The best of in-store merchandising, interactive kiosks and store fixtures for brands and retailers nationwide.
The FMA Magazine Spring 2021 issue includes articles on:
2021 Retail and Point of Purchase Industry Predictions
Our experts share their unique insight regarding the future of retail and the point of purchase industry.
College Campus Kiosks Transform Higher Education
Learn how college campus kiosks can offer streamlined services, wayfinding capabilities, and public safety for university students, faculty, and staff.
The Kiosk Association announces initiatives for Kiosk EMV and Kiosk ADA
kiosk association logo
EMV Initiative — As a Participating Organization with the PCI SSC, KMA encourages deployment of EMV devices (PCI certified) for CATs (Cardholder Activated Terminals). The problem has been companies attempting to try and reposition web non-EMV shopping carts into a self-order terminal using just a standard magstripe reader.
The initiative follows U.S. Access Board conference call in January introducing new Executive Director. A follow-up call in March is set. The intent of our initiative is to properly align the initial design process so that by default accessibility is accommodated, and not reduced to potential options dismissed or not explored. Like EMV, this also is impacted by casual relocation of web ordering which has not been optimized for accessibility onto self-service terminals.
NRF National Retail Federation — KMA will be exhibiting at Virtual NRF 2021 Chapter Two as well as returning to New York in January 2022 as an exhibitor at the physical tradeshow.
Kiosk Market Report Release – The 2021 Edition of the Kiosk Market Research Report is scheduled for March 1st. Over 140 pages of market breakdowns by vertical with detailed company participant profiles and information. MSRP is currently $6000
PVC Card Printer solutions by Evolis are the most robust solutions available for unattended self-service. They come in open frame and are not your usual consumer desktop printer. Being able to custom fit the usage cycle and load factor (quantity and speed) are important factors in self-service. We have some videos on our youtube showing some of the more exotic unattended models.
Editors Note: This article is a combination article. Evolis has provided the initial information however the article does include industry-wide information and even some historical (some might say hysterical) videos on the history of card printers, with focus on kiosk integrations (i.e. open-frame).
The demand for self-service kiosks has been rising over the past few years. Kiosks are used by banks, leisure and transport operators, universities and shops to meet growing consumer needs and expectations for instant, on-the-spot services, while also reducing operating and personnel costs.
Click for full size — example PVC card printer model
Kiosks can also be configured to print plastic cards and to include a wider menu of services for users. The potential is enormous:
payment cards,
student cards
visitor badges
ski lift cards
and even gift cards
User Quote
“Due to the rapidly increasing number of students, we had to find a more optimal solution for the issuance of the student cards. Lack of space and personnel in the student offices led to the idea of self-service kiosks. We also wanted an innovative solution that not only replaced the old card but offered new functions to the students.” — Dr. Tamas Molnar, head of the campus card project, Universities of Berlin, Germany
The card creation modules offer a wide range of graphic and electronic personalization options using magnetic stripes, chips and contactless chips. The card modules are generally produced by a specialist in plastic card printing systems and then incorporated into the kiosks as an add-on by the kiosk manufacturers or system integrator.
Manufacturer’s ability to deliver tailor-made solutions
Try to work with card printer module manufacturers that have a proven track record of providing solid project back-up and developing any specific functions and features that may be called for.
Many times manufacturers’ standard products will not conform to specific constraints. This may happen with a project to upgrade existing client kiosks with incorporation of a card printer module, or in the instance of a new project. Examples include adapting the card exit slot, the connectivity, the number and dimensions of chargers, the reject box for defective cards or the software.
The manufacturer’s ability to upgrade with current and future developments – drawing on its network of technicians and a local support team – is crucial to establishing a relationship of trust with the integrator. Choose a manufacturer with an established reputation that offers tailor-made solutions
and the resources to provide support to the customer for their self-service kiosk project.
Not to say there is only one manufacturer of card printers for kiosks out there. Sometimes it can make a difference if the driver support or the API is available in .NET or C#. Do you need Android or Apple or Windows. Windows is the usual path but it might make a difference to your in-house developers (or your outsourced developers).
Generally card printers come in a desktop version, and also a kiosk or open frame version. The open frame version is required as a general rule for kiosks if appearance, service and integration is high on your list. Ideally your project gets used (a lot) and then of course you will need to replenish your stock.
Zebra Card Printers — wide range of card printing solutions
MagicCard Card Printer (comes up on Amazon actually)
Datacard – one of the longest running card printer vendors
It’s also worth a view to see how kiosk models evolve. Olea Kiosks makes the Austin which started out as relatively simple pedestal with touchscreen. That’s it…
Nowadays it has evolved to include a Card Encoder Dispenser, a passport reader and two touchscreens. Not sure which POS device that is. You can see where the kiosk has what we call a “backpack” which allows mounting those devices (and letting them extend out the back)
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Feb. 2, 2021 (NEWSWIRE) —Olea Kiosks®, Inc., a visionary provider of innovative self-service kiosk solutions, today announced the growth of its leadership team to include sales management and strategic business development. The company has expanded the role of Rusty Gaynes to Director of Sales, Alliances and Strategic Partnerships and promoted Daniel Olea to Director of Strategy and Business Development.
PHOTO CAPTION: (L-R) Daniel Olea and Rusty Gaynes.
Rusty started with Olea in July of 2020 creating the alliances and strategic partnerships program and he will continue to oversee all aspects of the partnership ecosystem including the creation of innovative partner offerings and go-to-market strategies. Expansion of his duties includes leading the sales team to deliver against revenue goals. Rusty will also be instrumental in helping to identify and remove obstacles that impact sales productivity as the company further develops its inside sales and operational processes.
As the fourth generation in the business, Daniel has spent almost four years as an account executive with the company, and each year demonstrated growth. With a strong understanding of strategic initiatives, he will lead the company in its development of long-term growth plans. With his detailed analysis and recognition of emerging trends, in this role, Daniel will drive business development activities as well as continue to enhance corporate strategy.
“With the announcement of our recent manufacturing expansion, it was also time to align the rest of the organization to ensure we have the focus necessary for the future,” said Olea Kiosks Inc. CEO Frank Olea. “As I transition some of my duties to both Rusty and Daniel, this will serve as a great accelerator for our team in helping us grow our value and impact as we strengthen our competitive position in the marketplace,” explained Frank Olea, CEO.
About Olea Kiosks®, Inc.
Olea Kiosks Inc., is a self-service kiosk solution provider for the attractions and entertainment, healthcare and hospitality industries. Its technologically advanced, in-house manufacturing, design, and innovation have made it an industry leader. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, customers include The Habit Burger Grill, Kaiser Permanente, Empire State Building, Universal Studios, EVO Entertainment, Scientific Games, and Subway.
Frank Olea — For the first time in the 45+ year history of Olea Kiosks we have put someone other than an Olea in charge of the sales team. Rusty Gaynes is going to be a huge help in our growth strategy by allowing me more time to work on the future of Kiosks and Self-Service. And Daniel Olea has really proven himself to be a very strategic thinker pulling us in new directions much like I did when I took us out of the Exhibit business and into Kiosks almost 30 years ago. Press release on these two below.
New team members, expanded factory space, what’s next???
We get questions from all over. Recently we received several questions regarding kiosk thermal printers. Printers generally are 80mm thermal though there are a ton of 58mm used in automated gas station pumps. Wide thermals are often used in situations like hospitals for patient check-in where a complete form, letter size, needs to be printed.
Printers for kiosks are generally open-frame and are internally mounted along with roll of paper, which can vary in size. If you are printing badges or tickets, then the thickness comes into play along with the cutter. Thermal printers come in desktop versions as well. The most common one you see might be the super-inexpensive TM88 from Epson. Its biggest draw is it is very easy to replace the paper roll. The problem is you may want a bigger roll.
Thermal kiosk printers are a bit like Cash in that there are those that will predict declining usage. The fact is that customers decide what devices are used (and to an extent deployers), and when they want it, they get it. We see printers on every one of the self-order kiosks from McDonald’s. In controlled environments (e.g., South Korea), it can be different.
A quick note on printer paper. There are complete dissertations on printer paper, but some of the more relevant characteristics for purposes of this article are:
thermal printer paper is coated and reacts to heat. Generally, it is one-sided. Employees putting paper rolls in the reverse is a problem there.
It only retains the image for a certain period of time, depending on the paper.
The cheapest rolls of thermal printer paper are from retail stores like OfficeMax.
They are also the lowest quality and result in more problems.
A very large paper roll can weigh quite a bit and might be difficult for some employees to manage.
Label stock is different printer – different paper. McDonalds used to use the low-end Epson but for its drive-thru a heftier version was used to print adhesive labels to put on the bags. Eventually, they just standardized on the heftier Epson version across the board.
Receipt Printer Regulations
There are regulations that come into play for thermal kiosk printers.
In the UK and Europe — the EMV regulations require a printed receipt. It has since been amended to “offering a printed option.” Text msgs and emails now use a “virtual printer” to manage that.
In the US there are no legal requirements as far as point-of-sale goes.
In the US — if there is cardholder data printed, then PCI SSC says you must mask numbers.
In the US — the HIPAA regulations come into play when patient information is printed. Those printers universally come with an auto-retract should the patient/etc. fail to take their print.
Wide Format Thermal Printer Providers
There are several manufacturers of wide-format thermal printers. Kiosk oldtimers remember the days of Swecoin, the looping presenter, and the ttp8200. Swecoin US and Swecoin SE (Tommy Wincent of note). They are no longer available. Here are two recommended:
BOCA Printers – the standard in ticket printers and now thermal receipt printers.
Nanoptix – Your global provider of printing solutions and technologies for the Gaming, Lottery, Kiosk, and Amusement markets
Industry Comments
We checked with several companies on perspective on kiosk printers. It’s always useful to get some industry viewpoint.
I think there are three reasons.
The customer wants proof of purchase. The customer wants a printout of their order number. The restaurant wants to verify that the right person is picking up the order.
We tend to see more requests for 80mm over 58mm, although we do see both. I am not aware of any formal requirement for the inclusion of a receipt printer, but it does appear to be normal in the United States to provide a physical receipt or proof of purchase.
As I understand it for POS a receipt must be offered. The way you offer it is up to the POS/kiosk software provider. You can do email, SMS, or printed. A company like Datacap will have the best insight on this as I know receipting is covered in both PCI-DSS and EMV. I do agree with you though, that US kiosk users will expect a printed order confirmation most likely.
A 58mm receipt will not typically save on paper costs when compared to an 80mm receipt. Most customers have to print a certain amount of data, so the 58mm receipt would require a longer receipt than a comparable 80mm receipt.
Also, the 80mm receipt offers additional advantages, including: (i) greater flexibility with formatting; and (ii) faster throughput.
I think retailers are moving to offering the receipt being shown on a customer’s cell over needing a paper order acknowledgment, so I think that will go away sooner over later.
Certainly from a kiosk operation perspective, printers are a pain on many levels, and whenever defining a new kiosk application, the question almost always comes up from the client how to eliminate needing a printer. Now that texting solutions are very mature, it is a no-brainer to use texting with email as a plan B. Only issue is those without cell or email, or those not wanting to share their cell or email address.
Gas pumps are interesting – not sure when printing receipts will go away, though I guess since some locations require you to enter your zip code to validate your credit card, it isn’t too much of a stretch to enter your cell # too. The key is for it to arrive quickly on your cell
From Across the Pond —
Here is my two-penneth… hope it helps!
In the UK and Europe (not sure about USA, but as Chip and PIN is coming, I assume it may roll in with it), there is a requirement by the Chip and PIN providers (unattended and otherwise) that for EMV certification, a receipt is provided which must include certain items of information (date, value, unique reference, etc – enabling payments to be queried, etc). This does not need to include the items purchased (unless the print out IS the thing they purchased – such as a railway ticket, venue ticket, event ticket, etc which needs manual validation at some point).
However, due to the costs and potential lost revenue of printer paper running out/jamming, the requirement has recently been reduced so that the OFFER of a receipt is provided, and that in itself does not need to be on paper- if the customer provides a digital means (SMS, email), then the receipt can be provided by that service instead (note: this opens another can of worms with the customer not necessarily realising the personal information then is stored and why).
This is especially useful, as the paper used by these printers is NOT recyclable – unlike days of old, printers over the last 20 + years typically are thermal based, so there is a ceramic coating which, when heated turns black – but this coating makes the paper un-recyclable.
Also – depending on how high-trafficked the service is, the size of the roll may need to be large, just to prevent the unit from running out (and of course, unable to ‘vend’ if the printer cannot print the receipt). The issue here is that the printer paper roll can then be very heavy and due to ADA requirements (and, often women being the ones to change the roll, and sometimes less able to carry what can be very heavy rolls), there is a trade-off between size of roll and how often to change them.
Paper roll sizes are arbitrary as you can amend the printout layout to be an appropriate size. Simple card payment receipts are often smaller and a ‘slip’ of paper as there are only a few items of information to show, whereas retail receipts tend to contain long lists of long description items – these need more space and usually have wider rolls. Ticket printers and similar tend to also use the larger 80mm size (although the feeders are always adjustable), and thicker / security paper.
In some cases, for long printouts, some retails have changed to ‘double sided’ paper (I think Epson supports this in-printer), so that only half of the paper length is actually used, with the receipt for your good spanning both sides.
Even a few years ago (at least 5), Epson, Star Micronics, etc realised that less printers were being required for services, so were already addressing ‘digital’ forms of providing receipts – essentially providing a website version of the receipts as a service, with simple ‘virtual printer’ functions so the kiosk software manufacturers had little to no requirement to change their software.
Most people of course nowadays (with ‘contactless’ and ‘mobile’ payments, etc) find receipt s ‘hassle’ and often just cram the receipt into their pocket, handbag, etc with no further review, as the information about the transaction is usually kept on their device or instantly reviewable online now anyway.
However, when, last year using an ATM the cash counter failed on me, I at least had a receipt to prove the transaction had occurred (and they were able to review CCTV footage), so sometimes the presence of a piece of paper can reinforce the feeling of security.
Printers have come a long way since I first used them in the 1980s for printing coupons and recipes, and although the printers themselves have some smart internal technology for handling printouts (usually for legacy or simple systems), many Windows and other ‘large’ OS kiosks have a printer driver capable of creating the images to make the printout looks however you want it to look. The only 2 key items then are: paper LOW sensors (which we can then interpret and send a warning to an engineer to visit instead of when the paper OUT or JAM sensors are triggered, giving them some time to change the rolls prior to the unit stopping), and the print/eject mechanism, or Presenter (which if I recall is patented by a manufacturer called Swecoin and licensed to Star, custom, etc – I was involved in the Star and Swecoin original work) and prevents the paper from being given too early and people like me jamming the printer by taking the printout too early before the cut, as well as retaining the printout if not taken (in case of personal information being present, etc).
From Canada
A printer or terminal would need to pass some general certifications (such as RoHS, UL, EMC, CE) before it can be sold.
There are a number of benefits to using 80mm wide paper vs 58mm.
1. The wider print area allows more information per line printed reducing the length of paper needed which actually reduces the frequency of paper roll changes.
2. Most thermal printers, like our HSVL Advanced or Orizon NextGen printers, are built to support up to 80 to 82.5mm wide paper with support for smaller sizes. Very few printers are made specifically for 58mm.
3. With regards to your comment regarding paper jams, at least without printers, they don’t occur based on the paper width.
At the end of the day it often just falls on what the customer needs to print and 58mm is often a bit too narrow.
With our latest kiosk printer, the Orizon, not only are we providing operators and kiosk manufacturers with the most durable and innovative printer of its kind, but we are also providing an opportunity to reduce the overall bill of materials. The printer comes loaded with a Linux operating system providing the opportunity to load kiosk software onto the printer instead of having separate hardware. The printer also includes HDMI out and additional USB connection to connect to a monitor and to additional peripherals. See full brochure and spec sheet attached.
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Jan. 15, 2020 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Olea Kiosks®, Inc., a visionary provider of self-service kiosk solutions, today announced expansion of its manufacturing and engineering capacity in Los Angeles, Calif. This expansion enables Olea to continue to grow its customer base, partnerships, and OEM relationships to provide faster time to market and greater operational agility.
Olea KIosks Expanding
Going from 48,000 square feet to more than 80,000 square feet, this investment allows Olea to grow its manufacturing volume in its current site and move test and assembly to the new facility next door. The company has also brought on additional engineering design resources and further invested in its data-driven approach to scale and automate internal processes.
Following the completion of site improvements in Q1, this expansion will also provide more floor space to stock additional items giving the company greater capacity to shorten turn-around times on its most popular kiosks.
“This is an exciting new chapter for Olea Kiosks and a considerable progression in our strategic journey,” said Frank Olea, Chief Executive Officer. “As a domestic supplier, we’ve prevailed in an extremely challenging competitive environment. With our universal models, custom designs, and OEM business, we want to further scale for production, field deployment, and support to provide increased value to our strategic partners and produce superior solutions for our customers while serving as a preferred supplier and employer for decades to come. This also gives us some additional space for more exciting changes later this year… more on that to come,” added Olea.
Many kiosk suppliers manufacture overseas, and while that can appear to deliver cost savings, it’s often in exchange for time-to-market, lack of control, inconvenience, and quality. With the addition of four new products over the last 18 months and just as many in 2021, Olea Kiosks® will further expand its rich and diverse self-service kiosk solution portfolio.
About Olea Kiosks®, Inc.
Olea Kiosks Inc., is a self-service kiosk solution provider for the attractions and entertainment, healthcare and hospitality industries. Its technologically advanced, in-house manufacturing, design, and innovation have made it an industry leader. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, customers include The Habit Burger Grill, Kaiser Permanente, Empire State Building, Universal Studios, EVO Entertainment, Scientific Games, and Subway.
McDonald’s Kiosks Listening Post and Drive-Thru Update
New pictures of unit in the UK (made by Evoke Creative). Evoke has installed around 3000 devices over the past 12 months, providing the listening post system and the order confirmation screens at the drive-thru window.
Mcdonald’s Kiosks UK
The interior of the modern fast-food restaurant features McDonalds kiosks wall-mounted on the left and a counter with a transparent partition on the right. Above, a digital screen displays instructions. Light wooden and black finishes create a clean, contemporary look, reminiscent of their drive-thru efficiency.
The instant impact of our digital signage, both in store and out, combined with the interactivity of self-service kiosks creates a completely immersive space where your customers will want to spend more of their time.
an increase in CUSTOMER spend
Dynamically marketing your products and services using digital signage and interactive kiosks allows you to create a unique opportunity to upsell purchases, leading to an increase in average sale value.
Self-service kiosks are the perfect way to promote product upgrades during the discovery and checkout process, with personal suggestions made based on product selection, demographic or even past buying behaviour.
Special events
Instantly promote upcoming special events, VIP guest visits and seasonal campaigns across all your devices, creating awareness or temporarily changing the whole look and feel of individual sites.
COMPLETE CONTROL
View, set up and control every device in every store directly from our web-based evokeCloud interface, which can be accessed anywhere and any time, giving you complete control over your investment.
Reduced queuing times
Introducing self-service kiosks that allow your customers to serve themselves results in much shorter wait times, a speedier shopping experience and is proven to encourage repeat business.
Better use your in-store space
Replacing large service desks with free-standing kiosks completely opens up the space, creating a more welcoming environment and giving you more opportunity to use the space efficently to engage with your customers.
BRAND PROMOTION
Offer your partner brands the opportunity to use your space as an expansive digital canvas to directly promote their products or identity, with increased visibility across digital signage and kiosks.
A UNIQUE PHYSICAL SPACE
Sync multiple displays to create expansive digital canvases which can wrap around floors, ceilings and walls, creating a large scale, fully immersive environment that has the ability to transform large spaces.
DENVER, Jan. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Visit NRF 2021 Chapter 1 next week and meet with Kiosk Association. Dates are January 12, 13, 14, 19, 21 and 22 beginning next week. Our online page is https://virtualbigshow.nrf.com/company/kiosk-association-kma
If interested in attending the cost for retailers is $195. The Kiosk Association has a limited number of free Expo passes that are available. Contact Craig or one of our Gold Sponsors or members.
The Kiosk Association (KMA) is a global organization focused on improving self-service for customers and employees thru kiosks & digital signage. Our mission is to inform and educate. We provide:
Solutions
Retail kiosk solutions Cash2Card
Self-order stations (McDonalds e.g.)
Outdoor solutions for customer order including menuboards for drive-thru
Employee Health Screening Kiosks or Temperature Kiosks
Software including Contactless, Touchless Kiosk, and AI
Regulatory Guidance We help establish & communicate best practice regulatory guidelines for ADA and PCI. We work with U.S. Access Board and are a Participating Organization of PCI SSC. Other regulatory issues are UL, HIPAA, & DOT.
Research The February 2021 research report (130 pages) is being released this month. Contact us at NRF2021 for report in its entirety. Excerpt: The U.S market for self-service kiosks was valued at $2.6 billion in 2019.
Questions – Contact Craig Keefner | [email protected] | 720.324.1837 m (text or call)
Gold Sponsors: Olea Kiosks, Inc., KioWare, Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc., Nanonation, Pyramid, KIOSK Information Systems, KioskGroup, Vispero, Zebra, AUO Displays, 22 Miles & Honeywell.
Based in Westminster, Colorado, the Kiosk Association or KMA has served the unattended self-service kiosk market since 1995. The Kiosk Association leads the effort to optimize self-service engagements and outcomes using technology such as kiosks, digital signage and displays, service, monitoring, and touchscreens.
Regulatory issues PCI Compliance and EMV are the primary regulatory focus for the KMA along with ADA Accessibility. KMA is a Participating Organization with the PCI SSC. For ADA, the KMA meets annually with U.S. Access Board on accessibility standards for unattended. Additional market coverage includes digital signage, interactive digital, Point-of-Sale, Smart City, vending and robotics. See us on LinkedIn. KMA is available on https://kioskindustry.org/ and https://kma.global
Editors Note: As much as we appreciate Microsoft supporting some sort of kiosk mode we can’t help but wish they could recommend “assistive” products like KioWare and Sitekiosk which eliminate the “learned my lesson” or didn’t. Companies who have spent years analyzing and dealing with the situation have a much more robust, time-saving and cost-effective solution. There are more complex solutions such as Nanonation and 22Miles which can also be used depending on the situation.
Kiosk Mode Software Providers
KioWare software for lockdown and remote monitoring
Sitekiosk – Android and Windows lockdown, remote management and CMS for digital signage
Over the last 25 years we have seen repeated recurring cycles of company network technicians bored with their current tasks and deciding that by reading a few articles and running a test on their PC that they are perfectly knowledgeable. No offense but one critical credential for any supplier/provider is “how many times have you been hacked?”. Unless you have been hacked, repeatedly, you are essentially a neophyte.
Finally, no offense but it is worth considering Android for in-house locked down access. Active Directory is one vector to consider eliminating.
From KioWare — Two big gotchas of browser Kiosk Mode is user session management and crash management.
On a public use self-service kiosk, it is important that any trace of the previous user be deleted when done (cookies/cache/files). It is also important for the application to reset to its start page for the next user. While the web content could be programmed to do both of these, they usually do not. KioWare fully handles these issues as well as additional user session functionality.
While certainly more commonplace when web content used Flash that leaked memory and crashed after x hours, it is still common for web content to not be stable over long periods of time. KioWare has a service that runs in the background that does nothing but ensures that KioWare and the application is happy. Restarting or rebooting when they are not.
And also, depending on the application, there are other gotchas, but these two are the big ones.
From SiteKiosk— Microsoft provides a basic lockdown solution that misses many key features that kiosk software like SiteKiosk provides for a successful deployment of kiosks, public computers and digital signage screens.
Different devices in public locations require different designs and layouts. Kiosk software like SiteKiosk come with different layouts, customizable browser designs and a design tool to create custom user interfaces without programming skills. Microsoft’s kiosk solution might require you to consult with a web developer if you require a certain design of your start screen.
Especially for larger deployments and for managing interactive screens, a Cloud-based remote management, monitoring solution adds value for administrators to remotely update the configuration and the content on the remote clients without local human intervention. Similarly, important information, notifications and logs can be accessed by administrators remotely.
Kiosk software adds necessary system monitoring and maintenance features out-of-the-box. A software watchdog feature in SiteKiosk monitors the system and restarts it within seconds if needed.
To protect business and user data, kiosk software like SiteKiosk also provides a session reset feature to reset the system after a pre-configured idle time and/or upon clicking a logout button by the user.
All browser and application windows will be closed, all user traces will be deleted (history, cookies, and cache), and the SiteKiosk browser returns to the Start Page.
Most kiosk software products and remote management solutions for kiosk systems can be tested before purchasing.
Kiosk mode device setup Endpoint Manager
You will need to follow the steps in Microsoft document about “Deploy Microsoft Edge Legacy kiosk mode” (1-17-2020). In short, you would need to create the following:
a device restriction profile with Edge browser settings
a Windows 10 platform, kiosk configuration profile with the applications to be run by Windows Kiosk Device.
Examples of Kiosk Configuration Profile:
The easiest way to configure the application launched in Kiosk mode is using AUMID application as shown:
You may want to check one application as the default app and it will be automatically launched at sign-in time.
I have observed the other common setup problems, which prevent Windows 10 Kiosk mode from working properly.
KIOSK MODE SETUP COMMON PROBLEMS
Incorrect Local Sign in Account Name.
Whatever sign-in account we configured in Kiosk Profile, that account has to be accessible at targeted kiosk device.
If we set up the Kiosk Profile with local sign in account, it has to be existed as local account in targeted windows 10 device,
In the following example, the “LocalKioskUser” account in profile matching to the Computer Management – User account named LocalKioskUser on target kiosk device:
Local Kiosk Account is member of the local “Administrators” group
The sign-in local account must not be a member of the Administrator group.
If it is, windows will operate in normal mode.
Edge Chromium is installed instead of Edge Legacy
You will need to uninstall Edge Chromium because the engine which runs the Windows Kiosk Configuration Profile is originally designed for Edge legacy.
There is mismatch in “Use Microsoft Edge kiosk mode” setting in the Device Restriction Configuration Profile and Kiosk Configuration Profile. You need to configure these 2 profiles in accordance with each other.
By default, the “Device restrictions” configuration profile has the value of “Use Microsoft Edge kiosk mode” is set to No:
Changing the “Use Microsoft Edge kiosk mode” to the appropriate kiosk option matching with the Kiosk Configuration Profile as shown in the following example image:
Autopilot Profile is missing If you deploy image by Autopilot.
It is used for initial kiosk setup, no specific setting is required but the profile itself.
Reboot is not proceeded on kiosk device after a change in kiosk profile setting.
If all of the above configuration settings are setup correctly and kiosk mode is still not working as expected, the Device may need to be synchronized with Endpoint Manager and reboot to have kiosk profile updated with new setting change.
Result example, Windows 10 Kiosk with Bing Weather autolaunch.
Sign-in as localkioskuser
After about 2 seconds, the Bing Weather will be automatically launched as shown:
After about 3 to10 seconds, the Bing Weather detail screen will be impressively shown.
To get other apps, you could move your mouse to the top right corner to close the current app, and then, open another one.
To Repurpose kiosk devices:
Once the assigned access feature, (kiosk mode) with multi-app configuration is applied on the device, certain policies are enforced system-wide, and will impact other users on the device. You will need to reset to factory default or reimage devices to clear all the policies.
Running Windows 10 Kiosk by Edge Chromium
An initial set of kiosk mode features are now available to test with Microsoft Edge Canary Channel, version 87. You can download Microsoft Edge Canary from the Microsoft Edge Insider Channels page as shown here:
Kiosk Association Recommendations for Microsoft Internet Edge Kiosk Mode
Rather than prove your knowledge of Microsoft tools (which come and they go much like Google), the better path whether you are running Windows or running Android is to utilize some purpose built lockdown browser tools that come with a ton of more granular control, device control, remote monitoring and more. Much better long term support as well. Sitekiosk and KioWare are excellent options and will save you time, money, keep you safer and give you reports on activity.
From the new TPGi website Feb 2021 — The Paciello Group is now rebranded as TPG Interactive or TPGi. TPGi is a division of Vispero. We note that TPGi is one of the contributors to WCAG 3.0 and is the top tier in accessibility testing and guidance. With the proliferation of web and mobile ordering, accessibility is more important than ever. We want to also comment on the wonderful logo design (and URL) that TPGi is starting out with. We think it’s cool!
TPG Interactive accessibility
We are thrilled to unveil the next evolution of accessibility as we integrate the best methodologies, software, analytics, and industry expertise into a unified organization under a new brand. Effective February 22, 2021, our organization will be officially known as TPG Interactive (doing business as TPGi).
Over the last four years, we have grown under the larger accessibility ecosystem that is Vispero. With the 2017 acquisition of Always Accessible and the 2018 acquisition of Interactive Accessibility, Vispero has facilitated the evolution of TPGi’s solutions capabilities. Chief among those leaps forward are the modernized API-first automated accessibility testing and collaboration software suite, Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) Platform, while Interactive Accessibility expanded our trusted expertise in review methodologies, accessibility risk consulting, and strategic program management capabilities. Now is the time to unify all of our brands under a single identity so our customers can benefit fully from these interwoven capabilities.
“TPGi has grown from a small organization of dedicated accessibility professionals into a world-class provider of forward-thinking accessibility solutions. In that time we have expanded our organization through acquisition and organic growth and want our brand to represent the diverse portfolio of technology and talent that will now be known as TPGi,” said Travis Brown, Vice President of Sales & Marketing.
As part of the new transformation, we are also launching an exciting new generation of our ARC Platform that will create deeply integrated solutions for all of our customers. With ARC, we’ve built the most advanced accessibility management platform on the market. It provides expert-curated content, advanced test automation and analytics, and on-demand support through a single access point for both customers and accessibility professionals.
“ARC’s Gen5 release will serve as our customer collaboration hub, source of world-class accessibility analytics, systems integrations (API), a repository for all of our KnowledgeBase content, Tutor e-learning modules, customer audits, client deliverables, and our HelpDesk support ticketing system,” states David O’Neill, Chief Architect, ARC Platform.
“TPGi’s accessibility services will now leverage ARC’s scalable infrastructure to empower our clients with access to knowledge and opportunities for collaboration. By providing visibility into accessibility performance metrics for fast and actionable insights that support agile development, we enable our clients to effectively identify and remediate existing accessibility barriers, and incorporate digital accessibility into their planning and design within their development lifecycle. They can confidently deliver a more successful end-user experience and achieve their business objectives,” said Dave Lerch, Global Vice President, Solutions Delivery.
What’s Next: All of our clients, current and future, will be able to take advantage of these new capabilities. We are rolling out a coordinated approach between account managers, sales, and customer success to ensure a smooth customer transition. The future of accessibility is here, and it starts with TPGi.
TPGi is an accessibility solutions provider that supports all phases of accessibility through best-in-class management software and professional services. We partner with the best-known brands in the world to achieve end-to-end accessibility for their digital assets. Our clients span a variety of industries including retail/eCommerce, software/technology, publishing, banking/finance, healthcare, government, and higher education. TPGi experts are globally recognized for their contributions to accessibility standards and guidelines.
Let’s face it, hospitals are nothing short of mazes—especially for first-time visitors to a particular one. Without clearly presented directions on how to arrive at the ward or room a visitor is looking for, wandering is inevitable. This means crowded hallways filled with lost and frustrated visitors.
In some situations, patients can even miss appointments due to an inability to find their destination. A whopping $150bn is wasted per year on missed appointments, and although wayfinding (or lack thereof) isn’t responsible for all of these, it’s certainly a major contributing factor.
This is why digital signage specifically designed for patient wayfinding can not only help patients and visitors in a hospital, but it can even help healthcare professionals navigate quickly, increasing hospital efficiency.
How to Improve Wayfinding in Hospitals
With a network of digital screens and kiosks installed across hospitals, navigation can be a much simpler, less stressful experience for all.
By introducing digital directories, users can be given the ability to search for everything from doctors’ names, locations of departments or offices, and even where to get a bite to eat. Plus, in the near future, we could also see users (with additional security protocols in place, of course) pull up exactly where a friend or relative may be staying. Because they’re digital, they’re also easier to update than traditional directories and can be rolled out instantaneously.
Overhead signage can provide patient wayfinding by helping people identify their current location in the hospital. If circumstances change, updates can be made by members of staff in just a few minutes.
For rooms, digital screens presenting room numbers and doctor/patient names can also help people navigate where they need to be without having to ask staff members where to go.
GPS google maps style tracking/mapping can also be used to successfully improve wayfinding in hospital environments.
Digital Mapping/Tracking
Nowadays, many places we visit have some form of digital or 3D map showing us a blueprint of the place; airports, shopping malls, and even city centers. Yet in hospital settings, it’s still pretty uncommon. Through the introduction of accessible mapping and tracking which can be accessed via kiosks or mobile phones, patients and practitioners will have a clearer view of where they need to be.
Although digital check-in in hospitals has increased over the last few years, this, unfortunately, is usually the limit of its use. Now, however, forward-thinking hospitals have the chance to create a much more user-friendly, fluid interface where check-in kiosks are integrated with digital mapping technology and signage making hospital wayfinding in the biggest facilities much easier.
How exactly does this work?
Upon check-in, interactive maps on the screen will allow the user to see exactly where they need to be in the hospital. Then, for those who have smartphones, the hospital map can be downloaded in seconds so they can be guided the entire way.
Maps can be downloaded in multiple ways, but the most practical is either by scanning a QR code or with a text link sent to the user’s mobile. This can then open up a webpage with the map and ‘blue dot’ tracking, or prompt the user to download an app for a more optimized experience.
Of course, there are some accessibility concerns with hospital mobile wayfinding, especially when considering the older population. They may not have access to a smartphone or know how to use digital signage tech effectively enough for it to work. However, in these scenarios, digital kiosks placed at intersections of the hospital could act as a guide, as well as overhead signage, which is a dramatic improvement on traditional methods of wayfinding.
The Bottom Line
Digital signage presents a unique opportunity to overcome one of the biggest issues people face when visiting large hospitals. It allows for a smoother visit and fewer missed appointments, saving time and money for both patient and medical professionals.
The introduction of intuitive and accessible digital signage will not just give visitors and patience a better experience, but staff will be able to navigate easier, even when they’re new to the hospital, and wait times could even be decreased due to more streamlined operations.
In short, hospital mapping and wayfinding with digital signage and touch screen kiosks is an ideal solution for improving patient experience and increasing the efficiency of your hospital. It provides a technological boost that can help set a hospital apart from others.
Hospitality self-service kiosk solution by Olea Kiosks, Inc.
An Olea kiosk paired with UrVenue’s booking solution puts hospitality patrons in the driver’s seat with frictionless, on-property, cashier-less, self-service booking capabilities. Guests can now book and transact any inventory within UrVenue, including but not limited to, special event ticketing such as seasonal pop-up experiences, show tickets, restaurant reservations, pool-side cabanas, nightclub and day club admission, special promotion vouchers, sportsbook lounge seats and bundled on-property experiences to name a few. UrVenue’s hospitality-built booking platform makes it is easy to transact any type of non-room inventory on property and with Olea’s flexible, modular design, the physical unit can be branded and designed for custom transactions including physical outputs such as show tickets or customized promotional vouchers or wristbands.
Press Release
Olea Kiosks®, Inc. Announces Strategic Partnership with UrVenue
Self-Service Hospitality Solutions Designed to Reduce Friction in the Guest Experience
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Olea Kiosks®, Inc., a visionary provider of self-service kiosk solutions, today announced a strategic partnership with UrVenue, the leading hospitality technology platform that powers commerce, enhances the guest experience and monetizes a resort’s real estate. With conveniently placed Olea kiosks on-property, this partnership enables venues and hotel properties to layer in another customer touchpoint that drives self-service revenue with transactions that are contactless, resource-free, branded, and always open for business.
With more than 40 years of delivering self-service solutions, Olea Kiosks® understands the value of reducing friction in the guest experience. Urvenue’s 10+ years of experience in the resorts and hospitality realm and its ability to leverage its technology to monetize non-room inventory and other guest touchpoints during the in-stay journey solves one of the greatest challenges for resort managers. Combining UrVenue’s powerful booking platform with self-service kiosks puts guests in complete control.
“It’s exciting to partner with another US-based company so focused on technology that puts the power in the hands of the user,” said Frank Olea, CEO of the company that now spans four generations. “Self-service kiosks equipped with the same technology used across all customer touch points helps with workforce management and removes mundane tasks like order and payment entry to allow staff to focus on higher-value tasks that truly enhance the guest experience,” added Olea.
“Partnering with a trusted kiosk brand such as Olea will help unlock the full potential of UrVenue to resorts and venues all over the world,” said Deron Pearson, CEO of UrVenue. “Together we’ll be able to service customers with what they want, when they want in a safe and easy way as well as provide resorts with important insights, data and guest management.”
An Olea kiosk paired with UrVenue’s booking solution puts hospitality patrons in the driver’s seat with frictionless, on-property, cashier-less, self-service booking capabilities. Guests can now book and transact any inventory within UrVenue, including but not limited to, special event ticketing such as seasonal pop-up experiences, show tickets, restaurant reservations, pool-side cabanas, nightclub and day club admission, special promotion vouchers, sportsbook lounge seats and bundled on-property experiences to name a few. UrVenue’s hospitality-built booking platform makes it is easy to transact any type of non-room inventory on property and with Olea’s flexible, modular design, the physical unit can be branded and designed for custom transactions including physical outputs such as show tickets or customized promotional vouchers or wristbands.
The pandemic has created significant disruption for the hospitality industry. Self-service kiosks reduce human interaction at a time when guests of all ages are comfortable using kiosks. In addition, venues can eliminate wait times with reservations, long lines, and processing payments, while increasing ticket lift dramatically, at a time when every second and penny of revenue counts.
Circa Resort and Casino will be the first resort to use the Olea with UrVenue kiosk at the beginning of 2021.
About Olea Kiosks®, Inc.Olea Kiosks, Inc., is a self-service kiosk solution provider for the attractions and entertainment, healthcare and hospitality industries. Its technologically advanced, in-house manufacturing, design, and innovation have made it an industry leader. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, customers include The Habit Burger Grill, Kaiser Permanente, Empire State Building, Universal Studios, EVO Entertainment, Scientific Games, and Subway.
About UrVenue: UrVenue is the leading hospitality technology platform that powers commerce, enhances the guest experience, and monetizes resort real estate by leveraging non-room inventory across all customer touchpoints in the booking and in-stay journey. UrVenue maximizes revenue-per-available-customer with its advanced booking, ticketing and presale platform built for hospitality venues: nightclubs and day clubs, restaurants and lounges, resort pools and beaches, sportsbooks, spas, special events, small group meeting rooms, recreation services, bundled experiences and more. Since 2011, UrVenue’s scalable enterprise technology has been the trusted industry standard for clients ranging from independent venue operators to global hospitality, entertainment and gaming organizations including Wynn Resorts, MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, Tao Group, Bagatelle and Okada. Information: https://www.urvenue.com/.
From Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. Blog — February 15, 2021, Katie Kochelek
As standard and custom kiosks spawn innovation and provide convenience across several industries, college campuses can capitalize on many of the same benefits for students, faculty, and staff.
From streamlining student services to delivering information and ensuring public safety, there are countless opportunities for college campus kiosks to transform the higher education sector.
Streamline Student Services
Simplifying processes is a major advantage to self-service kiosks. College campuses can utilize the technology to provide easy access for students to register for classes, print student IDs, pay tuition bills, and more. Below is a sampling of cases where college kiosks can fill a need on campuses.
Automated mail lockers
University bookstores
Student ID printing
Tuition, housing, textbook payment
Library self-checkout
Check-in at campus offices in lieu of a reception area
Self-order kiosks in cafeteria
Ticket purchase for campus events and sports games
Giving students the ability to complete these tasks independently helps schools reduce labor costs and redirect employees to more complex tasks.
In addition, outfitting college campus kiosks with near-field communication (NFC) or 2D scanners can allow for consistent access to the different types of kiosks found on site. With this simple network, students can easily eat lunch at the cafeteria and then check out a book from the library using only one student ID.
Provide Easy Information to Guests and Students
Any university freshman or new visitor knows the overwhelming feeling of trying to find the social sciences building or the student union. For large campuses, wayfinding kiosks can provide a simple solution to pointing guests in the right direction.
Along with interactive digital maps, college campus kiosks can also offer helpful tools such as a virtual IT help desk, access to teleservices like banking and healthcare, or courtesy charging stations for phones and laptops.
Ensure Student Safety
University campuses are essentially small communities, which means guaranteeing safety is important. Campus kiosks can aid in this endeavor.
Kiosk technology can be used to manage visitor check-ins for campus security offices by capturing photos, acquiring important data, and printing temporary badges. As facial recognition becomes more widely adopted, colleges can use this technology to aid in screening and registering guests and students as well.
Furthermore, kiosks can even be equipped with emergency service functions. Whether it’s a panic button feature, surveillance cameras, or first aid equipment, there’s a wide range of options colleges can explore to keep their premises safe.
Conclusion
Unsurprisingly, today’s world is highly connected, with digital technology found everywhere from our homes and cars to our wrists and back pockets. With the next generation comfortable in this automated space, college campuses are an ideal place to offer this technology, and the analytics capabilities kiosks provide can enhance the student and future consumer experience.
Embracing college campus kiosk technology to offer the same convenience the public has come to expect is a natural move for universities as they plan for the future.
Call for participation in upcoming 2021-2022 Self-Service Kiosk Market Analysis Report
WESTMINSTER, COLORADO, UNITED STATES, November 17, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ — The kioskindustry.org communications site for the Kiosk Manufacturer Association (KMA) is pleased to announce the launch of our new website design.
The new design emphasizes content such as videos, opinion, sponsor and member news as well as industry-wide news in the self-service kiosk related markets. Coverage of digital signage, smart city, POS and retail automation are also part of the content mix.
Major improvements include:
o More relevant content more quickly found
o Demo videos in articles by default
o Up to date SEO mechanisms such as Structured Data
o Inbuilt Ad and Analytics hooks (though we are no fan of Adsense)
o HTML5 | CSS3 support
o Author pagestyles
o Responsive slider for features
o And lastly, it is extremely quick (as measured by Google)
As part of the launch the KMA has commissioned a 2021-2022 Kiosk Market Analysis report covering a minimum of 40 companies (members and non-members). Participation is open to any company involved in self-service kiosks. That includes deployers and customers, as well as device supply chain providers (printers, service, displays, menuboards, touchscreens, drive-thru, mobile scanning, touchless touch, computers and more).
Markets covered include self-service kiosks, customer-facing POS (with exception of supermarkets checkout), Smart City, International markets such as SE Asia and Europe, plus a wide range of “interactive” and smart digital signage (including menuboards, outdoor and drive-thru).
How the market was before the pandemic and how it has changed due to the pandemic is a major focus. Looking forward to how self-service will be utilized in the future is final component.
Your input is welcome and completely confidential with the nationally recognized research firm commissioned (BCC Research). Contact Craig at catareno.com and we will forward your contact information to the research firm.
Lastly, as a public service announcement, we would like to bring to the attention recent in-depth content on current VA fever screening actions which are endangering veterans as well as content on deceptive temperature screening tablets from China. IPVM has been the leading independent test authority for temperature kiosks and surveillance cameras.
March 2021 –Charity donations made easy with tap and go kiosks at UK railway stations from Charity Today
WORLDLINE [Euronext: WLN], the European market leader in payment and transactional services, and kiosk innovators Evoke Creative announce the first product release in what will be a long-term partnership. A charity donation kiosk to support Network Rail’s Route out of Homelessness charity initiative this winter.
This initiative was recently set up by Network Rail who have just signed the first pan-industry homelessness charter as part of its work to help homeless people across Britain. The charter brings together The Big Issue Foundation, Crisis, End Youth Homelessness, Railway Children and Shelter who are united to fight homelessness and rough sleeping across the UK. 2020 has brought challenges for many people across the UK, and the charities that support those in need have also seen a dramatic dip in their fundraising revenues due to cancellations of many fundraising events. Meanwhile, the number of those who are in need of support is only set to grow as the UK grapples with the effects of COVID-19 on the economy.
From FineExtra January 2021 — Worldline and Evoke Creative design and deploy a charity donation kiosk to support Network Rail’s Route out of Homelessness charity initiative this winter.
Excerpt Quotes:
James Bain, Chief Executive Officer UK&I, at Worldline commented:
“I am so proud to be in a position to support Routes out of Homelessness through our innovative Giving Pod bringing together Worldline payment capability with Evoke’s product design and integration creativity. The Railway Children charity is close to my heart from my first experience of Mad Day with Virgin Cross Country in the early 2000’s to climbing Mount Kenya and dragging myself through the London Marathon. I have been privileged to visit their projects to see the amazing work they do. No child should be homeless, living on the streets, no human should be homeless living on the streets, not in the third decade of the 21st century. It is incumbent on all of us who have the power to help to do just that, no excuses.”
Dean Ward, Evoke Co-Founder and CTO added:
“Our solutions have found their way into a huge range of industries, from local libraries to Times Square in New York, but this is first time that we’ve had the opportunity to work on something so novel for the charity sector. The huge adoption we’ve seen towards contactless payment has made this project possible – as passers-by can make their donation within just a few seconds. It’s fantastic to see how payment and kiosk tech are now at the point where this type of project becomes possible, connecting charities to the general public in a completely new way.”
Feb 5, 2021 — Statement from Storm Interface following conference call with NFB on the use of personal phones as an accessible interface to Smart City terminals.
Statement for submission to the NFB, the Federal Access Board and Storm sales personnel.
Use of personal phones as an accessible interface
As a manufacturer of Accessible System Interface Devices, including Touchless Kiosk Interface Devices (TKI), Storm Interface are concerned that, following the NFB online conference (IKE Smart City Presentation), clarification is needed about the suitability of mobile phones as a primary (or sole) accessible interface to self-service and ICT systems.
Our concern centers around the needs of people with a diverse range of sensory, physical, dexterity, and cognitive impairments. Including, but certainly not limited to, those with sight impairments.
Use of a touchscreen smartphone as a primary system interface discriminates against the following groups: –
The significant socio-demographic group without the financial resources to purchase an internet-enabled mobile phone or pay for a service plan to support prolonged internet connectivity and/or application downloads.
Those visitors to the USA (and other travelers) without international phone service or a roaming capability across all 50 states.
Those with phones not capable of maintaining battery charge during prolonged periods of use.
And, most significantly, those with impaired dexterity including, but not limited to; palsy, neuropathy, tremor, missing or atrophied limbs or digits, muscular dystrophy, etc.
When proposing Storm’s Touchless Kiosk Interface (TKI) as an aid to accessibility it is our policy to promote TKI as part of a multi-technology accessible interface solution. It should only be promoted as an augmentation and supplement to tactilely discernible navigation and control of both audible content and visible content displayed on a screen. It cannot and should not be promoted or considered as a compliant accessible interface when used in isolation.
Retail Display Insight by Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. blog Jan2021
Editor Note: Every year we look forward to the insight on the retail market that only Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. provides. The past months have been challenging with the pandemic but now is the time to put in place effective strategies for retail displays.
Winter 2020 | Issue 06
The best of in-store merchandising, interactive kiosks and store fixtures for brands and retailers nationwide.
The FMA Magazine Winter 2020 issue includes articles on:
The Role of Retail Displays During the Pandemic and Beyond Not only are retail displays playing a crucial role during the pandemic, but this period will also influence merchandising display design going forward.
Workplace Temperature Kiosks Help Businesses Mitigate the Spread of COVID-19 Employers should include workplace temperature screening kiosks as part of onsite safety protocols to prevent COVID-19 spread. Learn why.
Can Self-Service Kiosks Offer Support in Today’s Retail Conditions? As the retail industry slowly regroups, self-service kiosks can offer the safety and customer experience shoppers currently desire.
Common Challenges When Planning a Visual Merchandising Campaign (And Their Solutions): Short Lead Times and Other Special Circumstances The fourth and final installment of our series addresses short lead times and other special circumstances that arise when planning merchandising programs.
DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION
Be sure and read the entire article Retail Display Insight by Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. blog Jan2021
22MILES AND CISCO PARTNER TO PROVIDE COLLABORATIVE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS FOR GLOBAL MARKET
January 2021 – Milpitas, CA, As an integral part of the company’s customer-focused technology pairings, Digital Signage and Interactive Wayfinding company 22MILES is announcing a partnership with industry technology leader Cisco. The synergy of the two company’s offerings will provide seamless integration of 22MILES version 6 of their PublisherPro.AIoT software platform, with Cisco’s suite of collaborative communications tools.
22MILES is an industry leader in providing immersive digital signage and wayfinding experiences to a variety of sectors including healthcare, transportation, hotel & hospitality, education, and more. The company offers solutions that are easy to implement and use to organizations world-wide, and in 2020 expanded their catalog to include the Protection as a ServiceTM suite (PaaS), which was recently awarded “Best Digital Signage Product: COVID-19 Solution” in the Digital Signage Magazine DIGI Awards.
Cisco is the global leader in collaboration, utilized in 95% of Fortune 500 companies. Boasting the #1 market share in collaboration, Cisco’s Webex platform is used by over 130 million active participants.
Leveraging their combined reputation as technology innovators, the companies announced earlier this week, the introduction of The 22Miles bot, a virtual publishing manager that empowers webex teams with dynamic integration, enabling moderators and publishers to drive targeted, multi-channel content into digital display distribution.
Seamless Integration for Teams, Meetings, & Devices
The 22Miles system enables the spectrum of Cisco collaboration tools to integrate and manage corporate communications when not invoked in collaborative sessions. With 22Miles custom signage mode enabled, Webex integration delivers a full digital signage experience,
supporting both passive and interactive digital signage capabilities. Users may watch
live or recorded video, view presentations, web content, and book meeting rooms.
The Cisco Webex Board and Room Series devices integration facilitates the display of information on digital signage displays both in active and in idle mode. With setup of an easy-use integrated browser, users can view important on-screen information, watch live or recorded video, view presentations, web content, or book a meeting room directly from
their device. Additionally, the Cisco Room-Kit boasts several new advancements including density controls in huddle rooms and other dynamic features that complement the PaaS suite and focus of 22Miles.
22MILES EVP Tomer Mann views the integration as an excellent fit into the technology initiatives 22MILES has released to date in 2020.
“We’ve had a lot of exciting collaborative relationships expand this year with companies like Crestron, Intel, & Flir to name a few. In working with Cisco, the technologies truly complement each other in terms of establishing a diverse corporate communication publishing platform for digital signage that spans meeting room devices, mobile and desktop, and so much more,” he commented.
“This integration allows end users to create, manage, and publish corporate communication messaging to Cisco Webex teams spaces and other collaborators in real time. The room booking portion gives visibility for instant knowledge of occupied and unoccupied room status by associated color icons and displays of room availability for quick booking. Users have total control to filter by destination and room types, search any floor and directory, view occupant status and density, available seats, any details you would need. You can even interact with a Webex meeting through sensors (IoT), and it brings the full spectrum of services from POI destination to Location-Based tech,” Mann added.
22Miles plans to expand their integration partnerships throughout the remainder of 2020 and into 2021, growing a technology eco-system of collaborative solutions across industries.
About Cisco
Cisco is the global leader in collaboration solutions, utilized in 95% of Fortune 500 companies. The company holds the #1 market share, with their Webex platform utilized by more than 130 million users across hundreds of thousands of organizations worldwide. For more information visit http://www.cisco.com
About 22Miles
22 Miles, Inc. (22MILES) is a leader in providing immersive digital signage and wayfinding experiences. Serving markets spanning healthcare, transportation, hotel & hospitality, education and more, the company offers award-winning solutions world-wide. With thousands of global deployments in place and many more in progress, 22Miles continues to serve as an innovator and thought leader on the digital signage spectrum. For more information visit http://www.22Miles.com
Self-Service Kiosks Offer Enhanced Customer Experience for Retail
From the Frank Mayer blog Oct2020
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began dominating headlines earlier this year, retailers and brands have been forced to demonstrate agility when meeting new customer expectations. More than ever, the transformed consumer now counts on operational supply chains, accessibility, and arguably most important, enhanced safety standards.
While retail stores strategize short-term goals to meet health regulations, maintain stocked shelves, and keep doors open, many are also considering the impact a changed customer mindset will have on today’s brick-and-mortar shopping.
Before we dive into how self-service kiosks can assist retail, though, it’s important to address the more pressing concern about the industry first. Can it bounce back?
There’s no shortage of literature on which retailers will withstand the economic downturn and which will regrettably succumb. However, a consistent theme throughout much of the discussion is that the pandemic hit the gas pedal for most. If a store or brand was already slow to adopt a multichannel approach, the last few months only magnified the issues. But if a big-name retailer had been in the midst of strategizing their customer experience plans with processes like Buy Online, Pickup In-Store (BOPIS) amongst others, they learned the importance of rolling them out quickly and staying nimble.
Fortunately, recent consumer research has some promising predictions for retail as a whole.
In the study “September 2020 Shopper Sentiments,” Mood Media surveyed 8,000 shoppers about their outlook on shopping. Some key takeaways included:
67 percent of global consumers say they’ve already returned to non-essential retail stores
80 percent feel reassured by safety measures retailers have put into place
More than half surveyed expected their shopping habits to return to normal by next summer
The stores that make it through this rough period will be the ones that come out better positioned to address the needs of our omnichannel world while still fulfilling the desire for brick-and-mortar experiences. And along the way, self-service technology will be an integral strategy to help retailers offer both.
Interactive Kiosks Promote Customer and Employee Safety
According to Incisiv’s 2020 Shopper Study “The New Store Shopper in High-Touch Retail,” 96 percent of shoppers interviewed this summer say they are very unlikely to seek in-store conversations with store associates over the next 6 months.
Not the unit we write up in the post for sure but the Bill Payment kiosk by Olea Kiosks is an example of good bill pay kiosk design. Available with all forms of accessibility options. https://www.olea.com
Editor Review: New utility bill payment kiosk deployment announced for Alabama. It’s not the first time for CityBase. We note the 2016 PR on Omaha Child Support Payment Kiosks.
A major point promoted by CityBase is ADA Accessibility. Going into state and local markets that would be incumbent upon them. Odds are pretty good the DOJ might adopt a different point of view going forward. Given that though just looking at the kiosks (renderings) we can see no evidence of accommodation either physical or interface. See picture down below
PCI “compliant” security is noted for credit card and check (we think they meant Check21) but again, no details of. The swipe credit card reader reminds us of the old Magtek 2-track magstripe from 10 years ago. No spec.
The use of “Contactless” in the title is puzzling. It supports cash, credit card (swipe) and cash. It does have a scanner for reading barcodes off utility bills but that hardly constitutes contactless transactions.
Business – GTY did announce an earlier deployment with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. GTY is publicly traded and it currently trades at under $4/share.
Excerpt:
CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–CityBase, a leading provider of government and utility technology, today announced a partnership with Alabama Power to enable customers in Montgomery and Mobile, AL, to pay electricity and water bills in person at a secure, self-service kiosk. New one-stop kiosk technology enables the utilities to share devices for their payment applications while maintaining independent operations. CityBase is a business unit of GTY Technology Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: GTYH) (“GTY”), a leading provider of SaaS/Cloud solutions for the public sector.
GTY’s @CityBaseInc partners with @alabamapower to enable in-person payments at secure, self-service kiosks
Citybase Bill Payment KIosk image from website
Alabama Power has worked in partnership with CityBase to deploy 80 kiosks in 36 locations state-wide. In 2019, the utilities provider made payments available for Montgomery Water Works on the six kiosks in its local business office. In the year following deployment of the kiosks, they were responsible for more than 30% of Montgomery Water Works’ total monthly in-person transactions.
Building on the success of that program, in October 2020 the utility provider added Mobile Area Water & Sewer System (MAWSS) payment applications to 11 kiosks in four payment centers that span the greater Mobile metro area. One-stop payment kiosks from CityBase enable government agencies and utility providers to provide shared customers the ability to pay bills for multiple utilities in a single visit, creating efficiencies for customers on the go.
Inspire has grown from what was once the Arby’s brand to a family of five distinct restaurant brands and nearly $15 billion in system sales – making it the 5th largest restaurant company in the U.S. But it wasn’t all just M&A and new store development driving growth – the company’s culture has been a key enabler to its agility and ability to increase sales. Hear from Co-founder and CEO Paul Brown as he shares what lessons have been learned along the way, and discusses the importance of thinking differently, valuing maverick behavior, and why giving back matters.
Tue Oct 20, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM EDT / 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Your local time (1 Hour)
We are a global organization focused on documenting and improving self-service for customers and employees through kiosks and information technology (IT). Providing a level playing field for self-service providers and the customers so that standards are considered as baseline.
Editor Note: We do interviews with magazines (recently for NRN) and in those we express what we call “ad hoc” opinions based on what we have seen and heard. For sure, …
Self-Order with Geo-Fencing From National Restaurant News Sep2020 — The brand’s revamped app includes a new best in class rewards system; later this month, one-touch curbside pickup rolls out a year …
Article from HT Technology – Aug2020 — By Anna Wolfe – 08/20/2020 Excerpt: Taco Bell is rolling out a new store design that combines digital innovation with a people-first approach.
Sonic unveils new drive-in design as part of brand makeover From NRN Jul2020 – Sonic Drive-In’s new drive-in area has brighter colors, wider car docks, and a covered patio with lawn
Kiosk Cannabis Dispensary – Ask the Experts: Kiosks
Kiosks are the gateway to connect with consumers and patients. David Anzia, senior vice president of sales for Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. offers insight into how dispensaries can select the kiosk that’s right for their operation.
1. What are the advantages of a kiosk?
Self-service kiosks have numerous advantages, including cutting down on wait times, freeing up budtenders to serve new customers who have additional questions and increasing revenue with cross-selling software that recommends additional products based on what the shopper places in his or her cart. Furthermore, kiosks empower customers to take control of their shopping experience by offering product information when a budtender is not readily available.
2. What are the different kiosk form factors available?
In general, larger freestanding kiosks are attractive to dispensaries looking to grab the attention of shoppers. The smaller tablet kiosks, both freestanding and on the counter, as well as the wall kiosk, save on space in crowded areas and can provide a level of privacy for customers making purchases for medical needs. Look for self-service kiosks that can be personalized with branded graphics and customized for payment options as well as assistive technology, barcode readers and receipt printers.
3. Which kiosk option should I choose?
Every dispensary is going to have its own unique requirements, including privacy conditions, space availability, and hardware needs. That’s why we offer multiple form factors to ensure there’s an option for every shop. For example, our kiosk line includes 32-inch and 22-inch screen floor standing kiosks, a countertop tablet, a floor-standing tablet, a wall kiosk and a pedestal unit for non-transactional needs.
4. Does the kiosk tie into the point of sale?
Most kiosk software providers are capable of interfacing with point of sale systems due to open APIs that work with the majority of systems. In fact, some software providers are specifically tailored to the cannabis industry and are designed with the needs of dispensaries in mind. It’s important to discuss software details early in the conversation when investing in self-service kiosks.
5. Is it easy to update the products offered?
Adding, removing or changing products is an easy task for an employee or manager to do through the self-service kiosk software. It is also simple to keep product inventory, pricing and promotions current. Because the kiosk software can integrate with a dispensary’s POS system, kiosks reflect up-to-date information for customers while deciding on their purchases.
Touchless Touch – Universal RFID Mobile Credential Readers
Join us in welcoming our latest KMA Sponsor: ELATEC RFID.
ELATEC has been in business for over 30 years. RFID is what they do—it’s all they do. And their RFID technology is the most advanced available today. This is in part why they are a market leader in Europe and rapidly growing in North America.
But as their customers will tell you, it’s also due to their exceptional design expertise and technical support. They are EASY to work with!
And being easy to work with is critical to getting design engineers and product managers to move beyond their limited, traditional supplier base who is often not delivering the full value the customer needs today…or will likely require tomorrow.
ELATEC has a deep and wide understanding of how to work with OEMs and integrators.
At the core, ELATEC RFID readers are innovative due to their unique, flexible architecture and open API. This ensures smooth and easy integration with hardware systems and back-end software and enables firmware customization.
OEMs and Integrators: you have a choice—a proven choice. I encourage you to discover ELATEC RFID if you haven’t already and learn what you can do together!
THE ELATEC RFID ADVANTAGE
ELATEC designs and manufactures remotely updateable, universal RFID and mobile credential readers that help kiosk OEMs, integrators and VARs provide “future proof” user authentication for access control for their customers.
By providing a virtual single-part number solution that ensures worldwide compatibility and obsolescence protection, ELATEC readers reduce organizational procurement, IT, and touch labor costs. This is unlike other products out there which work with fewer transponder technologies, require on-site updating or reconfiguration for each device, and which may significantly increase total product costs when technology or security updates are required.
Learn the specifics — Whitepaper for Kiosk Integration
RFID technology is an increasingly popular component of kiosk systems, and there are already a number of different readers for the segment. Read to learn more. Download Whitepaper
ELATEC’s powerful, flexible open API reader technology gives OEMs, integrators and VARs a real competitive advantage, both now and in the future.
Expand internationally: ELATEC readers are certified for sale and use in as many as 110 countries around the world.
Maximize market opportunities: ELATEC readers support every major card technology worldwide—more than 60–including both HF and LF and smartphone mobile credentials via BLE and NFC.
Reduce total lifecycle costs: ELATEC readers simplify inventory management with a virtual single part number solution and can be easily upgraded or reconfigured without replacing inventory.
Deliver customer advantage: ELATEC readers reduce configuration expenses, extend product life, and support advanced functionality and security requirements, providing meaningful product differentiation for OEMs.
Prepare for the future: With ELATEC, you will be ready for whatever comes next. Our readers can be reconfigured and upgraded remotely to address emerging opportunities and customer requirements.
Contact us today to speak with an Application Specialist to make The Elatec Advantage your own.
Reopening during the COVID-19 “new normal” brings a unique set of challenges for employers, starting with how to keep your employees and visitors safe.
The Center for Disease Control’s current guidelines recommend that employers should offer daily health screening checks before allowing entry into a facility.
Daily Proof of Screening
Kiosk Group’s CheckPoint Kiosk allows you to easily screen employees and visitors with a simple set of health screening questions. After screening, a date-stamped badge is printed for easy identification within your facility.
This touchless kiosk solution reduces the risk of COVID-19 transmission in your facility while protecting individuals’ privacy.
Simple, Touchless Interface
The kiosk interface is voice-activated for touchless interaction, reducing touch points that could potentially transmit the virus. The interface also supports touch for visitors who are unable to interact by voice or just prefer touch. An optional holder for sanitizer wipes or hand sanitizer is available separately to help keep visitors safe.
On-screen instructions show visitors exactly how to use the kiosk and what to expect.
COVID-19 Screening Solution
A date-stamped badge is printed after screening.
Voice Activated
The kiosk informs employees & visitors that they must be screened before entering.
Quick Screening
This screening consists of a short series of questions based on CDC guidelines for eligibility to work, including questions about fever, symptoms, and possible exposure.
Print Badge
People deemed to be low-risk receive a printed badge which must be worn at all times while in the facility. The badge includes the day of the week and date in clear, large text that can be easily checked while still maintaining adequate social distancing.
Next-Step Instructions
Anyone in a high-risk group is asked to leave the facility immediately and receives a printed set of instructions on what to do next.
How It Works
Privacy First
Designed around the idea of privacy first, our screening kiosk does not store any identifying data about those who have been screened. By providing physical proof that a visitor or employee has undergone screening, this solution avoids the privacy and security issues that affect many traditional check-in solutions.
In 2019 a study showed just how unsanitary quick-service restaurant kiosks are and how kiosks can put customers at risk for picking up a range of harmful bacteria. Shortly after this study was released the development team at KioWare began designing KioTouch, a touchless kiosk interface. Using KioTouch, the user of a kiosk would scan a QR code generated on the attract screen and then be empowered to use their mobile device as a trackpad-style mouse to interact with the kiosk’s program.
Moving out of development and into the release phase, KioWare was focused primarily on the features that made KioTouch unique as it related to the safety aspect of a touchless interface. However, we left the door open for this touchless tool to evolve and grow beyond its purpose as a more sanitary interface with shared devices and self-service kiosks. After a handful of demonstrations with prospective clients, we received feedback that allowed us to reframe just what KioTouch is and what it is capable of in real-world application.
For instance, because users scan a QR code to interface with the kiosk through a mobile device, they do not need to be directly in front of the kiosk. This means a company could implement a display that faces out of the building that customers could use even when the business is closed. This is beneficial on many levels because not only does it give customers access to some of the same information and services that they would have if the business was open, but it also alleviates congestion and overcrowding within the facility while it is operational. This is crucial in a society dealing with a pandemic-like COVID-19 and keeping people as socially distanced as possible.
That is just one alternate use though.
Suppose a business has digital displays, but they are static and unable to be used without adding hardware such as a mouse and/or keyboard or replacing the existing display with a touchscreen display. KioTouch requires no hardware retrofits of any kind. This means that taking a static display and installing KioTouch would effectively give it the same functionality as an interactive touchscreen display, without the physical interface. The benefits stack as not only is KioTouch more sanitary than using a touchscreen interface, but also it has the potential to save a company thousands of dollars in hardware costs related to replacing static displays with interactive touchscreen displays. KioTouch helps in lessening the spread of bacteria as well as helping to keep costs down while adding a new layer of convenience.
Here is a second alternate use for KioTouch.
Businesses that require staff working with customers on the same computer have a safety issue with both a staff member and a customer touching the same computer. Instead, the customer scans a QR code on the computer screen and uses their mobile device to work on the staffer’s computer. Problem solved.
KioTouch was designed and developed by KioWare as a tool to minimize physical contact with shared devices and self-service kiosks to lessen the spread of bacteria, but we are still learning just how capable and powerful KioTouch can be. If you would like to set up a demonstration of KioTouch, please e-mail us at [email protected]. The demonstration is quick and easy as we will share out our computer screen with a QR code displayed that you will scan and take over control of our computer screen. You personally will be able to harness the power of KioTouch through your own personal mobile device.
Custom content for KIOSK Information Systems by Retail Dive’s Brand Studio
Retailers across categories are developing new ways to provide their customers with exceptional experiences today and in a post-pandemic world. Many are turning to offering self-service options that can improve the in-store experience while helping them maintain stability in these uncertain times.
Digital self-service kiosks are helping retailers drive more traffic and sales, cut down on customer support costs, and capture purchasing data to optimize product and sales performance. And in deploying this technology, they’re also prioritizing a modernized customer experience that facilitates consumer needs as they regain confidence in physical retail interactions.
The best of in-store merchandising, interactive kiosks and store fixtures for brands and retailers nationwide.
The FMA Magazine Winter 2020 issue includes articles on:
5 Benefits of Remote Temperature Screening Kiosks With numerous fever detection devices available, remote temperature screening kiosks are the most beneficial, providing employee privacy and safety, while offering companies convenience and cost savings.
The Evolution of Video Game Retail Display Programs Emerging technological trends and innovative merchandising strategies have helped video game retail displays uniquely position products in front of the gaming audience of today – and tomorrow.
Five Reasons Why Your Restaurant Needs Self-Service Kiosks Lines, waiting, delays, and other inadequacies have become a routine part of the restaurant experience. Luckily, the perfect solution to this problem already exists in self-service kiosks.
Common Challenges When Planning a Visual Merchandising Campaign (and their Solutions): Securing Buy-In from Box Stores The third installment of our popular series focuses on helping brands secure partnerships with big box retailers.
Working with FMA
The world is changing, and so are we. We want to keep you abreast of our most up-to-date business procedures and communication methods as well as the retail technologies we’re researching every day.
Pyramid Kiosks distribution deal with Pinntec Ltd in UK
Freiburg Germany. 28th July 2020.
Today Pyramid Kiosks announced a new distribution deal with Pinntec Ltd for its kiosk, industrial PC and server products. The deal appoints Pinntec as the exclusive distributor for all Pyramid products in the UK and Republic of Ireland. The deal is part of the Pyramid strategy to link with local market experts in multiple sectors to expand sales. It comes closely on the back of the deal to develop the Pyramid brand in USA.
Pinntec will provide sales, marketing and operational support for Pyramid products from its base in Leicestershire. Graeme Derby, previously UK Country Manager for Pyramid will join Pinntec to spearhead the development of the Pyramid brand across various targeted sectors in the UK and Republic of Ireland. He joins Paul Dennis, recently recruited from Walmart.
Josef Schneider, CEO Pyramid Computer GmbH, said. “Our strategy is to use local market experts to develop our presence in key markets. The UK is an important market for us and is one of the leading markets for the development of self-service technology. We are delighted to link with Pinntec as they have the right amount of knowledge and resource to support our expansion.”
Neil Tittensor, Managing Director of Pinntec said. “The link with Pyramid is another big step for Pinntec. We have always admired their products and we see this as a great opportunity for us to expand our offer to our customer base and assist with accelerating the trend towards self- service. The partnership will bring variety and innovation to the self-service technology market.”
Pyramid Computer GmbH is a privately owned German company that designs and manufactures self-service touchscreens and kiosks, primarily for the retail and hospitality sectors. With over 30 years’ experience in the field, it is one of the leading manufacturers in the world. Under its Polytouch® brand it has supplied self-service kiosks to a number of high profile customers such as AMC, Marks and Spencer and Sofology.
Pinntec Ltd is a privately owned UK business based in Leicestershire. It specializes in the automation of non-value-add services and provides choice, control and flexibility to a wide variety of processes and requirements, including Order Points, Help Points, Registration kiosks etc.
It works with a number of large organizations across multiple sectors that aim to improve services and reduce operational cost through an established network of partners, brands, and direct customers.
Westminster, CO September 2020 — The Kiosk Association (KMA) is proud to announce the first multi-vendor kiosk solution catalog for COVID-related kiosk “worker” solutions. Over twenty different solutions related to COVID, Temperature Scanning, CDC Health Screening, Automatic Hand Sanitizers, software, ADA consulting and services are available for purchase. CAKCEK, our authorized distributor, has been actively bidding this catalog of solutions in various RFPs in the SLED and Federal markets. Put qualified technology to work for you.
Compliance Issues
Temperature kiosks come with a Certificate of Compliance regarding sensor accuracy. They are designed and manufactured by members which meet the KMA ADA conformance requirements in ADA, Accessibility, FDA, and PCI to name some of the relevant regulatory issues. Kiosks solutions manufactured primarily in the US are available. Members from the UK and Germany with offices in the U.S. also are available.
CAKCEK has been established as the authorized distributor for KMA conformance solutions. The owner of CAKCEK, Craig Keefner says, “We’ve been monitoring the temperature and thermal imaging market closely. The proliferation of Chinese-origin devices with undisclosed components both software and hardware into this market has been disconcerting at best. Almost all of those units come with facial recognition, artificial intelligence, and a general inattention to regulatory and legal issues. This raises serious liability issues, especially for healthcare-oriented deployments, down the road as well as the general health concerns of false positives. By offering a catalog of KMA approved choices our first priority is to inform and educate buyers in the marketplace.”
Kiosk “Workers” Available
Temperature Scanning Kiosks
Low pixel count entry-level with medical-grade sensors
Medium pixel count mid-level systems
High-end thermal imaging systems which are FDA-certified
Systems include quantity pricing and Lease options
Repurposing options provided
Digital signage options provided
Smart City kiosk options
Countertop, Stand-up, Sit-down and Wall-Mount configurations
Microsoft Surface Tablet Options
iPad options
CDC Screening Stations
CDC Recommended Health Screening kiosk options
Sanitizer Kiosks
Heavy duty cycle sanitizer dispense systems
Standup systems
Countertop systems
Standup system including digital signage
Software Only Solutions
NoTouch Touchless Software (Android and Windows)
Digital signage options (some portable and outdoors)
Secure lockdown software KioWare, Sitekiosk and Esper are available for purchase
JAWS accessibility software for Windows is available
Warranty and Service
Standard one year warranty on all systems
Sanitizer kiosks come with 2-year warranty
All original manuals are in English. Chinese not available.
Training and Train the Trainer Available
White-Glove Project Coverage
Consulting
ADA and Accessibility consulting company packages
PCI EMV consulting company packages
Country of Origin
USA
Canada (sanitizer kiosks)
Germany and UK units are also available though we expect those will soon have manufacturing in the US
Chinese-made relabeled units are marked up anywhere from 100% to 600% and can be reviewed at Alibaba.
Have you read the FDA enforcement letter and understand it? We have a FAQ. It appears that the window of forgiveness is starting to contract introducing liabilities
We recommend opinion post on Chinese software for more background.
Security Issues
Most of the Chinese-origin units employ facial recognition in concert with inexpensive thermopile temperature sensor. The technology employs algorithms and server connections from blacklisted Chinese tech firms such as Dahua and HKVision. This brings privacy concerns to the forefront.
How To Purchase
Your first option is for CAKCEK to connect you with the partner product you wish to purchase. You arrange the purchase directly with them.
You purchase from CAKCEK. We process the order and manage it for you.
If desired you can purchase direct from the partner but CAKCEK will remain involved as a point of coordination.
Contact Us
You can email [email protected] for more info or complete the form here indicating your interest. We offer primarily to the SLED and Federal market for now.
As states begin easing COVID-19-related business restrictions, many companies have been careful to enact strategies that allow a safe return to operations.
Unsurprisingly, many are looking to fever detection systems as a first step to help flag associates who are running a temperature and are at risk of bringing an illness into the workplace.
These detection devices can range from handheld scanners to self-service kiosks, but the most beneficial system to employers is a remote temperature screening kiosk that allows an agent to monitor employee temperatures from an offsite location. Read more about the advantages of remote temperature detection.
Employee Health Privacy
Many regulations exist regarding workplace temperature screening, which is classified as a type of medical examination. As a result of the pandemic, however, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has relaxed some guidelines to allow employers to measure an employee’s temperature to prevent a potential workplace outbreak.
With these reduced restrictions, though, comes an increased focus on employee privacy. How can employers capture information while still abiding by confidentiality requirements? Further, how can employees who scan positive for a fever maintain discretion to avoid social stigma?
Current solutions like kiosk stations risk a line full of employees seeing a fever indicator alert pop onscreen during a colleague’s testing. Handheld scanners aren’t much better when the examiner must relay the information to the person being tested.
Fortunately, remote temperature screening kiosks provide the solution to protect employee privacy since they are manned by an individual offsite who reads the results. Software providers can work with different employers to establish a process to alert the employee without risking a breach of confidentiality. Options include text messages or push notifications to a phone, alerts to an employee’s email, and more.
Convenience for Large Corporations
Remote temperature screening is especially beneficial to companies with multiple locations. Assessing temperatures at each site with handheld scanners or scanning stations is a costly process, involving expensive labor with a minimum hourly requirement. These routes also open the door to different standards or processes performed at each, leading to potential inaccuracies.
Having a centralized hub to oversee operations can ensure convenience and consistency as well as quickly flag any locations that might pose a possible threat for an outbreak based on the number of positive test results.
Employee and Staff Safety
Current social distance recommendations encourage people to stay six feet apart. Handheld scanners do not allow employees and temperature-takers to abide by this rule, thus increasing the risk of spreading illness.
In addition, self-service kiosks have been a growing option for temperature screening, however, employers put the responsibility on employees to observe the rules if a fever is detected. They also give the impression that employers are taking a “hands-off” approach to monitoring important vitals.
With remote temperature screening kiosks, employees can quickly step between the kiosk and the thermal imaging camera without having to interact with a person or touch a screen. Within seconds, the reader can take the person’s temperature, and he or she is done. And while these kiosks grant the ease of self-service, they’re still supervised by staff who can identify fevers and alert the employees.
A Less Expensive Option
Dedicating staff or contracting a service to monitor temperatures with handheld thermal guns or thermal imaging stations can be a costly endeavor, oftentimes requiring a level of medical training for current employees or a minimum number of commissioned hours through a service.
Remote temperature screening kiosks eliminate the need for extra staffing costs, allowing HR personnel or other dedicated agents to screen multiple locations from one place.
Long Term Benefits
Currently, Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. partners with employee engagement software provider Agile Force to offer remote temperature screening kiosks that go beyond just temperature monitoring. The remote engagement software allows Human Resources departments and staffing agencies to monitor shift changes, greet new hires, connect employees to departments like HR, payroll, or telemedicine, interview job candidates, and much more.
Not only does this help companies get more immediate use out of a kiosk investment, but it also extends the utility of the kiosks long after the need for temperature reading has passed.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic has required companies to map out unique strategies to bring back staff while preserving safety in the workplace. With numerous fever detection options in the field, companies will realize the greatest benefits when employing remote temperature screening kiosks.
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As a leading voice in the interactive kiosk industry, Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. has developed a remote temperature screening kiosk that utilizes software and thermal imaging cameras to scan body temperatures. But its capabilities extend well beyond that.
Kiosks Business is Booming. This Is How Your Business Can Take Advantage.
Zebra Has Been Partnering With Several OEMs To Help Them Quickly Design, Build And Deploy Kiosks Around The World. Find Out How We Can Help You Get Off To A Strong Start, Too..
by Richard Thompson
August 17, 2020
If you’re an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and you’ve never previously ventured into the kiosk marketspace – or if you’re just starting out as an OEM, the kiosk sector holds huge prospects for you. Tillster’s 2019 research predicted the self-service kiosk market would reach $30.8 billion by 2024. It’s likely that most OEMs would be keen to snap up even a small percentage of this global opportunity.
THE COVID-19 EFFECT
It’s important to note that the Tillster research was carried out before COVID-19 changed our lives and the way we interact with others. Pre-virus, many of us were happy to pay for our goods in a supermarket while chatting to the person at the checkout lane. We might not have thought twice about touching the keypad to pay at the point of sale, and we would happily pick up our fast food face-to-face at the counter.
Do you have any ideas around the types of kiosks you would like to build? Here are a couple of interesting examples to give you food for thought. You’ll see their uses are wide and far-reaching.
Reducing and monitoring jail populations
Across the U.S., jails released inmates in the early days of the pandemic in an effort to mitigate the virus’ rapid spread in densely populated facilities. This caused concern among members of the public. To help alleviate those worries, many jurisdictions turned to technology to increase monitoring of released inmates. More specifically, kiosks were used to record required check-ins from start to finish by:
· Using biometric fingerprint authentication to confirm identity
· Capturing photos and video of each check-in
· Testing for alcohol use
· Alerting the probation officer when a check-in is missed
Kiosk Business: King in airports
Kiosks are also increasing in popularity in airports as they have multiple functions that are useful for both travellers and staff. For example, they can help people safely navigate the fastest route to a gate, which is often difficult in huge airports such as London Heathrow or Tokyo Haneda airport.Kiosks are also highly effective tools for feeding security notices out en-masse in emergency situations.
Of course, they can also provide other useful information for travellers through hotel, food and entertainment advertisements, lost and found updates and real-time flight change notifications. Kiosks also connect travellers with all-important promotional services provided by the airport and its vendors, such as rental car companies. In other words, whatever the communication requirement may be, kiosks are a great way to get messaging out to the public quickly – whether in a personalized or widespread manner.
There are plenty of other wild and wonderful kiosk use cases out there too. You can seek inspiration and have some fun by reading this article, which is full of real as well as fake kiosk examples. Just remember, you don’t need to build wild and wonderful kiosks in order to reap the benefits of their popularity! Often, the simple solutions are the most effective: from frictionless or touch-free payment solutions to contact-free ticketing, there are many ways to build a profitable OEM kiosk business.
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Kiosk Business Tips — DID YOU KNOW?
Whether you need wall-mounted, desk-mounted, outdoor, or customized kiosks for your customers, Zebra can provide you with the scan engines and solutions to help build your kiosks with speed and ease. We have decades of experience in the design and build of scanning technologies, and our engineering capabilities include optical, mechanical, electrical, and regulatory, which we can call upon to help you design and build everything from retail, education, or healthcare kiosks to a casino and self-ticketing kiosks. The sky’s the limit.
Don’t let resource constraints or fear of the unknown keep you from taking advantage of the opportunity to grow your business. The Zebra team is here to help you – and we can get your products to market faster than if you go it alone. It’s not a case of starting completely from scratch with kiosks because we’re right here for you.
Download our application briefs for OEMs to find out more about how Zebra can assist and inspire you!
I also encourage you to listen to this recent webinar led by my colleague Jelle Baudouin about the current demand (and opportunity for) kiosks right now:
Richard Thompson
Richard Thompson has worked in the IT & Telecommunications Industry for almost 30 years and has held sales, management and senior management roles in a number of global organizations. He is currently the Global Director of Sales for the OEM business within Zebra Technologies which in turn is part of Zebra’s Global Sales & Services Organisation. Richard is responsible for the sales of key component technologies which Zebra manufactures and sells to a hugely diverse range of customers around the world who build these components into their own final products.
Eating out is a common feature of our social and personal lives. Everything from dates to important client meetings often happens at a restaurant, yet, there have been minimal changes to the way in which we obtain our food. Customers are changing and so are their habits, but because of the lack of a better alternative, clients continue to experience the hassles of waiting in line to order their food and dealing with incorrect orders. Lines, waiting, delays, and other inadequacies have become a routine part of the restaurant experience. Luckily, the perfect solution to this problem already exists— self-service kiosks.
What is a Self-Service Kiosk?
A self-service kiosk is a device that allows the user to complete a task or activity via a machine and without the need for human assistance. In restaurants, customers can use self-service kiosks to place their orders and make payments. With perks like shorter lines and streamlined order management, this new and improved way of ordering is guaranteed to make the restaurant experience more efficient for customers, restaurant owners, and restaurant employees.
Why Do We Need Self-Service Kiosks?
Here are 5 reasons why your business needs self-service kiosks:
Coronavirus Concerns
At a time when everything has changed because of the current pandemic, COVID-19 has impacted customer-restaurant relationships as well by creating new uncertainties and barriers in terms of restaurant accessibility.
Moreover, government-sanctioned social distancing policies have changed how we order and eat. Most restaurants are extensively utilizing online ordering and contactless delivery to minimize the spread of the virus.
Now more than ever, the need for reducing human contactis being realized, and this could be the perfect opportunity for restaurants to revolutionize the way customers interact with restaurants.
By ushering in self-service kiosks, restaurants will give clients a sense of comfort and safety in knowing that they can receivetheir food with minimalhuman interaction.
Less Waiting for Customers
Self-service kiosks have shown to shorten and even eliminate lines. Reduced wait times ensure that customers get their food as quickly as possible. A convenient and user-friendly online ordering experience lets your clients seamlessly order their food.
Less Anxiety for Customers
Since using self-service kiosks shortens lines, customers are able to get to their orders quicker, and without any lines behind them, they are able to focus more on what they want to order instead of worrying about holding up the line.
Fewer Inaccuracies and Inconsistencies in Ordering
When customers enter their orders directly into the system, there are fewer chances of error. With the removal of the cashier as an intermediary,the order goes directly from the customer to the kitchen, so the hances of anymiscommunication are minimized. Self-service kiosks along with other business automation technology have the capacity to provide an in-sync way for restaurant employees to manage customers, orders, and payments in one place.
Increase Revenue by Upselling
The freedom that self-ordering provides directly correlates with increased revenue. Automated upselling via self-service kiosks is shown to increase revenue by 12-22%. Algorithmically calculated suggestions during the ordering process give your customers that final push they need to add items to their order that they were previously on the fence about.
CheckPoint Kiosk is a non-thermal camera, health screening kiosk that allows you to easily screen employees and visitors with a simple set of health questions. After screening, a date-stamped badge is printed for easy identification within your facility.
Does the kiosk include thermal temperature screening?
No. CheckPoint does not include thermal temperature screening and instead asks the user a series of questions to determine their risk level. Since thermal cameras have not been proven completely reliable and many infected people are asymptomatic, the CheckPoint kiosk depends on CDC-approved screening questions.
How can I tell if someone has passed screening?
After successful screening, a date-stamped badge is printed with the day of the week, date, and time in large text. Everyone in your facility must wear a badge with the current day clearly showing at all times.
How are new visitors coming in notified of the screening requirement?
Anyone coming into your building is instructed to stop for screening by the large graphic panel mounted on the rear of the kiosk. We recommend placing the kiosk close to the front entrance in a position where it cannot be missed.
Is any identifying data stored about the person being screened?
No. US employment law tightly regulates how health data of employees is stored and managed. While emergency exceptions have been carved out during the current pandemic, these exceptions are not clearly defined and can expose a business to significant liability.
How many kiosks do I need?
You will most likely need a kiosk for every entrance into your facility. If you have a high volume of employees or visitors entering at a single time, you may want to consider additional kiosks to expedite screening and encourage social distancing. You may choose to limit alternate entrances while running screening and instruct people coming into your facility to use one or more primary entrances. If you need a way to direct individuals to these entrances, we offer custom printed signage as an optional add-on.
Will voice-recognition work in noisy environments?
Voice-recognition requires that the iPad’s microphone can clearly distinguish the user’s voice from background noise. Noisy environments can interfere with recognition. In this case, the user can touch the on-screen answers. A 1 hand sanitizer pump bottle is mounted on the kiosk if users wish to sanitize their hands after interacting with the screen. If you are installing CheckPoint in a noisy environment where voice recognition is unlikely to be successful, please notify us when ordering so we can provide a version of the software and signage that removes the voice activation feature.
How long does screening take?
Initial screening generally takes less than one minute. As employees become more familiar with the questions, this time decreases to 30 seconds or less.
What questions are asked during screening?
After asking the user to agree to wear a mask and practice social distancing within the facility, CheckPoint asks each individual about fever, symptoms, and possible exposure. A complete set of questions and the decision tree can be reviewed here.
Individuals are deemed to be high-risk if they:
● have had a fever over 100.4° F (38.0° C) or used any medicine to reduce a fever in the last 24 hours
● have had symptoms associated with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, including fever or feeling feverish (chills, sweating), new cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, muscle aches or body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or new loss of taste or smell and symptom onset was less than 10 days ago or symptoms are not improving
● have reason to believe that they been exposed to or acquired COVID-19 in the last 14 days, This is in line with current CDC guidelines and will be updated if that guidance changes.
Can I customize the questions?
No. Questions are based on the current Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations for health screening and discontinuance of isolation for individuals showing symptoms. However, messages shown when a person fails screening can be customized (see below for details).
Will the questions be updated when Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidance changes?
Yes. We are monitoring the CDC’s website and will update questions automatically when their recommendations change.
What happens when a visitor or employee fails screening?
A label is printed with instructions on what the person should do next. The text shown and printed can be customized separately for visitors and employees and updated from within the app’s settings.
The price per kiosk is $4,195 US plus tax and includes shipping anywhere in the continental United States.
Do you offer volume discounts?
Discounts are available for single purchase orders over 50 units. Please contact [email protected] for special volume pricing incentives.
How do I pay for the kiosk?
Contact a Kiosk Group Sales professional at [email protected] to start the process. Our experienced representatives will send you a form to get required information. Upon receipt of that information, we will send a complete quote outlining all of the solution details, pricing and tax. You can accept and pay online, call our office at 301-732-4629 x116 to provide your credit card over the phone, or pay via ACH (with bank information will be provided upon request).
What components are included?
The CheckPoint kiosk includes:
● Roo printer kiosk – steel enclosure with durable silver powder coat paint finish; rear keyed-lock access for full-front printer label replenishment.
● 10.2 “ iPad enclosure with microphone access grill – black textured ABS construction for easy cleaning, secure toolhead lock located beneath enclosure for easy removal if needed
● Star Micronics TSP743II Bluetooth printer – high speed for commercial use
● Roll of label stock (900 labels)
● Sanitizer pump bottle for hand sanitizer (hand sanitizer gel not included)
● Disposal bin for printed label backing
● Rear-mounted sign with easy-to-understand instructions
● Power strip for standard power outlet
● QuickStart instructions + hardware kit
● Packaging with pallet & shipping within the continental US
A 10.2-inch iPad with Retina display, 32 GB of storage, and WiFi is included as a separate one-year lease with options to renew leasing if continuing to use CheckPoint or buy out at the end of use for a $1 payment.
While this is structured as a lease, you are under no obligation to return the tablet to Kiosk Group.
The CheckPoint software is included as a separate annual subscription and requires the iPad to be leased from Kiosk Group for installation and use. Pay-In-Advance 2-year software incentive – pay for 2 years now, save $300 per unit, 2 nd year software renewal subscription fee only $695.
Additional coverage for the printer and tablet are available as optional add-ons.
Why must the iPad be leased from Kiosk Group?
The CheckPoint kiosk comes with software pre-installed and ready to go out of the box. To provision and manage the iPad tablet, we use Apple’s Device Enrollment Program (DEP) and mobile
device management software. In addition, the CheckPoint app is distributed as a Custom B2B app through Apple Business Manager (ABM). Apple’s terms for these programs clearly state that Kiosk Group must retain ownership of the iPad while it is enrolled in our DEP or has the CheckPoint app installed.
What happens at the end of the iPad lease or when I no longer want to use CheckPoint?
If you want to continue to use CheckPoint screening, you will need to renew the existing iPad lease and software subscription. The cost for the annual renewal is currently $995 annually paid in advance. Otherwise, at the end of the lease period or when you choose to no longer use the CheckPoint screening, you can return the iPad or buy out the lease for a $1 payment. After the buyout, the iPad will be released from Kiosk Group’s Device Enrollment Program account, wiped remotely to remove the Checkpoint software and mobile device management profile, and ownership
officially transferred.
What happens if the leased iPad is damaged or lost?
The customer assumes responsibility for the iPad for the full lease term. If the iPad is damaged, lost, or stolen during this period, you must notify Kiosk Group immediately and will be responsible for paying for a replacement if you want to continue to use CheckPoint. Additional AppleCare+ coverage is available as an optional add-on at the time of purchase and covers up to
two incidents of accidental damage with a deductible. See below for details.
I already have my own iPads – can I use these for CheckPoint instead of leasing?
For deployments of more than 100 kiosks, we can optionally set up a separate instance of the CheckPoint app that would be linked to your organization’s Apple Business Manager account. In this instance, you would be responsible for provisioning and managing the iPads on your own.
What am I responsible for providing?
Label stock, liquid hand sanitizer and a WiFi internet connection. While we provide an initial roll of label stock, subsequent refills are the responsibility of the end customer.
Additional cases of 12 rolls (900 labels per roll) can be purchased from Kiosk Group at a cost of $195 per case (approx. $.02/label). The kiosk ships with an empty pump bottle for hand sanitizer. Purchasing hand sanitizer to fill this bottle or replacing it with a new bottle is also the responsibility of the customer. If you do not want to offer hand sanitizer, the sanitizer mounting kit can be removed from the kiosk at any point.
Is an internet connection required?
Yes. CheckPoint is a hosted solution, which means an internet connection is required for use. If you do not have a reliable WiFi signal where the kiosk is to be placed, we can provide a kit to connect the iPad to wired Ethernet for an additional fee.
Can I customize the printed badges?
Pre-printed label stock can be used with CheckPoint if you want the badge to show your organization’s logo or imagery at the top of the badge. Please contact us to discuss how much of the label can be pre-printed and arrange for the alternate badge layout required.
Can I purchase additional badge labels?
Yes. Additional rolls of badge labels are available in cases of 12 rolls (with 900 labels per roll) for $195 per case.
Can I customize the graphic panel that comes with the kiosk?
Custom graphics for the rear panel are available for an additional $129 each.
Can the kiosk be set up outside?
No. CheckPoint kiosks are designed for indoor use and are not weather-proof.
How does shipping work?
The kiosk is shipped fully assembled on a pallet with protective packaging. The graphic panel packaged separately, ready to attach and set in place for plug-and-play operation. A QuickStart guide for connecting to power and WiFi, loading label stock into the printer and attaching the rear sign is also included. Packaging and freight shipping within the continental US are included for loading dock delivery. If a lift gate or indoor delivery is required, there will be an additional $100 fee.
What is required to set up the kiosk?
Software for your CheckPoint kiosk comes pre-installed and configured. For on-site setup, your team will need to:
● attach the graphic signage panel to the kiosk
● fill the provided sanitizer pump bottle or add your own bottle of sanitizer gel
● connect the iPad to power and WiFi
● connect the printer to power and confirm that the printer’s Bluetooth connection to the tablet is working
● launch the CheckPoint app
What tools are required for unpacking and assembly?
(pending answer)
How often does the printer need to be refilled?
Label stock for the printer comes with 900 labels per roll. How frequently this will need to be replaced will depend on traffic at your location. The CheckPoint kiosk opens through a keyed lock at the rear of the enclosure. The front hinges out to provide access to the printer. The top of the kiosk front should be supported with a hand while opening. Nothing has to be removed and changing out label stock should only take a couple of minutes.
Is technical support available?
We provide complete documentation for setting up your CheckPoint kiosk and email support is available weekdays from 9am to 5pm. For questions about the CheckPoint software, please contact [email protected]. For questions about the kiosk enclosure and hardware components, please contact [email protected]. For repairs or warranty coverage for the tablet or the thermal label printer, Kiosk Group will provide email contacts through our support portal once a ticket is opened. Please email [email protected] for instructions.
What warranty is provided?
There is a one-year warranty on all items manufactured by Kiosk Group, including the kiosk enclosure and graphics. The tablet and all peripherals are provided with the manufacturer’s warranty only. Additional support and warranty coverage is available for each as an optional add-on. All software is provided as-is. If voice recognition is not possible in your facility due to background noise, an alternate version of the software without voice recognition will be provided. Graphic panels without the voice activation indicator are available for $129 each or can be substituted on request for the standard panel at the time of purchase for no additional charge.
Is additional support & warranty coverage available for the tablet and/or printer?
Yes.
Optional Swap-a-Star Printer Replacement – for $69 additional per unit, your kiosk can be registered with our printer partner, Star Micronics, who will be the printer replacement depot for your kiosk for 24 months from date of purchase. If a new printer is required after troubleshooting any printer issues, Star Technical Support will drop-ship a replacement printer to your location overnight. This coverage can only be added at time of purchase and is linked to the serial number associated with the printer.
Optional AppleCare+ Coverage – for $169 additional per unit, AppleCare+ extends your iPad warranty coverage to 24 months and includes up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage. Each incident is subject to a service fee of $49, plus applicable tax. AppleCare+ also adds 24/7 priority access to Apple experts by chat or phone. This coverage can only be added at time of purchase and is linked to the serial number associated with the iPad. This coverage is transferred along with ownership at the end of the lease.
What is the return policy for the kiosk?
Due to the current business environment, CheckPoint kiosks are not returnable. All sales are final.
Billing information needed:
● Company Name
● Contact name, phone number and email address
● Please note the information above must match the billing and contact information on your credit card. You may also pay by ACH.
● Billing street, city, state, zip code
Delivery address:
● Company Name
● Contact name, phone number and email address
● Shipping street, building number, etc.
● City, state, zip code
● Indicate whether tax-exempt or not and provide a copy of your tax exempt certificate.
With the pandemic and trade shows basically reduced to virtual tradeshows, webinars are one of the ways that companies continue to communicate.
Virtual showrooms, live, are another mechanism being used by companies.
Upcoming Webinars
[Zebra] Webinar: Innovating with RFID in a Time of Change
Thursday, July 30, 1:00PM EST Learn how RFID can fuel business transformation and help reveal opportunities hidden in plain sight. Hear from Zebra’s industry experts on the ROI and impact of RFID on your business
[22Miles] Webinar – Join 22Miles & AOPEN – Thermal Imaging Kiosk Solutions for Enterprise and Education
The health and safety of students, employees, and visitors in our new normal has never been a more critical priority. Temperature screenings are a common safety measure, and thermal imaging technology is the most efficient way to detect elevated body temperature. During this 45-minute webinar, you will learn about the latest thermal imaging kiosk solutions from AOPEN and its valued partner, 22Miles.
[Zebra] Webinar: Innovating the Warehouse in a Time of Change
Thursday, Aug 13, 1:00PM EST Explore how you can leverage new technology to help your operation gain greater levels of visibility through mobile technology, integrated with flexible robotic solutions, all while keeping workers safe.
Past Webinars
[Zebra] Webinar – Innovating with Zebra in a Time of Change
Thursday, July 23, 1:00PM EST Employee safety is top of mind today. Learn how Zebra proximity sensing solutions empower employees to proactively maintain social distance, while creating a record of proximity events for reporting purposes.
Self-service kiosk technology has been on the rise for years, across fast food restaurants, in cinemas and entertainment venues, in banks and across retail stores. A MarketsandMarkets report claims that the global interactive kiosk market could be worth $30.53 billion by 2023, up from $20.37 billion in 2016. It’s a huge growth opportunity for OEMs in the coming years—even more so in times like these when faced with a global pandemic; face-to-face transactions are far less popular, and the way we all make purchases is likely to have changed, forever.
Listen to Zebra Technologies’ Jelle Baudouin, Director of OEM, EMEA, as he expands upon these trends and explains how OEMs must seize the opportunities presented and meet this new heightened demand for kiosks.
Also joining is Mark Thomson, Zebra’s Director of Retail and Hospitality Solutions, EMEA. Mark works closely with retailers and hospitality businesses to provide input on how to face the challenge of a new digital retail landscape. Link to On Demand
COVID-19 has shifted the way we as a society views cleanliness and personal hygiene. There is a new importance placed upon these principles that many people are prioritizing over everything else in their day-to-day activities as evidenced by industries shifting to a mostly work-from- home -style schedule. When people aren’t in the safety of their own homes, it’s not uncommon to see them regularly applying hand sanitizer,; wearing masks in public areas,; and keeping an appropriate social distance from other people; and more habits that were not commonly seen before the global pandemic of 2020.
That begs the question as to how businesses can maintain regular operations while also keeping in mind the newfound importance of minimizing the spread of bacteria. A growing number of businesses is discovering that implementing a touchless interface to their self-service kiosks covers most of those bases. This is how a touchless kiosk interface does it:
1. A touchless kiosk interface allows for the same interaction without physically contacting the surface of the self-service device. Minimizing the amount of contact an end-user has with your self-service kiosk is one thing, eliminating it is another thing entirely. This can be accomplished by scanning a QR code to access a secure connection between the kiosk device and the end-user’s personal mobile device.
2. Maintaining a self-service kiosk option allows end-users to avoid person-to-person contact with your human workers. Over the past few months, researchers have narrowed down the most common way to transmit COVID-19: person-to-person. It is estimated that interactions between unmasked COVID-19 carriers and unmasked healthy individuals have a 90% chance of resulting in a healthy individual becoming infected. Masks greatly reduce the spread of infection but do not eliminate it, so providing self-service options to minimize person-to-person interactions where possible is essential.
3. Implementing a touchless kiosk solution helps the sanitization supply chain recover. Over the past five months, it has been extremely difficult to purchase cleaning and sanitization supplies. These products have been in such high demand to maintain a level of social cleanliness that suppliers have been operating on a perpetual back-order status since the start of the pandemic, and an alternate solution could alleviate some of that stress on the supply chain. Allowing people to interact with a kiosk through their own personal device will create a gap where products like hand sanitizer or sanitizing wipes would normally be used to reduce the chance of pathogen spread. That begs the question as to how businesses can maintain regular operations while also keeping in mind the newfound importance of minimizing the spread of bacteria. A large number of businesses have discovered that implementing a touchless interface to their self-service kiosks has covered most of those bases. Here’s how a touchless kiosk interface does it:
4. A touchless kiosk interface allows for the same interaction without physically contacting the surface of the self-service device. Minimizing the amount of contact an end-user has with your self-service kiosk is one thing, eliminating is another thing entirely. This can be accomplished in a number of ways, one of them is scanning a QR code to access a secure connection between the kiosk device and the end-user’s
personal mobile device.
5. Maintaining a self-service kiosk option allows for end-users to avoid person-to-person contact with your human workers. Over the past few months, researchers have narrowed down the most common way to transmit COVID-19: person-to-person. It’s estimated that interactions between an unmasked COVID-19 carrier and an unmasked healthy individual has a 90% chance of resulting in the healthy individual becoming infected. Adding masks to the two hypothetical people in those scenarios begins to reduce the chance of infection, but never completely eliminates it. While COVID-19 can still be spread by touching some surfaces contaminated with the virus, it is far less likely to infect a person compared to a person-to-person interaction.
6. Implementing a touchless kiosk solution allows resources that are being otherwise drained to maintain a level of social cleanliness to recover due to a lack of necessity. Over the past five months it has been extremely difficult for anyone, businesses and consumers alike, to purchase cleaning and sanitization supplies like liquid solutions and paper products. There has been such a high demand that suppliers have been operating on a perpetual back-order over the duration of the pandemic and an alternate solution could alleviate that stress on the supply chain. Allowing for people to interact with kiosk through their own personal device will create a gap where products like hand sanitizer or sanitary wipes would normally be used to reduce the chance of pathogen spread.
To address the issue of spreading germs via kiosk touch screens long before COVID, KioWare Kiosk System Software began development on a touchless interface. The impact of COVID-19 accelerated development, and last month, KioWare introduced Allow me to introduce KioTouch™ — the a touchless kiosk interface solution designed by KioWare Kiosk System Software. KioTouch allows for an end-user to interact directly with a kiosk via their personal mobile device by scanning a QR code that is displayed on the attract screen. At that point, a trackpad-style mouse is displayed on the end-user’s device, giving them complete control of the kiosk ’s screen functionsjust as they would have control during normal, physical interface. The trackpad is responsive to clicks, swipes, and all other normal mouse functions. When If a field requires text to be entered, a simple click into the text field ofusing the trackpad onto the field will bring up a keyboard on the end-user’s device, allowing them to enter text as if they were sending a text message or e-mail. At the conclusion of the user’s session, KioTouch can be programmed to display content of the kiosk deployer’s choosing such as, but not limited to, a website, loyalty app, newsletter, or simple “thank you” message.
If you would like to see KioTouch in action, click here .
KioTouch is compatible with any kiosk system software and can be installed on any self-service device, whether it be a full-sized kiosk unit built into a display or a smaller device that would normally be handheld for the end-user. KioWare is not required to run KioTouch, but it is integrated into the latest versions of KioWare for Windows and KioWare for Android and easily activated with a subscription license. and can be installed on any self-service device, whether it be a full-sized kiosk unit built into a display or a smaller device that would normally be handheld for the end-user.
The world around us is changing. People are viewing the world through a new lens, one that emphasizes the importance of reducing germ and pathogen spread. This new perspective means businesses are going to need to get be creative with accommodating the sanitary desires of its customers or continue to deal with closures and limited services due to mandates put in place by governments. Creating a touchless experience with a seamless interface on self-service kiosks without sacrificing a seamless interface will be crucial to thriving in this new era of limited human interaction and higher standards of cleanliness and sanitation.
