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News Archive |
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Sunday, 17 January 2010
FRANKLIN, Tenn. · When it comes to paying for goods and services, consumers continue to take matters into their own hands, according to IHL Consulting Group. The group found in a recent study that North American consumers are on pace to spend more than $525 billion at self-checkout lanes, ticketing kiosks and other self-service machines in 2007, an increase from $438 billion in 2006.
"We expect that expenditures made at self-service kiosks will rise by about 20 percent this year and another 18 percent in 2008," said Greg Buzek, president of IHL Consulting Group. "Demand for self-checkout systems and other kiosks should push the dollar value of transactions to nearly $1.3 trillion by 2011."
In the IHL study, "2007 North American Self-Service Kiosks," IHL examines the increasing use of five types of self-service kiosks where payment is accepted: self-checkout systems, ticketing kiosks, check-in kiosks, food ordering and postal kiosks.
Thursday, 17 December 2009
The University of Kentucky College of Nursing has announced the launch of an interactive health information kiosk at the Erlanger, Ky., branch of Northern Kentucky's Kenton County Public Library.
The touchscreen kiosk, called "The Well," is a feature of the UK College of Nursing's Clean Indoor Air Partnership with St. Elizabeth Healthcare and the Northern Kentucky Health Department and will provide information on heart health, smoking cessation, secondhand smoke and radon. It will allow users to take interactive quizzes about these topics and also features a body mass index (BMI) calculator and a scale.
Sue Banks, branch manager for the Erlanger library, says the kiosk is part of a large-scale initiative to educate residents of Northern Kentucky about their health:
Several years ago, we began to realize how important the library was as a resource for people in regard to healthcare, wellness and fitness. We are thrilled that the library can now offer this health kiosk because of our partnership with the University of Kentucky College of Nursing, St. Elizabeth's and the Northern Kentucky Health Department.
The kiosk's official launch is Friday, Dec. 18, and the public is invited to attend the free event.
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
D2 Sales, a provider of interactive kiosks and digital signage, has announced that the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medial Center has successfully completed a self-service check-in pilot program and will deploy D2's My Patient Passport Express kiosk throughout its facilities.
According to D2, the touchscreen, HIPAA-compliant kiosk allows hospital patients to check in, make appointments, update medical history, make copayments and sign documents electronically. The kiosk's enclosure was created to be consistent with the hospital's branding program.
Tuesday, 08 December 2009
Blaine, Minn.-based Mosquito Productions has announced the deployment of its BigBox DVD-rental kiosk in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. Mosquito is a provider of digital technology solutions and already operates four BigBox DVD-rental kiosks in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
According to Mosquito, the BigBox kiosks break from the norm by offering movie rentals on a per-hour basis. The kiosk charges six cents an hour for new DVD releases, four cents an hour for DVDs older than one year and nine cents an hour for Blu-ray discs.
Mosquito says BigBox's unique pricing model, along with a selection of movies it says is larger than in competing kiosks, creates a different DVD-rental experience for consumers:
Offering rentals on a per-hour basis gives the customer incentive to bring the movie back in a timely manner in order to save money, and that in turn keeps the inventory fresh in the kiosk. … But combine that theory with kiosk designs that can store up to 15 times the number of discs as some of BigBox DVD's main competitors and you literally end up with a video store in a box, able to serve up classic titles and a wide array of new high-definition Blu-ray Discs, along with the latest new releases.
Customers also can use the BigBox.com Web site to search and view details about more than 100,000 DVD and Blu-ray titles, search for title availability in specific locations and even request to have a certain title added to particular kiosk.
Thursday, 03 December 2009
Canda's CBC News reports the Ontario legislature has passed Bill 179, which will allow prescription drug sales through self-service kiosks. The Web site says Oakville, Ontario-based PCA Services Inc. will roll out a network of PharmaTrust kiosks across Ontario in locations such as malls and grocery stores, once appropriate regulatory measures are in place.
The kiosks, which have been in use in a handful of Ontario hospitals for two years, will likely become as indispensable as bank machines and cellphones, particularly as governments look for ways to cut healthcare costs, said Peter Suma, president of PCA Services, which developed the machine.
'It will be like a cell phone. It will free you from locational dependence,' Suma said in an interview with CBC News.
He used an example of going to a grocery store late at night, only to find the pharmacy section is closed. In the future, a customer will just head over to a PharmaTrust machine, as they're called, feed the doctor's prescription through a slot and pick up the phone for a video conference with a pharmacist. Upon payment, the pharmacist releases the actual drug in the machine and the interaction is complete.
CBC says some Canadians are critical of the machines and fear the "casual" vending of prescription drugs and that patients may not be comfortable asking important private questions. The Canadian Pharmacists Association hasn't taken a position on the kiosks, according to the report.
PCA already has deployed the PharmaTrust kiosks in other countries and plans a trial deployment in the U.K. in early 2010.
Monday, 30 November 2009
NCR Corp. has announced survey results that show 80 percent of consumers in the U.K. are more likely to choose a financial institution that enables them to manage finances via online, mobile and kiosk self-service channels over one that does not. The findings are part of NCR and Buzzback Media's larger 2009 self-service study, which surveyed 8,400 consumers in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia, Japan and Central and Latin America.
Elton Birden, NCR's managing director for the U.K., Ireland and the Nordics, says hard times in the banking industry have created opportunities for new types of customer interaction:
Financial institutions have been forced to change the way they do business and interact with customers to help rebuild trust in the banking industry and encourage customer loyalty. The banks that are succeeding are those that are now investing in technologies that offer customers instant access to an increased number of services and facilities and greater autonomy over their finances.
NCR currently has a footprint of more than 40,000 ATMs in the U.K.
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
TIO Networks Corp., a provider of expedited bill-payment processing, has announced it will expand its relationship with Cox Communications. TIO previously processed Cox bill payments in test deployments in Phoenix and Las Vegas and now will take the partnership nationwide to TIO's more than 18,000 transaction end-points, which include 1,500 cash-accepting billpay kiosks.
Mark McGuire, vice president of solutions delivery for Cox Communications, says the agreement with TIO is about customer convenience:
At Cox, our focus is always on the customer. The ability of customers to pay their bills at TIO retail locations and self-service kiosks is one more way that our customers can conveniently do business with Cox.
Atlanta-based Cox Communications is the third-largest cable company in the United States and provides digital video, broadband and telephone services to more than 6 million customers.
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
NEXTEP SYSTEMS has announced it will exhibit its new self check-in/checkout solution for hotels at this week's Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas.
According to a news release from NEXTEP, the touchscreen kiosk solution is designed to simplify guests' hotel stay and travel experiences and offers guests the ability to:
- Check in/out within 30 seconds
- Encode room keys
- Upgrade and change rooms
- View, print and e-mail bills and receipts
- Check in and print boarding passes for flights
- Change credit cards
- Scan passports and licenses
NEXTEP president and cofounder Tommy Woycik says the hotel solution underscores the company's experience in other segments of the hospitality vertical:
This hotel solution has allowed us to further expand our offerings and bring to both guests and management an entirely new level of service. NEXTEP’s ability to deliver enjoyable guest experiences and provide seamlessly integrated management systems directly to hotel lobbies is a natural extension of our experience and success in the foodservice and hospitality industries. We look forward to showcasing our newest software product at the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show.
G2E will take place Nov. 17-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Friday, 13 November 2009
NEXTEP SYSTEMS has announced that Harrah's Entertainment has extended a pilot deployment of NEXTEP's Casino Express foodservice kiosk system to four additional casino locations. Harrah's had initially installed a Casino Express kiosk at its Atlantic City resort and has now expanded the deployment to casinos in Tunica, Miss., St. Louis, Hammond, Ind., and a second facility in Atlantic City.
Tommy Woycik, president and co-founder of NEXTEP, says Harrah's kiosk deployments have mad it a technology leader in the casino segment:
Harrah's is a model example of a visionary company committed to success through the use of technology and integration of industry best practices. The true leaders in the casino industry are distinguishing themselves from their competitors as they extend the use of the self-serve format to their foodservice venues through systems that incorporate reliable and failsafe technology, intuitive user interfaces and creative and appealing screen design content.
NEXTEP says the Harrah's kiosks are branded for each individual restaurant and that the solutions will be supported by NEXTEP's 24/7/365 Diamond Support service.
Friday, 06 November 2009
Express Scripts Inc., a provider of pharmacy technology, and GreatWater Software Inc., a maker of patient self-service solutions, have launched a program that will enable patients to review options for reducing prescription costs when checking in for physician appointments.
According to a news release from the two companies, Express Scripts will utilize Greatwater's PatientPoint kiosk platform to present its members with information regarding their prescription benefit and prescription management options, such as generic drug and home delivery options.
Don Shaver, CEO of Greatwater Software, says the program will help patients understand and comply with their prescription options more easily:
An increasing number of physician practices are adopting self-service for functions such as patient registration, bill payment and appointment scheduling. Through this important collaboration, patients who are members of health plans that partner with Express Scripts will have access to prescription management options that make it more cost-effective and convenient for them to comply with their medication plans. At the same time, the initiative will provide Express Scripts with a centralized method for communicating with their member population at the point of care.
Tuesday, 03 November 2009
NEXTEP SYSTEMS has announced it will debut a self-check-in/checkout solution for hotels at next week's International Hotel/Motel and Restaurant Show, sponsored by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Hotel Association of New York City Inc. and the New York State Hospitality and Tourism Association.
According to a news release from NEXTEP, the touchscreen kiosk solution is designed to simplify the guests' hotel stay and travel experience and offers guests the ability to:
- Check in/out within 30 seconds
- Encode room keys
- Upgrade and change rooms
- View, print and e-mail bills and receipts
- Check in and print boarding passes for flights
- Change credit cards
- Scan passports and licenses
NEXTEP president and cofounder Tommy Woycik says the hotel solution underscored the company's experience in other segments of the hospitality vertical:
"This hotel solution has allowed us to further expand our offerings and bring to both guests and management an entirely new level of service. NEXTEP’s ability to deliver enjoyable guest experiences and provide seamlessly integrated management systems directly to hotel lobbies is a natural extension of our experience and success in the foodservice and hospitality industries. We look forward to showcasing our newest software product at the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show."
The International Hotel/Motel and Restaurant Show will take place Nov. 8-10 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.
Thursday, 29 October 2009
A new deli kiosk from NEXTEP was recently featured on WTWO-TV in Terra Haute.
"Once people use this system, they will not order any other way," said deli manager Cindy Clark "Every one of them just raves about it."
You can watch the video here.
Monday, 26 October 2009
D2 Sales LLC today announced that Beaumont Hospitals, located in Troy, Mich., will deploy D2's My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program.
According to a news release from D2, the My Patient Passport Express kiosk enables hospital patients to check in for appointments, make co-payments, update their medical records and schedule future appointments.
Sandy Nix, CEO of D2 Sales, says the kiosk solution will streamline the healthcare process for patients and staff:
D2's purpose-built healthcare kiosks allow patients a choice when registering, updating their records and making co-pay payments, providing a quicker and more efficient check-in process. We are delighted Beaumont Hospitals chose to partner with D2 in bringing this added convenience to their patients and staff.
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
According to a report from Britain's Daily Mail Online, Tesco has opened the country's first all self-checkout store. Tesco Express, located in King's Langley, Northampton, has five self-checkout terminals and no traditional checkout lanes, the report says, a model Tesco refers to as "assisted self-service."
The U.K.-based chain already operates stores in the assisted-checkout model in the United States, with its Fresh & Easy brand in California, Nevada and Arizona.
Self-service adoption in European countries has traditionally lagged behind that of North America, though, and the Daily Mail reports that some in the United Kingdom are critical of the new model:
Local Liberal Democrat County Coordinator Richard Church, who represents the Kingsley ward, said he was unimpressed with the self-scan store.
He said: 'If you like to speak to a real person when you do your shopping, you won't like it. At the moment, there are helpful assistants to tell you how to swipe the barcodes and make your payments, but that won't last.'
But a Tesco spokesperson told the Daily Mail that staff always will be available to assist customers:
It's a lot quicker, but some people have never used them before, so a member of staff is there to assist. If needs be, there can be five members of staff assisting customers. We have had no negative feedback so far.
The Daily Mail says Tesco is the biggest supermarket employer in the country, with a workforce of more than 220,000.
Monday, 05 October 2009
D2 Sales, a maker of kiosk and digital signage technology, has announced Boston's Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates will deploy D2's My Patient Passport Express kiosk for its patient check-in program. In August, a New York University medical facility also deployed D2's kiosk solution.
Sandy Nix, D2's chief executive, says patients ultimately benefit from the enhanced convenience kiosk check-in offers:
D2's purpose-built healthcare kiosks allow patients a choice when registering, updating their records and making co-pay payments, providing a quicker and more efficient check-in process. We are delighted Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates chose to partner with D2 in bringing this added convenience to their patients and staff.
According to a news release from D2 Sales, patients can use the HIPAA-compliant check-in kiosks to sign in for their appointments, make future appointments, make credit card payments, sign documents electronically and update their medical history.
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
WTVH-TV, Channel 10 (Syracuse, N.Y.): Residents of Binghamton, N.Y., are now able to use a public kiosk in the town’s City Hall to see precisely how their tax dollars are spent. The new, interactive budget module is available via the Internet and the Web-enabled kiosk. The deployment is part of the city’s effort to make the budget-planning process more transparent for its citizens. Users also can manipulate figures and create their own mock budget with the tool.
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Monday, 04 May 2009
CHICAGO — Olivia Greets, a live, 24-hour avatar-based virtual-receptionist company, has launched a new product targeting the healthcare market. The Olivia Greets Patient Check-in Solution allows busy healthcare clinics, doctors' offices and hospitals to streamline the check-in process in a way similar to how airline companies have added check-in kiosks for customers.
Since the Olivia Greets solution is integrated with the practice management application, staff is alerted when a patient has arrived and checked in. Additional modules may be added and integrated as required.
"Many patients are using self-service technology in other areas of their lives — from ATMs and airlines to supermarkets and fast-food restaurants — and often find the Olivia Greets system to be easy to use and more convenient than waiting in line to talk with the receptionist," said Jim Farrell, president of Olivia Greets. "We felt the time was right to enter the healthcare market as it attempts to consolidate data and improve efficiency and accuracy, as these are all things the Olivia Greets Patient Check-in Solution provides."
The Olivia Greets kiosk features a live, knowledgeable avatar that can walk computer-weary patients through the touchscreen check-in process. The avatar is operated by a call center agent, thus allowing greater flexibility than a standard kiosk in assisting patients.
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
NORTH CANTON, Ohio — Historically mindful of resource consumption across its manufacturing division, Diebold Inc. is stepping up efforts to strengthen its environmental performance on a broader scale and to positively align conservation strategies with those of customers around the world and the global community. To build a strong foundation capable of supporting the company's current and future goals, Diebold has selected long-time associate James N. Merrell to lead its environmental stewardship initiative by leveraging his broad experience across numerous Diebold operational areas and his strong personal dedication to environmental improvement.
"Climate change is very real and natural resources are actively diminishing. The time is now to take responsibility for the impact our operations may have on the environment and to serve as active participants in the global recovery effort. Diebold's commitment to environmental stewardship will be clearly evident through the leadership of Jim Merrell," said Thomas W. Swidarski, president and chief executive officer, Diebold. "Aligning with our customers and partners around the world also underscores our dedication to providing the highest quality products and services, which can enhance our customers' business processes without causing residual damage to the environment. Beyond our sustainability efforts' positive impact on the environment, the resulting efficiencies and long-term cost-savings make good business sense."
For the past 25 years, Diebold has experienced high environmental performance at its manufacturing facilities by proactively monitoring and managing air and water discharges to minimize the impact on the environment. Its manufacturing teams have also worked to reduce energy consumption through higher efficiency lighting and, in the case of Diebold's Lexington, N.C., facility, reduce the water used in paint preparation by 40 percent.
As director of environmental stewardship, Merrell's initial priority has been to define an all-encompassing strategy and establish environmental policies upon which to build. This includes the development of a performance baseline for resource consumption as well as other strategies to establish where the company stands today to more accurately measure the success of upcoming initiatives. Merrell also formed a global advisory board comprising Diebold representatives from every region of the world, who work to implement policies, collect data, evaluate performance, share information with associates in their respective regions and identify examples of best practices by Diebold associates.
The company also is focused on products and services and is in the evaluation phase of a comprehensive product and service delivery review to find new ways to improve the efficiency of its many solutions. Although Diebold's Opteva line of automated teller machines are among the most energy efficient in the industry, Diebold engineers are continually working to further enhance them.
"An important goal of this initiative is to significantly reduce Diebold's carbon footprint at our locations around the world," Merrell said. "To that end, we've elected to participate in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a nonprofit organization that facilitates dialogue between institutional investors, purchasing organizations and senior corporate management from the world's largest companies. By participating, Diebold contributes to CDP's global gas-emissions database, helping formulate information that will motivate governments and corporations to take the appropriate actions to work toward preventing dangerous climate change."
Monday, 06 April 2009
DAYTON, Ohio — According to a survey of U.S. and Canadian consumers commissioned by NCR Corp., patients are growing increasingly frustrated with long waits at doctors' offices and hospitals and are looking to self-service technology as a way to help expedite these interactions.
The annual research study reveals that 74 percent of patients find waiting at a hospital or doctor's office the greatest frustration at a healthcare appointment. In addition, respondents indicated they are inconvenienced by the time and effort required to schedule appointments, pay medical bills and complete paper forms, and they would like to spend less time on these activities.
"Patients desire greater control over their care, and that includes the way they interact with their providers," said Raj Toleti, vice president and general manager for NCR Healthcare and Public Sector. "In today's consumer-directed healthcare environment, hospitals and clinics have an opportunity to increase overall satisfaction and strengthen patient loyalty by leveraging self-service as a way to make everyday interactions faster and easier."
The research findings, unveiled at this year's HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition, clearly indicate that patients also want better access to information about their care and are more likely to choose providers that offer multichannel solutions to help them manage associated tasks:
- 62 percent of consumers are more likely to choose a healthcare provider that offers the flexibility to interact via online, mobile and kiosk self-service channels versus a provider that does not.
- 53 percent of consumers expressed interest in booking or changing medical appointments online, through a mobile device or at a kiosk and receiving text message reminders of an appointment.
- 49 percent of consumers said the ability to book an appointment online would be convenient to them.
- 49 percent consumers said the ability to securely receive lab results online would be convenient them.
- "As healthcare providers move to implement electronic health records, self-service will become even more widespread," Toleti added. "Automating patient interactions not only addresses consumer demand, it serves as the entry point for electronic record keeping."
According to NCR, more than four million patients have checked in for medical appointments using self-service technology, resulting in time savings of up to 10 minutes per encounter. In addition, healthcare providers utilizing NCR MediKiosk have seen copayment collection increase by up to 40 percent and insurance claim denials decrease by up to 36 percent. Adopting self-service also can reduce the costs associated with paper-based forms by up to 90 percent and free up staff to focus on patient needs, which can help lead to increased patient satisfaction.
Monday, 30 March 2009
American Medical News: Adoption of patient kiosks is on the rise, according to a study released earlier this month by the California HealthCare Foundation. While hospitals have been among the first to adopt the systems in outpatient and emergency departments, the study indicates patient kiosks could also soon be a common sight in other ambulatory settings as well.
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Monday, 30 March 2009
New York Times: Sales clerks still ask customers, “May I help you?” on the floors of many department stores, but some shoppers may soon choose to be served instead by a computer kiosk with clever software. The new kiosks aren’t the stodgy kind that have long dispensed boarding passes, train tickets and family snapshots. Instead, they have sleek lines and large touch screens — as well as software that, depending on the application, can recognize customers, know what they’ve bought in the past, point out bargains and even let them try out virtual clothing, hair colors and cosmetics onscreen.
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Friday, 13 February 2009
The Financial: The annual ski holidays in Finland can mean long check-in and security inspection lines at airports. Self-service check-in kiosks can be an effective way of avoiding those lines. "We recommend that passengers use Finnair's Internet or text message check-in services or the check-in kiosks at the airport as this can speed things up significantly," said a statement from Finnair. "When check-in is done in advance, baggage can be left at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport at a Baggage Drop desk within minimum check-in times."
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Monday, 02 February 2009
SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla. -- A kiosk line manufactured by Virtual I Technologies could help cash-strapped businesses curb labor costs during the current economic recession, according to a news release.
The Virtual Receptionist, Virtual Hostess, Virtual Concierge, Virtual Salesperson and are designed to provide live-two way communication between a consumer and a customer service representative located off-site. The kiosks can see, hear and talk to customers and clients.
According to the release, this package offers businesses and restaurants the ability to automate their locale in a manner that is cost effective, friendly and dependable. The interactive systems can offer one employee the capability to talk face-to-face with multiple sites. This cuts back on the payroll costs required to staff the company, since one employee can speak with consumers in different locations.
For more information visit www.go4virtual.com.
Friday, 30 January 2009
CR80News: Onity, a global provider of electronic locking solutions, has taken self-service to the next level. Returning college students don't have to go to the school's office to get their new room assignments. If they have a current student ID card, they simply stop by a kiosk and self-register. "Check-in historically has involved a lot of time-consuming, one-on-one interaction, with almost every new and returning resident," says Anthony Zamora, head of IT support for the University of San Diego. Students checking in at the university have stood in line for up to three hours, says Zamora. With the Onity kiosks, wait time has been reduced by more than 50 percent.
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Tuesday, 20 January 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Retail Customer Experience magazine announced the publication of its inaugural Best Retail Customer Experiences report, a comprehensive market survey that asks thousands of shoppers to rate retailers based on several aspects of their customer experience.
"It's easy to look at publicly available figures and determine which retailers are selling the most, but until now it hasn't been possible to see, at a glance, which retailers are satisfying their customers the most," said editor James Bickers, who authored the report. "This document brings together the voice of those shoppers, voices which we have distilled into numerical rankings."
Major retailers in eight different retail segments (apparel, department store, entertainment, pharmacy, etc.) were identified, and 2,500 shoppers were asked to rate them in five attributes: customer service, aesthetics, inventory, online experience and overall customer experience.
Those numbers were assembled and used to find winners in each of the eight segments, along with an overall "Best in Show" – for which there was a two-way tie, between a prominent apparel retailer and an entertainment superstore.
"The two retailers which took our 'best in show' typify customer experience at its pinnacle – beautiful and inviting stores, the inventory that the audience wants, and customer service that is truly legendary," Bickers said.
Along with background information on the eight winners, the report includes expert commentary on each from a variety of sources, analyzing the retailers and dissecting what they do well and how they do it – and how other retailers can learn from them.
The report also includes, as a bonus, "The customer perspective: What shoppers want in an in-store experience," an exclusive survey in which shoppers give their candid opinions on a variety of aspects of customer experience: digital signage, self-service, loyalty programs, card data security, multichannel retail and more.
"The Best Retail Customer Experiences 2009" is available immediately at: http://www.networldalliance.com/best-retail-customer-experiences-2009.
Monday, 22 December 2008
Chelsea Now: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York unveiled a new “talking kiosk” to help visually impaired customers navigate Penn Station’s concourses, passageways and platforms. The kiosk features a touch-activated map of the station, visual displays for the partially sighted and a voice designed for phonetic clarity. Customers touch different parts of the map, and the kiosk describes the corresponding location and gives directions. The kiosk costs $23,000, or less than half the cost of a previous model, which was removed earlier this year.
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Tuesday, 16 December 2008
The (Riverside, Calif.) Press-Enterprise: Recently, Candice Brown of Hemet, Calif., was waiting painfully in line at the local post office, when her eyes fell upon one of the U.S. Postal Service's blue Automated Postal Center kiosks. "I just had major surgery. Waiting in line while holding that box was killing me," said Candice Brown. She tried it. She liked it. Now she says she'll never wait in line again.
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Monday, 10 November 2008
The (New York City) Ticker: The Talking Kiosk, a device designed to aid the visually impaired, was unveiled in the Whitehall Ferry Terminal in lower Manhattan. The kiosk is the second of its kind and Karen Gourney, head of Baruch College's Computer Center for Visually Impaired People, was instrumental in its development. Gourney described the Talking Kiosk as "basically a talking tactile map with some buttons that give the user access to various menus that allow him or her to glean particular types of information. The user explores the map with his hands, and when he presses a particular point, the system speaks and announces what has been touched."
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Thursday, 23 October 2008
Furniture World: Showroom Technology announced that Jerome's Furniture, one of its Top 100 home furnishings retail customers, saw a 20 percent increase in average sales tickets using the SHOW/PRO kiosk system. Having installed SHOW/PRO kiosks in each of its five San Diego stores, Jerome's Furniture incorporated the consumer self-service kiosk system into its sales process, pre-approving consumers for in-store credit and registering customers for incentives. The result was a significant increase in average tickets for customers who first used the kiosk system to gain credit approval. When consumers know their own purchasing power, and the retailer's sales associates do as well, sales tickets tend to be larger.
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Wednesday, 08 October 2008
Newsday.com: A talking kiosk resembling an ATM will help blind or low-vision passengers get around a ferry terminal in lower Manhattan. The kiosk is scheduled to be unveiled Wednesday at Whitehall Ferry terminal by a host of city and small business agencies. A similar kiosk was installed last year at Staten Island's St. George Ferry terminal.
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Tuesday, 07 October 2008
MyCustomer.com: Self-service can deliver significant assistance to the customer, and financial benefits to the business. Yet many organizations continue to struggle with the right role for self-service in their portfolio of support offerings and its use has plateaued. Allen Bonde examines the reasons for this — and explores what the right role for self-service really is.
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Tuesday, 07 October 2008
AME Info: SITA, the specialist provider of IT solutions to airlines and airports, today said there is overwhelming evidence from passengers surveyed at six of the world's busiest airports across five continents, that self-service is fast becoming the norm for passengers from Atlanta to Moscow and that the main challenge to even broader adoption of DIY travel management is baggage.
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Monday, 29 September 2008
BBC: Tesco shoppers will now be able to use self-service checkouts in Welsh following recent demand from customers. Tesco says a program initiated over the summer to convert its self-checkout systems to include a Welsh option is now complete.
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Monday, 15 September 2008
SAN LEANDRO, Calif. — Opinionmeter International has released a major upgrade to their Web-based SurveyManager application, enabling customers to include multimedia content within their survey's questions and responses. The SurveyManager remotely manages a wide-range of Web-enabled touchscreen survey devices, providing real-time point-of-experience customer feedback.
This enhancement provides clients the option of including video, sound and image content within their survey questionnaire. Additionally, clients can run multimedia presentations and digital signage on their touchscreen Opinionmeters during idle time between surveys.
This multimedia enhancement is available with most TouchPoint Opinionmeters, including the TouchPoint kiosk, tablet and handheld models.
Opinionmeter's touchscreen survey devices collect real-time point-of-experience survey data, and transmit that data across the Internet to its Web-based reporting tool known as The SurveyManager. The SurveyManager automates the entire real-time survey process, — formulating the questions, deploying the survey, aggregating the data and reporting analyzed results.
The Opinionmeter System gathers large amounts of customer feedback instantly from the point-of-experience, analyzes it, and transforms that data into information it delivers to any authorized person anywhere in the world for meaningful actions. The system is quickly implemented, easy, convenient and economical to use. The result is immediate, providing spontaneous data that is not aged or dated — it is ripe for meaningful business action, or for timely response to a just occurring negative action, such as poor service.
Monday, 08 September 2008
PHOENIX, Ariz. — OpenTech Alliance, Inc. has announced in a news release that it has exceeded the $11 million mark in rental fees collected by its INSOMNIAC kiosks at their client's self-storage facilities across North America, with the most recent $1 million dollars in revenue being collected in June.
In an ongoing effort to become a transparent company, OpenTech released detailed kiosk usage numbers for the first six months of 2008, giving the self-storage industry the opportunity to see for themselves how much consumers utilize and benefit from the use of self-service kiosks.
Self-storage owners have already purchased over 400 INSOMNIAC kiosks to date. OpenTech reported 206 kiosks were online as of January 1, 2008, and another 56 came online during the period ending June 30, 2008. For the first half of 2008, consumers used INSOMNIAC kiosks to rent 3,925 storage units, make 31,984 payments, and purchase 1,456 locks, representing a total of $3,719,772 in self service transactions.
"The data clearly shows a high percentage of kiosk use during operating hours, which affirms my contention that while the human touch is great, many renters will use technology to execute a transaction, both from a rental and payment processing perspective," said R.K. Kliebenstein, leader of Coast-To-Coast Storage. "The reduced costs associated with a machine versus an employee are significant; a kiosk does not take a day off, very rarely calls in sick, and never presents a life safety issue when dealing with cash."
Thursday, 31 July 2008
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — RealTime Shredding is expanding internationally with the sale of its self-service shredder kiosk to Gagnaeyding, Iceland’s largest shredding company.
According to a news release, Gagnaeyding, located in Reykjavik, Iceland, is using the shredder kiosk to expand its customers' on-site service. Gagnaeyding will bring the shredder kiosk to customers' business sites to increase security of shredding sensitive materials, as well as eliminate the customers’ transportation time.
"The company may also offer shredding directly to consumers on a public-access basis," said Runar Mar Sverrisson, general manager of Gagnaeyding.
The company also plans to offer the kiosk to its customers on a short-term basis so they can shred their own materials on-demand.
Monday, 28 July 2008
Manufacturing Business Technology: RedPrairie Corp., a supplier technology for optimizing the management of warehouses and product distribution operations, has created a new employee self-service application. This new browser-independent application will allow employers to more effectively communicate with their employees. As part of the RedPrairie Workforce Management solution, the enhanced employee self-service capability provides employees with the ability to confirm their work schedules, check hours worked, submit time-off requests and receive other job-related information with a secure, easy-to-use Web portal interface.
Click to continue
Friday, 18 July 2008
(Bangor, Maine) WLVZ-TV, Channel 2: This summer, Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest healthcare organizations in the country, expects to roll out 90 self-service kiosks in 60 of its medical clinics. The kiosks are designed to do almost everything a receptionist can do, but most patients recently surveyed at one office ignored it. "I still do like the human factor. I like going up to the desk, being greeted by a person and not a machine," said Joe Freitas, a patient at Kaiser Permanente.
Click to continue
Friday, 18 July 2008
The Red Tape Chronicles: Does the success of self-service spell the end of customer service? Bob Sullivan, a blogger who covers Internet scams and consumer fraud for MSNBC.com, takes a look at the retail store of the future and wonders whether store associates even will be necessary.
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Wednesday, 25 June 2008
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — RealTime Shredding Inc. is introducing magnetic strip and smart card software on its self-service shredding kiosk, giving businesses the ability to provide 'shred cards' to their customers and partners.
The new offerings for the Self-Service Shredder come in response to retailers' and other business' growing interest in non-cash-based systems, while meeting demands for innovative ways to brand and provide loyalty benefits to customers.
The magnetic strip card is ideal for businesses with a single kiosk, according to Amanda Verrie, RealTime Shredding's president. A business can provide cards with a set number of shredding minutes and/or sessions to customers, partners and others. Non-profit organizations even can sell shred cards for fundraising, says Verrie. With a shredding rate of up to 200 sheets of paper a minute on the Self-Service Shredder, a business could offer substantial use with just a few minutes of time on a card.
Smart cards are good options for repeat users and for businesses with multiple kiosks, adds Verrie, including retailers and businesses with several branches, such as banks. For the individual user, she says, the ability to use the Self-Service Shredder at any of the business' locations makes it easier and more convenient to keep up with shredding on a regular basis.
"The business benefits significantly from a customer's increased visits to their location," she said.
The new software offers key branding opportunities for kiosk owners, says Verrie. RealTime Shredding can customize shred cards with a business' logo, photo and contact information. For businesses that do not own the Self-Service Shredder but still want to help fight identity theft, the software provides the ability to provide shred cards for use in a local kiosk. RealTime Shredding also now offers the Self-Service Shredder kiosk in custom colors, providing additional branding opportunities.
Monday, 02 June 2008
BOISE, Idaho — Earthpure Organics showcased its 100 percent organic, EnergyStar compliant vending kiosk at the Idaho Green Expo recently. Earthpure Organics is a U.S. vending company that offers organic snacks and beverages that are carbon offset with EPA/BEF wind power green tags.
Earthpure Organics partnered with Mountain Coin Machine Distributors of Salt Lake City, using a Crane UltraFlex machine, to produce a custom skinned, eco-friendly vending kiosk targeted toward their strongest market segments: schools and hospitals. The kiosks provide a healthy and fully organic alternative to the conventional products currently being sold in traditional vending machines, while utilizing USA Technologies Vendmiser energy controllers to effectively save an average of 35 percent energy consumption.
Monday, 02 June 2008
CNN.com: Walk into the recently opened Hyatt Place in Columbia, S.C., and guests can order meals on a touchscreen kiosk at any time of day; self-service kiosks greet travelers by name and spit out room keys. At only $140 a night, don't expect to be pampered — this new kind of chain is about modern functionality. Called "select service" by industry insiders, the hotel category is taking a democratized dose of style from upscale predecessors like W and Kimpton. And it's altering the landscape for travelers both here and abroad, with brands that are a step up from bland budget hotels like Marriott SpringHill Suites, Hilton Garden Inn and Courtyard by Marriott.
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
NEW YORK — On the heels of a successful two-year pilot of personal electronic automated retail shops with ZoomSystems, Macy’s announced the rollout of this technology to more than half of its full-line department stores around the country. The new e-Spot automated shops offer the latest consumer electronics at a customer’s fingertips with touchscreen technology that processes the transaction and completes the sale in a matter of minutes. The machines will offer widely demanded brands including Apple, Sony, Canon and MyVu.
"Personal electronics are a massive business in today’s texting, downloading, photo ‘tagging,’ YouTubing world," said Chris Mizer, senior vice president of Macy’s Customer Operations. "And arguably more so than ever before, people’s tech taste is as much an extension of their personal style as their choice of shoe or apparel brands. As we continue to expand the Macy’s brand as the premiere shopping and lifestyle destination, it became increasingly obvious that our customer was looking to us for this caliber of electronic product. They wanted one-stop, no-fuss shopping, and we are responding."
The products available from e-Spot include iPods (Touch, Classic, Nano and Shuffle); Canon 7MP and 8MP digital cameras; Samsung 7MP digital camera and 1GB Camcorder; MyVu Personal Media Viewers; Sony, V-MODA, Bang and Olufsen and Harman Kardon headphones; and mobile accessories by Belkin. Products range from $14.99 to $349.99.
Providing instant gratification faster than online purchasing, e-Spot automated shops can complete a transaction in less than two minutes for knowledgeable, decided customers. The machines also have extensive product information and comparisons that allow customers with less-certain needs to be as thorough as necessary to feel comfortable.
"Customers tell us they love the no-pressure environment e-Spot provides," said Mizer. "Getting product information easily without pressure, and not waiting for someone with a key to unlock a cabinet or get the product from a back room — this is the type of comfortable shopping environment that today’s technology buyer appreciates."
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
The Retail Bulletin: Tesco's Fresh & Easy chain has uniquely adopted an all-self-checkout model that was initially questioned but is gaining increasing customer acceptance, according to the grocer's internal research. As many as 90 percent of its customers indicated that they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the checkout experience, and in a separate independent survey some 60 percent of shoppers found the arrangement favorable while another 27 percent stated that it doesn't matter what format the checkouts take.
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Monday, 19 May 2008
e-Health Insider: A new touchscreen kiosk is to be launched in Europe by self-service specialist NCR, designed to simplify the checking in and out procedures for patients. MediKiosk, a self-service machine which interfaces with hospital information systems and collects clinical information from patients prior to an appointment, is to be piloted by an NHS foundation trust, and one practice in England later this year.
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Thursday, 15 May 2008
MILAN, Italy – IBM Corp. has announced a new interactive banking kiosk to help financial institutions improve the customer experience.
The ‘virtual’ solution, developed by the IBM Bari research laboratory in Italy, will enable customers to communicate and interact with a virtual bank teller. Customers will see the teller on a display, delivering and receiving paper documents and checks, helping customers fill out and sign forms and providing support and specialized advice.
The virtual bank teller is designed to work across a bank’s local branch network from a central site. In the bank’s local branches, the interactive kiosk can be introduced to support traditional front office services, especially at peak hours, or in some instances could replace traditional operations.
Customer benefits include significant reductions in queues and real time access to tellers with specialized skills for complex query resolution. The kiosk can speed up the completion of more straight-forward self-service tasks (such as deposit slips and checks), while also offering customized and consistent support.
Business benefits include the ability to enhance customer service and competitive differentiation, as well as optimizing human capital management — deploying skilled resources in the most efficient manner across the branch network without the need for physical relocation.
Further potential benefits and innovations include seasonal capacity modeling to meet seasonal increases in demand at vacation locations or the dedicated provision of specialist skills to support events such as mergers and acquisitions.
The kiosk also provides a new CRM channel that allows banks to upgrade their branch network, roll out new products and integrate new services.
Friday, 25 April 2008
The (Edinburgh, Scotland) Evening News: Libraries across the Capital are set to adopt self-service as part of a range of measures to encourage more people to borrow books. The overhaul is designed to help free up time for the city's librarians, allowing them to provide better service for those using the libraries.
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Tuesday, 15 April 2008
Time Magazine: Ron Gonen wants to make recycling worth consumers' time. The former management consultant co-founded RecycleBank in 2004 on the simple idea that people want to recycle, but they just need a little push. So Gonen decided to appeal to their pocketbooks. One of the ways in which his company is doing that is by deploying special recylcing kiosks that reward consumers with special points that can be redeemed for offers by area merchants.
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Tuesday, 08 April 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. — A growing legion of North American consumers use self-service in their everyday lives, and the latest research from NCR Corp. shows an increasing percentage of individuals actually favor businesses that offer "do-it-myself" options.
The third annual NCR Self-Service Consumer survey, conducted by BuzzBack Market Research, reveals that 86 percent of U.S. and Canadian consumers say they are more likely to do business with a company that offers the flexibility to interact using self-service — whether via the Internet, on a mobile device or at a kiosk or ATM. That’s an increase of 11 percent over those who gave the same response in last year’s study. Moreover, 56 percent say their likelihood to use self-service has increased over the past year.
"These survey results are symbolic of what lies ahead for self-service," said NCR chairman and chief executive officer Bill Nuti, who announced the survey results at the NCR Self-Service Universe executive conference in Orlando. "The self-service revolution is real: consumers demand it, businesses depend on it."
In addition to being more likely to do business with enterprises offering self-service, 66 percent of the survey respondents say the availability of self-service technologies creates a more positive perception of the deployer’s brand.
Monday, 07 April 2008
The (Richmond, Va.) Times-Dispatch: Customers at two Richmond-area Hardee's restaurants can use touchscreen kiosks to order and pay for their food. The kiosks are part of a test for franchise operator Boddie-Noell to see whether customer service improves. "It is really all about speed of service, ordering accurately and giving customers another way to get their order quicker," said Jerry Allsbrook, senior vice president of marketing for Boddie-Noell, the largest Hardee's franchisee in the U.S. It operates 346 restaurants in four states, including Virginia.
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Friday, 04 April 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. — “We are truly at an inflection point,” said Bill Nuti, NCR Corp.’s chairman and chief executive. “Businesses are forced to interact with a consumer that is changing.”
Long story short, like the ever-changing and evolving technology paradigm, consumers are changing, and they want to interact with businesses at an ever-accelerating pace. Businesses, in their quest to keep up, are looking to self-service and multichannel strategies more than ever before.
At least that’s the way the head of the Dayton, Ohio-based self-service giant sees it, and it’s a message he and the rest of the NCR team are touting to customers and journalists from various industries and markets during NCR’s third-annual Self-Service Universe Executive Conference.
‘The revolution is real’
During his opening address Thursday, Nuti quoted 10 ideas recently published by Time Magazine that are changing the world.
Of the ideas, which range from the so-called “Post-Movie-Star Era” to “Reverse Radicalism,” is a section dedicated to “The End of Customer Service.” And guess what spurred the notion to be pinged by Time as one of the top-10? Answer: An overwhelming shift among retailers, the hospitality industry, banking institutions and more to increased use of self-service.
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Bill Nuti, NCR Corp.’s chairman and chief executive, speaks at NCR’s third-annual Self-Service Universe Executive Conference.
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In fact, among Time’s top-10, this move to more self-service listed as the No. 2 “big idea.”
So, is that movement or migration a good thing? Yes, not surprisingly, says Nuti, whose company is betting on the self-service shift.
But does the shift represent, as Time would lead readers to believe, an end to customer service? Quite the contrary, Nuti says.
Quoting statistics from its most-recent annual consumer survey, which polls users in North America, Europe, China, Japan and Australia, Nuti says NCR found that consumers are increasingly demanding and using self-service.
Looking specifically at the United States and Canada, the 500 North America consumers who participated in the March 2008 survey, 86 percent said they were more likely to do business with companies that offer self-service. That’s a 12 percent increase from just last year. And, even more striking, Nuti says, is that no respondents said they would be less likely to do business with a company that offers self-service – a minority category that accounted for 2 percent of last year’s results.
Additionally, around 56 percent said their likelihood to use self-service has increased over the last 12 months. (Click here to download the full survey.)
Respondents also said the use of self-service positively impacted, in their minds, brand image. In fact, 66 percent said they positively viewed brands that use or offer self-service technologies.
“The ‘Self-Service Revolution’ is driven by the desire for something better,” Nuti said.
It’s a revolution that’s being driven by technology enhancements, technology affordability and a desire on the part of the consumer to do more for himself. One merely needs to look to the speed at which consumers have embraced the Internet and wireless technology, Nuti says, to see that the adoption of self-service is only going to become more widespread, crossing every socio-economic, ethnic and generational sphere.
Ultimately, Nuti says, self-service will enhance, not harm, customer service.
“One of the true values of customer service is personalization,” he said. “By offering consumers more choices, you improve personalization. You must have networks and self-service options that meet the needs of customers in order to survive. The age of the multichannel consumer has finally arrived.”
Monday, 18 February 2008
The (New Jersey) Star-Ledger: The restaurant industry may soon allow customers to order their food and pay for it without ever needing a waiter. Call it digital dining, self-service, the inevitable confluence of technology and gastronomy that can speed service, reduce ordering errors and better secure your precious credit card information in one of the few remaining environments in which your card leaves your control.
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Tuesday, 12 February 2008
Nashua Telegraph: Checking out a book at the Nashua, N.H., public library is so easy, even a child can do it, thanks to the library's new self-checkout system. Just ask 5-year-old Sej, who recently received his first library card. Sej deftly navigated the system, scanning his card and the books he wanted to check out in the children's room. His mother, Stephanie Sewhuk-Thomas, stood by to offer assistance, but Sej did pretty well on his own.
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Tuesday, 22 January 2008
CBS 2 HDTV: Ever find yourself unable to get the attention of a waiter? That may be a problem of the past thanks to new tableside touchscreens. The technology is being used at uWink, the latest offering from the founder of Chuck E. Cheese. The company said the new system is providing faster service, fewer mistakes and fewer interruptions.
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Friday, 11 January 2008
DAYTON, Ohio — A recent NCR Corp. survey showed that 64 percent of consumers consider the ease of returns as somewhat or very important. Now NCR’s new self-service solution, NCR FastLane Self-Return, enables retailers to provide more convenience to their customers during the often time-consuming and frustrating merchandise-return process.
Deployed by a major European retailer, NCR FastLane Self-Return will be demonstrated Janl. 13-16 at the 2008 National Retail Federation Convention & Expo in NCR’s booth.
“The ease of returning products is a significant factor in a consumer’s purchasing decision. Our research finds that over half of consumers would prefer to shop at stores that offer a self-service solution to help speed returns,” said Mike Webster, vice president of NCR's self-service solutions. “The first solution of its kind, NCR FastLane Self-Return provides retailers with a new vehicle for enhancing the consumer experience and building customer loyalty, while also improving staffing and operational efficiencies.”
In a typical retail environment, the solution allows shoppers to return goods for a refund on their own by first scanning the item(s) and entering relevant product information. Next, the item is inspected by a store associate who can approve the return. A reimbursement is then issued in the manner the item was originally purchased — debit, credit, cash or gift card.
Tuesday, 08 January 2008
DAYTON, Ohio — NCR Corp. and Experticity, provider of live, video-assisted customer support solutions, are collaborating to offer Experticity’s customer-service platform with NCR EasyPoint self-service kiosks.
Experticity is the only retail-specific solution that engages shoppers at the point of service with high-quality, live video customer support. Remote expert service agents — supplied by the retailer, consumer goods manufacturer or a third party — can be accessed by the consumer according to language and skill, giving retailers a new vehicle for ensuring customers receive face-to-face service when and where they need it. This self-service support technology also allows retailers to improve staffing efficiencies by optimizing store associates between peak and slow hours.
The companies expect to demonstrate Experticity’s latest software platform with the NCR EasyPoint 42 kiosk Jan. 13-16 in NCR’s booth at the 2008 National Retail Federation Convention & Expo in New York.
Tuesday, 08 January 2008
LONDON — Customers at selected Tommy Hilfiger Denim stores can now join the Hilfiger Hall of Fame by adding their pictures to an interactive storefront campaign that launched today.
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The Tommy Hilfiger Denim store on Carnaby St. in London.
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Hilfiger stores in London, Amsterdam, Cologne, Antwerp and Dublin now feature through-window touchscreens, providing an interface for passing shoppers to capture, stylize and submit their image as part of collage of images being shown on digital screens in the shop windows.
The digital storefronts enable customers to interact with the Hilfiger brand even outside of business hours. At the end of the campaign, customers will be able to return to the store and have their own T-shirt specially printed using the image they created as the design. The campaign also serves as mechanic for driving subscriptions to Hilfiger’s email newsletter, with users being asked to opt-in when uploading their images.
The campaign was created by Hilfiger’s marketing agency Ministry of Experience. Coupled with special UCS optical rear-projection screens from dnp, which deliver bright, sunlight-resistant images through the glass, and a camera behind the window, the systems allow passers-by to interact directly. Users can pose, then take their own photo, then manipulate and add effects ready to be printed onto T-shirts.
Pixel Inspiration, a digital-signage agency, developed the interactive software that powers the touchscreen displays and their attached cameras. The software is also responsible for managing the marks that users create, integrating the solution with the Hilfiger Web site and the in-store printer.
Thursday, 03 January 2008
The Associated Press: A First National Bank branch in Papillion, Neb., has added several self-service options for its customers. The bank features some new high-tech innovations — including a "digital koi pond." The digital projection system displays banking options on the floor. Users can step on an icon projected onto the bank's floor that points the user to the appropriate kiosk in the bank. The kiosks cover such things as loans, new accounts and small business advice. The bank also uses eye-scanning technology for safe deposit box access.
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Tuesday, 30 October 2007
Kokomo Tribune: Inmates at the Howard County Criminal Justice Center saw an increase in the commissary items they are able to purchase. Keefe Commissary Network installed kiosks in every pod of cells that allows inmates to order the commissary items via a computerized system.
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Monday, 08 October 2007
Supply Chain Digest: Wal-Mart, like many other retailers, is increasingly counting on customer self-service to help it reduce operating costs and maybe even reduce the time customers spend waiting to go through point-of-sale lines. Some recent visits to Wal-Mart superstores in the Ohio area indicated Wal-Mart, again like other retailers, also is battling shrinkage issues with the program.
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Tuesday, 25 September 2007
ARMONK, N.Y. · IBM Corp. has announced a new initiative designed to help businesses across multiple industries connect to today's technology-savvy consumer, who · according to a new IBM survey · is increasingly self-sufficient.
As part of the IBM Consumer Services Initiative, the company is delivering new technologies and services, including a self-service kiosk with built-in wireless capabilities and 3-D imagery, a new line of point-of-sale and self-checkout systems and a services practice focused on delivering customer-facing solutions.
IBM also introduced the Self Service Alliance, a program intended to drive innovation and create new uses for self-service technologies through collaboration and standards-based technologies.
As part of its ongoing consumer research efforts, IBM detailed results of a U.S. consumer survey that showed 50-percent growth in the use of self-service technology in the past year, with 70 percent of respondents saying they expect businesses to offer more self-service options. Among the 1,000 people surveyed, the most stated reasons for using self-service were access to information and services outside of normal business, less time standing in line, ease-of-use and greater privacy for certain transactions.
"Consumer expectations have accelerated rapidly over the past 10 years · like no other time in history, with no sign of a slow down in sight," said Steve Ladwig, general manager, IBM Retail Store Solutions. "Consumers are demanding even greater flexibility and choice, creating opportunities for companies of all sizes to innovate and change the way consumers connect, interact and transact business. This new generation of standards-based kiosks and self-checkout technologies will enable Business Partners to develop entirely new applications and create new connections between businesses and consumers. The future possibilities for self-service technologies are endless."
One of the first products of this global initiative is the new compact self-service kiosk product line with built-in wireless capabilities and an industry-first 19-inch screen. The IBM AnyPlace Kiosk wireless capability allows it to be deployed quickly and easily in almost any environment. Enabled by a wireless cellular WAN card from Sprint or other third-party wireless providers, consumers can connect to the Internet via kiosks inside stores, airports, hotels and more, significantly increasing their options by blending online experiences with the in-person experience.
The IBM AnyPlace Kiosk product family also includes 17-inch and 15-inch models, offering customers instant access to information, innovative services and online commerce with dual video support capabilities such as digital signage. With a rich multimedia format that includes full-motion video, high-quality audio, realistic 3-D graphics and advanced infrared touchscreen technology, these kiosks offer businesses an even greater opportunity to help influence consumer decisions and increase employee productivity without requiring additional real estate. In line with the IBM Green IT initiative, the new systems are powered by AMD high-performance, low-power Mobile Sempron and Turion dual-core processors.
As part of the IBM AnyPlace product line, IBM also introduced its first point-of-sale (POS) system capable of operating as a kiosk, point-of-sale terminal or both. As with the IBM AnyPlace Kiosk, all AnyPlace units feature integrated wireless, optional WAN and a range of integrated touchscreens, including 15- and 19-inch sizes.
Another focus area of this global initiative is the new IBM Self Checkout system, which includes software for control and flexibility when deploying self-checkout. The new IBM Checkout Environment for Consumer-Service offers retailers a complete application and toolkit for customization that opens up opportunities for the IBM Business Partner network to customize, sell and implement IBM Self Checkout solutions.
IBM is a leader in providing self-service kiosks to hotels and airlines, making it a leader in helping clients provide consumers with more choices than any other vendor for check-in and other business transactions.
"In the past, consumers were typically passive participants in health care. They'd visit their doctor once a year, obtain measurements and hope they were healthier than the year before," said Andrew Pelosi, Virgin Life Care vice president of marketing and consumer engagement. "Today, as employers share the burden of rising health-care costs, consumers are looking for ways to take control of their health. The HealthZone allows them to do this by providing immediate access to validated health data that can be used to set goals, track progress and make educated decisions to live healthier lives."
Wednesday, 19 September 2007
MercuryNews.com: As air travelers grow increasingly frustrated with perceived poor service from carriers, executives with those companies are turning to self-service in new roles to provide more convenience and to reduce waits. One example: Continental Airlines has installed self-service kiosks inside secure areas at hub airports in Houston, Cleveland and Newark, N.J., to help rebook passengers whose flights have been delayed.
Read more
Monday, 17 September 2007
The Associated Press: It's a discouraging sight for busy travelers: throngs of people huddled around a lone power outlet at an airport gate, all of them hoping to recharge their BlackBerries, laptops and other gadgets. Across the country, airports are trying to bring precious energy more conveniently to millions of travelers who rely on a plethora of battery-powered devices. Their solution: kiosks.
Monday, 10 September 2007
FRANKLIN, Tenn. · IHL Consulting Group has released its 2007 North American Self-Checkout Systems Market Study, which focuses on statistics of self-checkout purchases from a user's perspective. The study, now in its seventh year, is based on information gathered during a survey of 1,000 North American respondents.
Some key findings of the report include:
- 98 percent of all respondents have used self-checkout.
- In 2006, consumers spent more than $137 billion on self-checkout transactions at retailers, up 24 percent from 2005, namely because of increased usage in supercenters, warehouse clubs and DIY stores.
- 44 percent of respondents say they really like self-checkout. Only 9 percent say they will not use the technology.
Click here for more information.
Friday, 07 September 2007
The (Montpelier, Vt.) Times-Argus: Vermont's Department of Motor Vehicles has deployed kiosks in each of its five permanent branch offices and Montpelier, Vt., headquarters. The department began installing the kiosks, which allow motorists to renew auto registrations themselves, about two years ago, says Bonnie Rutledge, commissioner of the department. Now the self-service terminals are located in each DMV office in the state.
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Thursday, 09 August 2007
The Wall Street Journal: When the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport was planning a new concourse, prime tenant Alaska Airlines insisted on a counter-intuitive design: "The one thing we don't want is a ticket counter," said Ed White, the airline's vice president of corporate real estate. So the 447,000-square-foot Concourse C, which opened in 2004, has only one small, traditional ticket counter, even though the carrier's 1.2 million Anchorage passengers checked in through that area last year. This unconventional approach · which uses self-service check-in machines and manned "bag drop" stations in a spacious hall that looks nothing like a typical airport · has doubled Alaska's capacity, halved its staffing needs and cut costs, while speeding travelers through the building in far less time.
Read more (Registration required.)
Wednesday, 08 August 2007
BOSTON · Research report "Killer Kiosks: Redefining the Customer Experience Through Self-Service," published by Aberdeen Group, reveals that 88 percent of the companies surveyed for the report improved customer satisfaction by using self-service. Another 63 percent also said customer-conversion rates have improved since the adoption of kiosks.
More than 260 of Aberdeen's Best-in-Class companies were surveyed.
According to the report, customer-service interaction and brand differentiation are the top factors driving kiosk adoption. Aberdeen has identified self-pay, self-order and self-help as the three primary kiosk offerings available for improving customer experiences. Specifically, 56 percent of Best-in-Class companies are enhancing self-service customer touchpoints through a collaborative process of store workflow planning and kiosks.
Ultimately, the primary objective for most companies is to improve revenue by exceeding customer expectations. Results show that 47 percent of the companies surveyed have attained a return on investment within 3 years of deployment.
If you would like a copy of the report please contact Steve DeFusco at Aberdeen: or (617) 854-5318.
Friday, 01 June 2007
(Canada) Business Edge: Facing time-starved consumers and continuing labor shortages, retailers are looking to new technologies to change the way consumers shop. Various forms of interactive customer-service kiosks · some of which are being tested in Canada · could soon become the latest tool in a store owner's arsenal.
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Friday, 25 May 2007
Insideretailing.com: A U.S. consumer study conducted by NCR Corp. found that modern consumers prefer to deal with retailers who offer self-service options. More than 77 percent of the 633 U.S. and Canadian consumers polled said they were more likely to do business with organizations that offer self-service; 92 percent of survey respondents said they also value combining mobile devices · like mobile phones or PDAs · with the Internet and kiosks or ATMs to improve the overall experience.
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Thursday, 17 May 2007
PADERBORN, Germany · With Greek partner Unisystems, Wincor Nixdorf has signed a contract to deliver information-technology equipment for counter positions at 416 postal branches in Greece.
According to a news release, all 1,280 systems · which include the Beetle iSprint PC and peripherals, including monitors, printers and keyboards · are expected to be installed by the end of the year.
The deal is an extension of Wincor Nixdorf's existing relationship with the post office. In 2003, Wincor Nixdorf provided front-end systems for 33 of Greece's postal branches.
"The customer's wishes as regards the systems' energy consumption was a particular challenge that we met, in addition to other technical requirements and quality standards," said Vicky Bassela, head of Wincor Nixdorf Greece.
Thursday, 03 May 2007
Elpasotimes.com: El Pasoans now have an opportunity to access city services and resources online thanks to an information kiosk that has been installed at their city hall.
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Wednesday, 28 March 2007
Impart Media Group Inc., a provider of end-to-end networked digital signage solutions, and Advanced Method, a designer of rich-media content, have announced a new interactive touchscreen kiosk called Concierge, which is tailored to a hotel's specific needs, with a variety of tools and features that will enrich the guest experience.
The functional benefits built within Concierge include:
- Up-to-date meeting and event schedules with wayfinding maps.
- Hotel amenities and restaurant menus.
- Local guide with third party ad space.
- Motion graphics, audio and video features.
- Remote content management system with real-time updates.
The kiosk's displayed information can be mirrored on multiple screens at the hotel property or even used in conjunction with the hotel's guest services intranet. The hotel has complete control over all content, with instant updates to the kiosk via an online content management system.
The equipment includes mobile freestanding or wall-hung enclosures, 32-inch or 42-inch vertical touchscreen LCD displays, and the Impart IQ Interactive media player. Wireless options also are available to conveniently connect to the hotel's broadband Internet or LAN.
Concierge will start shipping in quantity, May 2007.
Thursday, 22 March 2007
Amhersbergecho.com: The town council of Amherstburg, Ontario, has re-affirmed its position to implement a new customer-service kiosk at the Amherstburg Municipal Building. The kiosk would allow offer convenience for residents who would otherwise have difficulty seeing administrative staff.
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Monday, 19 March 2007
Sbpost.ie: An Irish music company backed by former Cranberries guitarist Noel Hogan has signed a major deal to supply interactive music kiosks to Golden Discs, the biggest Ireland-based music chain. Digital Jet International will supply Golden Discs with its Digital Jet Kiosk, a machine that allows customers to download music, videos, ring tones and games onto MP3 players, computers and mobile phones.
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Wednesday, 28 February 2007
Internetnews.com: ViVOTech is looking to bring RFID rapid payment to the cell phone. After years of development, it has begun to strike deals with credit card companies and retail outlets to support cardless and contactless purchases, just by waving a cell phone.
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Wednesday, 28 February 2007
Rctimes.com: Imagine driving through a kiosk to rent movies, purchase snacks and beverages, grab health foods like fresh fruit, or to get cash from an ATM, all in one stop. The originator of the Get & Go Express 24-hour convenience center concept is Jeff Parsons. Parsons, 46, said he came up with the idea in 2001 while he and his family were on a trip to Florida, stopping in busy rest areas along the way.
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Tuesday, 27 February 2007
NewsObserver.com: Something is disappearing from hotel lobbies in North Carolina: the imposing, impersonal front desk. Desks that resemble tables or podiums are replacing those long, marble barriers · for decades the cold centerpiece of the American hotel lobby · as more hotels experiment with new check-in procedures aimed at cutting down long lines and making guests feel more welcome.
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Tuesday, 27 February 2007
Kitsapsun.com: The popularity of self-checkout lines might make baggers like Brian Bay seem to be a dying breed. His speed and skill earned him the title of America's best bagger at Associated Foods' National Grocer's 21st annual Best Bagger Championship in Las Vegas earlier this month. In Associated Foods stores, self-checkout lines are not being used to cut cashier costs, as "self-checkouts diminish the level of customer service," according to Associated Foods.
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Friday, 23 February 2007
COSTA MESA, Calif. · StacoSwitch announced that FormaLogix will be the first company to adopt the Tactile Feedback Touchscreen in a commercial application. StacoSwitch currently manufactures the touchscreen system, which provides users with tactile feedback, for noisy environments such as airplane cockpits, casino kiosks and airport self-service ticket machines. FormaLogix's Virtual Fit is their first venture into the burgeoning footwear industry. The VFit kiosk will be placed in high-traffic environments such as malls and shoe stores.
FormaLogix has developed a solution to one of the footwear industry's oldest problems · finding the right fit. The VFit kiosk uses digital imagers to capture a three-dimensional image of the user's feet and compares that to an exact 3D form of the inside of a specific shoe. FormaLogix VFit technology is able to determine exactly what size a person wears in a particular shoe style and brand without the person ever trying on the shoe. For retailers, the technology improves customer service, validates fit and size, and ultimately reduces the number of returns because of poor fit.
Monday, 12 February 2007
ARMONK, N.Y. — Slovenia's Mercator has successfully implemented IBM Corp. Self-Checkout solutions in its Celje, Slovenia, store to improve in-store traffic flows, speed checkout and increase customer service and loyalty.
According to a news release, the deployment is the first self-service implementation of this kind in Southeast Europe.
Mercator services 1,134 stores and restaurants in Slovenia. To optimize checkout flows and adapt to fluctuating customer numbers, the company decided to install four self-checkout systems that are combined with existing POS systems. With its open-ended Self Checkout solution, IBM has developed a configuration that accepts all baskets and carts, regardless of size.
"It was absolutely essential to make customer traffic smoother within the store by cutting down checkout waiting times and bottlenecks," said Aleksandra Kocmut from Mercator.
Mercator installed IBM systems as part of a pilot project that started last summer. It combines a standard cashier system, payment unit for payments in cash, control scales, and a touchscreen that offers complete support in the Slovenian language throughout the shopping process. The software was tuned by IBM and business partner Mikropis.
Friday, 09 February 2007
Baltimoresun.com: When a new Martin's Food Market opened in Maryland, it became one of the first grocery stores in the state to use hand-held scanners, allowing customers to total their items and bag them while they shop.
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Monday, 29 January 2007
InfoWorld.com: The Mitsukoshi store in Tokyo's Ginza district is host to the trial in which RFID tags have been attached to lipstick, eye shadow and blush. In one part of the trial a kiosk can provide customers with a simulation of what they would look like wearing the make-up. The 19 items available all have RFID tags attached and shoppers just need wave them over a sensor for the simulator to detect which product has been selected, then it's up to a computer to do the rest.
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Wednesday, 10 January 2007
PROMO: Under the "Use It. Win It." promotion, customers can enter to win a host of prizes, including Chrysler Crossfires, tickets to sporting events and free trips to Florida for using and registering their Dunkin' Donuts cards.
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Monday, 06 November 2006
Newsday: The prevalence of self-service checkouts in supermarkets and retailers like Home Depot is due, many industry experts say, to their ability to save a shopper time. And products like the Shopping Buddy, a shopping cart containing a small computer device, boast a range of functions, including the ability to place a deli order in advance, give directions to products, and notify a shopper of sale items based on the customer's history.
"If you look at all those trends, they do tend to let the customer do more of the work," said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis for market research company NPD. "We're in a society where people want things faster. The cashiers may not be well-trained or as customer-centric as the retailers or customers want them to be, and this is a way to take out any potential miscommunication between the customer and the clerk."
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Tuesday, 19 September 2006
Zwire.com: Dollywood has implemented the first phase of a line buster system which allows people to reserve a place in line for an attraction without having to actually wait. The system incorporates a kiosk allowing groups of six to pay a fee not to wait in line.
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Friday, 11 August 2006
LAS VEGAS -- The Venetian has partnered with McCarran Airport to introduce Airport SpeedCheck Advance, a service that allows guests to bypass airport lines by checking their luggage and receiving their boarding passes directly on the property.
This exclusive service, administered by Bags To Go Inc., is made for all travelers, especially for those with late afternoon or evening flights, after suite checkout time has passed. Travelers will be able to spend their spare time at The Venetian without carrying luggage. Additionally, waiting time in airport lines is cut in half as travelers now have the luxury of arriving at the airport one hour in advance opposed to the suggested three-hour arrival time.
"As the first property on The Strip offering our guests a secure and reliable way to process luggage for the trip home, we continue to advance our mission of providing unmatched service and excellence to all that stay with us," stated Paul Pusateri, senior vice president of The Venetian. "When the team at McCarran Airport explained the fundamentals of this service and how safe and convenient it would be for our guests, we didn't hesitate to sign on. With Airport SpeedCheck Advance kiosks, we will continue to provide services not found anywhere else and ensure an outstanding benefit for our visitors -- even at the end of their stay."
Wednesday, 09 August 2006
Austin, Texas -- Wincor Nixdorf, one of the world's leading suppliers of IT solutions for the banking and retail industries, announced the availability of its eServices platform, based on a powerful customer relationship management system that coordinates all activities for a service call. The eServices platform connects Wincor Nixdorf service management with service customers via an electronic network. With the eServices platform, service activities are more targeted and efficient, with faster turnaround time.
The eServices platform is based on the following core services: customer care center/call handling, on-site services, and standard reporting. The Wincor Nixdorf Customer Care Center represents the customer interface in the service management process. It includes the call center and help desk functions, and it manages all internal service processes. Wincor Nixdorf's on-site services include warranty services and repairs. Standard reporting services include documentation, fault report monitoring, and service level agreements
"The Wincor Nixdorf eServices platform is a unique approach because it allows customers to have fewer constraints when choosing the scope of preferred services," said Ulrich Seemann, vice president of service, Wincor Nixdorf USA. "The eServices platform allows us to offer our customers a high degree of flexibility in turnaround time and pricing."
Thursday, 06 July 2006
Eye for Travel: People and processes, not peanuts and pillows, make a difference when it comes to satisfying airline passengers, according to the JD Power and Associates 2006 North America Airline Satisfaction Study. Among the study's findings: Passengers who check in for flights online or at electronic check-in kiosks have higher satisfaction levels and save more time during the check-in process than those who use the ticket counter or curbside check-in.
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Friday, 24 March 2006
In a world first, Whitech Software Solutions has just announced an online helpdesk service for customers that need assistance while using Photo.Teller kiosks. This means that help is just a push of a button away for consumers, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The new service is called Kiosk.Help! and can be instantly accessed at the push of a button from any Photo.Teller kiosk in any location including airports, shopping centres, pharmacies and other remote locations. Kiosk.Help! will improve customer service by the availability of instant access to technical support.
Steve Delnawaz, Managing Director of Whitech Solutions said, "This is a world first in terms of the availabitity of an instant Helpdesk for photographic kiosks which will help to increase their usability and be more customer friendly."
Here's how it works, a customer is using a Photo.Tellerâ„¢ kiosk and needs help to complete their order, the customer presses the 'Help' icon to initiate an online connection between the kiosk and the customer service centre at Whitech Solutions. A trained professional will then be available to provide assistance to the customer and resolve any issues.
For the owners of Photo.Tellerâ„¢ kiosks this means that the kiosks will always be generating income because a customer can get help the minute they need it.
In addition to Kiosk.Help! a store owner is also able to initiate a call to Whitech's Technical Support Team, then the technicians can connect into the kiosk and rectify the problem.
To find more about Whitech's Kiosk.Help! or to see a demonstration, contact Whitech today on or through www.whitechsolutions.com.
About Whitech
Whitech Software Solutions is an innovative Australian company that offers Information Technology products and services to retail businesses all over the world.
Established in 1995, Whitech specialise in industry specific and customised electronic point of sale solutions aimed at improving the efficiency and profitability of our customers.
Whitech also develops market leading photographic digital kiosk and home ordering solutions, which successfully assist retail businesses in taking advantage of the digital boom in the photographic industry.
See www.whitechsolutions.com for more information.
Tuesday, 21 March 2006
Shoppers who have seen a D2 kiosk probably don't know it. That's because each one is built to reflect a particular brand. Whether that means building a kiosk of a different color, or building one shaped like a tree, D2 does it. Owner Sandra Nix said that's where the company's success lies. She founded D2 in 1992 on that core principal: branding. Previously, Nix worked in IPOs, been an IndyCar and Formula 1 race official. Now she's driving one of the lead cars in the kiosk industry.
What were you doing before you became involved in the kiosk industry?
Most of my career has been in the marketing field. Prior to working in the display/kiosk industry, I owned a company that did sales promotions and customer support, primarily focused in the automotive and technology fields.
What attracted you to the industry and made you want to get involved?
I believed — and still believe — that interactivity is the key to capturing customer attention and empowering customers to create their own experience within the parameters of a brand. It is the next logical step from both a marketing and basic transactional perspective.
Describe your first kiosk project.
My first project was a wheel selector kiosk for The Tire Rack in 1995. It was a perfect application of kiosk technology, allowing customers to choose aftermarket wheels from a database, sorted for their make and model, and then see the wheel applied to a picture of their car. It was a really smart application - the company was forward-thinking.
Describe the most significant recent changes in the industry.
This is a technology-driven industry. As functionality is enhanced, new functionality is created and price points drop for implementing that technology, we are now able to offer a dazzling array of affordable and practical performance options. When I did my first project in 1995, computers were slower and bigger, screens were smaller and peripherals were hit or miss — and the whole package was comparatively very expensive. Today, kiosks are an easily obtainable, affordable option for most businesses. And the lower cost means better ROI, which only further adds to the value.
Where will the industry be in five years?
I think there will be a blending of segments and we will no longer see a vertical just for "kiosks". I see a convergence of technologies across the board — kiosks, ATM's, POS, digital signage, exhibits and displays, etc. I think the verticals will be more defined by function — transactional, informational, marketing, etc. — rather than physicality as they are now. I also think this means we'll see some consolidation as providers look for economies of scale and begin to offer a range of offerings within a specific functional group.
Who was most influential to your career, and why?
To my professional career overall, I would say my grandfather. He was a fearless visionary and a tremendously charismatic person. Within the industry, I would say Frank W. Mayer. His customer focus was absolute — he inherently understood that every aspect of every project begins and ends with the needs and wants of the customer, period. It's a perspective that most companies tout, but he lived it and it embodied how he ran his business.
What has been the biggest "missed opportunity" in the industry recently?
Lack of collaboration. The whole is always greater than the sum of its parts, but our parts just seem to be a bit fragmented right now and therefore not realizing that benefit.
If you could grant any wish for the kiosk industry, what would it be and why?
A really great marketing campaign for the industry as a whole. We don't have a clear product or identity in general. We need to find a way to simply articulate our product and its benefits to the business community if we want interactive devices to proliferate at the rate they could be deploying.
Monday, 06 March 2006
Killing time in Kona is easier thanks to Kinetics, a subsidiary of SSKA member NCR. That's the firm Hawaiian commuter airline Island Air tapped to help passengers island hop with ease.
Kinetics installed five TouchPort II C check-in kiosks at Island Air's terminals around Hawaii and will install five more.
The TouchPort II's hardware and software are designed specifically for the travel industry, including:
- Integrated barcode and passport readers
- Multiple language support
- 15" touch screen
- 8" wide-format 300dpi thermal printer
- Dip style card swipe
- Ability to hold/print 2,500 ATB-sized documents
Island Air lost e-ticketing capabilities after being sold in 2004 and has since been rebuilding its automated customer service capabilities. Chief operating officer Les Murashige said Island Air spent more to have Kinetics' systems, but the extra quality justifies the added expense. Kinetics claims to have installed about 80% of domestic airlines' self-check-in kiosks.
"There are certain things you can get a cheaper model on, but if you're buying tires for your wife or your kids or your parents' car, obviously you want to get them the best kind of tires," Murashige said. "Working with (Kinetics), I'm glad we made the decision to go with them. They've been very helpful to expedite the whole process. When there are little glitches they respond right away. They've been very proactive about getting a maintenance group out here."
Murashige said the initial installation took about 90 days from the time he called Kinetics.
"We have web check-in as well, which is part of Kinetics' system," Murashige said. "You can do web check-in at home. You can do kiosk check-in at the airport. If you have a bag, just go to one of the kiosks, scan a barcode and it will prompt you with questions on how many bags you have."
The system includes web-based check-in allowing passengers to print luggage tags at home, eliminating the need to wait in line at the terminal.
"Kinetics' solutions provide Island Air's customers with an even smoother, more efficient way to fly," Kinetics vice president Theresa Heinz said. "With Kinetics' technology, passengers can travel with the confidence that they have the industry's most developed self-service check-in solutions to speed them through the airport and on to their flights."
The little airline, which Murashige said moves 15,000-18,000 passengers per week on its eleven twin turbo prop commuter craft, also has some big plans for the future.
"We want to be able to put self-service devices in our terminal area that will allow people to actually check into their hotel rooms from our holding rooms," Murashige said. "So let's say you're going to Lanei, which has two beautiful Four Seasons properties on it, as you wait for your plane you go to this kiosk and check into your hotel. You get your keys and everything. Vice versa, when you're leaving a hotel, you can check in for your flight — have your bag tags printed at the hotel and have them prior to coming to the airport."
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