First Interactive Self-Service Kiosks in Chain of McDonald's Fast Food Restaurants in Azerbaijan

Lithuanian bank technology and retail company BS/2, a part of Penki Kontinentai group, installed first interactive self-service kiosks in chain of McDonald's fast food restaurants in Azerbaijan. Support, installation and maintenance are provided by BS/2 subsidiary in Azerbaijan BSKOM.

First McDonald's restaurant in Azerbaijan opened its doors on November 6, 1999, on the Fountains Square in Baku. Today, there are 13 restaurants across the country. Now the first McDonald's restaurant with Diebold Nixdorf self-service terminals is opened in the tourist area Amburan.

"One of the main interactive kiosks advantages for customers is their intuitive operation. Ordering process in self-service terminal is quite simple. The restaurant client selects dishes from the menu on the touchscreen, and then pays for a selected order by credit card. After that, payment checks and order number are issued. Order information is displayed on a special screen, customer picks up the order. Undoubtedly, this system is convenient for both sellers and buyers - faster service leads to reduced queues, human factor is becomes less relevant, so perception of the services and products quality becomes more objective," says Roman Naumkin, McDonald's IT-director in Azerbaijan.

Large screen, implemented in kiosk, is an excellent advertising platform for current promotions and special offers. According to expert data, the self-service terminals introduction increases the average check by offering related products. If there is no queue behind the customer's back, it gives him an opportunity to see the whole menu, choose more dishes, and try something new. As a result, order increases, average bill rises, so, special offers display and own choice (not inflicted by employees), have a positive impact on the economic efficiency of the company.

Self-service terminals can be adapted to the different customers' requirements. Kiosks with 32-inch touchscreens and one or two user interfaces are among the possible configuration options. This self-service device can be embedded into wall or installed in any place. It gives a possibility to plan the space in shops or restaurants flexibly.

"Interactive kiosks are already an important part of our daily life: payment terminals, automated parcel lockers, ticket vending machines. 85% of McDonald's orders are registered through terminals in France. We are looking forward to the same success in Azerbaijan due to possibilities given by self-service devices: faster ordering, payment and service in general, as well as reduced staff expenses. Diebold Nixdorf self-service kiosks stand out on the commercial equipment market because of a configurations variety and ease of use. This year, latest K-two model was awarded with Red Dot Product Design Award as an exemplary combination of functionality and design, reliable and fast operations," says Yurij Mikuckij, Head of BS/2 Retail Sales Department.

According to him, reliability and trouble-free operation are the most important factors, which guarantee the success of self-service terminals implementation. Diebold Nixdorf has embedded more than 10 thousand kiosk of the previous generations in fast food restaurants around the globe. The companies' desire to cut costs and speed up customer service are the main drivers of the self-service kiosks market growth.

According to analysts, the average annual growth market is 10.7%, and it may reach 12.8 billion US dollars by 2024.

The company BS/2 more than 20 years develops software, supplies banking equipment (ATMs, self-service devices, cash collection and recycling equipment) and provides system integration, maintenance and integrated outsourcing services in 80 countries. The company is the leader in the banking technology field. BS/2 advises and provides innovative banking solutions to international companies and organizations. The largest banks in the Baltic, Central Asia, Transcaucasia, Eastern Europe and other regions are among the BS/2 clients.