Otis Depot puts a self service ordering point right on your trade counter. A customer walks into the depot, asks the Otis agent on the iPad what they need, pays there and then, and the order lands at your counter ready to pick. It runs on top of the systems you already use, so there is nothing to rip out and nothing new for your team to learn.
What Otis Depot is
Otis Depot is an in depot self service kiosk built around Otis, our AI trade agent. It is an iPad, locked to the Otis app and fixed at the counter or in the yard, that lets your trade and retail customers serve themselves: ask a question, get a straight answer, build an order and pay. Think of it as a self service ordering point designed for the way a builders merchant actually works, rather than a supermarket self checkout bolted onto a trade setting.
Because Otis already connects to your stock, pricing and ordering systems, the kiosk is not a separate island of data. Every answer it gives and every order it takes comes from your live system, so what the customer sees is what you actually have and what they will actually pay.
What a customer can do at the iPad
- Ask in plain language. A customer can say what they are trying to do, for example how much cement they need for a job, and Otis works out the quantities and finds the right products.
- Check live stock and price. Otis looks up real availability and the correct price for that customer, so there are no surprises at the counter.
- Build an order for click and collect. Otis adds the items to a cart ready to collect there and then.
- Pay on the spot. The customer pays at the iPad, so the order is settled before it reaches your team.
- Hand a finished order to the counter. Once paid, the order drops straight to your counter to be picked and handed over.
How it works, step by step
- Ask. The customer tells Otis what they want in their own words.
- Build. Otis works out quantities where needed, matches the items to your catalogue and adds them to the cart.
- Check. Otis cross checks live depot stock and availability and applies the right pricing.
- Pay. The customer pays at the iPad.
- Process. The paid order is sent straight to the counter to be picked and collected.
- Reset. When the customer walks away, the screen clears itself and is ready for the next person.
For a fuller walk through of the journey and what happens on the counter side, see how Otis Depot works.
Why it pays for itself
The trade counter is the busiest and most expensive part of a depot to run. Otis Depot takes the routine load off it. The repeat questions, the have you got it and what is my price queries, and the straightforward orders can all be handled at the kiosk, which frees your counter team for the jobs that genuinely need a person.
At peak, that means shorter queues and fewer customers walking out because they could not be served fast enough. It means orders are paid up front, which protects your cash and cuts the admin of chasing later. And it means a consistent, always ready service point that does not take a break, call in sick or lose patience on a busy Saturday morning. For a sense of the numbers, see Otis Depot cost and ROI.
Works on top of your existing systems
Otis Depot does not replace your ERP, your till or your stock system. It layers on top of what you already run, whether that is Kerridge, Intact, Ibcos or another trade platform, and acts on the data those systems already hold. The front end is simply the Otis agent running full screen on a locked iPad; the hard work of connecting to stock, pricing and orders is already done. See how OptiFlow fits alongside your systems on our AI for builders merchants page and our integrations overview.
The same Otis, now in the depot
If you already know Otis as the agent that answers trade questions online and at the counter, Otis Depot is the same brain in a new place. The customer standing in your depot gets the same accurate, on brand answers, with the added ability to pay and collect on the spot. It is a natural extension of automating order entry and stock and price enquiries, moved to the point where the customer is standing in front of you.
We can set up a short pilot so you can watch real customers order and pay for themselves. Get a quote.
Related reading: self service kiosk versus the traditional trade counter and our guide to self service ordering for builders merchants.
Related pages: meet Otis, the AI agent, data security and trust, results and ROI.
Frequently asked questions
What is Otis Depot?
Otis Depot is an in depot self service kiosk for builders merchants. It is an iPad running the Otis AI agent, fixed at your counter or in the yard, that lets customers ask questions, build an order, check live stock and price, pay and collect, all by themselves.
Does Otis Depot replace my ERP or till?
No. It layers on top of your existing systems, whether that is Kerridge, Intact, Ibcos or another platform, and uses the data they already hold. There is nothing to rip out and no migration.
Can customers pay at the kiosk?
Yes. The customer pays at the iPad, and the paid order is sent straight to your counter to be picked for click and collect.
Does it show live stock and the right price?
Yes. Otis checks real availability and the correct price for that customer from your live system, so what they see is what you have and what they pay.
What hardware do I need?
An iPad locked to the Otis app, fixed at the counter or in the yard. The screen clears itself after each customer so it is always ready for the next person.
How much does Otis Depot cost?
Pricing is per depot, with hardware and setup on top. See our Otis Depot cost and ROI page for how to think about the return, and get a quote for a figure for your branches.