The Complete Guide to Smart Locker Technology
Looking for a way to increase the efficiency of your IT department? A Smart Locker is the perfect solution to help save your business time and money.
Contents
- Redefining IT desk-side IT support
- Who is this guide for
- What is a smart kiosk?
- What is a smart locker?
- What is a smart vending machine?
- How does a smart locker work?
- Why should you use a smart locker?
- Smart locker applications and use-cases for IT teams
- Why Velocity Smart Technology?
- Velocity Smart Locker technology explained
Redefining desk-side IT Support
In today’s modern, digital-first world, all aspects of end-user services — from apps to storage — are now digital and cloud-based, but when it comes to the delivery, collection, management and tracking of IT equipment, it’s still overwhelmingly manual and time-consuming.
Smart locker and smart vending technology are redefining how modern enterprises manage physical assets, IT equipment and consumables.
Traditional processes for issuing laptops, peripherals and spares rely on manual hand‑offs and paper‑based procedures. The result is ticket backlogs, lost assets and frustrated users. Velocity Smart Technology’s Built On Now smart locker and vending platform offers a fully automated “click‑and‑collect” experience that integrates deeply with ServiceNow to automate every step of the asset life‑cycle.
This guide gives you everything you need to understand, evaluate and implement smart locker and smart vending solutions—including how they work, their benefits, deployment considerations, industry use cases and ways to maximise your ROI. Throughout this guide you will find links to relevant Velocity pages and resources so you can explore each topic in more detail.
Who is this guide for
This guide is written for technology leaders, digital workplace managers, IT service management teams, facilities teams, operations managers and managed service providers (MSPs). If you are responsible for delivering IT equipment, peripherals or other assets, or you support hybrid or shift‑based workforces, you will learn how smart lockers and smart vending can reduce operational overhead and improve user satisfaction. The guide also highlights how solution integrators and MSPs can differentiate their digital workplace offerings through Velocity’s partner program
What Is the Smart Kiosk?
A smart IT support kiosk is a self-service workstation designed to give employees access to IT support services without requiring a dedicated onsite technician. Typically located in offices, campuses, hospitals, warehouses, or other workplaces, a smart kiosk acts as a physical touchpoint where employees can diagnose device issues, connect with remote IT support agents, or exchange equipment such as laptops or accessories.
Unlike traditional service desks or “tech bars,” which rely on in-person staff, smart kiosks combine hardware, connectivity, and software integrations to enable remote support workflows. This means employees can receive assistance quickly, while organisations maintain a centralised IT support model.
A modern smart kiosk may include several integrated components. These can include a touchscreen interface for starting support sessions, secure lockers for device exchange, video communication tools that connect employees with remote service desk agents, and diagnostic capabilities that allow technicians to troubleshoot devices remotely. In many deployments, kiosks are connected to enterprise service management platforms, ensuring that support sessions, device swaps, and user activity are logged as part of the organisation’s standard IT workflows.
The concept is similar to other forms of workplace automation: instead of requiring human staff at every location, organisations create intelligent service points that connect employees directly to centralised services.
Why Smart Kiosks Are Becoming More Common in IT Support
Over the past decade, the structure of workplace IT support has changed significantly. Many organisations now operate across multiple locations, with employees spread across regional offices, production facilities, research labs, distribution centres, or hybrid work environments. At the same time, devices such as laptops, tablets, and mobile equipment have become essential tools for daily work.
Traditionally, IT teams handled device issues through one of three approaches: onsite technicians, central tech bars, or device shipping and replacement processes. Each of these models has limitations.
Onsite technicians can provide fast support but are expensive to scale across many locations. Tech bars centralise support but often require employees to travel to a specific location and wait in queues for assistance. Shipping devices for repair can create significant downtime and administrative overhead.
Smart kiosks offer a different operational model. Instead of moving employees or technicians, the kiosk acts as a support hub within the workplace. Employees approach the kiosk, initiate a support session, and connect with a remote IT specialist who can assess the problem immediately. If necessary, the system can also release a replacement device from a secure locker or guide the employee through troubleshooting steps.
This approach allows organisations to maintain a centralised IT service desk while still providing physical support access at distributed locations.
Key Benefits of Smart IT Support Kiosks
Smart kiosks provide several operational advantages for both employees and IT teams.
For employees, the most obvious benefit is faster access to support. Instead of waiting for an onsite technician or shipping a device away for repair, employees can connect with an IT specialist in real time. This reduces downtime and helps people return to work more quickly.
For IT departments, kiosks enable a more scalable support model. Remote service desk agents can assist employees across multiple locations without needing to travel or maintain staff at every site. In environments with large numbers of devices, this can significantly reduce operational costs while maintaining consistent service quality.
Another benefit is improved workflow integration. Many smart kiosks are designed to integrate with existing IT service management platforms and asset management systems. This means support sessions, device diagnostics, and hardware exchanges can automatically generate tickets, update asset records, and log activity within existing IT processes.
Finally, smart kiosks can help standardise support experiences. Instead of relying on varying levels of onsite expertise at different locations, employees receive consistent assistance from trained service desk specialists.
Smart Kiosks vs Traditional Tech Bars
Tech bars became popular in large offices as a way to provide face-to-face IT support in a familiar, approachable setting. Employees could visit the tech bar with their device and receive help from an IT technician.
While effective in some environments, tech bars have limitations when organisations operate across multiple sites. Maintaining skilled technicians at every location can be costly, and support availability may be limited to office hours. In addition, employees often have to wait for assistance during busy periods.
Smart kiosks extend the concept of a tech bar without requiring permanent onsite staff. Instead of a technician sitting behind the desk, the kiosk connects employees with remote specialists who can assist through video support and remote diagnostics. The result is similar to a tech bar experience, but delivered through a distributed support infrastructure.
This model allows organisations to provide support access at many locations without duplicating resources.
Smart Kiosks vs Smart Lockers
Smart lockers are another technology used by organisations to manage device distribution and returns. These systems typically allow employees to collect equipment such as laptops or peripherals from secure lockers using a badge or access code.
While lockers can streamline equipment logistics, they do not provide technical support capabilities. Employees can collect or return devices, but troubleshooting still requires contacting the service desk or sending equipment for repair.
Smart kiosks combine locker functionality with additional support features. In addition to secure device storage, a kiosk may allow employees to start support sessions, connect with remote technicians, run diagnostics, or receive instructions during a repair process.
In this sense, lockers solve the logistics problem of device distribution, while kiosks address the broader challenge of device support and troubleshooting.
What Makes the Velocity Smart IT Support Kiosk Different
Not all kiosks are designed specifically for enterprise IT support workflows. Some kiosks focus on general self-service functions, while others are designed primarily for device vending or locker access.
The Velocity Smart IT Support Kiosk is designed specifically to support modern IT service operations. Instead of acting only as a distribution point for devices, it connects employees, remote support teams, and enterprise service management systems in a single workflow.
One distinguishing feature is the ability to provide real-time support through integrated video communication and remote diagnostics. Using technologies such as USB-C IP-KVM connections, remote IT agents can access an employee’s device to diagnose problems or guide them through troubleshooting steps.
Another difference is the integration with enterprise workflows. Many organisations use IT service management platforms to manage tickets, asset records, and support processes. By aligning with these systems, the kiosk can operate as part of an existing IT support model rather than functioning as a separate standalone system.
Finally, the kiosk is designed to support distributed organisations. Instead of focusing only on single office environments, it enables support teams to provide consistent assistance across many sites while maintaining centralised control and visibility.
The Role of Smart Kiosks in Future Workplace IT
As workplaces become more distributed and device-dependent, IT teams are exploring new ways to deliver support efficiently. Smart kiosks represent one approach to bridging the gap between physical device issues and centralised service desk operations.
Rather than replacing existing IT support processes, kiosks can extend them. They provide a physical support touchpoint within the workplace while still connecting employees to remote experts and digital workflows.
In environments where devices are critical to daily work, the ability to diagnose problems quickly and exchange hardware securely can have a significant impact on productivity. For this reason, many organisations are beginning to view smart kiosks not simply as hardware installations, but as part of a broader strategy for modernising workplace IT support.
What is a Smart Locker?
A smart locker is an electronically controlled locker that uses software to automate the storage, distribution and tracking of physical items. Velocity Smart Lockers integrate natively into ServiceNow so that every step—from stocking and request approval to pickup and return—is executed within your existing ITSM platform. Users order laptops, phones, peripherals or spares from a self‑service ServiceNow portal and then collect them from a locker using a one‑time code. The locker solution provides a full audit trail and ties directly into hardware asset management (HAM) and CMDB tables. Benefits include 24/7 availability, mobile access, real‑time inventory visibility and reduced IT ticket volumes.
Key Features of Velocity Smart Lockers
- Click and Collect – The application introduces consumer‑grade "click and collect" functionality within your ServiceNow user portal. Users can choose to collect an item immediately or select standard delivery, enabling flexible workflows.
- Secure Barcode Collection – Each transaction generates a one‑time barcode delivered to the user’s registered email. The user simply scans the code or enters it at the locker to open the correct compartment.
- Geolocation Awareness – Built‑in geolocation shows users the lockers nearest to them with the required item in stock, ensuring employees never travel to an empty locker.
- Automated Provisioning – Smart Collect enables pre‑stocking and automatically provisions items based on your existing approval rules. For example, if a user requests a charger at 2 a.m., the system can immediately send them a pickup code.
- Lending & Return Workflows – The platform supports temporary equipment lending with configurable loan periods and reminder emails. Users can borrow a device for travel and return it later, and the system handles tracking and re‑allocation.
- Break‑Fix Support – Smart Collect integrates with ServiceNow Incident Management to streamline equipment break‑fix scenarios. Users can deposit a faulty asset in the locker and pick up a replacement using the same ticket.
Support team features
Support teams benefit from built‑in capabilities such as easy deployment from the ServiceNow Store, no external data storage, a powerful Smart Select fulfilment engine and Agent Workspace enhancements. Because Smart Collect is a Built On Now application, all user data and transaction records remain in your ServiceNow instance.
The Smart Select engine simplifies catalogue mapping by allowing multiple asset models to fulfil a single catalogue item and vice versa. Agent Workspace add‑ons enable service desk agents to check locker stock, assign tickets for locker fulfilment and send collection codes. Automated restocking, reporting and full asset management ensure your locker inventory stays healthy.
How Much Could You Save? Request a Free Business Case Now!
Wondering how much time and money Smart Lockers and Vending could save your business? Our free, personalized business case provides a detailed analysis of your potential cost reductions, efficiency gains, and ROI—tailored to your exact operations. Get the data you need to make an informed decision and present a strong case to stakeholders.
What is a Smart Vending Machine?
Smart vending machines dispense consumables such as keyboards, headsets and cables through an automated system that integrates with ServiceNow. The machines are controlled via the Velocity Smart Collect application, meaning all requests, approvals and inventory tracking occur within your existing workflows. Velocity’s Idea series vending machines feature spiral‑free dispensing, break‑proof glass, modular shelves and HD touch screens. Idea6 models offer six customizable lanes and a 10 in. touch screen, while Idea9 machines have nine lanes and a larger 22 in. display. The vending process is simple: users authenticate, select an item, collect it and the machine automatically records the transaction and updates ServiceNow.
Benefits of Smart Vending Machines
- Plug & Go – Vending machines are cloud connected with Wi‑Fi or 3G/4G connectivity for easy installation.
- Vends Every Time – Sensors confirm that each item is dispensed first time and padded delivery bays protect sensitive items.
- Extremely Configurable – Adjustable shelves and tray configurations enable dispensing of a wide range of shapes and sizes.
- Reporting & Tolerances – The system provides stock reporting, item restrictions and tolerance alerts to maintain inventory.
- Versatile & Secure – Vending machines work for any low‑value items and use encrypted cloud integration with barcode, proximity card or keypad authentication to ensure security.
How Smart Lockers and Vending Systems work
2. Approve & Track – Smart Collect checks stock, triggers approval rules and automatically logs the transaction for full visibility.
3. Collect & Restock – Users pick up their item using a one‑time code; Smart Collect updates inventory levels and generates restocking alerts.
Why should you use a Smart Locker or Vending Machine?
Reduce IT Workload
Manual fulfilment of hardware requests creates bottlenecks and takes up to 20 % of IT support time. By automating requests and collections, smart lockers and vending machines drastically reduce ticket volumes. In deployments with Managed Service Providers, Velocity customers have achieved request fulfilment speeds 95 % faster than manual processes.
Improve Asset Visibility & Security
With Smart Collect, all assets and consumables are tracked in real time within ServiceNow. Each transaction is logged, and the system integrates with Hardware Asset Management (HAM) and CMDB tables. The “secure barcode collection” feature ensures that only authorised users can open a locker, and vending machines require card or barcode authentication. Lockers support the quarantining of returned items and other COVID safety measures.
Extend Service Hours
Smart lockers and vending machines provide 24/7 self‑service access, allowing employees to collect equipment outside business hours. This is particularly valuable for global or shift‑based operations. Velocity’s smart lockers offer mobile access so users can request, approve and collect items directly from their phone.
Reduce Loss & Shrinkage
Full audit trails and real‑time inventory updates reduce asset loss and misuse. Customers report up to a 90 % reduction in lost or misplaced assets.
Increase User Satisfaction
Faster fulfilment, fewer tickets and 24/7 availability lead to higher employee satisfaction. Organisations using Velocity’s solution have seen Net Promoter Score (NPS) improvements of up to 20 points compared to manual fulfilment.
Scalability & Security
Velocity’s Built On Now certification means Smart Collect works seamlessly with all supported versions of ServiceNow and has minimal technical debt. As your organisation grows, you can add more lockers or vending machines and manage them centrally through ServiceNow. The platform adheres to enterprise security standards, and Velocity is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified.
Smart Locker applications and use cases for IT teams
Smart lockers are more than just “storage spaces” — thanks to their robust array of features and connectivity, they are essentially central “points” for inventory management, maintenance, fulfillment and redistribution.
From checking where assets are to requesting new devices in real time, smart lockers make it easier for IT teams and inventory managers to provide employees with the equipment they need, when they need it. Below are just a few applications and use cases for smart lockers.
Real-time device management
Many businesses rely on employees using expensive portable electronic devices in the office, field or home — whether they’re using laptops, mobile phones or otherwise. The challenge, however, is ensuring end-to-end visibility of those devices — and ensuring they are replaced and managed effectively.
With a central device management hub or ITSM platform, such as ServiceNow, businesses can automatically monitor and manage devices. They can also compile transaction logs — i.e. where devices have been and who has used them, record device status, issue collections or maintenance, set up alerts and device reports (i.e. performance), and much more.
Device fulfilment and collection
With smart locker technology, IT teams can easily manage device fulfillment and collection.
Think of smart lockers as connected inventories — as businesses can see what assets are available and who is using them, they can make informed decisions about what equipment they need more of. For example, IT may find that employees are taking out more headphones and keyboards, highlighting a need to replenish or scale up that inventory.
Similarly, IT can also forecast asset requirements for new starters and employees; they can retire old equipment and put in a request with their IT equipment provider so that the new equipment is ready as soon as possible. That equipment is then delivered directly to the locker and employees are given specific instructions and authentication codes to access their smart lockers and/or equipment.
Repair and redistribution (Reverse logistics)
Smart lockers make asset collection and repair incredibly easy. Devices can be left in an authorised locker (that’s perhaps dedicated to asset repair, maintenance and replacement) to be picked up by a third-party IT service.
Also, as IT can monitor the asset and the locker, they’ll know when it’s been picked up and can better plan their IT estate moving forward.
Once devices are repaired or replaced, they can be left in a collection locker (or a locker dedicated to replacements or repairs) for employees to retrieve. It’s that simple.
The result? IT teams spend less time delivering and collecting assets themselves and can redefine desk-side IT support. The moment a problem arises, they can implement a plan to correct it.
Asset tracking and logging
As mentioned, smart lockers enable rapid tracking of devices on-site. This is because the lockers are connected, via the internet, to the business’ network, meaning they can be monitored by IT at any point.
To improve asset tracking, the devices in the lockers can be fitted with RFID tags — a unique serial number that can be recorded against a piece of equipment and tracked using the appropriate asset tracking software. This technology can be combined with surveillance applications for machine-to-machine verification — in other words, a smart locker can verify the asset placed inside it.
With this kind of visibility, it becomes incredibly easy to collect and track the right equipment and improve the security of devices across the enterprise.
Borrow and return
Another key benefit of smart lockers is the ability to “borrow” and “return” equipment as and when it’s needed.
For employees working in a new city or remotely — or even those that have forgotten their laptop charger, mouse or headphones, for example — smart lockers can act as a repository or temporary store for equipment in demand.
Employees can simply use their smart locker application (provided by the business) to locate one of the business’ lockers that contains the equipment they need. From the app, they can see stock availability and business smart lockers in the vicinity.
On arrival, they submit a unique authentication code to access the locker and the equipment they need. The moment it’s retrieved, a record is updated to say that they took out the equipment on a certain date, with a set period in which it needs to be returned.
With borrow and return capabilities, smart lockers or rather smart vending machines can act as always available dispensing machines.
Want to find out more reasons why you should have a Smart Locker in your business?
However, while smart lockers can be used across a variety of business contexts, implementing them effectively (and choosing the right software to operate them) can be challenging.
Standard smart locker solutions, i.e. those without robust on-site or desk-side IT support, often require full integration and take IT support teams more time to deliver equipment, not less.
The issue is that some locker manufacturers claim to have application interfaces (APIs) that allow their lockers to connect to their customers’ ITSM platforms — but this can be costly and time-consuming. To make matters worse, the API alone often doesn’t provide the functionality the customer needs.
But we can help.
Why Velocity Smart Technology?
We live in a world that expects a rapid response to solving a problem. We live amongst an ‘on-demand generation’, and IT support is no different.
Remote and desk-side IT support is now the norm for many businesses, from start-ups to large multinational enterprises. If something isn’t working, employees can simply go to their IT support desk, log a ticket and get help within the hour.
This model has drastically reduced business downtime and improved operational efficiency, but — as mentioned before — the replacement, management and provision of IT equipment lags considerably behind.
How to overcome the fear of digital transformation
At Velocity, we take a smart, efficiency-driven approach to the replacement, management and provision of IT equipment by implementing smart locker technology and desk-side support, providing our customers with fast, frictionless access to vital equipment, 24/7.
The reason for this is simple: everything’s digital.
Across the world, more and more of us are working in a hybrid fashion — at home, remotely or in the office. As such, we need round-the-clock access to equipment. We don’t want to waste time waiting for it.
Through smart locker technology, it becomes possible to provide equipment and vital peripherals to employees at scale.
And businesses are quickly realising the potential of smart locker technology: by 2025, the global smart locker market is expected to be worth $1.2 billion USD.
As it stands, Velocity is the fastest-growing solution provider in the Global Smart Locker space and the only provider of the extensible ServiceNow application in conjunction with smart locker technology. Find out more about us here.
ServiceNow can be integrated into a variety of ITSM platforms and apps and its light footprint means you don’t have to worry about altering your IT infrastructure. This makes us the most affordable and effective solution for large corporations (and the best smart locker service provider).
The real hero of every project we work on is of course our customers; for having an infinite game mindset and for being passionate about really delivering exceptional customer service and IT performance with our world leading Velocity Smart Collect™ solution.
Find out more about how our clients are delivering benefits for their business with our Industry Case Studies.
Velocity Smart Locker technology explained
We have developed the world’s only Smart Locker Solution that is built upon the market-leading ITSM, ServiceNow — the platform of choice for IT MSPs and Enterprise businesses.
With a fast, automated “Amazon-Smart Locker style” 24/7 delivery and collection solution for IT equipment and peripherals, we help corporate IT and IT MSPs to drastically reduce IT fulfilment, management and repair costs — all while increasing productivity. Talk about proactive IT desk-side support.
Our smart locker technology uses ServiceNow in our world-first ServiceNow certified app Velocity Smart Collect™, enabling our lockers to integrate directly with your ITSM infrastructure and unlock the true value of smart lockers.
Just check out the video below to find out more.
The benefits of Velocity’s Smart Locker technology
At the heart of our smart locker technologies and solutions is Velocity Smart Collect™, the world’s first (and only) ServiceNow certified app which brings click-and-collect functionality to your business.
Your employees (or your customers’ employees) can leverage this solution to request hardware and peripherals that can be collected (on approval by their IT team) from a Velocity Smart Locker.
After the request is approved, they will receive a secure email with a collection bar-code. This process is 95% faster than traditional IT equipment delivery.
The app is always up to date with its ServiceNow version, is 100% secure and can be installed in just a matter of hours. It’s also the first-ever app to support domain separation, making it ideal for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) with multiple areas of operation.
However, one of the most important benefits of Velocity’s smart locker technology is a lack of technical debt.
Head Quarters/Large Buildings
- The obvious choice, with Exec/Management visibility
- Lots of people, likely a high number of transactions
- Likely to host onsite support and Tech Bar services
Smart Lockers and Vending Solution Provide
- Provide a high value 24/7 service that extends beyond normal working hours
- Can improve the efficiency of onsite IT teams and automatically divert tickets away from the Tech Bar to Smart Device Self-Service so they can focus on solving real IT problems
- Improvements in CSAT scores
Satellite/Small Remote Offices
- The forgotten force
- Few people, with likely a low number of transactions, but with a HIGH cost to serve
- Likely no onsite support, no Tech Bar services, with remote smart hands periodic visits
- Low CSAT Scores
Smart Lockers and Vending Solution Provide
- Standard high value 24/7 service that extends beyond normal working hours that the “ivory tower” receives
- Greater productivity increase of employees because less wait time for fixes/new/replacement equipment
- AND Cost effective solution due to the high cost to serve via remote visits – fewer Smart transactions justify the cost while providing huge improvements in valuable CSAT scores
What is technical debt?
When we talk about technical debt, we refer to the different solutions that organisations need to consolidate and integrate to get simple functions working “seamlessly”. The problem is that if one of these solutions is updated or fails, the entire network is often at risk. This can be costly to maintain, secure and manage as each individual solution is different.
Overall, a lot of organisations, particularly large enterprises, spend a lot of money on their existing IT stack because they have to update, replace and troubleshoot software and apps frequently. If an app or software sits outside the main user platform, additional time and resource is needed to maintain these apps/software because it isn’t native or seamlessly integrated.
Over time, the amount of technical debt grows as organisations attempt to add more functionality to solve specific problems. The best case scenario is to have fully integrated apps that are native to an IT estate and service management system.
This is why every Velocity Smart Locker and Vending solution is designed to work within the ServiceNow portal. The moment ServiceNow is updated, so too is the smart locker or vending machine. This means that you don’t have to troubleshoot or call in experts to “fix” something once an update breaks it. It’s far more cost-effective, flexible and robust.
What is Service Now?
ServiceNow is an enterprise-grade cloud computing platform that helps companies to manage digital workflows for large-scale operations. Their ITSM platform uses best-in-class tools to consolidate disparate operations into a single cloud.
The result? You can deliver resilient services that increase productivity and create amazing experiences wherever your employees work.
You can find out more about ServiceNow’s ITSM platform here.
With ServiceNow installed, you can:
- Order assets
- Manage returns
- Restock equipment
- Set up borrow and return processes
- Raise requests on behalf of end-users
- Manage incidents, i.e. malfunctioning equipment
- Check asset registration and information, allowing you to track Velocity Smart Vending devices and transactions
Features and functions of Velocity Smart Locker technology
Our Velocity Smart Locker and Velocity Smart Vending solutions work in conjunction with ServiceNow, giving you complete control over how your IT assets and peripherals are managed.
Velocity Smart Locker solutions are…
Plug and go
Featuring cloud-based, WiFi & 3G connectivity, Velocity Smart Locker and Vending solutions can be connected to your business’ network (or customer’s network) in no time at all.
Branded for your business (or customer)
Make the technology your own and wow your employees and/or customers with branded smart locker and vending solutions.
Encrypted using API-based HTTPS cloud integration
Worried about security? No need to be. Our solutions are 100% secure and capture no personal data whatsoever.
Remotely monitored
Check the status of assets in your smart lockers, who has accessed them, stock levels, requests, collections and much more.
Configurable
Easily manage and configure your smart lockers from a central portal — ServiceNow. Determine who can access them, including what information is captured.
Versatile
Suitable for any requirement, Velocity Smart Lockers and Vending solutions can be scaled up and down depending on what you need. We have a variety of sizes available.
Multi-input
Ensure your assets are secure by requesting multiple authentication methods, including RFID, barcode scanning and pin pad access.
Capable of being daisy-chained
Link multiple lockers together to get a clear and unified view of specific assets being requested, used and returned.
Multi-usage
Fix, borrow and return devices with ease. Employees can also use lockers for personal deliveries, while HR teams can use them for new starter equipment and/or device rollouts.
Combined with the Smart Collect app
Provide seamless ordering and collection for both employees and IT teams — orders are managed and approved by authorised personnel, this includes stock tolerance and restocking.
Interested in finding out more?
What else can we do for you?
Now, implementing smart locker and smart vending solutions isn’t easy — and that’s why we offer comprehensive support, from use-case design and localisation to enablement services.
Business use-case optimisation
If you’re planning to implement smart locker technology and/or associated solutions for your customer, we can work together with you to build a compelling use case. This is based on our experience and your customer’s specific use cases and data.
Service design
Through site surveys, use case design and localisation, we can develop and deliver ITSM solutions and locker designs that meet your every need.
Implementation
From finding the optimum device location and managing the plan to secure installation and operational guidance, we’ll be with you every step of the way.
Technology integration
One of the major challenges with implementing smart lockers is getting them to work alongside your ITSM. We can integrate your ITSM and ITAM tools so that you can extract real value from your smart locker solutions.
Enablement services
Engagement and training are the difference between success and failure. Through targeted campaigns and training, we’ll communicate the benefits of smart locker technologies and solutions to your stakeholders, driving adoption across your organisation (or your client’s organisation).
Bespoke Training
When we carry out our training, we implement our application with the customer’s version of ServiceNow. What this means is that the customer gets to see how the locker and/or vending machine would operate in their current environment. Everything’s branded to their business and processes are designed to work based on how they (the business) operates.
Change Management & Adoption
For any technology implementation to be successful, businesses have to think about how users work, how they can drive adoption throughout and the best way to integrate the technology.
Smart locker technology cannot be used as standalone solutions. For businesses to truly benefit from them and transform the way they operate, they have to be integrated into every aspect of activity.
To achieve this, we work closely with our customers to help them develop change management approaches that ensure the smart locker and vending technology is onboarded seamlessly and successfully.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Smart Lockers cost?
To answer this question, it’s important to think about the total cost of ownership
At Velocity, our smart lockers and vending machines are integrated directly with the customer’s ServiceNow. This means that when one is updated, so is the other. We also encourage our customers to think of the lockers as integral parts of their overall operation, not standalone solutions designed to solve one or two problems. The result is that they change how they think and utilise the lockers, ensuring that they are incorporated into everything they do and employees are on board.
Unfortunately, many organisations have a lot of technical debt (as mentioned earlier) which essentially means that their solutions and tools are managed in a disconnected fashion. What happens is that they purchase smart lockers with the aim of solving one or two problems, but treat them as standalone solutions and don’t integrate them correctly.
They then have to configure each individual solution to work with the rest of their infrastructure, as changes to one means changes need to be made to the others. This takes time, expertise, and a great deal of money to manage — especially when you think about the security tests and updates that need to be installed.
Overall, this approach ends up costing businesses far more than it needs to. We provide a simple, cost-effective and fully integrated solution that is always up-to-date.
How long/complex is the installation process?
The key thing to consider when planning a smart locker implementation project is whether or not you have an end-to-end approach. A smart locker isn’t just a point solution — it should be part of your entire ITSM infrastructure. What we mean by this is that it’s baked into your processes and your employees are bought into its use.
Also, you want to consolidate your installation. This means using one partner to manage the planning, strategy, deployment, configuration, and ongoing maintenance, security, and training. Few are able to do that.
With Velocity, you have one partner that can do all the above. Fewer touchpoints mean more security, less risk, and greater consistency. Our process is simple and straightforward; you’ll be up and running in no time.
Typically our projects take 3 or 4 months from kick-off to full deployment, but depending on the customer needs we have achieved this in as little as 6 or 7 weeks.
What are the challenges with Smart Lockers?
Smart Locker and Smart Vending technology is inherently sound. Issues occur when businesses fail to appreciate the change management and digital transformation that needs to follow the implementation of the lockers.
You can’t just add a new solution and expect employees to use it. For it to work, it needs to be integrated into core processes and employees need to be taught how to use it effectively. That way you can drive adoption and streamline the provision of equipment to employees.
You have to change the way you work to benefit from the smart lockers. For example, it has to have stock at all times (otherwise employees won’t bother visiting them), you have to have a global support model to ensure they’re always on, and — perhaps most importantly — the technology needs to be championed
How are Smart Lockers maintained?
At Velocity, we provide a global support model that allows our customers to have their smart lockers serviced wherever, whenever. Each model comes with full warranty and different levels of support can be purchased.
Work With Us
With over 50 year’s experience working for both IT companies and businesses, we understand the challenges you face.
We all experience wasted time, money and effort when it comes to collecting, delivering and/or dropping off items — either at home or in business.
But with our smart locker and vending technology solutions we empower you, your employees and your entire business operation to streamline customer service, asset delivery and management, and collections through intelligent automation.
See how it all works here.
If you’re interested in finding out more, you can book a demo using the button below.