Watch: How to set up a front-desk check-in kiosk in SalesThumb (0:53)
Some shops put a tablet in the waiting area so customers can check themselves in instead of waiting for the front desk. SalesThumb's front-desk check-in page does exactly that. There's no configurable "kiosk mode" with multiple screens, an exit PIN or notification blocking. Here's what it does and how to set it up.
This check-in page isn't the same as the Sales Matrix presentation, the TV selling tool you run with a customer across the table. The Sales Matrix is on the Growth plan and up. See Starting a Sales Matrix presentation.
What the front-desk kiosk does
- Shows today's appointments on one screen
- The customer taps their name, then enters the last 4 digits of the phone number on file
- A match checks in the appointment; a mismatch shows an error and lets them try again
- The list refreshes every 60 seconds so it stays current
Check-in is the only thing this page does. There's no status board, signature pad or photo gallery to choose from.
Step 1: Find your kiosk link
Your check-in kiosk is at /kiosk/ followed by your shop's slug. You can get the link two ways:
- Settings → Storefront Widgets, on the QR Code tab: choose Customer check-in kiosk to make a QR code that opens the page.
- Settings → Integrations → Front Desk Kiosk: shows the same link to copy or open.
Step 2: Open it on the tablet
Open the link in the tablet's browser (or add it to the home screen) and leave it open. There's no separate kiosk switch in SalesThumb. The page itself is the kiosk.
Step 3: Lock the tablet
SalesThumb doesn't lock the tablet, so use your tablet's own feature to keep customers on the page:
- iPad: turn on Guided Access in the iPad's Accessibility settings, then start it while the kiosk page is open. It locks the tablet to that one app with its own passcode.
- Android: most tablets have a "Screen pinning" or "App pinning" setting under Security.
Use a passcode that's separate from any shop PIN.
Step 4: Mount and secure the device
- Use a lockable tablet enclosure
- Mount it on a counter or wall at a comfortable height for customers
- Run the power cable through the mount so it can't be unplugged
Step 5: Test it
Walk up to the kiosk as if you were a customer and check that:
- Today's appointments show up
- Tapping a name and entering the right last 4 digits checks the appointment in
- A wrong last 4 shows an error and lets you try again
- The tablet lock keeps you from leaving the page
A different kiosk: staff clock-in
For staff rather than customers, /clock/ followed by your shop's slug is a clock-in and clock-out kiosk with its own PIN for each team member. It goes back to the PIN screen after a few seconds of no activity. The clock-in kiosk is on the Growth plan and up, and it's separate from the check-in kiosk above.
Common patterns
- Tint shop with lots of walk-ins: the front desk still handles walk-in quotes; the kiosk is for customers with an appointment.
- PPF or ceramic shop, appointments only: customers check in as they arrive, so the front desk knows who's here.
- Detail shop with a subscription program: self-check-in at drop-off frees staff to focus on the car.
Related
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is the check-in kiosk the same as the Sales Matrix?
A: No. The check-in kiosk lets customers check themselves in. The Sales Matrix is a separate selling tool for the showroom TV, on the Growth plan and up.
Q: Where do I get the kiosk link?
A: Settings → Storefront Widgets on the QR Code tab (choose Customer check-in kiosk), or Settings → Integrations → Front Desk Kiosk.
Q: How do customers check in?
A: They tap their name and enter the last 4 digits of the phone number on file. A match checks in the appointment.
Q: Can SalesThumb lock the tablet to the kiosk page?
A: No. Use your tablet's own feature, such as Guided Access on an iPad or screen pinning on Android.