in the queue to watch the show. Thus, the stores lose sales opportunities.
Thanks to the automated checkout solution, this can be easily resolved. The system equips the concession stands with sensor-infused trays, high-resolution cameras, and AI technology.
It notes every last item a person selects and bills them accordingly when they check out, only for the items they take with them. Eliminating queues makes movie nights much easier than ever.
Of course, shorter wait times also imply happy guests! They won’t have to arrive way earlier to pick up refreshments and can comfortably arrive closer to showtime.
2. Improved Revenue Per Guest
When the concession stands are crowded, visitors can’t explore the store offerings properly. They are more likely to buy limited items or ask for the standard, such as popcorn and soda.
However, by switching to automated checkout systems, you can reduce the crowd in the store by several folds. People grab whatever they need and leave immediately, without fumbling with cash or a card for payment.
Less crowding and no long queues of people waiting behind customers who have enough space and time to browse all options. They feel more comfortable taking their time without offending or being a nuisance to anyone.
This results in them buying more refreshments than they originally planned to. With impulse buying, the revenue per guest also increases significantly.
3. Contactless Payments
In traditional stores, guests can only pay at concession stands using cash or a card (primarily) and through online wallets (rarely). However, the first two options carry a high risk of contracting germs.
In this post-pandemic world, nobody wants to take chances. After all, COVID-19 remains prevalent in certain parts of the world. So, unless guests can pay online, many prefer not to make transactions at all.
Autonomous checkout systems cater to such needs perfectly. They bill every guest online directly to their wallet or bank account. Thus, they can pay using their phone and won’t have to touch anything besides the refreshments they want to buy.
4. Improved Staff Reassigning and Better Hygiene
With the help of autonomous checkout systems, concession stands can eliminate the need for checkout operators and reduce overhead costs associated with these positions.
Instead, they can reassign these staff to other areas, such as store hygiene, shelf restocking, and customer interaction and support.
They can assures customers have a positive experience so nobody returns empty-handed. They also create a hygienic space through regular cleaning and sanitation, making your store the most appealing among the others.
5. 24/7 Accessibility
Certain movie theatres stay open 24/7. However, the concession stands can’t operate around the clock because owners don’t want to hire more staff when the guest traffic is not steady.
If there are not enough guests, it can ultimately result in significant losses. However, this results in a poor impression on customers and lost sales opportunities.
The system will enable guests to select the refreshments of their choice and accurately bill them for their selections. Thus, your store earns revenue while also making a good impression on your guests.
6. Personalized Experience
These checkout solutions, when used in conjunction with inventory management systems, reveal which refreshments or combinations are most popular among guests.
With this data, you can refill shelves accordingly and make sure guests find the most popular options. This assures peak customer satisfaction and encourages them to shop only from your concession stand whenever they visit.
When stocks run low, the system sends notifications so you never go out of the most popular options. If any of the food or beverages don’t sell well, you can also create bundles and sell them with special discounts to clear stocks.
Parting Words
Given the evolving retail landscape, many theaters are exploring AI-based systems to enhance the customer experience and reduce overhead. Enhance your customers’ experience and stay ahead of your competitors!
