In consumer-centric industries like banking and telecom, customers prefer a seamless visit with minimum complications.
Service providers need to understand and address their customers' pain points. 76% of customers expect a seamless experience, while 59% expect on-demand customer services. Beyond the availability of mobile apps, customers want to transition smoothly between different channels.
Customers can no longer put up with long queues and wait times at any physical location. An instant card issuance kiosk can fulfil customers' on-demand requirements at any time beyond regular business working hours. Instant card issuance kiosks have evolved from a mere “convenience” factor to a necessity. Valued at around $11.81 billion in 2022, the global market for card issuance kiosks is projected to grow to $19.89 billion by 2032. Here's a deeper understanding of why card issuance kiosks are no longer considered optional in 2026.
Also referred to as a self-service kiosk, a card issuance kiosk is essentially a standalone machine that enables customers to perform tasks like registering and verifying their identity, and requesting personalized and non-personalized cards such as credit cards, mobile SIMs, and driving licenses. With its instant card issuance, self-service kiosks can deliver cards in as little as 10 minutes, thus boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Here’s typically how a card issuance kiosk works:
After verifying the customer, the kiosk issues the requested card using its self-service card printing facility.
With modern customers expecting instant service delivery, self-service card issuance kiosks have become essential. They not only meet the growing demand for on-the-spot card issuance but also offer flexibility—allowing users to obtain cards in-branch or at the nearest kiosk location.
By simplifying onboarding and account opening through kiosks, businesses create a new sales channel that supports customer acquisition. Thus, customers are more likely to complete the onboarding process when they can receive their card immediately upon completion.
Additionally, by enabling real-time card issuance and activation, businesses can reduce card delivery time from 3–5 business days to just minutes. Self-service kiosks also support 24/7 card renewal and reissuance for lost, stolen, or damaged cards, significantly improving customer convenience and satisfaction.
With the facility of 24/7 card issuance, companies using instant card issuance kiosks can offer round-the-clock service to their customers. For instance, banking customers no longer have to wait for regular working hours – and can use these self-service kiosks outside the banking hours.
24/7 self-service can help meet growing customer expectations by:
Besides improving the customer experience, card issuance kiosks can also improve the branch efficiency by reducing the staff workload. By reducing their queues, customer-centered industries like banks can allocate their human resources to other customer servicing activities. Additionally, self-service kiosks in 2026 can eliminate the costs of delivering physical cards through the postal service, as well as the hassle of emergency card replacement due to theft or damage. Overall, companies can improve their card issuance kiosk ROI primarily due to reduced operational costs and higher customer engagement.
With technologies like facial recognition and document scanning, self-service card issuance kiosks can authenticate any customer for KYC requirements and issue a highly secure card on the spot. Companies can also minimize fraud by using biometric data such as fingerprints and facial scans to verify the customer's identity at a later stage. By providing real-time audit trails, self-service kiosks can also deliver compliance-related assurance by fulfilling requirements during customer onboarding and registration. These branch transformation kiosks can also protect the customer’s sensitive information, thus complying with data privacy regulations.
As more customers interact with digital channels, they expect a seamless omnichannel experience from their service providers. Termed as the “phygital” approach, this omnichannel approach allows customers to switch smoothly between physical and digital touchpoints. For instance, a phygital bank can improve the digital branch strategy by integrating physical branches with digital banking. For instance, a customer can request for a card using their mobile app, and then print the card at their nearest kiosk. With a self-service kiosk installed in the branch office, enterprises can improve their customers' experiences by eliminating any wait time or delays. They can also leverage self-service kiosks to optimize customer onboarding and account opening, thus enabling them to reach out to more customers.
When choosing the right self-service card issuance solution, here are some factors to consider:
1. Compliance, security, and data protection: Choose the best self-service solution with advanced security measures like data encryption, secure data management, and biometric scanning for customer verification. Besides that, the solution must also be compliant with regulations related to data privacy and chip card requirements.
2. Queue management integration: Besides data security, the self-service card issuance service must be easy to integrate with third-party systems like customer feedback systems, CRM, and business intelligence (BI).
3. Scalability and flexibility: A self-service card issuance solution must also have built-in scalability to deploy more kiosks across multiple locations, thus helping in servicing more customers. Additionally, this solution must be flexible to provide personalized customer service and to cater to a variety of card-related requirements.
4. Business Intelligence and Analytics: With advanced BI and analytical capabilities, a self-service card issuance service can help service providers track their real-time kiosk performance, monitor any fraudulent transactions, and gauge customer satisfaction.
With proven success stories across telecom, banking, and government, SEDCO brings deep expertise in delivering smart self-service solutions that transform customer experience and boost operational efficiency. A strong example is Mobily in Saudi Arabia, where SEDCO’s card issuance kiosks have significantly enhanced both service quality and operational flow—enabling customers to access services such as card issuance, card distribution, SIM (or eSIM) issuance, and payment card processing.
Interested in knowing more about our instant card issuance kiosks? Contact us now