Current conditions in society have led to people spending a lot of time in their homes. While shopping as entertainment has certainly dropped off, people still need to procure products for daily living. To keep households running, the following self-service businesses are gaining in popularity.
Postal Services
High-tech postal options abound. From purchasing the right amount of postage for a particular container to getting a quick book of stamps, you can step up, log in and take care of business without waiting in line.
Postal kiosks are not yet popular in the United States, but these tools are gaining good traction north of the border. These stores even have a changing room, so if you bought something online and want to make sure it fits, you can try it on at the post office and either take it home or return it, right there.
Hotel Check-Ins
When the concierge is busy and you’re exhausted, it’s nice to be able to step up and swipe your credit card so you can get up to your room. In addition to a conveniently mounted check-in display, some hotels are offering an app you can use to activate your check-in from the road.
Of course, the human touch is always nice, particularly when you’re in a new city. However, a lingering conversation with front desk staff isn’t always possible, particularly if there’s a line behind you. Just step up, swipe, and receive your room key so you can get settled in quickly.
Grocery Pickup
If you’ve ordered groceries online and just need to run in and collect them, you’ll find that many businesses are offering refrigerated lockers to make sure that your selections are fresh and cool. These lockers can often be custom set to keep your groceries at an ideal temperature. Simply order from your phone, make your payment, get your locker code, and pick up your food.
Many shipping companies also offer these collection sites. Whether you’re bringing in medications or wines that need to be held at a certain temp for best results, the ability to collect your shipment from a lockable cooler with custom temperature settings is an excellent option. Some of these facilities allow you to set up your own numerical code to open your locker, or allow you to open it via the phone app.
Coffee Kiosks
If you’re waiting for your flight or crossing a pedestrian mall, the ability to get a cup of coffee quickly can save your day. Even if there’s not a barista in sight, you can enjoy a fresh cup of joe thanks to Marlow.
Via an interactive screen, you can get a cup of coffee from a Costa machine and have all of your senses tickled. This is no serving of sad instant coffee; you can hear the machines working to brew your beverage. Even better, the kiosk smells like coffee while it’s working for you. It should be noted that you can often find a quality self-serve food vending machine near your Marlow coffee kiosk, so your wait in the line at the airport could be a thing of the past!
Storage Units
Many of us have spent time at home decluttering and getting rid of things that no longer appeal. However, no matter how minimalist you want to go, you will need to store some objects long term. Depending on what you’re storing, you may also need temperature control.
There are now self-serve storage units available where you can sign up and pay online without the need to make unnecessary physical contact with anyone. This makes the process easy and not risky to our health. These facilities often have a manager who lives nearby or on-site to monitor the units and grounds to make sure that nobody is onsite who doesn’t belong. When putting together your storage unit, make sure you create a map of what items are stored where, so you can easily find things without having to move too much.
If you’ve got a smart phone in your pocket, there are many apps and features that can make self-service even easier. To keep your life moving smoothly, keep an eye out for products you can pick up from self-service kiosks. You can skip the line, get what you need, and go.
