Article: 10 Benefits of Donation Kiosks
TITLE: 10 Benefits of Donation Kiosks
WRITTEN BY: Kisha Wilson Young
PUBLICATION DATE: 2013 (SlabbKiosks.com)
You may have heard them referred to as ‘Giving kiosks’ or even ‘Charity kiosks’ but whatever
name they are given, they serve the same purpose - they provide a unique, secure and
confidential way for members of a church or group to donate or contribute to their
communities. Here are 10 benefits of implementing a donation kiosk in your community.
1. Ease of use
Donation kiosks are similar to ATMs and can provide an interactive element that makes
them easy to use.
2. Convenience
Donation kiosks, depending on where they are located can be accessed at any time so
donations are no longer limited to during a service or meeting. Members have the
option of giving at any time that is convenient to them.
3. Cash is not the only option
There have been many occasions where I have opened my wallet to find just my credit
and bank cards staring back at me, with not even a cent to put in the donation basket
during a service. This is no longer a problem, as kiosks can be customized to accept
multiple forms of payment including, credit and debit cards.
4. It’s always good to have alternatives
A kiosk can be just one of many donation alternatives that a church or group can
provide for their members. It can complement the traditional method of collection of
tithes during a service along with online methods of contributing or even via mobile
payments. Having a variety of options increases the opportunities to give.
5. Thinking ‘outside the box’
A kiosk can contain many components that can facilitate multiple uses that go beyond
the collection of donations. They can provide information about community events and
other relevant topics and can be used to generate additional revenue through the sale
of church merchandise including books, CDs and DVDs, t-shirts, etc.
6. Collects more than just donations
A kiosk can facilitate the registration of new members and updating of information for
current members through personal membership log ins. This will allow members and
church personnel to access reports that provide accurate data of the amounts donated
and items purchased. Members can also register for events.
7. What’s in a name?
If you’re interested in getting your name out there, showcasing your brand would be a
way of doing that. Kiosks provided an ideal opportunity for this and can be easily
branded with the church or group logo and colors.
8. Provide and incentive for first time givers
Because of the convenience of a kiosk, the fact that donations can be given at a time
when no one else is around thereby allowing the giver to maintain anonymity, this along
with security of giving via the kiosk provides an incentive to give, especially for first time
givers. Dr. Marty Baker of Stephen’s Creek Community Church in August, Georgia found
that 27% of kiosk donations at his home church were first-time givers.
9. It creates a ‘giving trend’
It has been found that both kiosks and online donation options create a trend of giving,
simply because they provide the option of scheduled donations that can be debited
directly from the member’s account at a specific time.
10. Simple implementation
Most importantly, kiosks are simple to implement, are cost effective and have low
transaction fees. Kiosk management is also very straightforward and data can be
accessed from any computer through an administrative portal.
The benefits of donation/giving kiosks are reflected in the fourth annual ‘State of the
Plate’ survey which showed that “1,360 congregations revealed that 51 percent of
churches saw giving increase in 2011, up from 43 percent in 2010 and 36 percent in
2009.” Author, speaker and founder of the “State of the Plate” research concluded that
"A better economy, more Bible teaching on finances and generosity and a growing
number of online giving options are helping many churches rebound financially."