This is a fairly comprehensive look at purely financial service kiosks and the segments. Driving it all is the new portal, PaymentKiosk.com, which we have launched at Olea and which details turnkey, priced, offerings for bill payment, cash2card and more. If you are looking to purchase or you require someone to operate, we will help you.
This whitepaper addresses many of those areas and includes quotes from Dylan Waddle, chief operating officer with Norman, Okla.-based M3t Financial Services, Tom Smith with Self Service Networks (cash2card, gift cards and vending automation), Doug Shipley of Glory Global Solutions and Brandon Mintz of Bitcoin Depot. Research and current data is presented for underbanked and non-banked customers. I hope you find it helpful.
Cash Provisioning For Bill Pay Kiosks
Although it remains to be seen if the use of cash as a form of payment will eventually disappear, don’t expect it to happen any time soon.
Consumers used cash in 26 percent of transactions last year, according to the Federal Reserve’s 2019 Diary of Consumer Payment Choice. Although that’s down from 30 percent in 2017, it’s a far cry from total elimination.
Another few tidbits from the Fed report: Participants in the study used cash for 35 percent of in-person payments, and cash represented 49 percent of payments under $10. Of all the cash payments reported, the study found, 80 percent were for payments below $25.
Underbanked, non-banked and the kiosk industry
The “Franklin” Bill Pay Kiosk
Well, let’s start with those figures on cash payments. Some of the strongest growth the kiosk industry is seeing these days is in the self-order arena, specifically in fast-food restaurants. Those transactions are typically $20 or less, right in the sweet spot for cash usage.
Billpay kiosks are growing in popularity as well, targeting underbanked consumers or those who don’t have the ability to pay bills online. Some of the deployed applications include water bill payment, electricity bill pay, gas bill pay and light bill pay. 30% (and rising) of the US population is lower class living in apartments, renting housing. 25% of the US population is unbanked or underbanked according to a 2017 survey by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp and that number is considered low. Again, the type of people who are likely to favor cash.
So if credit cards are the only payment option, a company that relies on self-service kiosks may be missing out on substantial revenue opportunities.
Still, accepting cash does present obstacles deployers need to overcome. And with the use of alternative forms of payment on the rise, deployers need to plan for those as well.
Utility Bill Payment Example Eliminating the hurdles
Although it’s certainly much simpler to only accept cards as payment, a successful kiosk project is likely to involve the ability to accept cash as a form of payment.
“As a business decision, I don’t believe that excluding paying customers is an effective way to win business,” said Thomas Smith, CEO of Providence, R.I-based Self-Service Networks. “If a customer wants to purchase your products and services, there should be no barriers created that would prevent them from making that purchase.”
In fact, the ability to accept cash may be critical to a project’s success. Chicago’s Department of Finance, for example, began rolling out self-serve kiosks in 2007, allowing citizens to pay for everything from parking tickets to utility bills. The kiosks accept a variety of payment methods, but 47 percent of those payments are made in cash.
“Since the beginning, cash has always been most popular at the kiosks,” Tina Consola, first deputy director of the department, told the trade news website PYMNTS.com. “It’s important to serve customers who primarily pay in cash, because they may not have access to a checking account or credit card.”
Aside from the obvious security concerns, one of the main issues when it comes to accepting cash is the quality of the cash itself. Most of us can recall at some point in their lives trying to purchase a soft drink or candy bar from a vending machine, only to see their dollar bill rejected time and time again.
“Unless the operator is using a high quality bill acceptor from MEI or JCM, lower quality notes may not be accepted at a high rate, thus reducing revenue generated by the unit,” said Dylan Waddle, chief operating officer with Norman, Okla.-based M3t Financial Services, a provider of cash management software solutions.
In addition, the issue of dispensing change presents another challenge (and expense).
“It is always easier to round off transaction amounts to the nearest dollar to lessen the burden of dealing with coin,” Waddle said.
“Over the past 10 years, M3t has been testing new and innovative ways to deal with coin and even the most sophisticated methods still have issues with coins jamming in transition to the customer,” he said. “Coins also drive a much larger footprint for the kiosk unit itself, so if they can be avoided, it is much preferred.”
Cash Collection
The “Austin” Freestanding Bill Payment Kiosk
Other concerns are the expense and time involved in pulling cash from a kiosk and taking it to the bank. At the very least, those tasks can take an hour or more per day, while for busy locations it can mean hiring an armored car service to handle the cash.
Whatever the challenge, though, the use of cash isn’t going away. If the kiosk itself doesn’t accept cash, merchants may be forced to provide an alternative payment channel for those who prefer to conduct business with currency.
“Legislative pressures forcing brick and mortar retailers to accept cash is definitely a growing trend,” Smith said. “In fact, our beloved Rhode Island is one of the first states (if the only) to pass a law to require cash acceptance at brick and mortar retailers.”
And legislation affects insurance for cash services. In Colorado and other states which have legalized marijuana one of the biggest problems is hiring insured cash collection services. There are workarounds but this has put a damper on the cannabis kiosk since most of the transactions are cash.
Bitcoin Kiosks – Hidden opportunities?
Although accepting cash can certainly complicate a kiosk project, doing so can reap some unexpected benefits. Along with the potential for increased sales, kiosks can simplify the cash management process.
“Cash accepting systems can reduce cash shrinkage because employees rarely touch or count money,” said Douglas Shipley, OEM Sales Manager, North America with Glory Global Solutions. Glory is a provider of secure, efficient payment systems, cash recyclers and instant, highly accurate identity verification and authentication solutions.
“Glory cash automation machines accept, count, sort and dispense change while keeping an accurate accounting of cash on hand,” Shipley said. “Counterfeit bills detection is also built in.”
The addition of cash acceptance to self-serve kiosks also speeds realization of revenue because the funds may be immediately available for deposit, Shipley said. Credit card payments, on the other hand, require processing time as well as the imposition of fees by banking institutions.
Although accepting cash can certainly complicate a kiosk project, the growing number of payment channels is opening up new markets for kiosk providers as well.
Bitcoin kiosks, for example, is one of the fastest-growing segments in the world due to the increased popularity of cryptocurrency. Those devices allow users to buy and sell bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies with cash.
“Our company expects to have over 1,000 Bitcoin ATMs deployed by the end of 2020,” said Brandon Mintz, CEO of Atlanta-based Bitcoin Depot. The bitcoin kiosk industry is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 46.6 percent by 2024. Mintz’s company recently acquired competitor DFW Bitcoin.
Reverse ATMs, Gift Card Kiosks and Cash2Card Opportunities
There are also situations a consumer might want to convert their cash into a payment card. Maybe they want to purchase an item online and don’t wish to use (or don’t have) a credit or debit card. Maybe they want to give someone a gift, but feel that cash in an envelope is a bit tacky. Whatever the reason, Self-Service Networks caters to those consumers with its GiftWise Cash-2-Card and gift card vending kiosks. Those devices allow consumers to convert cash into a payment card, gift card or other digital asset.
The opportunities for kiosks that accept cash are many, but getting the most from them requires a kiosk that is designed to accept cash, backed by a vendor who’s experienced in supporting those deployers who include those in their kiosk fleet.
Olea Financial Kiosks Portfolio
Olea Kiosks offers a number of kiosk models that can be customized to accept cash, print receipts, dispense tickets and more. The company’s Franklin Bill Pay Kiosk, for example, is designed to simplify cash transactions. Standard options include a high-capacity bill acceptor, bill dispenser, cash recycler options, high speed bulk note acceptor, coin dispenser, multiple biometrics and receipt printer. Olea’s Austin Kiosk is engineered for light and medium bill payment, featuring a 15” or 22” All-in-One computer in either portrait or landscape as well as an EMV credit card terminal and POS-style receipt printer. The Austin can be customized to support card issuance for gift card and Cash2Card applications.
Olea can assist you with a complete range of financial services including processing, EMV payment, turnkey financial software, solution servicing, financing, cash collection services and even revenue-sharing options. We are your complete financial services partner.No matter what the challenge when it comes to accepting cash, Olea offers a payment kiosk solution to meet that challenge. Contact us at 800-927-8063 or email [email protected]. We stand ready to help.
Hope you enjoyed the writeup and if you have any questions drop me an email at [email protected]
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Peerless-AV® to Demonstrate Wide-Ranging Signage Technology and AV Solutions at InfoComm 2019
Products include new line of SmartMount® Motorized Mounting Solutions, Xtreme™High Bright Outdoor Displays, SEAMLESS LED Solutions, Smart City Kiosks, and more at Booth 3429
AURORA, Ill. – May 30, 2019 – Peerless-AV®, an award-winning designer and manufacturer of innovative audio and video solutions and accessories, is pleased to announce its showcase at InfoComm 2019, June 12-14, in the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). Peerless-AV and its team of experts will be exhibiting a variety of digital signage solutions, including kiosks, video wall mounts, outdoor displays, and more in Booth 3429.
To start off the show, on Wednesday, June 12th, Rob Meiner, Peerless-AV’s Kiosk Business Unit Manager, will be taking part in a panel on “Increasing Convenience and Creature Comforts with Kiosks in Hotels.” Panel attendees can expect to learn more about how hotels and hospitality industry insiders can incorporate engaging kiosks and signage. Peerless-AV will also be sponsoring the event, which is geared towards key members of the hospitality industry.
Peerless-AV is proud to present and display the following products at InfoComm 2019:
Outdoor Kiosk Solutions
Peerless-AV will be testing the limits of its Xtreme™ High Bright Outdoor Displays (XHB432, XHB492, XHB552) through a water dunk tank, impact test chamber, and dust chamber. Available in 43″, 49″, and 55”, the Xtreme™ High Bright Outdoor Displays offer a maintenance-free design and are rugged enough to withstand the harsh outdoor elements, while still offering bright, crisp imagery.
Peerless-AV will also be exhibiting the full line-up of the UltraView™ UHD Outdoor TV (UV492, UV552, UV652), an all-season solution for outdoor entertainment and living. Paired with the UltraView™ UHD Outdoor TV will be Peerless-AV’s easily-installed and weather resistant Xtreme™ Outdoor Soundbar (SPK-080).
Kiosks and Menu Boards
Kiosks at the booth include the upgraded All-in-One Kiosk Powered by BrightSign® (KIPICT2555). This kiosk features a sleek and stylish design with a leaner frame and a smaller footprint, creating a complete digital signage solution for any indoor application setting, for entertainment, advertising, digital merchandising, and more.
Another kiosk on display is the award-winning, outdoor Smart City Kiosk. With an elegant, minimalistic design, including covers to protect and ventilate the kiosk’s display and equipment, this kiosk is an ideal, outdoor digital signage solution.
Restaurant menu solutions like Peerless-AV’s single Digital Menu Board for Samsung OHF displays (KOF555-1OHF), double Digital Menu Board for Xtreme™ High Bright Outdoor Displays (KOF555-2XHB), and single Digital Menu Board for LG displays (KOF555-1XE4F) will also be in the booth, demonstrating how digital signage can help with increasing drive-thru sales and promoting order efficiency.
Interactive SmartMount® Solutions
A new line of SmartMount® Motorized Mounting Solutions for Interactive Displays, including the SmartMount® Motorized Stand/Wall Mount (SS598ML3) and SmartMount® Motorized Table Top Cart (SR598ML3T) will showcase how educators can focus on the content on display in the classroom while creating a positive learning environment.
Also in the booth will be the latest version of the SmartMount® Motorized Height Adjustable Flat Panel Cart (SR598ML3), an extension of Peerless-AV’s award-winning line of AV carts, which make it easier for educators and students to raise and lower touch-enabled displays.
Wall Mounts and More
As the 2019 Official TV Wall Mount & Outdoor TV Provider of Forbes Travel Guide, Peerless-AV will be showing off its mounting solutions geared towards hospitality applications. Mounts being displayed include the Pull Out Pivot Wall Mount (HPF650), essential for on-wall or recessed/in-furniture applications, as well as the Hospitality Wall Arm Mount with STB Enclosure (HA746-STB), which offers an aesthetically pleasing solution for cable management and set top box storage. For retail applications, Peerless-AV will be introducing the Floor Window Display Mount (DS-OM55ND-FLOOR) designed specifically for the Samsung OM55N-D Double-Sided Displays.
Peerless-AV’s wide ranging projector product family will be in the booth, as well, with the Heavy Duty Universal Projector Mount (PJR125), Ultra Heavy Duty Projector Mount (PJR250), and Universal Portrait Projector Mount (PJR125-POR), demonstrating the perfect mounting solution for heavy equipment.
LED Video Wall Mounting Solutions
Providing a wow factor for attendees will be Peerless-AV’s Curved LED Mount, featuring a modular design developed to fit the specifications of any LED display. In partnership with RMG, the curved video wall will feature actual pieces from the Kennedy Space Center and highlights of the 50th Anniversary of the moon landing. Peerless-AV’s LED mounting systems bring unlimited configurations to wall signage as well as offer a slim, space-saving, and aesthetically pleasing design that can be adapted to support any display specifications and video wall configuration.
Additionally, as the Official Digital Display Provider of MiLB, Peerless-AV’s booth will feature the new official LED scoreboard, which will be implemented in over 50 stadiums by 2020.
The Curved LED Mount and LED scoreboard are part of SEAMLESS by Peerless-AV, the one-of-a-kind all-inclusive program for LED video wall integration. With SEAMLESS by Peerless-AV, integrators can expect start to finish support for all of Peerless-AV’s LED mounting solutions.
To learn more about Peerless-AV’s activities planned for InfoComm 2019, watch the preview video (https://vimeo.com/peerlessav/infocomm19) or visit Booth 3429 to see the full showcase of outdoor displays, kiosks, mounts, carts, and more.
For media appointments, please contact Beth Gard at [email protected] or 732-212-0823.
For over 75 years, passion and innovation continue to drive Peerless-AV forward. We proudly design and manufacture the highest quality products, ranging from outdoor displays to complete kiosk solutions, digital signage mounts to wireless systems. Whether a full-scale global deployment or custom project, Peerless-AV develops meaningful relationships and delivers world-class service. In partnership with Peerless-AV, you are trusting an award-winning team of experts who will support your business every step of the way. For more information, visit peerless-av.com.
Self Service DMV Kiosk help shorten lines at satellite city halls
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The city’s Department of Customer Services announced that its new self-service kiosks for renewing vehicle registrations appear to be catching on with the public after the first six months.
Since the freestanding, self-service kiosks were rolled out in February at select Safeway supermarkets, more than 18,000 residents have used them to register their vehicles, make their payments, and walk away with all of their documents in hand in just a matter of minutes.
“We want residents to know that they no longer need to stand in line, or wait 10-to-14 days of processing and mailing time to get their registrations and emblems,” said Customer Services Director Sheri Kajiwara. “Everyone who has used the kiosks so far has shared positive comments.”
In addition to renewing vehicle registrations at self-service kiosks, residents can also opt to register online or by mail as alternatives to waiting in line at a satellite city hall.
An estimated 54 percent of O‘ahu motorists continue as “walk-in and wait transactions” at satellite city halls.
The self-service kiosks are the newest of the three options to walking into a satellite city hall to renew a motor vehicle registration. A key feature of the self-service kiosks is that they instantly process and print registration cards and stickers, as well as accept renewals up to 10 months past due. Late registrations will be assessed a standard $16 fee and all renewal transactions require that a current safety inspection be on file.
OptConnect, a longtime leader in managed wireless services, today announced its formal launch into the Internet of Things (IoT) market with the creation of a patent-pending smart embedded modem™ for IoT, OptConnect ema™. OptConnect’s combination of a smart embedded modem™ plus fully managed services is the first “Connectivity-as-a-Service” offering in the IoT industry, and builds on OptConnect’s unparalleled managed services expertise to help companies to quickly and cost-effectively deploy and scale their IoT projects. OptConnect will showcase its managed service offering with ema at Internet of Things World 2019 (Booth #802), May 13-16, 2019, at the Santa Clara Convention Center.
OptConnect’s IoT managed services are the ideal solution for customers across a wide range of industries, including retail, energy, agriculture, healthcare and others, who need to embed cellular wireless connectivity into their solution without the trial and error, slower time to market and cost normally associated with typical IoT implementations. OptConnect’s comprehensive solution includes 24/7/365 carrier monitoring and help desk with one-call resolution and service-level agreements (SLAs) on response time, multicarrier support, device and device management analytics, hardware warranties, IoT professional services and a wealth of other capabilities that help companies move their IoT projects to market quickly and cost-effectively.
The introduction of ema positions OptConnect at the top of the IoT managed services market by delivering to customers a seamless wireless experience without the cost and difficulty of developing low-level embedded wireless design. ema is a fully certified LTE Category 4 smart embedded modem with an optimized developed wireless application that supports multi-carrier connectivity and includes embedded applications for mission-critical device management and managed services by OptConnect. ema has an onboard microcontroller with embedded firmware and software developed by OptConnect, providing plug-and-play functionality.
ema features:
A compact design to easily fit on a host board design, but with powerful capabilities, including fully certified PTCRB and full carrier certification and dual-carrier SIM on board
Device management application right out of the box for firmware-over-the-air (FOTA) updates, power management and carrier failover
The highest levels of security already baked in through AWS IoT Core
“Building on our vast experience in managed service wireless connectivity for markets such as ATMs, digital signage, kiosks and more, OptConnect is entering the IoT space with a fully managed wireless service right out of the box, making it easy for customers to quickly and cost-effectively scale their IoT deployments and improve their time to revenue,” said, Chris Baird, President and CEO, OptConnect. “The introduction of ema into this mix is a game-changer. Other companies that develop embedded modems leave the customer to figure out the development, certification and management on their own. Through our robust managed service offering, OptConnect can save them time, money and the headache and hassle that is usually experienced with typical IoT connectivity deployments.”
To learn more about OptConnect’s managed service offerings and OptConnect ema, visit http://www.optconnect.com, or visit OptConnect at Internet of Things World 2019 (Booth #802), May 13-16, 2019, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, California.
About OptConnect
OptConnect (http://www.OptConnect.com) is North America’s leading provider of managed service wireless connectivity for ATMs, Smart Safes, Kiosks, Micro Markets, Digital Signage and other custom applications. OptConnect provides a secure and reliable monitored wireless connection to the Internet for unattended equipment that is easy, low-risk, and convenient: All supported by a superior customer service infrastructure. OptConnect has spent 10+ years perfecting managed wireless services so that customers can focus on their core business strengths without having to deal with the delays, complexities, and frustrations of typical cellular deployments. OptConnect’s fully managed solution provides Connectivity-as-a-Service for M2M and IoT applications that is simple and easy to implement.
The gist was that although major players like Subway, McDonald’s, Burger King and Arby’s started experimenting with kiosks in 2006, we had yet to see mass adoption in the restaurant space, despite kiosks’ rapid deployments in airports, grocery stores and casinos.
In technology terms, it has since been a lifetime. However, kiosks finally seem to be having their moment in the quick-service space.
Self-Order Kiosk Research
New research from Tillster shows that 25% of restaurant customers have used a self-ordering kiosk at a restaurant within the past three months—up 7% year-over-year. Further, more than 65% of customers said they would visit a restaurant more often if self-service kiosks were offered, and 30% of customers prefer to order from a kiosk versus a cashier if the lines were of equal length.
I have covered the restaurant industry since 2010 when I was named editor of QSRweb. I later added fast casual and pizza beats to my portfolio as editorial director of foodservice media. This coverage spanned the gamut of topics that make up the foodservice space, from marketing and customer service, to the supply chain and display technology. My work has been featured in publications around the world, including NPR, Bloomberg, The Seattle Times, Crain’s Chicago, Good Morning America and Franchise Asia Magazine. I continue to serve as a contributor for many publications, including QSRweb, Food Dive, Innovation Leader and the Digital Signage Federation.
Other notes
Preference for self-order seems to have swung positive over last 12 months (MSN poll quoted)
Younger customers contributing
Amazon trained us
Subway is big example nowadays
Wendy’s covers 2/3rds of locations. Thinks it has a return.
KFC to do 5000 by 2020
Taco Bell doing entire chain
Self-service market research by Tillster says 30.8 billion
Taco Bell Kiosk – Taco Bell president on kiosk: ‘It’s super fun’2019/06/24 Excerpt from Nation’s Restaurant News June 17, 2019 Editor’s Note: How China tariffs might affect this are in play. Taco Bell Kiosk consumer-facing technology efforts are in full force this year. On the heels of rolling out delivery nationwide in February, Taco Bell has quietly installed kiosks in about 4,000 restaurants. Rob Poetsch, spokesman for the Irvine, Calif.-based chain, …
Asian Grill Opens New Location with Self Order Kiosks 2019/06/21 Asian Grill Opens New Location with XPR Kiosks Asian Grill, known for its authentic regional cuisines, has recently implemented XPR’s self ordering kiosks and mobile application to help automate the ordering process. Along with the new equipment throughout the kitchen to help relay orders to the staff, these changes have helped to improve operational efficiency, check …
McDonald’s & Sonic Optimizing with Self Order AI Technology2019/06/20 Self-Order and AI Sonic McDonalds Read full article at PSFK From menus curated to individuals’ dietary needs to offers that adjust in real time to trends and even weather patterns, here’s how top food names like Sonic and THE.FIT are using AI to enable tailored food experiences Today’s consumers have more food options than ever. The ordering experience …
Tapit demonstrates unique self-ordering kiosk 2019/06/18 Excerpt from BakeMag Jun article. Read full article Tapit demonstrates unique self-ordering kiosk Courtesy of Tapit 06.11.2019 By John Unrein Tapit, a leading restaurant and retail-focused software vendor, has launched Selfit, a self-ordering kiosk platform with accompanying online ordering via a mobile app and interface to the restaurant’s website. Purpose-built for the restaurant and retail industries, Tapit demonstrated its self-ordering platform …
Inside Times Square McDonalds flagship – CNBC 2019/05/29 McDonalds Times Reprinted with permission in full from CNBC May 2019 & Amelie Lucas On Thursday, McDonald’s opened a new flagship store in Times Square, expected to be its busiest in the U.S. The location showcases the modern updates that McDonald’s has been bringing to its U.S. stores. It boasts digital menu boards, 18 self-order kiosks and wireless mobile …
As a luxury casino, resort, and spa, Agua Caliente in Rancho Mirage, California was looking to further push the boundaries of aesthetics and create a unique, immersive experience, unlike anything else in Greater Palm Springs. Through the use of a curved wide-scale visual display in its new sports bar, 360 Sports, patrons in the sports bar as well as all guests entering the resort would see the eye-catching visuals, showcasing the high quality and design that is representative of Agua Caliente.
The Problem
To truly wow guests, the resort was seeking an intricate video wall design that would require a complicated installation with curved walls and recessed displays. In addition to the shape of the wall, which affected display alignment, 360 Sports was still under construction. Further adding pressure around the project was the tight timeline tied to a New Year’s Eve launch, only allowing 10-16 days to complete the full installation.
The Solution
To meet the fast deadline, Advanced LED Displays was chosen as the integrator for the project. They selected Unilumin for the LED screens, and Peerless-AV for its LED mounts. While Peerless-AV was the only manufacturer whose mounts would work for the curved wall, the brand was also selected based on its flexibility, cost effectiveness, and superior customer service – all aspects of SEAMLESS by Peerless-AV®, the company’s LED Video Wall Integration Program. The SEAMLESS program ensures the entire Peerless-AV LED Solutions Team is available every step of the way, guaranteeing every customer receives quality product support and service.
“It was so refreshing to have someone there from our (Peerless-AV) team to actually help us design the mounting system that would fulfill all of these crazy designs we came up with,” said Vince Ovist, President, Advanced LED Displays. “No other company came to that point where they would help us out from the very beginning.”
The Result
Without fail, Peerless-AV was able to install the LED mounts that allowed 360 Sports to become the first sports bar without televisions. The entire installation process was simple and completed before the tight deadline. The casino was thrilled with the ending outcome and guests can now enjoy the action from anywhere in the sports bar.
“The feedback has been phenomenal,” said Bill Oliver, Chief Information Officer, Agua Caliente. “It’s been a great buzz around the valley. This is the place to come.”
Click for full size image
To learn more about the SEAMLESS by Peerless-AV® LED Video Wall Integration Program and mounting solutions, visit peerless-av.com/SEAMLESS.
About Peerless-AV
Driving Technology Through Innovation
For over 75 years, passion and innovation continues to drive Peerless-AV forward. We proudly design and manufacture the highest quality products, ranging from outdoor displays to kiosk solutions, digital signage mounts to wireless systems. Whether a global deployment or custom project, Peerless-AV develops meaningful relationships and delivers world class service.
EMERYVILLE, Calif., June 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Decathlon, the self-proclaimed world leader in sporting goods retailing, recently opened their US flagship high-tech retail location in Emeryville, California. With more than 1,500 stores in 49 countries, Decathlon is making a technological splash with their newest location. Touting a “cashless” retailing solution aimed at simplifying and speeding up the checkout process, shoppers avoid long checkout lines and registers while they engage directly with Decathlon teammates on the retail floor putting them closer to the products they are shopping for. Using a sophisticated combination of technology solutions using RFID, QR codes, and iPhone transactions, shoppers can check out their purchases at any point within the store using their mobile phone, their Apple watch, gift cards, or their traditional credit and debit cards. They cannot use cash.
Cash To Card Kiosk
Cash-2-Card Self-Service Kiosk
Confronted with the notion of disenfranchised consumers, Decathlon turned to Self-Service Networks and their innovative “GiftWise Cash-2-Card” gift card dispensing self-service kiosk. With this self-service touch screen kiosk, consumers paying with cash are able to convert their paper currency into Decathlon gift cards. “Self-Service Networks has been an integral partner for us since the opening of our first Decathlon Superstore in the United States,” says Ashley Benson, product manager at Decathlon USA. “With their help and collaboration, we’ve been able to offer a seamless cashless checkout process that allows customers to complete quick transactions. Customers who prefer to use cash at checkout have the ability to access Decathlon Gift Cards through the GiftWise Cash-2-Card solution. They can then complete their transaction using our cashless point of sale system. We hope that this innovative approach to retailing can be used for our future expansion throughout the US.
Retailer innovation continues to be a key element toward driving retail sales growth in the US. Ensuring that consumers from all ranges of the technological spectrum can participate in these advances helps achieve this successfully. “For over twenty years, Self-Service Networks has been empowering customers with innovative self-service transaction solutions,” says Thomas Smith, President of Self-Service Networks. Our GiftWise Cash-2-Card is our latest iteration of card dispensing innovations that help empower customers preferring to use cash payments to participate in everyday retail.” With the legislative backlash on “cashless” retailers hitting Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York and most recently in San Francisco, innovative retail solutions like the GiftWise Cash-2-Card self-service kiosk is a welcome solution to support a growing trend.
The deadline for merchants to bring payment devices into compliance with EMV standards passed more than three years ago, but there are still non-compliant devices in the marketplace.
EMV Compliance Kiosk
A year ago, KioskIndustry.org published a piece looking at the state of adoption of Europay, Mastercard and Visa (EMV) requirements among kiosk deployers in 2018. The bottom-line findings were that while kiosk manufacturers were stressing the need for EMV-compliant solutions for new projects, many deployers planned to keep current non-compliant solutions in the field until the end of their lifespan.
Now that a year has passed since that analysis, has anything changed? Where do things stand now?
EMV Compliance Kiosk continues to expand
To recap, EMV is defined as “a payment method based upon a technical standard for smart payment cards and for payment terminals and automated teller machines that can accept them.” EMV “smart cards” store their data on integrated circuits in addition to the traditional magnetic stripes. According to financial services firm FirstData, EMV chip cards transmit a variable algorithm that changes with each transaction, making the data more secure than what’s found on magnetic stripe cards.
Under EMV standards, merchants had until Oct. 1, 2015, to make their payment processing equipment EMV-complaint. If a fraudulent transaction occurred at a merchant who had not upgraded their equipment, the merchant would eat the cost of that transaction along with any fines or fees that might be assessed.
And while EMV standards were relatively clear for in-person transactions, such as those at an attended checkout register at a grocery store, they were a bit murkier when it came to transactions at an unattended device, such as a self-service kiosk.
Although payment card issuer Visa doesn’t break out kiosk-specific statistics, it does track overall EMV adoption. By most measures, the process seems to be rolling along.
As of December 2018, more than 3.1 million merchants now accept chip cards, according to Visa statistics, compared with just 392,000 merchants as of September 2015. There are now 511 million chip cards in circulation compared with 159 million three years ago. Ninety-eight percent of payments accomplished at the end of 2018 were done using chip cards.
In addition, counterfeit fraud dollars dropped 48 percent over the 39-month period, according to Visa statistics, while that figure was closer to 80 percent for merchants who have completed the upgrade.
Still, that doesn’t mean credit-card fraud is going to disappear. According to research by intelligence firm Gemini Advisory, as of November 2018 chip-enabled cards represent 93 percent of the more than 60 million payment cards stolen in the past 12 months, thanks to the lack of U.S. merchant compliance with the EMV implementation.
Other Gemini findings include:
45.8 million or 75 percent are Card-Present (CP) records and were stolen at the point-of-sale devices, while only 25% were compromised in online breaches.
90% of the CP compromised U.S. payment cards were EMV enabled.
The United States leads the rest of the world in the total amount of compromised EMV payment cards by a massive 37.3 million records.
Financially motivated threat groups are still exploiting the lack of merchant EMV compliance.
In addition, a new type of card fraud is gaining in popularity. Unlike the skimmers fraudsters attached to gas pumps and other devices to capture credit card information (one of the types of fraud EMV was designed to eliminate) a “shimmer,” according to Krebs on Security, fits in the card slot between the chip on the card and the chip reader — recording the data on the chip as it is read by the underlying machine. The fact that the device fits in the slot itself instead of fitting over the card reader, it’s difficult to spot.
“Data collected by shimmers cannot be used to fabricate a chip-based card, but it could be used to clone a magnetic stripe card. Although the data that is typically stored on a card’s magnetic stripe is replicated inside the chip on chip-enabled cards, the chip contains additional security components not found on a magnetic stripe.
“One of those is a component known as an integrated circuit card verification value or “iCVV” for short — also known as a “dynamic CVV.” The iCVV differs from the card verification value (CVV) stored on the physical magnetic stripe, and protects against the copying of magnetic-stripe data from the chip and using that data to create counterfeit magnetic stripe cards.”
The weakness a shimmer exploits lies with the card issuer as opposed to the payment device.
“The only way for this attack to be successful is if a [bank card] issuer neglects to check the CVV when authorizing a transaction,” ATM giant NCR Corp. wrote in a 2016 alert to customers. “All issuers MUST make these basic checks to prevent this category of fraud. Card Shimming is not a vulnerability with a chip card, nor with an ATM, and therefore it is not necessary to add protection mechanisms against this form of attack to the ATM.”
(If I needed any persuasion that payment card fraud was still a problem, I recently received a call from my bank alerting me that my debit card had been compromised. Someone had used what was obviously a cloned card to withdraw $300 at an ATM 30 miles away from where I live. The bank blocked the card when the fraudster attempted to make a withdrawal at another ATM. A few days later, my son’s debit card was compromised as well. In both cases, the money was refunded to our accounts and the dispute was closed in less than a week. When I posted a comment to the neighborhood Nextdoor social media site about the incident, dozens of people in my area said they had also been victims of payment card fraud. The speculation was that the issue occurred at a nearby convenience store, although nothing was proven.)
The current state of EMV Compliance affairs
By all appearances, EMV adoption among kiosk deployers essentially stands where it did a year ago. Deployers seem to be carrying on with existing equipment until the end of its lifespan, with any new deployments.
Part of the reason is likely, as mentioned in last year’s analysis, that the relatively low transaction averaged for many kiosks translates to less overall chargeback risk, which in turn means less incentive to upgrade. Given that risk, it doesn’t make much sense to invest in an upgrade it of the deployer plans to swap it out in a year or two.
“For kiosks we have seen very little in the way of EMV retrofits of fielded kiosks running in mag stripe even though there are surface mount devices well suited to field retrofits available,” said Rob Chilcoat, president, North American Operations with UCP Inc., a provider of EMV-compliant chip-and-pin hardware and payment gateway solutions for attended and unattended card payment terminals in North America.
In addition, some of the concerns about whether a kiosk would be considered attended, “semi-attended” or unattended under EMV requirements may have been overblown.
The Path to EMV Compliance Kiosk
What are some other risks in deploying non-EMV kiosks? Comments from the experts:
There are current deployers with standard ecommerce websites using a third-party shopping cart on their kiosks that have no clue about EMV. Kiosk software like KioWare can intercept the shopping cart MSR checkout and perform the EMV transaction; however, they still need the third-party shopping cart to know the transaction has succeeded; ie, we need an API to call. This API is often lacking as most don’t care about kiosks and EMV integration, although it is slowly changing. This is definitely affecting existing kiosks going EMV, but it is also affecting new kiosk projects that had hoped to use their existing third-party shopping cart.
If a card data breach is tracked back to a kiosk, the merchant associated with that kiosk would be in hot water. This is why data in the clear between a card reader and a web hosted payment page (the old way of doing things) is such a PCI no-no.
Ultimately PCI compliance comes down to the merchant themselves, ISVs want to enable the merchants to use a PCI-DSS pre-certified solution, but that doesn’t completely relieve the merchant themselves from final PCI compliance. Implementing EMV pretty much removes mag stripe data from the environment except in cases where a card has no chip, or the chip is damaged. In the case of a card not having a chip, the issuer of the card would be the least compliant (culpable) party if the merchant is EMV capable. In the event of a damaged chip, this is why it is also important to implement end-to-end encryption, to render malware sniffing attacks unfruitful.
“’Semi-attended’ doesn’t exist as far as the PCI Security Council and EMVCo are concerned; a device is either a Cardholder Activated Terminal (CAT) or it isn’t in their eyes,” Chilcoat said.
“This ‘semi-attended’ term was coined by processors to justify using less costly attended devices at self-checkout and other indoor self-service scenarios where the kiosks are being tended to by an employee of the store,” he said. “This PCI gray area still exists and we do see people ordering attended devices from us for this purpose. We advise against it, but we can’t stop them from doing what they want with a terminal. It really comes down to what the merchant’s processor will allow.”
Still, deployers shouldn’t be lulled into a false sense of security by thinking a low transaction amount means they’re insulated from major losses. Yes, if a fraudulent card is used on a small transaction at the kiosk, it can just be considered a cost of doing business. On the other hand, if someone is able to collect cardholder data at the kiosk and then sell it on the dark web causing massive fraudulent transactions elsewhere, and that gets tracked back to a non-EMV compliant kiosk, it won’t be trivial to a kiosk deployer.
But for new projects, EMV is definitely the norm.
“In terms of kiosks, the biggest thing that’s changed is the move from EMV being an optional form of payment to a requirement for our customers,” said Bruce Rasmussen, director of sales with payment technology provider Ingenico Group.
“Currently we do not have any customers in the pre-deployment stage that are not already planning to support EMV now or in the next phase of their project,” Rasmussen said. “Additionally, merchants are continuing to redefine their customer interface to capture a new segment of the market, and payments continues to play a large role in this transformation.”
In particular, he said, there is a growing emphasis on supporting mobile wallets in payment solutions, which in turn drives demand for EMV contactless. With the majority of legacy cashless options only supporting magstripe transactions, merchants are putting updating their payment solutions to accept contactless at the top of their requirements.
“We see growth in contactless card payments and payments via smart phones driving growth in NFC adoption at the kiosk,” Rasmussen said. “The mandate from the card brands to support EMV contactless payments as of October 2019 is driving adoption for EMV since managing a contact and contactless certification may be the most economical and efficient use of resources to achieve a certification.”
Ultimately, although the process continues to be a gradual one, it’s only a matter of time before the vast majority of self-service kiosks in the marketplace are EMV-compliant.
“In terms of new kiosks, we have not shipped anything mag stripe only for a long time,” Chilcoat said. “I think overall EMV migration has hit a tipping point where chip card payments is the expected user experience and kiosk companies are seeing that and including it in their RFP requirements.”
Editor Updates March 2022 — We track legal suits on our Legal News page. From March 2022 —
ADA lawsuit filings at all-time high — here is the blog post analysis — Excerpt – laintiffs’ lawyers also filed hundreds of lawsuits on a new theory that hotels violated the ADA by failing to disclose sufficient information about their accessible rooms on reservations websites, the Seyfarth attorneys said. Also, cases alleging physical access barriers in facilities such as shopping centers, restaurants and hotels kept on coming – even in 2020-21 when indoor activities were often shut-down.
Every day, websites and mobile apps prevent people from using them. Ignoring accessibility is no longer a viable option.
How do you prevent your company from being a target for a website accessibility ADA lawsuit?
Guidelines for websites wanting to be accessible to people with disabilities have existed for nearly two decades thanks to the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative.
A close cousin to usability and user experience design, accessibility improves the overall ease of use for webpages and mobile applications by removing barriers and enabling more people to successfully complete tasks.
We know now that disabilities are only one area that accessibility addresses.
Most companies do not understand how people use their website or mobile app, or how they use their mobile or assistive tech devices to complete tasks.
Even riskier is not knowing about updates in accessibility guidelines and new accessibility laws around the world.
Investing in Website Accessibility Is a Wise Marketing Decision
Internet marketers found themselves taking accessibility seriously when their data indicated poor conversions. They discovered that basic accessibility practices implemented directly into content enhanced organic SEO.
Many marketing agencies include website usability and accessibility reviews as part of their online marketing strategy for clients because a working website performs better and generates more revenue.
Adding an accessibility review to marketing service offerings is a step towards avoiding an ADA lawsuit, which of course, is a financial setback that can destroy web traffic and brand loyalty.
Convincing website owners and companies of the business case for accessibility is difficult. One reason is the cost. Will they see a return on their investment?
I would rather choose to design an accessible website over paying for defense lawyers and losing revenue during remediation work.
Another concern is the lack of skilled developers trained in accessibility. Do they hire someone or train their staff?
Regardless of whether an accessibility specialist is hired or in-house developers are trained in accessibility, the education never ends.
Specialists are always looking for solutions and researching options that meet guidelines. In other words, training never ends.
Many companies lack an understanding of what accessibility is and why it is important. They may not know how or where to find help.
Accessibility advocates are everywhere writing articles, presenting webinars, participating in podcasts, and writing newsletters packed with tips and advice.
ADA lawsuits make the news nearly every day in the U.S. because there are no enforceable regulations for website accessibility. This is not the case for government websites.
Federal websites must adhere to Section 508 by law. State and local websites in the U.S. are required to check with their own state to see what standards are required.
Most will simply follow Section 508 or WCAG2.1 AAA guidelines.
If your website targets customers from around the world, you may need to know the accessibility laws in other countries. The UK and Canada, for example, are starting to enforce accessibility.
Frost and Sullivan Award Olea Kiosks Customer Value Leadership
LOS ANGELES, Calif., June 20, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Olea Kiosks of Los Angeles, has been recognized by Frost & Sullivan with the 2019 Customer Value Leadership Award for its self-service kiosk manufacturing and focus on designs for outdoor use.
Olea Kiosks is recognized not only for its technologically advanced and custom kiosks, this award also acknowledges its high standards for in-house manufacturing and services to make it an industry leader.
Frost & Sullivan evaluated Olea Kiosks in two main areas: Customer Ownership Experience and Customer Service Experience. Kiosks give businesses the opportunity to put the customer in the driver seat and in control of their transaction, and with sleek, modern, aesthetically-pleasing designs, Olea delivers a positive experience for today’s user.
Olea is redefining self-service technology with innovation that makes the transaction experience faster, more reliable and easier, particularly in the outdoor space. With several custom, outdoor designs completed and installed, Olea has earned a reputation for providing high-quality kiosks for challenging environments, including outdoor tourist attractions subject to varying temperatures and weather elements.
“Self-service kiosks in demanding environments, such as outdoor locations, face performance and frequent maintenance challenges. With its superior product design knowledge and expertise, Olea has virtually eliminated outdoor maintenance issues for its clients. Such high levels of customer satisfaction have resulted in more than 200 Olea-built drive-thru kiosks installed across the United States, with more to come,” stated Nandini Bhattacharya, Industry Manager, from Frost & Sullivan.
Since 1975, Olea Kiosks has designed and installed more than 20,000 custom kiosks for companies including CLEAR and Kaiser Permanente. Its custom kiosks can be seen throughout the United States and in other countries. Olea has a custom design process to ensure the kiosk is built and deployed to deliver the business outcomes for which it was intended.
About Olea Kiosks:
Olea Kiosks Inc. is a Los Angeles-based self-service kiosk manufacturer in business since 1975. Its technologically advanced, in-house manufacturing and services have made it an industry leader.
Olea Kiosks Inc., is a Los Angeles-based self-service kiosk manufacturer in business since 1975. Its technologically advanced, in-house manufacturing and services have made it an industry leader.
Breaking into unattended and semi-attended devices should be harder than it is.
Recently McDonalds kiosks were hacked but by users simply using the software installed against itself.
One big rule — employ a lot of QA on your unit and have people try to break. Developers always think they have covered all the contingencies but almost never do. They defend against what they know, not what happens in the real world.
Great video from LOL ComediaHa illustrating the over-confident developer thinking he has it all figured out, only to find out otherwise…
Think the risk is overblown? A recent story on ZDNet detailed how a third-party worker inserted a USB drive into a computer on a cargo ship, inadvertently planting a virus in the ship’s administrative systems.
Self-service kiosks are everywhere from street corners to grocery stores and hackers are gunning for your customer’s data. Payment kiosks in particular are attractive targets because cardholder data is easy to monetize.
In this article I’m going to cover several techniques for hardening your kiosks security. Many of these kiosk hardening techniques involves functional changes to your kiosk application, so you’ll need to get your developers involved.
Prevent PIN theft
It’s frighteningly easy to steal someone’s PIN number using an iPhone and a thermal camera.
Flir makes one such thermal mobile camera that can be used to easily determine the PIN number someone entered.
The following video demonstrates this technique and explains how metal PIN pads, like those commonly found on ATMs, can be used to prevent PIN theft.
Shows how PIN theft works with thermal mobile camera and an iPhone
Password protect the BIOS
The BIOS firmware comes pre-installed on a personal computer‘s system board, and it is the first software to run when powered on.
The BIOS is the first screen that appears when your computer boots and determines the boot order, among other things. From a security standpoint this is of particular concern because we don’t want a hacker to be able to reconfigure the computer to boot from a USB drive, or other media, instead of the kiosk’s hard drive.
Booting from another media would allow the attacker to run malware instead of the kiosk’s operating system. Fortunately, protecting the BIOS is simply a matter of configuring a password so the BIOS settings cannot be modified.
Here’s a tutorial video of how-to password protect your BIOS.
Tutorial video of how-to password protect your BIOS
Restrict keyboard input
The operating system has many keyboard shortcuts that will allow an attacker to exit out of your kiosk application and access the desktop.
There are many such hotkeys (i.e. Ctrl-Alt-Del in Windows) and we want to restrict the keyboard input to prevent a hacker from exiting your kiosk application.
Avoid the use of a physical keyboard when possible and instead opt for an onscreen keyboard with the system keys removed.
As an added layer of security, you can use a keyboard filter driver to filter out system hotkeys.
Prevent the mouse right-click
Right clicking the mouse will prompt the user with a series of options. Some of which could be used to close or compromise your kiosk application. This is particularly true if your kiosk is running a web browser.
Limiting the user to only clicking the left mouse button will help mitigate this risk.
The easiest way to achieve this is by having your kiosk application filter or ignore the right mouse click.
Block physical access to USB ports
By allowing a hacker access to the USB ports they can potentially load malware to hijack your kiosk.
The following video explains how BadUSB works and suggests some techniques for protecting your USB ports on a laptop.
For a kiosk, all the USB ports should be made inaccessible through the use of a secure kiosk or tablet enclosure. Many secure enclosure options are available for both tablets and kiosks.
Explains how BadUSB works and suggests some techniques for protecting USB ports on a laptop.
Prevent access to the file system
It’s important to ensure that hackers cannot access the file system of your kiosk. There are multiple ways to get to the file system, particularly if your kiosk is running a web browser.
One method is by simply entering the file path into the web browser address bar like shown below. I now have access to browse the file system and access potentially sensitive information.
File system accessed through the address bar in Chrome
Other opportunities to access the file system include, but are not limited to, the print dialog and right clicking the mouse.
You’ll also want to monitor for popup windows and automatically close any dialog boxes.
Restrict access to external websites
If your kiosk is running a web browser then you’ll want to restrict the user to only viewing your website.
The most straightforward way of accomplishing this is through the use of a whitelist.
A whitelist list is an acceptable list of websites or web pages, depending on how granular you want to get, which the browser will allow to be displayed.
If the user attempts to navigate to a page not in the whitelist then the page will not be displayed.
Incorporate a watchdog
A watchdog refers to a service running in the background which ensures that your kiosk application is always running.
If your kiosk application crashes, uses up too much memory, or stops behaving for any reason, the watchdog will restart it.
In Windows the watchdog should be a Windows Service that automatically runs at startup. The watchdog will be implemented differently depending on your operating system, but the underlying objective is the same.
Wrapping Up
Anytime you’re deploying a kiosk, protecting customer data should be a top concern.
Payment kiosks in particular are attractive targets for hackers because cardholder data is easy to monetize. But payment kiosks aren’t the only kiosks at risk.
In order to implement the techniques in this article you’re going to have to modify your kiosk application. It’s time to get your developers involved so you can start protecting your customers and your reputation.
In the hotel industry, the quality of your guest service can make or break your business (one negative review can have a much bigger impact than a positive one). With that in mind, consider this experience of a frequent traveler:
The traveler grabs a Lyft to the airport and pays in-app. Upon arrival to the airport, he uses the self-serve kiosk, swipes his credit card to pull up his boarding pass, and makes selections for his seat and luggage. Once in the air, he uses the seat-back screen to order a drink. After deplaning, he takes a cab, pays via his mobile wallet, and arrives at the hotel.
After a long day, he’s ready to settle into his room and get some rest. As he approaches the counter for check-in he notices a line. It’s short, but there’s only one employee managing the desk. The employee is accommodating and friendly, but the traveler is tired and not up for chatting. He spends another 5 minutes checking in, passing his ID and credit card back and forth, and talking about room preferences. Finally, he gets his key card and heads up to his room.
What’s Wrong with this Picture?
Up until the traveler reaches the hotel his trip is seamless and automated. But from the moment he arrives for check-in, there’s a sudden change in pace and a sense of hassle in getting to his room. But it -doesn’t have to be this way. Hotels have an opportunity to streamline guest services by incorporating self-service kiosks into their strategy.
If you’re thinking “don’t people prefer a human touch?” remember this: don’t mistake automation and convenience for lack of service. While a great concierge was once the gold standard for guest service, things are changing. Today, more travelers value speed, no hassle and opportunities for self-service throughout their whole journey. In fact, some have even grown to expect the option for self-service. That’s why ATMs, pay-at-the-pump fueling and self-check-ins at airports are so successful.
Updating your guest service strategy to add this new choice may seem like a daunting task, but self-service kiosks are a simple solution that can provide a lot of additional value at check-in and beyond. Take a look at some of the ways kiosks can make an impact on your guest service:
On-Call Concierge
Kiosks are an “always-on” service that can reduce lines at the check-in during busy times or periods of lighter staffing (or even reduce staffing costs during a lull). They can also be used as concierge support. Guests can get recommendations for local restaurants and make reservations, discover local attractions and events, and request transportation.
Added Value in New Ways
In addition to offering another way to deliver existing services, kiosks and vending machines create new opportunities such as providing a marketplace for forgotten items like power cords, toothbrushes and aspirin. They also create the perfect environment for upselling — perhaps your guest orders room service for two and the kiosk recommends a bottle of white wine.
New Insight With Analytics
The benefits of bringing kiosks on board aren’t just limited to your guests. They also provide your business with valuable insight into guest preferences, services used, popular check-in times, favorite restaurants and more. You can also use them to gather feedback and reviews from your guests. All of this comes together to give you a better understanding of how, when and where your guests are spending their time and money throughout their stay.
To see how this all comes together, remember that traveler scenario from earlier? Imagine that this time, the traveler arrives to the hotel to find kiosks in the lobby:
The traveler spots an open kiosk. Just like at the airport, he swipes his credit card and pulls up his reservation. He filters the available rooms by those with one king-size bed, no adjoining room and is located near the elevator. He chooses one on the sixth floor. Then the kiosk offers to order him room service. He chooses a meal and a beverage, a delivery time, and charges it to his room. The kiosk dispenses his room key card and he’s on his way.
Part of a Bigger Strategy
Kiosks are just one way to boost your guest service strategy. Many hotels are moving towards more self-service options, including automated vending machines, mobile loyalty apps and phone-based room keys to satisfy the constantly increasing expectations for on-demand, always-on service. It’s even coming to the point where not offering it puts your business at a disadvantage. Experts predict that by 2020, 85% of all customer service interactions will be handled without the need for a human agent, and the kiosk market is projected to reach a value of $1 billion by 2021.
Think a kiosk or other unattended solutions could benefit your hotel and lodging business? Drop us a line!
Janine Williams2nd degree connection2nd CEO | Founder Impulsify
Excellent article, Bruce Rasmussen. Our self-pay kiosk for lobby grab-and-go stores validates this all day long. Our transaction logs show up to 92% of guests choose our kiosk over waiting in the front desk line to engage with an associate. Beyond better guest experience, we also see it dramatically reduces guest theft and abandoned sales by simply offering a more convenient way to pay.
The road to creating a payment kiosk is fraught with pitfalls that can wreak havoc on your bottom line if you’re not careful.
In this article I’m going to cover the 12 most common pitfalls I’ve seen companies fall into when building their first payment kiosk.
It was hard to limit the article to only the top 12, but top 100 would have been too lengthy a read.
I’m not going to get too technical here, as this article is geared more towards project managers than developers.
Here are the top 12 mistakes in no particular order…
1. Not budgeting for ongoing maintenance
The typical annual reoccurringcost for ongoing maintenance on a kiosk application is roughly 20% of the initial price tag. This is not including the hardware warranty of service level agreements (labor for fixing broken parts).
If you spend $100,000 to develop the kiosk application, figure you should budget at least $20,000 annually for ongoing maintenance.
This might strike you as high, but as the developers out there will attest, technology moves fast, and you don’t want to fall far behind.
Servers need upgrading, frameworks need updating, bugs need fixing and there’s always new features to be added.
2. Kiosk is sluggish or unresponsive
A sluggish kiosk can result from a spotty internet connection or poor design.
The illusion of responsiveness matters. For example, when the user is completing their order the kiosk should display an animation to show that it’s processing the customer’s request.
If the UI completely freezes, the customer will worry that the machine locked up.
On the other hand, if there’s an animation conveying the kiosk is busy processing the customer’s request, the customer will assume the kiosk is still responsive and not to worry.
3. Poorly handling internet outages
Internet outages are inevitable, so you better plan for them.
This doesn’t necessarily mean your kiosk needs to function in “offline mode.” At a minimum you should display a screen to indicating to the customer that your kiosk is out of order and helpful advice on how to solve their problem.
For example, “The kiosk is out of order, please pick up the red phone in the lobby and dial #0 for assistance.”
When possible, you should process transactions in offline mode and store them in a local database. Then sync them up with the server when internet connectivity is restored.
4. Too much text on the screen
Your kiosk is not a giant tablet or smart phone, so don’t treat it like one. Each screen should clearly and concisely communicate what you want the customer to do.
It’s better to have more screens that clearly guide the customer through the process, than a few cluttered and confusing screens. This is an amateur kiosk mistake.
Below is a good example from Redbox on how much text is appropriate.
Good example from Redbox on how much text is appropriate
5. Using the wrong enclosure (or none at all!)
The PC or tablet is the brains of your kiosk and it must be protected by a secure enclosure. Exposed USB ports are a hacker’s wet dream because they make it easy to install malware.
Several turnkey enclosure options are available for tablets and kiosks. Here are a few options…
Do your kiosks have regular downtime and you don’t even know it? Are your customers opting for the cashier without your knowledge?
The answer may be YES if your system experiences regular downtime. Worst of all, you might not know the extent of the damage until your customers are thoroughly pissed off.
Below is a good example of a kiosk attract screen from McDonald’s.
Good example of a kiosk attract screen from McDonald’s.
A well-designed kiosk attract screen should incorporate the following:
Clearly communicate your kiosk’s purpose
Convey the benefit of using your kiosk
Use short, large and easily readable text
Incorporate eye-catching photography
Be relevant to your customer demographic
8. Waiting until too late to consider payment devices
This is one of the biggest problem’s companies encounter where they really paint themselves into a corner.
I regularly get questions like, “how do I integrate payment device X into my Android app?”
Payment device manufacturers typically only support one or two operating systems (Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, etc.). In many cases the payment device manufacturer doesn’t make an SDK for Android, so you’re left with doing a very low-level hardware integration, or scrapping the entire kiosk app and starting over in a supported operating system.
I’m not trashing Android; my point is to consider early in your project if the payment device you need supports the operating system you want to use.
iOS and Android in particular, will have a limited selection when it comes to payment devices. Whereas Windows and Linux will have the broadest number of options.
This is one of those mistakes that can completely wreck your budget and timeline.
9. Failing to understand EMV and PCI Compliance
What’s the difference between EMV compliance vs PCI compliance? The short answer is they’re both guidelines for protecting cardholder data for the purpose preventing fraud, but they focus on different elements of the credit card transaction.
“To clarify it even further and more simply, PCI is about making sure the card data doesn’t get stolen and is secure in the first place and EMV is making sure if the data IS stolen that the content is rendered useless.”
CPI
10. Not considering technical debt
Technical debt (also known as design debt or code debt) is a concept in software development that reflects the implied cost of additional rework caused by choosing an easy solution now instead of using a better approach that would take longer.
Technical debt is a broad term, but I’m going to use it in the context of the framework you use to develop your kiosk application (.NET, Electron, React Native, Swift, etc.).
Your code base will need regular maintenance, so make sure to select a popular framework which you can actually find developers to maintain.
Your developer may love coding in Flutter, but can you easily find a replacement in a pinch if your current developer were to quit?
The ugly truth is, whatever framework you choose today will seem old and outdated 2 years from now. You might as well choose a framework that’s popular and trending upwards.
11. Improperly storing customer data
A security breach is always a possibility. To minimize the risk, it’s best to ask ourselves, “What’s the worst thing a hacker could get if this kiosk got hacked?”
By not storing any cardholder or other sensitive data on the kiosk it goes a long way towards minimizing the damage if your kiosk were to get hacked.
Modern EMV devices will completely separate your kiosk application from the card holder data so you don’t even have the opportunity to store or transmit cardholder data.
12. Not offering concierge service for your first MVP kiosk
A minimum viable product (MVP) is a concept from Lean Startup that stresses the impact of learning in new product development. Eric Ries, defined an MVP as that version of a new product which allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about customers with the least effort. This validated learning comes in the form of whether your customers will actually purchase your product.
The kiosk MVP is a whole series unto itself. Long story short, get a basic version of your kiosk out in the real-world as soon as possible and start collecting real customer feedback.
In order to maximize the value of customer feedback, place a real-life human being near your kiosks to assist customers and see how they interact with your MVP kiosk.
As a developer, it’s easy to get ivory tower syndrome and think customers will know exactly how to use your kiosk. When in reality, this is likely the first time they’ve ever encountered your kiosk and it’s probably not as “user friendly” as you think.
You’ll learn a lot by listening to your first customers and be able to quickly incorporate their feedback to provide a superior self-service experience.
Wrapping Up
Self-service payment kiosks are a powerful tool for boosting sales, reducing customer wait times and combating a rising minimum wage, but it’s also a double-edged sword.
Due to the disconnected nature of self-service, it’s easy to lose touch with your customers and their needs.
By being forward thinking and following these tips, you will avoid some of the most common and costly pitfalls companies make on their first payment kiosk.
Andrew Savala
CEO at RedSwimmer Inc.
Andrew Savala is the CEO of RedSwimmer, with a background in designing and deploying complex payment kiosk systems.Andrew offers high-value, strategic consulting services to companies looking to develop their payment kiosks.
New kiosks, mounts, outdoor solutions, and more will be shown in Booth 2407
LAS VEGAS – March 26, 2019 – Peerless-AV®, an award-winning designer and manufacturer of the highest quality audio and video solutions and accessories, is pleased to announce its showcase at the 2019 Digital Signage Expo (DSE), from March 26 to 29 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The brand will also serve as a Presenting Sponsor of the show, a position it has held for the last 3 years.
Exhibiting in Booth 2407, Peerless-AV will display a variety of digital signage solutions, including kiosks, video wall mounts, outdoor displays, and more. Brian McClimans, Peerless-AV’s VP of Sales, Americas and APAC, will also moderate a speaking session discussing “What’s Next in Displays.”
Products within the booth include:
Kiosks
Peerless-AV’s booth will feature the award-winning Smart City Kiosk in a 55″ Double-Sided model. With an elegant, minimalistic design that includes covers that protect and ventilate the kiosk’s displays and equipment, the addition of two screens allows for greater public engagement as well as seamless updates to digital content that can be easily read, even in bright sunlight.
Another kiosk on display is Peerless-AV’s upgraded All-in-One Kiosk Powered by BrightSign® (KIPICT2555), which features a sleek and stylish design with leaner frames and a smaller footprint, creating a complete digital signage solution for any indoor application setting. The KIPICT2555 includes ten points of IR touch and can be utilized for a range of applications, including entertainment, advertising, digital merchandising, and more.
With a wide offering of kiosk solutions, Peerless-AV will also showcase its new all-weather rated Outdoor Digital Menu Boards (KOF555-1OHF, KOF555-XHB), as well as the Volta Electric Vehicle Charging Station For integrators at the show, Peerless-AV will be demonstrating its KioskBuilder™.
Digital Signage and Mounts
For attendees interested in LED solutions, Peerless-AV’s booth will prominently feature its award-winning SEAMLESS by Peerless-AV® LED Video Wall Integration Program. The brand will be demonstrating its LED Mount Configurator along with its SmartMount® LED Video Wall Mounting System (DS-LEDF). Designed to support various LED display sizes and brands, the DS-LEDF offers a slim, space-saving, and aesthetically pleasing design that can be adapted to support any display specifications and video wall configuration.
Also in the booth will be Peerless-AV’s line of SmartMount® Video Wall Mounts, including the range of Supreme mounts (DS-VW775, DS-VW775-QR), as well as the Full Service Slim Video Wall Mount with Quick Release (DS-VW755S), the Large Format Full Service Video Wall Mount with Quick Release (DS-VW795-QR), and the Digital Menu Board Mount with Height and Depth Adjustment (DS-MBZ647L).
Available in 43″, 49″, and 55″, the Xtreme™ High Bright Outdoor Displays are rugged enough to withstand the harsh outdoor elements, while still offering a bright, crisp picture and a maintenance-free design.
“What’s Next in Displays”
In addition to exhibiting new and award-winning solutions, Brian McClimans, Peerless-AV’s VP of Sales, Americas and APAC, will be moderating a speaking session addressing “What’s Next in Displays” on Wednesday, March 27 from 4:00 – 4:50 pm in Room S21. Join McClimans, along with industry peers as they discuss the future developments in display technologies.
To learn more about Peerless-AV’s showcase, visit Peerless-AV at DSE 2019, Booth 2407.
For media appointments, please contact Beth Gard at [email protected] or 732-212-0823.
For over 75 years, passion and innovation continue to drive Peerless-AV forward. We proudly design and manufacture the highest quality products, ranging from outdoor displays to complete kiosk solutions, digital signage mounts to wireless systems. Whether a full-scale global deployment or custom project, Peerless-AV develops meaningful relationships and delivers world-class service. In partnership with Peerless-AV, you are trusting an award-winning team of experts who will support your business every step of the way. For more information, visit peerless-av.com.
A host of new technologies are on the horizon for the QSR industry. For many of them, a self-order kiosk will serve as their foundation.
Quick-service restaurants have long had a reputation for being innovators when it comes to technology. In the early days of modern foodservice, QSRs were among the first to incorporate features such as drive-thru speaker system and cooking timers. Later, computerized point-of-sale systems and digital menu boards emerged.
More recently, it’s been mobile apps, online ordering and point-of-sale systems that trigger menu boards to display promotions or remove items based on low inventory levels. Facial and AI-based response systems now generate context. Moreover, of course, one of the most significant technological trends affecting the QSR industry over the past few years has been the self-order kiosk.
Customer Data Context
However, the developments haven’t stopped there. All of these trends have one feature in common: They provide operators with a firehose of data they can use to improve their operations.
McDonald’s, for example, acquired software company Dynamic Yield in March for $300 million, giving it technology that will allow it to customize digital menu boards based on data including time of day, weather and current ordering trends to deliver a more personalized in-store experience. The fast-food giant also took a stake in software company Plexure in April, giving it access to a mobile platform that uses digital marketing tools to increase sales. The platform manages mobile-based promotional offers and a customer loyalty program as well as serving as the backbone of McDonald’s mobile app.
Elsewhere, self-order kiosks at some locations of the South Florida-based BurgerFi chain are incorporating facial recognition technology that gives customers the option of saving previous orders along with phone numbers and facial geometry. The next time a customer visits a location, they’ll be recognized by the kiosk and will be given the option to use that stored information on their current order. Other chains including Dallas-based Malibu Poke, Pasadena, Calif.-based Caliburger and Philadelphia-based Bryn & Dane’s are using variations on the technology.
Drive-Thru Ordering
Because 70 percent of the revenue for a typical QSR comes via the drive-thru, it only makes sense to look there as an avenue for technological improvements. Digital menu boards have been appearing in drive-thru lanes for several years, and will likely be standard going forward. Companies including Dunkin’ Brands have eyed dedicated pickup lanes for mobile orders as a way to eliminate bottlenecks, although the idea seems to be slowly gaining traction. Also, several kiosk manufacturers have introduced devices designed for the drive-thru in recent years as restaurant operators seek to duplicate the success of dining-room self-order technology. Olea Kiosks’ Detroit model was an early entry into that category. Technology provider Xenial, which provided the facial recognition application for Bryn & Danes, has installed touchscreen drive-thrus in nearly 400 Subway restaurants to date. Drive-Thrus have become so popular that some countries (Canada) and US cities are looking at restricting drive-thru’s.
Location-Based Customer Service
Location technology and geofencing appear to be an up-and-coming trend, with its potential demonstrated by Burger King’s recent Whopper Detour promotion. Customers who participated in the promotion, which ran in mid-December 2018, could purchase a Whopper for just a penny via their mobile app, as long as they were within 600 feet of a McDonald’s. Other applications for the technology include alerting restaurants when a carryout customer pulls into the parking lot, with restaurant staff then delivering that customer’s order to their car.
Voice Command
And likely coming soon to a QSR near you is the same voice-ordering technology that drives the Alexa and Google Home devices in our living rooms. A voice-command POS would be a boon to labor-strapped restaurant operators who see their counter staff turn over on a near-weekly basis, while a voice-operated phone system in a pizzeria could free up staff to pitch in on the makeline. Such systems would never be rude to customers, will reduce errors compared with a live order-taker, and of course, will always remember to suggestive sell. Industry groups have already formulated frameworks for voice command concerning disability and accessibility.
Automation – The Robots have arrived.
Artificial Intelligence or AI-based systems are already being tested. Holly, made by Valyant A.I., is a disembodied voice that takes drive-through orders at a Good Times in South Denver.
The Colorado fast food chain started experimenting with conversational A.I. to lighten the load of some of its employees who often juggle multiple tasks at the same time. Rob Carpenter, the founder of Valyant A.I., said the hospitality industry needs robots right now to make up for the lack of applicants.
“In the United States, because it’s such a tight labor market, there’s somewhere in the neighborhood of 800,000 unfilled positions,” Carpenter said.
Self-Service kiosks are driving trends
Many of these up-and-running technologies are likely to be incorporated into the self-order kiosks that have been at the heart of recent restaurant trends. There are plenty of reasons why: Research conducted by financial news site PYMNTS.com found that consumers spend as much as 30 percent more at a self-order kiosk compared with other ordering methods. Self-order kiosks allow easy customization of orders, never forget to suggestive sell and eliminate the “indulgence guilt” that can occur when ordering extra-large fries or an apple pie for dessert.
Others are seeing even more significant results. Point-of-sale platform Appetize recently reported that users of its self-service solution see a 40 percent increase in order size. Appetize’s Interact self-service solution offers embedded upsell functionality, and data shows that consumers are 47 percent more likely to add an item on a kiosk than when asked to do so by a cashier.
Research from ordering technology firm Tillster indicates the use of self-order kiosks will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. A 2018 Tillster study found that 54% of customers plan to place an order with a self-service kiosk within the next year, and if the line to order from a cashier is longer than five people, 75 percent of customers will choose to order from a self-service kiosk.
And although mobile apps may serve as an additional ordering channel that enhances the QSR experience, they’ll never supplant self-order kiosks (despite predictions from app designers). Although there may be some among us who gravitate to mobile apps, there are too many restaurant choices and not enough space on our devices to hold apps for each one. And anyway, who wants to go through the hassle of downloading an app to place an order when there’s a self-order kiosk already available? Instead, it’s likely that both channels will thrive.
However, with many of these technologies built on self-order kiosks, their success will hinge on the quality of those kiosks. Olea’s offering in the self-order kiosk arena, for example, is its sleek and modern Austin Freestanding Kiosk. Olea also performed custom kiosk work and purpose-built the kiosks Appetize is using to achieve its dramatic results.
The Austin works in any environment and continues Olea’s mission to provide better kiosks through intelligent design. To maintain the flexible configuration capability, the Austin is engineered to accommodate an optional 15″ or 22″ All-in-One computer in either portrait or landscape as well as an EMV-approved Card Reader & Pin Pad and POS-style receipt printer.
The wide array of transactional components housed in this sleek, feature-packed kiosk makes it one of the most powerful retail solutions available on the market. Its compact footprint and rugged security complement a variety of environments for companies that seek to improve ROI and user interaction in small spaces or high traffic areas.
The adoption of new technologies is setting the stage for exciting (and profitable) times in the QSR space. Olea Kiosks stands ready to help! Feel free to call us at 800.927.8063 or email us at [email protected].
Contact Olea Kiosks today at 800.927.8063 for more information
Los Angeles, Calif. March 25, 2019 – Vista Entertainment Solutions Ltd (‘Vista Cinema’), the leading provider of cinema management software for global cinema exhibition, and Veezi, Vista’s SaaS cinema management solution for Independent Cinemas, have approved Olea Kiosks (‘Olea’), to support Vista with self-service kiosk hardware. Since May 2018 Vista has been deploying Olea kiosks bundled with Vista’s industry-best kiosk software solution as a prelude to this announcement timed for CinemaCon 2019.
Throughout 2018 Vista assessed Olea on behalf of its customers. This included testing the durability of the hardware, its ability to integrate with Vista’s platform, and accommodate the varying needs of theatre sizes. During this time Olea won the 2019 Frost & Sullivan Customer Value Leadership Award, which ranks industry participants by value in terms of price, product performance, service, and brand loyalty.
Vista has begun offering several models from Olea to make kiosk deployments easier for its customers. All models can be used for Ticketing and Food & Beverage purchases with the Vista Kiosk software application. Each Kiosk model can be ordered in different colors, screen sizes, and with custom branding. A mix of 15” to 55” screen sizes are available on varying models suitable for countertop, wall mount, or freestanding applications. All kiosks are designed to be ADA Compliant and to UL standards. The line-up also includes Olea’s industry-leading outdoor kiosk.
Vista Kiosk – Vista’s flagship kiosk software product, allows users to order Food and Beverage items, as well as purchase tickets. The user can decide at the time of ordering to pick up their food at the counter or have it delivered directly to their seat.
When the kiosk is dormant, rolling promotions of the exhibitor’s choice may be displayed. The kiosks also support cross-site sales; if Location A is sold out, rather than reverting to a competitor, users can purchase tickets for other locations from the same (Location A) kiosk.
The customers of today demand convenience, and an omnichannel approach to interacting with them is key to ensure they come back. Kiosks not only provide a comfortable way for users to make their preferred purchases, their usage is known to increase average transaction levels. Kiosks also allow theatres to redistribute their staff to enable more mobility around the theatre and carry out more impactful tasks.
Tess Manchester, President, Vista USA based in Los Angeles, is delighted at the successful outcome of the 2018 collaboration between Vista Cinema and Olea. “To discover a hardware vendor with the functional and design standards of Olea – not to mention the enormous respect they obviously have for their cinema exhibition customers – provides an additional avenue for Vista Cinema to add value to those same customers. Everyone wins – and in this instance – especially the moviegoer.”
Visit Olea Kiosks at booth 2805A and Vista Group at booth 513F at CinemaCon 2019 to experience a live demo of the Vista Kiosk and Olea combination.
Picture this: you just arrived at the airport with a group of your closest friends and you are getting ready to embark on the vacation of a lifetime. Your “out of office” message is on, your bags are packed, your car is parked, and there’s only one thing left to do before you board the plane—get your ticket. Once you locate the appropriate counter, your excitement comes to a screeching halt as find your way to the end of a long line of other passengers.
But what if you didn’t have to wait in that long line just to retrieve your ticket? Perhaps, rather than finding your way to the back of the line and starting your vacation off on a sour note, you instead choose to use one of the airline’s self-service ticketing kiosks to print your ticket. In choosing option two you simply use the kiosk to enter your information, print your ticket, and head to security. While both options will land you on the same plane in the same location, self-service ticketing kiosks kickstart your vacation on a more positive note—without the long lines.
Ticketing kiosks aren’t limited to airports, though. They can also be used for other forms of transportation, concerts, movies, sporting events, or any other use case that requires a ticket. Designed to provide shorter wait times, improve the guest experience, promote operational efficiency, and drive sales, ticketing kiosks have and will continue to revolutionize the ticketing process.
Shorter Wait Times
Whether getting ready to board a flight, attend a concert, or spectate a sporting event, guests typically want to get the details and logistics of their experience squared away as quickly as possible so they can relax and enjoy themselves. Easily duplicatable, multiple check-in kiosks can be installed to accommodate typical attendance levels and use expectancies at a given location. By increasing the number of available ticketing locations, self-service ticketing kiosks can easily reduce wait times by distributing user traffic evenly across the various kiosks.
Improved Guest Experience
While it goes without saying that shorter wait times almost always directly correlate with improved guest experiences, self-service ticketing kiosks can be used as a guest information resource—providing additional information on the location and services offered, including food and beverage, guest services, and more. Ticketing kiosks also allow ticketing representatives, who were previously tasked with printing and distributing tickets, to devote their time and attention to the guests who need it most—namely those who either have difficulty using or who choose not to use the ticketing kiosks, or those looking to make changes or upgrades to their tickets.
Operational Efficiency
While self-service kiosks certainly do not eliminate the need for a ticketing representative altogether, they do relieve them of some of their more menial duties and reduce the number of guests waiting in their lines every day. Additionally, as the demand for assistance decreases, employees can be transitioned into other roles within the organization that might need more manpower to operate efficiently, such as customer service.
Drive Sales
While not all ticketing kiosks are designed with an ordering and payment interface, some allow guests to select and purchase their tickets directly from the kiosks. Created with flexibility in mind, ticketing kiosks can incorporate cash, card, and contactless payment in addition to printing and ordering capabilities. By incorporating these features, event, performance, and sports venues, especially, can further drive ticket sales for future events.
From transportation to performances, movies, sporting events, amusement parks, and everything in between, ticketing kiosks are completely revolutionizing the way guests retrieve, and sometimes select and pay for, their tickets.
To learn more about Meridian’s self-service ticketing kiosks, visit www.meridiankiosks.com or give us a call at 866-454-6757.
Appetize POS – Self-Service Kiosks Drive Up to 40% Lift on Orders; Company Brings on New Customers AT&T Center, LSU, Museums
Editors Note — Appetize became SpotOn. SpotOn POS is a modern point of sale system that has been transforming the way enterprises manage and process transactions. It is an omnichannel platform that can be configured according to industry specifications and consolidates all payments into a centralized system The software offers versatile and highly beneficial functionality, industry-specific capabilities, and supports barcode scanning and unlimited inventory SKUs . It also features flexible table, menu, and coursing management tools, intuitive kitchen and back of house management, and is scalable to accommodate large and high-volume businesses. SpotOn POS offers several industry-specific POS software modes 3. For more information, you can visit their website at appetize.com.
PLAYA VISTA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Appetize, the modern Point of Sale (POS) and enterprise management platform, today announced strong results from its self-service kiosk technology seeing up to 40% increase in order size across its customer base. Appetize is at the forefront of a growing industry shift toward self-service kiosks and has recently expanded its kiosk reach with new customers Louisiana State University (LSU), AT&T Center, home of the San Antonio Spurs, and SSA (Service Systems Associates), food service provider for the Cincinnati Museum Center and other attractions.
Self-Service Kiosks from @appetizepos Deliver Up to 40% Lift in Orders. Announces New Customers @Attcenter, @lsu and more
Appetize’s Interact self-service platform offers embedded upsell functionality and data shows that consumers are 47% more likely to add an item on a kiosk than when asked to do so by a cashier. The company is seeing consistent results from kiosks across multiple industries, including attractions, education campuses, restaurants, and sports and entertainment facilities.
Some recent data shows customers are experiencing both an increase in order size and items per order, including:
AT&T Center selected Appetize to be its point of sale platform arena-wide in 2018; in 2019, it deployed self-service kiosks and has seen an 18% increase in average order size.
SSA (Service Systems Associates), a foodservice provider for leading cultural attractions, deployed Appetize self-service kiosks at Cincinnati Museum Center and saw a 40% adoption rate in less than six months and a 20% increase in average order size.
“We have been working with Appetize since 2017 and recently deployed kiosks to enhance our food service and offer a more convenient and frictionless experience for our students and guests,” said Matthew LaBorde, Assistant AD from LSU. “Appetize made it extremely easy for us to deploy a self-service platform and shift toward the future of ordering at athletic events.”
“Our customers are focused on two things: guest experience and financial performance. The Appetize Interact platform offers a modern and dynamic digital experience for guests while driving increased share of wallet for the business,” said Max Roper, Co-founder and CEO at Appetize. “In the past six months, over 45% of our deployments have included self-service kiosks, and we expect this trend to continue as businesses require more automation and consumers desire a more frictionless experience.”
Designed to enhance the guest experience and increase staff productivity, Appetize’s cloud-based self-service platform, Interact, gives businesses an intuitive checkout interface with custom menu ordering and branding for both Quick Serve and Retail environments. The platform also includes a back of house management suite, real-time connectivity for fulfillment and cashless payment experience, and more.
About Appetize
Appetize is a modern Point of Sale, inventory and analytics platform transforming how enterprises manage and process guest transactions. With an omni-channel approach, Appetize makes front of house transactions more intuitive through fixed, self-serve and handheld form factors, while providing robust kitchen and back office tools. Appetize is trusted by some of the largest and highest volume businesses in the world, including sports and entertainment properties, education campuses, theme parks, travel and leisure sites, and national chain brands. For more information, please visit getappetize.com.
Appetize Contacts
Editors Note: One of the main kiosk providers for Appetize is Olea Kiosks.
As Kiosks and the SelfService Kiosk Industry Continue to Grow, So Do the Benefits They Offer
Regardless of where you live, the places you visit frequently, or which media sources you tune into, there’s no denying that the kiosk and self-service solutions industry as a whole is rapidly expanding into new industries across the globe.
According to the 2019 Kiosk Marketplace Census Report, self-service kiosk sales grew more than 17.6 percent over the last calendar year, totaling a whopping $9.22 billion dollars in 2018. This isn’t the first year the industry has experienced significant growth like this, though. In fact, according to the report, the tremendous growth of the self-service industry in 2018 only slightly surpassed the growth that the industry saw in 2017. What’s causing all of this growth? The recently released report features more than 50 pages of charts, graphs, and insights from a variety of industry players and experts, all of which attribute the industry’s growth to a plethora of different factors. However, the promise of an improved overall customer perception and an increase in revenue as a result of reduced wait times, improved customer service, and sales and advertising support are among the most prominent.
Improved Customer Perception
Cited at the top reason for deploying a kiosk, the majority of businesses implement kiosks with the customer in mind. With the ability to streamline processes, expand inventory offerings, improve accessibility, and expand a business’ reach, kiosks can be used to improve a customer’s experience, as a result, their overall perception of the company.
Reduced Wait Times
Of those surveyed, reducing waiting lines was the #1 most important characteristic of self-service kiosks. Designed to streamline and automate processes that traditionally would have traditionally required a user to wait in line to enlist the help of an employee, self-service kiosks allow users to complete simple tasks on their own. While self-service kiosks directly expedite processes for those who choose to use them, they also indirectly benefit those who opt for a more traditional face-to-face experience with an employee by reducing the amount of individuals waiting in their lines.
Upgraded Customer Service
As tasks that would have previously been assigned to a sales associate—like the checkout process—are reassigned to a kiosk, businesses are able to reposition some employees to more customer-centric roles. This shift allows questions and concerns to be addressed in a more timely manner—effectively improving the quality of customer service offered as well as the level of customer satisfaction.
Sales and Advertising Support
With the ability to promote and sell products and services on-screen through a website integration, endless aisle, or advertisements, self-service kiosks are an effective way to drive awareness and sales in-store without pulling sales associates away from their other roles. Similarly, businesses can generate additional revenue by selling advertising space on the kiosk’s attract loop for complementary products, businesses, and services.
Kiosks and the self-service industry as a whole have boasted incredible growth over the course of the past decade, and that growth shows no sign of slowing down any time soon. In fact, as consumer perceptions and revenue growth continues to positively progress, one can expect to see the industry remain on its upward trend.
To learn more about our self-service solutions and the benefits they can offer, visit www.meridiankiosks.com or give us a call at 866-454-6757.
DSE Kiosk Trade Show next for digital signage kiosks including LG-MRI, Peerless-AV, 22Miles, Optconnect & Zivelo. NRF 2019 Update.
WESTMINSTER, Colo., March 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — DSE Digital Signage Expo
The Kiosk Manufacturer Association is happy to announce that several of its sponsors will be exhibiting next week at DSE 2019. 191 companies in total will be represented. What began as a digital signage tradeshow seems to be evolving to a large format interactive informational kiosk tradeshow. Sponsors exhibiting include Peerless-AV, 22Miles, Optconnect, Zivelo, MimoMonitors and LG-MRI.
Craig Keefner of KMA notes, “Touch is still the key for establishing ROI and digital signage is evolving to interactive. Device interaction currently is mobile phones but that will widen as well in scope.”
KMA has a preview article with links and next week pictures and comments from the exhibiting sponsors will be added. KMA would like to thank Peerless-AV for the mini lighted display signage they sent US Mail prior to the show. And thanks to LG-MRI.
NRF 2019
So what do Walmart, Amazon, Schwarz Group, Carrefour, Costco and Aldi have in common? They attended NRF 2019 and are some of the Top 10 Global Retailers in the world. Companies such as YUM Foods, Tommy Hilfiger, Whole Foods, Apple, T-Mobile and the New York Mets are companies that attended NRF and met with KMA at our booth. KMA has formed a retail advisory group to help solicit opinions and thoughts on Accessibility and ADA which KMA can use with the entire ADA & Accessibility committee and later the U.S. Access Board during their meeting later this year. KMA will exhibit again next year at NRF 2020. If you are a retailer or deployer and are willing to be surveyed from time to time please contact [email protected] and there is no charge for participating. The current group comprises 40 participants.
KMA is committed to public outreach via all mechanisms including tradeshows such as NRF. KMA is a member of NRF.
Kiosk Service – Understanding Soft and Hard Services March 2, 2019 — includes video of poor examples of security.
Global Interactive Kiosk Market Report by Frost & Sullivan — New report outlines the growth of the kiosk self-service market. If interested in particular regions or technology please contact [email protected] and maybe I can help. We purchased a copy of the report ($3000 MSRP).
Excerpt from 28 page White Paper covering Connected Cities and Smart Kiosks and their growing acceptance.
Smart Cities can be characterized in many ways, but at the concept’s core are efforts by municipalities to use information and communication technologies to collect and disseminate information, improve the ways cities work, and bridge a digital divide in urban centers. In short, smart cities initiatives exist to improve the quality of life for citizens.
Smart cities are about data generated by systems and sensors, and the platforms that manage, use and react to what the data says. These projects use connected infrastructure that’s optimized by “listening” and reacting to what’s happening with things like road, mass transport and electrical systems.
Smart Kiosk Endpoints
Chris Miller, LG-MRI Marketing Director adds, “the new generation of smart kiosks consider not only what shows up on the screen but also the ways that these connected endpoints can support the development and delivery of other IoT and connectivity-based solutions.”
Self service options have been gaining momentum beyond the gas pump and the grocery lines. McDonald s, and others in the Food Service industry, have been exploring Cashierless payment alternatives such as those involving the use of Kiosks for general user transactions. AudioEye s Dan Sullivan, Vice President of Sales, and Mark Maker, CTO, discuss with Joe some of the challenges that can come with moving to these kinds of payment platforms and how AudioEye is leveraging their existing technology to meet those challenges. To learn more about where the company is going in the future, or to inquire about their web access solutions, visit the AudioEye website
Direct from Anaheim, it’s blindbargains.com coverage of CSUN 2019, brought to you by AFB AccessWorld.
For the latest news and accessibility information on mainstream and access technology; Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon offerings; access technology book reviews and mobile apps and how they can enhance entertainment, education, and employment, log onto AccessWorld, the American Foundation for the Blind’s free monthly online technology magazine, www.afb.org/aw.
Now, here’s Joe Steincamp.
JOE STEINCAMP: Welcome back to coverage from Anaheim. It is Joe Steincamp here, and I’m over at the AudioEye booth with Dan and Mark.
Dan, you know, you caught me as we were walking through, and I asked you where Jeff was. I feel weird. This is, like, the first year I’ve not interviewed Jeff from the company. But Jeff is alive and well, I understand?
DAN SULLIVAN: He’s holding the fort down while we’re all out here in Anaheim at CSUN this week.
JS: He – basically, he wanted San Diego, not LA. That’s what I’m getting; right?
DS: Well, somebody had to keep the lights on, so –
JS: Well, there you go. We couldn’t entice him with —
DS: — he’s keeping it all going.
JS: Couldn’t entice him with Disney World – or Disney Land; right? There we go.
DS: Disney Land; right?
JS: There you go. Don’t want to mix those two up. Not until Star Wars, you know comes open.
Gentlemen, you know, we’ve been talking a lot in the past about how things have worked on the web, but you have been really interested in kiosk and accessibility of those kinds of devices. Let’s just have a little dialogue about that, if you don’t mind.
DS: Yeah. Sure. And I think CSUN in 2019 is probably the perfect time to talk about this because it’s – in a number of these break outs and some of the legal summits that have been happening, it very clearly seems like the new frontier, or the next frontier, insofar as digital accessibility, will be in this growing and expanding world of self-service devices and kiosks, most notably in a lot of the fast food entities out there now –
JS: Uh-huh.
DS: — are really looking, with the advent of the increase of the minimum wage, trying to reduce labor costs and going to self-service interfaces. And, you know, frankly speaking, just like the web, where it is — there’s this hypersonic growth of complexity and change and technology being integrated, the topic space is really come a long way from some of those really basic simple kiosks 20 years ago, and touchscreen devices and things of that nature are all the rage now.
And you know, interesting enough, we kind of got dragged to this party a few years ago. We were actually approached by one of the larger, sort of, fast food restaurant chains out there that was giving some thought and some idea to deploying these kiosks and started asking about accessibility. And one of the things that we learned quite quickly is the traditional thought by the kiosk space about accessibility, or ADA relative to kiosks, was the height of the screen so an individual in a wheelchair could actually physically access the screen.
JS: Right.
DS: And when we started to ask questions like what do individuals with cognitive learning disabilities or visually impaired, how do those interfaces work for them, they were lost because traditionally, this whole thing began to emerge with ATMs 30 years ago, and the whole idea was put a microphone jack in and put Braille on the keypad, and you’re all set.
JS: And you had the operating system situation. So recently, Arby’s, who now owns Wendy’s, said that they’re going to spend 20 million dollars over the next two years to bring them up to speed because they felt like the POS, the point of sale system, was so old and so, needed that kind of idea. So in some cases, organizations are looking to upgrade the fleet, and it’s a perfect time for that.
DS: Yeah. You know, you bring up a good point. We’ve been looking — a lot of the entities out there that are deploying these, sort of, self-service kiosks. And you actually mentioned Wendy’s, and I have to tell you, Wendy’s is in the midst of a pretty significant deployment right now.
JS: Uh-huh.
DS: And they actually built and addressed a lot of those kiosks with accessibility in mind. And frankly speaking, you know, if I were to look out there, they’re sort of the gold standard on actually addressing accessibility on the whole, relative to those devices.
The bad news is there’s a lot of entities out there that haven’t really thought about that, and are now coming and – you know, I think one of the things that’s been really interesting is when we were approached, we quickly realized that the work and the infrastructure that we built for helping our customers with their websites –
JS: Yeah.
DS: — actually really uniquely transferred over to kiosk space. And we’ve been dabbling for the last couple of years, and I think we’ve really found a unique fit. And I think we’ve been able to – you know, we’ve been told by a number of the big kiosk players out there, when they look at our solution and what we can do and that type of an interface, that we really are transformative insofar as what we’re going to be able to do to help them with ADA. So really excited about that and – you know, Mark can probably talk a little bit more than I can about some of the technical aspects of it.
I was – you know, you mentioned Jeff, and Jeff is passionate about software and passionate about web infrastructures, and Mark is equally passionate about things like, you know, devices and things of that nature. It’s probably why they get along so well. Like, they could fit together really well. And when I brought this whole concept of kiosks to the table, it got both of them really equally excited because Mark got to play with boxes –
JS: — new toys.
DS: — of steel and new toys.
MARK MAKER: Exactly.
JS: New toys.
DS: And Jeff got to work with the interface and — so I think Mark was –
JS: So Dan was excited about ancillary Markets –
DS: Correct.
JS: — the rest of the team was like, you’re giving me the opportunity to go play with stuff.
MM: Exactly.
DS: I was excited about solving a big problem in the Marketplace.
JS: Nicely done, my friend. Nicely done.
MM: Nice. It’s spectacular because these devices are really advanced these days. They are computing platforms that typically are used in full-blown operating systems. You know, it’s not as common anymore to have some proprietary OS. Sometimes, they’ll be based on Android or something of that nature. But more often than not, it’s some form of embedded Windows or full-featured OS that has browsing capabilities built into it, and it really just makes a lot of sense, in the next generation of kiosks, not to try and self-contain everything, but rather to have a persistent internet connection so that the content is always up to date on the devices. And being web-based, you can reuse the same assets that you would use in any other area of the business.
So it just makes sense to try and unify all these technologies together with the kiosk, and that makes it a perfect fit for the type of work that we do, given that it is internet connected, it is web-based content, the solutions that AudioEye provides are able to handle any kind of transformation necessary to make it ADA compliant. But it really kind of goes beyond that because we can then begin to innovate and say, well, what would be the best way for a user to engage with a particular screen in the menu?
JS: Yeah.
MM: Maybe for some screens, that’s a swipe gesture. Maybe for some, it’s, you know, more voice activation, or maybe it’s, you know, touching quadrants or corners or — all kinds of different things. And by having these devices that are more advanced, that are internet-connected, we can iterate quickly and, you know, bring to Market new features as they, you know, are ideated by end users. So it’s really exciting.
JS: First of all, I’m glad you didn’t say OS/2 Warp. And I’m also thrilled that you didn’t say Windows CE —
MM: Right.
JS: — because that would – those were some early POS –
MM: Absolutely.
JS: — that people held onto for a very long time, especially in the retail space.
And with that, does it work hand-in-hand situation – because some companies might be, look. You guys go do this. We don’t want to be a part of it. But some companies are very, very protective of their Market, and it involves a lot with user experience and, UEX and UY and design. So have you found that to be the case, where you’re running into both types of individuals that are passionate about what the experience is in this venue?
MM: Yeah. I mean, I do think that we’ve kind of seen the spectrum from that perspective. Not sure how, you know, in detail I can get with anything else –
JS: Right. Right. No. NDA’s holding. NDA’s holding.
MM: Right. Exactly. But yeah. I mean, you do kind of see some companies that are really more concerned with the, just, compliance aspect, whereas others are really about innovation and trying to provide the best experiences and, you know, we’re – as Dan was pointing out, a large driving force behind this effort is the changes in minimum wage, the need to automate, to be able to stay viable with, you know, the margins in the industry. So it does make sense that you would want to have the most intuitive interface, the easiest process for ordering, you know, and changing and, you know –
JS: Yeah. It’s a new frontier because nobody’s really jumped out ahead.
Dan, you mentioned a moment ago about Wendy’s and stuff. But there isn’t, like, a ubiquitous factor yet or something that a blind individual or somebody with deaf-blindness can go in and have an experience yet or point to a chain where they can have that experience yet?
DS: I mean, this is web accessibility all over again; right? I mean, really, what happened was, you know, as bandwidth expanded and as the complexity of web design, all the things that you could do in a web interface really took off in, you know, in the early 2000’s all the way up until this day, what ended up happening is the technologists got so excited about pushing the envelope forward that, you know, one of the communities it was probably most empowered by the whole advent of the internet was left behind; right? And then, at the end of the day, people would say, well, what about individuals with disabilities? What about accessibility? And everybody would have these blank stares and said, oh, yeah. We forgot; right? So –
JS: The bolt-on mentality. Right.
MM: There you go.
DS: So we’ve made a business of, really, being able to help those entities go back in as noninvasive and as nondisruptive a way as possible, to actually fix those issues, and we see the exact same thing took place in the kiosk space; right?
JS: Yeah. Yeah.
DS: Because in this massive, all hands on deck, push this thing forward, get it out, advance new features, new benefits, oh yeah. We forgot; right? So, you know, at the end of the day, that’s the way the Market’s going to work, and we’ve been able to find that there’s a really good business by being able to come in and, sort of, help people fix the messes that they created by not thinking about this as an issue. They generally are made aware of it by — not the way that they would have wanted to –
JS: Yeah.
DS: But at the end of the day, we feel as though that we can sort of, really – a valuable service in being able to help. And, you know, I think, you know, three or four of these kiosk places have used the same word in explaining our solution when they’ve seen it, in that they say that AudioEye’s approach to this is really elegant. And I think that’s one of those things that’s really made me happy is that it’s not disruptive, it does not change the use or anything in that nature of the interface, but it really enables and empowers a whole differentiated community to interact with those devices. We also see a really long tail to this. I mean, I think the things that you are going to be able to do with kiosks and the way in which, you know, we live on our mobile devices and connectivity and Apple Pay and Google Pay and some of the things that we can do, we can really help these entities elevate the whole concept of usability of these infrastructures, and it’s really exciting. So we’re pretty – we’re really pleased, and I’m just thrilled that, you know, after three years of working on this, I come to CSUN, and people are talking about it.
The U.S. Access Board put together a panel and a group committee that’s working on kiosk accessibility as the topic. So it’s an emerging trend, and we’re happy that we’ve been there for a few years and that the Market’s finally caught up to us.
JS: Okay. So he gave me an opening, so you can blame me; okay – for – because Dan set you up for this. The experience, Mark.
MM: Yes.
JS: The seamless experience. He said Apple Pay and Google Pay. What were some of the challenges of being able to work with a payment system that’s going to do a handoff to another device?
MM: Well, so, you know, we have some handoff systems in place that allow us to essentially use your mobile device as an input device –
JS: Uh-huh.
MM: — for these infrastructures. We have not, at this point, made a full payment transaction –
JS: Uh-huh.
MM: — between the two entities –
JS: Yeah. Yeah.
MM: — and I think that what we’re finding is that in all likelihood, a production implementation is going to be what the NFC built into the kiosk itself.
JS: Yeah.
MM: Just using –
JS: Because you’re asking end users to be –
MM: — the phone directly.
JS: — familiar with two audio sources at one time.
MM: Right.
JS: — so –
DS: Yeah. And a clear differentiation I probably didn’t say; right? I talk about the long tail that we see in this; right? So –
JS: No.
DS: We’re trying to make the case where people are coming to us and saying, help us with accessibility. And, you know, I think one of the challenges that we, as a – industry, have always had is, you know, just trying — making the business case for accessibility; right? So we’ve always tried to do that within the digital infrastructures.
Well, when you think about usability and you think of millennials and that they live on their phones and –
JS: Oh, gosh, this.
DS: — those types of things; right? Watches – you know, the things that we’re able to do with accessibility and usability into kiosks, we can actually take that underlying technology and we can extrapolate that to a whole bunch of other places that may not specifically be aligned with accessibility. But it’s really on the foundation that we pull for accessibility within those kiosks, of which payment, voice activation, all of those things are, sort of, the tentacles that we’re excited about. So when we’re in these meetings, we can actually say, well, let’s get the foundation of accessibility built, but I want to give you a preview of some of the things that we might be able to do.
JS: Yeah.
DS: And, you know, when a millennial is in line at a McDonalds at 2 o’clock in the morning and they got to wait forever, they could pull up their mobile device and be able to actually operate the kiosk remotely and be able to facilitate the payment and get out faster. They love that, you know, whether it’s McDonalds or Panera or Wendy’s. So those are the things that we see where not – this is where accessibility has an opportunity to transform the underlying, sort of technology that’s out there. We’re kind of excited about that, so I didn’t want to make that we’ve done that. We see that as a – we see that as –
JS: Yeah. No. I get that, and that’s changing all the time because, you know, you mentioned Google Pay, and that has changed a few times on what we’re going to call it – Android Pay, Google Pay —
MM: Right.
JS: — what have you, and those standards change all the time, especially as banking gets used to doing more of that thing outside of what would normally be their own form of payment operation.
MM: Right.
DS: Yeah. And, you know, you mentioned Jeff at the top of this call, and you’ve known Jeff and you know the passion he has for this space, and one of the things that we always talk about internally in our meetings at AudioEye is while we’re building 1.0, we’re also white boarding 2.0, and we’re visualizing 3.0; right? And we sometimes have to stop ourselves and say, let’s get the first cake baked fully; right? So we’re on 1.0 mode –
JS: Yeah.
DS: – but we can’t help ourselves. We’re still white boarding, thinking, and extrapolating what 2.0 and 3.0 look like, and we get excited about that, and that’s what motivates us. So payment systems and things of that nature, that’s like, 2.5. So I don’t want to get too far ahead of our skis there, but –
JS: Well, no. And that makes a lot of sense because from Mark’s perspective, he has such a wide range to consider now as far as that experience goes for UEX, user experience, because you’re talking about, in some cases, older phones.
MM: Right.
JS: Some things you might have in an iPhone Max that you wouldn’t have in an 8 that would – you wouldn’t have in a 6s.
MM: Right.
JS: And so some of those things do kind of boil down to who is my user, what do we support? Because, you know, I went to go buy my big Mac, but I found out that my phone wasn’t necessarily compatible. I mean, these are new things, like you were saying, it is a new Wild West.
MM: Absolutely, it is. And you know, the devices are obviously changing all the time, like you mentioned with the Google Pay standards and names changing and –
JS: Yeah.
MM: What I love about the core of the technology that we are deploying here is that it is really ubiquitous in – from an API perspective such that we really are able to just use standardized web technologies, and once we’ve paired devices, it really doesn’t matter if it’s a web browser on your laptop or it’s your smart phone or it’s some IOT device that we have custom built; right? I mean, it really doesn’t matter at that point, but it’s been boiled down to, you know, just standard, socket-based communication, and we’re able to provide literally any functionality that our engineers or our clients can dream up through that type of protocol.
So yes. There are certainly going to be some challenges when you get into the proprietary areas of, you know, payments and, you know, other sensitive information passing, but as Dan points out; right? This is the groundwork, this is the foundation and the 1.0.
JS: Yeah.
MM: That, you know, really enables us to start having those deeper conversations with the clients to come up with, well, what would be the ideal use case and scenario, and what is our path going to be to get there?
JS: And I think, for some of our listeners who aren’t familiar with this technology, it’s important to note that there’s a heavy aspect of security that’s involved, even with, say, a sandwich chain that maybe familiar with customization, you know, they’re headquarters, they have ID badges that have security codes and they rotate those out. And there’s a lot of corporate security around just, recipes and food, let alone, we even get back to the payment option. So there’s more to this than just flipping a switch or pressing a couple of buttons.
MM: Absolutely.
DS: And to that point; right? I mean, one of the other things that we’ve found is, yes. Social service makes a heck of a lot of sense within restaurant, and we’ve seen it an awful lot. But I got to tell you, I mean, whether you go to Home Depot or Wal-Mart, whether you go to a hospital, whether you go to – I mean, the places where these interfaces and these sort of digital interfaces and these kiosk infrastructures is – to Mark’s point – is becoming more and more ubiquitous, and it’s in a lot of different places, and it’s a growing trend. And we just see it as a great opportunity.
We’re going to be at the National Restaurant Association show coming up in Chicago in June. We’re going to have four kiosks on the floor with one of our partners, Howard Industries. We’re going to be able to, sort of, debut and show the world what this aspect of ADA compliance and accessibility within kiosks is, and we’re really excited about it, really thrilled that you gave us a venue to talk about this topic and get communicated to a wider audience that help is coming in that space.
We know the frustration that the community has with these devices. You know, we are not going to suffer by the paralysis of perfection. We’re going to make them better, we’re going to continuously work to get them better, and we’ll get there over a period of time.
JS: And I’m looking forward to the foodie post from the Restaurant Association by Dan, rating some of the great food that he’s going to have an opportunity to see there in Chicago, not that there wasn’t enough great food in Chicago as there was.
DS: There’s plenty of it, and we’ll find it.
MM: Yes.
JS: Not a problem.
Dan, Mark, thank you for your time. Where can people find this information or keep up with what’s going on?
DS: I think on our blog on audioeye.com and any of the information that we have on audioeye.com. We are rapidly getting ready for this event in June, so we’re preparing a lot of our content around kiosks. So you’ve been kind of let behind the curtain a little bit early here, but we thought that it was important, and CSUN’s a great venue for us to start talking about this.
JS: We always love exclusives. What are you talking about? I’m a content creator, brother. That’s how that works.
Thank you for your time, gentlemen. I really appreciate it.
MM: Have a great CSUN.
DS: Thanks Joe. Great to see you.
MM: Thanks, Joe.
JS: Thank you.
For CSUN 2019 in Anaheim, it’s Joe Steincamp. We got more. Just stay in the feed.
For more exclusive audio coverage, visit blindbargains.com or download the Blind Bargains app for your IOS or Android device. Blind Bargains audio coverage is presented by the A T Guys, online at atguys.com.
This has been another Blind Bargains audio podcast. Visit blindbargains.com for the latest deals, news, and exclusive content. This podcast may not be retransmitted, sold, or reproduced without the express written permission of A T Guys.
Copyright 2019.
The second generation of the All-in-One Kiosk, the new KIPICT2555 is powered by a BrightSign XT1144 Expanded I/O Player, offers ten points of IR touch, and allows users to fully engage through a Wi-Fi enabled device, such as a tablet, computer, or phone.
AURORA, Ill. – March 20, 2019 – Peerless-AV®, an award-winning designer and manufacturer of the highest quality audio and video solutions and accessories, is excited to introduce the second generation of its All-in-One Kiosk powered by BrightSign® (KIPICT2555), the global market leader in digital signage media players. Featuring a sleek and stylish design with lean frames and a smaller footprint, the new and improved All-in-One Kiosk seamlessly creates a complete digital signage solution for any indoor application setting.
Click to see full size
The All-in-One Kiosk, powered by a BrightSign XT1144 Expanded I/O Player, is perfect for a variety of settings, including hospitality, retail, corporate, transportation, entertainment, education, and more. The updated kiosk delivers flawless Full HD 1080p60 single video decoding, HTML support, networked content playback, as well as an abundant set of features, including interactivity via the GPIO port, remote snapshot, live text, media feeds, and multi-zone.
With an integrated 55″ commercial LCD display offering ten points of IR touch, the new All-in-One Kiosk fully engages users through a Wi-Fi enabled device, such as a tablet, computer, or phone.
“With a continued focus on providing customers with fully integrated solutions, we are excited to introduce the latest iteration of our popular All-in-One Kiosk powered by BrightSign,” said Brian McClimans, Vice President of Sales for North America and APAC, Peerless-AV. “The new All-in-One Kiosk now includes a slimmer design and a new media player that delivers faster and more powerful HTML and graphics engine as well as an HDMI input to play content from other devices. From wayfinding to entertainment to advertising to digital merchandising, the new All-in-One Kiosk can be easily implemented to create an interactive customer experience.”
Top features of the updated All-in-One Kiosk include:
Sleek, ultra slim design offering rugged protection for any indoor application environment
Quick and easy set-up via micro SD card, USB, or cable
10-points of IR touch to fully engage users
Robust HTML5 engine supporting flawless playback of content and modular assets layered with video
HDMI input to play content from other devices
Full HD video playback even when in Mosaic Mode
Faster and more powerful HTML and graphics engine
Ability to easily update messaging and interact with the kiosk via Ethernet, WiFi, or the BrightSign® App
The use of live data and media feeds to display popular news, finance, weather or social media feeds
For over 75 years, passion and innovation continue to drive Peerless-AV forward. We proudly design and manufacture the highest quality products, ranging from outdoor displays to complete kiosk solutions, digital signage mounts to wireless systems. Whether a full-scale global deployment or custom project, Peerless-AV develops meaningful relationships and delivers world-class service. In partnership with Peerless-AV, you are trusting an award-winning team of experts who will support your business every step of the way. For more information, visit peerless-av.com.
Kiosks sport increased influence in the gaming world. From hotel check-ins to food ordering, cash dispensing and now sports betting, these unofficial goodwill ambassadors flaunt new stature. Perhaps no other device mingles with so many revenue areas. Kiosks also have an envied parallel use in other industries: at airports, at doctor’s offices, in supermarkets. Casino patrons already embrace this technology.
What an ascent. The sector once primarily dealt funds the way gas stations replenish a car’s tank. Then its role spread to check-cashing, wayfinding, messaging and jackpot pay. Kiosks became freestanding, wall-mounted, hand-held forms of customer service, used on walls, in corners, in lobbies, or near the gaming action.
A look around the industry reveals their new creative deployment. Some extend kiosk features to a phone. Others lessen the costly check-in and check-out logjam. Food courts increasingly use them to speed delivery methods.
Kiosks also become a flashpoint in the proliferation of sports betting.
Express Train
rGuest Express Kiosk
Sometimes, fast and steady wins the race.
Kiosks reducing check-in times are invaluable, particularly to customers enduring a cross-country flight to gamble. A check-in of 30 minutes to an hour at the end of a 12-hour cross-country travel day creates a risky first impression to the gambler. A system bypassing that logjam produces a strong one.
Agilysys, the Alpharetta, Georgia-based global provider of next-generation hospitality software solutions and services, maintains an aggressive presence in the kiosk space. One of its latest introductions is rGuest Express Kiosk, designed to expedite guest service with self-service kiosk check-in, room key encoding, check-out and folios via email.
Company officials say rGuest Kiosk expedites guest service operations by enabling them to check in, encode a room key, check out and email a folio—all without having to wait in line at the front desk. The rGuest Express Kiosk is a self-service solution that integrates with both Agilysys Visual One PMS and Agilysys Lodging Management System.
The rGuest Express Kiosk allows guests to obtain an email copy of their folios at any time during their stay, without checking out.
Guests can also request that folio receipts be emailed or mailed to an address based on information captured in Visual One or LMS. Special messages, vouchers and printed instructions can be provided to guests based on management-defined criteria.
By automating check-in and check-out, employees concentrate on providing the guest services that help create a lasting impression.
Guests can also reprint room keys at any time during their stay.
Agilysys has been a leader in hospitality software for more than 40 years and continually enhances its product lineup.
In 2017, Agilysys unveiled enhancements to rGuestBuy, its groundbreaking self-service kiosk POS solution that extends point-of-sale reach, improves guest service and reduces staff demand, plus enhancements for Café workflows and a new Grab N Go guest experience.
Company officials cite industry reports indicating that 63 percent of resort guests prefer kiosks as their paying vehicle for buying food.
Link to Agilysis
Kiosk Competition
Olea Monte Carlo kiosk
Olea Kiosks, based outside of Los Angeles, is a kiosk powerhouse. Its clients include Boomtown, Caesars, Chickasaw Nation, Hard Rock, Tropicana and Empire Casino/Yonkers Raceway, among others. The company has deployed hundreds of kiosks in the gaming sector for player loyalty, and works with all software partners including Scientific Games, Agilysys and IGT properties, according to Craig Keefner, its manager of kiosks.
From a sector viewpoint, Keefner cites a bullish Frost & Sullivan report on self-service kiosk projected revenue. It climbs dependably from 2014 results through 2022 in all major worldwide regions. This analysis reflects a trend the industry covets: a steadily improving niche, especially one that lowers labor costs.
Olea forecasts robust demand in the player-loyalty realm and growth potential in the hotel check-in, food/buffet ordering kiosks and sports betting areas.
“According to a May 2017 Oxford Economics Report, legalized sports betting is projected to generate $8.4 billion in new tax revenues, create more than 200,000 new jobs and add over $22 billion to the (U.S.) GDP,” he says. “The market has an inherent ‘burst cycle’ to it with the deadline on bets. You want to convert all those would-be bettors, and you have a limited time to do it. Mobile betting terminals that can be deployed at those times would help.”
What would that look like?
“Casinos will need to be well-prepared for the influx of new customers that will be flocking to their venues in hopes of placing their first legal sports bet,” he indicates. “As a result, many casinos are finding that sports betting kiosks provide the needed automated self-service solution to handle a higher volume of sports wagers without requiring the need for additional customer service staff.”
Keefner ties projected food-service demand to rising wages and focus on more healthful and costly menu items. “Whether deployed inside or at the drive-through, our units will speed orders and improve accuracy, all the while letting operators reassign staff to more critical roles,” he says.
All of this will keep the company busy. Olea designs and builds self-service terminals. Its 2019 fleet includes a line of cash/currency transactional “standard” units. Olea has been building for the OEM channel up to now, and has begun releasing those units as standard models.
“We make both player loyalty and the hotel check-in/self-order kiosks used in non-gaming mode,” Keefner says. “Generating player loyalty cards on the spot instantly is the main function. Our units can verify credentials such as a driver’s license and print ticket stock. Dual touch-screen displays are 22 inches, and accommodate wide-screen format for the software (16:9 aspect ratio as compared to older 5:4 aspect).
There is an attractor screen to entice users and identify the purpose for the machine as well as programmable LEDs to add the Vegas or sizzle visual experience. Our Monte Carlo is our flagship unit.”
The product visually stimulates with two large displays and brilliant LED lighting. Keefner says kioskmarketplace.com named it the most innovative gaming kiosk for 2017.
We welcome Tech For All Consulting to the Kiosk Manufacturer Association. Tech for All is also now a member of the KMA Accessibility Committee.
Our Story
For over fifteen years, our international accessibility and universal design consulting firm has served small companies, Fortune 500 corporations, educational institutions, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations representing people with disabilities. Tech for All’s sole mission is to help its clients successfully address the challenges of making their products, services, websites, kiosks, and mobile apps accessible for all, including people with disabilities.
TFA seeks to be your Accessibility Partner. We will work with your organization to craft practical and effective solutions for the accessibility challenges you face. TFA offers a broad range of accessibility support services including training, planning, evaluation, remediation, implementation, and monitoring.
The TFA Logo
The greater than or equal to symbol is represented in the Tech for All logo and signifies our mission to help our clients provide equivalent or greater access to technology for people with disabilities.
Leadership
At the heart of TFA’s practice are the exceptionally talented, skilled, and experienced consultants who develop accessibility solutions and support successful implementation. Many of TFA’s experts are living with disabilities themselves. Each of TFA’s project teams includes seasoned consultants who bring specialized knowledge, capabilities, and solid experience to the task at hand.
Caesar Eghtesadi, PhD
Caesar founded Tech for All in 2001 after leading the development of the Universal Access Copier System, the world’s first voice-activated, large-scale office equipment product that was accessible and usable by people with disabilities. Caesar has led over 200 successful consulting engagements for diverse clients. He has been a major contributor to several projects for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).
It’s Sunday morning and you’re fiending for a Sausage Egg McMuffin as you walk into McDonald’s. Near the checkout line you’re faced with a row of self-service kiosks and the choice to either order from a kiosk, or a cashier.
That first screen you see on the kiosk (the kiosk attract screen) is a major determining factor in influencing if you opt to order from the kiosk, or the teenager behind the counter.
Since the point of deploying our kiosk is to promote self-service, using the kiosk is obviously the desired outcome. In this article I’m going to cover the key components for creating an engaging kiosk attract screen to help your customers choose your kiosk over interacting with your staff.
Your kiosk attract screen must incorporate the following:
A common mistake I see is not clearly communicating the benefit of using the kiosk. The customer is always thinking “What’s in this for me?” and your kiosk needs to make this abundantly clear to them.
Back to the McDonald’s kiosk example. I’m not in love with McDonald’s by the way, but their kiosks are a solid example when it comes to usability.
Look at the above photo. In this case, both the function and the benefit are clear.
The function is I can order & pay here. The benefit is it’s FAST & EASY! Wow, what a great reason to avoid getting in the cashier’s line.
Use short, large and easily readable text
MoneyGram kiosk attract screen
The inexperienced kiosk designer will try to cram a bunch of text on the screen. To make matters worse, they reduce the font size to make it all fit.
Our objective for the kiosk attract screen is not to feed the customer a bunch of information. Rather it’s to get them to interact with our kiosk. You can always give them more info once you’ve got their attention.
If you look back over the previous photos, you’ll notice the text is large and easy to read.
Get right to the point of why the customer should use your kiosk and make it short, sweet and easy to read.
Incorporate eye-catching photography
McDonalds kiosk attract screen
If you’re product looks appealing, then why not show it off? You spent a pretty penny on the photo shoot, so let’s make good use of those gorgeous product photos.
Granted if your “product” is renting library books, a photo of some books might not do you justice. In that case, the photo should still convey the benefit the customer will experience by using your kiosk (i.e. fast and easy, skip the line, etc…).
Be relevant to your customer demographic
Coinstar kiosk attract screen
My last tip when it comes to messaging is to stay relevant to your customer demographic. This of course requires knowing who your customers are and what they care about.
Are your kiosks being used by the unbanked in low income areas? Is English their first language?
It’s critical to understand the demographics of your customers in order provide the best possible self-service experience.
According to MARKETING ARTFULLY the top customer demographic categories to look for in 2019 include:
gender
race (ethnicity)
age (date of birth)
household income
home ownership (length of residence, home size, mortgage)
disabilities
education
employment status
children
location
type of car(s)
marital status (head of household, spouse)
savings, cd, 401k
Bonus Tip: Know when your kiosk goes down
Out of order Redbox kiosk
Kiosk downtime is inevitable and may be costing you more than you think. But a down kiosk can put a serious dent in customer engagement and erode trust in your brand.
Therefore, it’s critical to know when your kiosks are down and it’s easy with remote monitoring tools like TeamViewerand LogMeIn that will alert you in real-time.
True story, this tip was a last-minute addition as I was taking photos for this article. I had to wait a long time to use the one working Redbox, because the other one was stuck on the bios screen and a line had formed.
There are also kiosk security ramifications here as this is not your standard out of order screen, but rather allows you to edit the bios.
In Conclusion
Your kiosk is not a giant tablet or smart phone and the tactics for getting customers to engage are unique to self-service.
When customers interact with their mobile device they do so on their own terms. They can digest as much information as they like and there’s no rush to get them away from their device. In fact, the longer they’re on the device the better, especially when it comes to ad revenue.
This is not the case with self-service kiosks, where it’s vital to increase customer throughput and minimizing wait times. You want the customer to use your kiosk to order, pay and move on as quickly as possible.
Keep these tips in mind and you’ll see greater engagement at your kiosks.
Drive through any given neighborhood in the United States and you’ll probably notice a handful of homes with “for sale” signs in their front yard, but come back a few weeks later and those signs will have likely been replaced by “sold” signs and moving vans. Sound familiar?
Following the recession that plagued the United States from 2007 to 2009, the housing market has made an impressive comeback. In fact, according to research by the National Association of Realtors, existing home sales in the US totaled more than 5.34 million in 2018. Of those sales, an impressive 32% were first time home buyers.
While the home buying process is certainly an exciting one, it requires an immense amount of time, effort, and research by both the real estate agent and the homebuyer—especially for first time homebuyers. That’s where real estate kiosks come in. Designed to take on a multitude of tasks—from initial information gathering, to checking in for an appointment, and browsing listings—real estate kiosks can simplify the home buying and selling process.
Information Kiosks
As with most large purchases and investments, homebuyers typically begin their search for a new home by determining their needs and gathering additional information. While some choose to meet with a real estate agent from day one of their search, others prefer to take the time to first research on their own to ensure that they come into their initial meeting prepared. With the ability to showcase interactive information about available agents as well as their properties, services, locations, and areas of expertise, information kiosks can serve as a useful tool for real estate agents to provide during the research and information gathering process.
Thru-Glass Kiosks
While real estate agents tend to work extended hours to accommodate clients and potential homebuyers, they aren’t in their office at all times of the day. Designed to be installed behind an exterior window, thru-glass solutions can offer the same interactive information-sharing and advertising capabilities as information kiosks and interactive digital signage, regardless of whether or not the office is open. To allow homebuyers to interact with the information on-screen, the digital display communicates with a CPU, which then communicates with a window-mounted touch foil, all of which are housed on the interior side of the window. The integration with the touch foil enables homebuyers to click on different content by touching the glass from the exterior.
Not only do thru-glass solutions serve as a way to establish seemingly unlimited business hours, their unique display and interactive features also draw attention to those who are simply passing by—enticing them to engage with the screen. With the ability to browse home listings in the area and gather information about the real estate office—agent names, contact information, business hours, and more—homebuyers are often enticed by the convenience factor as well.
Digital Signage
Used for information sharing, digital signage enables real estate agents to highlight specific properties and services while also providing a platform on which local businesses can pay to promote their offerings. From relevant local service providers, like plumbers, electricians, and handymen, to schools, restaurants, and events, prospective homebuyers can utilize those offerings to get to know the area and gather information on the service providers they may need to use while they consider purchasing a new home. In addition to being able to advertise their own services and properties, real estate agents can benefit from this solution two-fold by making revenue off of the advertising space they sell on their digital signage solution.
Secure Check-In
Once a prospective homebuyer decides they’re ready to meet with a real estate agent, a check-in kiosk allows them to bypass the traditional check-in process to quickly and easily check-in for their appointment. Homebuyers can select the agent they’re meeting with and even notify them of their arrival, all from the kiosk. While they’re waiting, they can also use check-in kiosks to fill out any necessary forms or paperwork prior to their meeting.
Designed to provide transparency and promote efficiency throughout the homebuying process, real estate kiosks allow potential homebuyers to access information in a way that is convenient and easy to interact with. As the housing market continues to thrive and real estate agents find themselves busier than ever, real estate kiosks will continue to play a key supporting role in the process—effectively enhancing the overall experience for both real estate agents and homebuyers.
Philadelphia just became the first large city in the nation to ban cashless businesses in the city, in part to protect people like some construction workers who don’t have a bank or credit card.
Nearly 13 percent of Philadelphia’s population — close to 200,000 people — are unbanked, according to federal banking data. That’s more than double the regional average.
Excerpt: The following is except from news article from PBS on Philadephia deciding to ban “cashless” stores.
The Unbanked and Underbanked in Philadelphia
Last fall, a veteran lawmaker in PA introduced a bill outlawing cashless businesses — shops and restaurants where customers can only pay with credit and debit cards.
The Mayor of Philadelphia signed it into law last week, making Philadelphia the first big city in the country to ban cash-free stores. Beginning July 1.
The PA lawmaker thought it was discriminatory for businesses to turn away low-income residents who don’t have bank accounts, a population often referred to as the “unbanked” or the “underbanked.”
2017 FDIC National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households
The FDIC is committed to expanding Americans’ access to safe, secure, and affordable banking services. The FDIC National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households is one contribution to this end.
To assess the inclusiveness of the banking system, and in partial response to a statutory mandate, the FDIC has conducted the survey biennially since 2009.1 The most recent survey was administered in June 2017 in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau, collecting responses from more than 35,000 households. The survey provides estimates of the proportion of U.S. households that do not have an account at an insured institution, and the proportion that have an account but obtained (nonbank) alternative financial services in the past 12 months. The survey also provides insights that may inform efforts to better meet the needs of these consumers within the banking system.
Estimates from the 2017 survey indicate that 6.5 percent of households in the United States were unbanked in 2017. This proportion represents approximately 8.4 million households. Some other estimates put that number as high as 50 million. An additional 18.7 percent of U.S. households (24.2 million) were underbanked, meaning that the household had a checking or savings account but also obtained financial products and services outside of the banking system.
The 2017 survey examines a number of additional topics, including the methods that banked households used to access accounts, bank branch visits, use of prepaid cards, use of alternative financial services, saving for unexpected expenses or emergencies, use of credit, and the methods that households used to conduct financial transactions in a typical month.
See economicinclusion.gov for survey findings, the ability to generate custom tables and charts using 2017 and earlier years of survey data, and data downloads and documentation.
The 2017 survey report, executive summary, and other related materials are linked below. (All items are PDF files. See PDF Help for assistance.)
Delivery, kiosks and other digital efforts are taking more prominent roles at Yum! Brands, moves that serve as a good reflection of overall trends in the quick service restaurant (QSR) space. Yum operates the Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC chains, and the company’s fourth-quarter results, released Thursday (Feb. 7), provided details about where those […]
Kiosks, too, are another area of innovation targeted by Yum in 2019. By 2020, Gibbs said, “our goal is to have 5,000 restaurants with kiosks.”
Indeed, according to that PYMNTS research, “larger chains are more likely than smaller ones to have in-store kiosks, and they’re also more likely to offer their own mobile apps.” That said, only 3 percent of QSR managers said that self-service kiosks stand as the most common method for placing orders.
Loyalty, too, is another feature that QSR customers want more of, with nearly 80 percent of them saying such programs are important to the future of success of QSRs. That compared with about 48 percent of QSR managers who said the same. Yum, according to its Q4 conference call, seems to be increasingly tilting toward those customer perceptions.
Kiosk Service and Kiosk Installation are red-headed stepchild
Kiosk Service, Kiosk Maintenance and Kiosk Installation
Kiosk service and kiosk installation and maintenance are almost always secondary considerations. You can throw in Training as well into that mix. Simple education prevents problems and problems generally start with tech onsite for $250 a pop (plus parts and labor)
Editors Note — We should probably include remote monitoring and alerts to the “often neglected”. All top-tier kiosk software companies will provide that function. One of our sponsors have dedicated resources just for remote monitoring ala carte solutions — Sitekiosk
For kiosk service and logistics we recommend
Crane CPI has a complete service arm.
Pitney Bowes — used to do kiosk service but now focusing on core clients
For Europe, UK, EMEA in general we have recommendations. Orion and Chris Liveredge
Introduction – Kiosk Service & Kiosk Maintenance
There’s nothing that kills customer enthusiasm more for a kiosk deployment than walking up to a unit and seeing a piece of paper taped to the front bearing the hand-scrawled words “Out of order.”
Such a sight conveys the impression of neglect, and makes customers wonder what else the business operator is neglecting. And if they see that note on a subsequent visit, they’re unlikely to ever use the kiosk even if it’s eventually restored to a working condition.
The reputation of the entire kiosk industry rests on the shoulders of service providers, and anyone who treats service as an afterthought runs the risk of seeing their deployment turn into expensive dust collectors. Unfortunately, deployers often put service way down on their list of priorities when planning a self-service project.
Setting up for failure
Probably one of the most dramatic failures of a kiosk project in recent memory took place in Pennsylvania in 2011. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board shut down a project that used self-service kiosks to sell bottles of wine in dozens of supermarkets around the state. In addition to a complicated transaction process and an inexperienced vendor, service problems forced the board to shut down the kiosks for several weeks in December 2010, just as shoppers were planning to stock up on spirits for the holidays.
Although there were a number of issues with the project, it’s likely that the service problems alone would have prompted its collapse. And while most projects don’t attract the negative publicity that this one did, a variation of the old military saying holds true: poor planning, especially when it comes to service, will equal piss-poor performance. That can be avoided by considering service while a kiosk deployment is still in the budgeting and planning stage.
“With the service and support aspect of putting a piece of equipment out there, you’re probably looking at 15 to 20 percent on a yearly basis to fully support what’s out there,” said Luc Vallieres, CEO of Salt Lake City-based CSA Service Solutions, a nationwide provider of service solutions to a number of technology sectors. The company’s clients include such notables companies in self-service, retail and healthcare.
So if any of those kiosk market reports appearing on the Internet are to be believed, the service industry market is worth anywhere from $2 billion per year to $4 billion. So if the project budget is $100,000, anywhere from $15,000-20,000 should be earmarked for ongoing service. Whatever the size, it’s money well spent.
“It’s a waste of budget and resources to invest in implementing self-service hardware across your retail locations, but then fail to keep those devices updated and functional,” said Brad Fick, president of Minneapolis-based Direct Source, a provider of technology solutions for tier-one retailers.
“We always recommend quoting and setting up a hardware maintenance plan for three-to-five years after rollout,” Fick said. “This should be an important step in any retailer’s sourcing process.”
Unfortunately, though, many deployers overlook the importance of service. Another challenge can be that the implementation teams and the “after-roll-out” support teams are different.
“No matter what type of technology is being implemented, retailers have historically put service and device support on the back burner,” Fick said.
“Part of this is simply the excitement of a project and the focus on getting the technology right so customers or associates can start to use it in the stores,” he said. “How the tools are supported after roll-out can simply be overlooked.”
And in many cases, deployers secretly hope service won’t be an issue for several years after the project goes live.
“When purchasing a car, appliance or home electronics, you don’t think the device will fail because it’s new,” said Tony Lomazzo, VP of business development with Tyngsboro, Mass.-based Marathon Deployment. Marathon provides a full range of IT services with clients in the retail, hospitality and business services verticals around the world.
“When it comes to POS hardware and kiosks, though, you want to ensure your investment is protected on day one,” Lomazzo said. “This service needs to provide same day or next day onsite service. If your investment is inoperative this will cost you customers and will affect your bottom line. You should always protect your investment by adding the extended service.”
Editors Note – example
IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES
Assistance with Multi-site deployment/installation Services
Dedicate Rapid Response team for Break-fix/Service issues involving unattended solutions (i.e kiosks, EV chargers, access control, food lockers, etc.)
Additional resources for Staging & Logistics
MANAGED / SUPPORT SERVICES
24/7 Live agent support
Phone, email and online client systems
Helpdesk integration with client systems
Spare parts forward stock for End-Customer rapid response
Here are some real life pictures
Looking inside
Slide out service
Shipping is very important
What Tech Faces
Planning for Success
Servicing self-service devices is more complicated than just pasting a sticker with a toll-free number on the side of the kiosk enclosure.
Nick Manolis, CEO of the Dublin, Ireland-based Escher Group, advises his clients to prepare for a number of servicing activities. Escher provides kiosks, software and other technological solutions for 35 postal operations around the world.
The activities Manolis recommends deployers focus on include:
Soft servicing – keeping the kiosk stocked, keeping receipt/label rolls full, emptying cash if the kiosk takes cash, and general “soft monitoring” of operation. If the kiosk is in a manned office, this may be done by local staff as one of their duties. If it is in a standalone location, then it will require a visit.
Hard servicing – field maintenance (proactive and reactive) and general refurbishment. The kiosk needs to “look good,” especially if it’s your first point of contact with customers.
“Besides servicing the machine, companies also need to interact and follow up with the customer and/or the kiosk manufacturer,” Manolis said.
“A few things can be implemented to make this type of servicing easier, including alerting and self-reporting,” he said. “If the kiosk is not manned, then it should be able to ‘call home’ in the event of a problem such as a jam, paper low and so forth. Besides regular checks, the company needs to be regularly monitoring for both problems and non-use. The lack of use can also be indicative of an issue.”
Train Your Staff
On-site staff should be trained on basic maintenance such as changing receipt paper or rebooting the machine. The ability to monitor and troubleshoot problems remotely can be a major cost saver, especially if a technician needs to drive a long way for a site visit.
Screens need to be cleaned everyday and the right cleaners used. Think of walking into a hospital where basic cleaning doesn’t take place. Incidents like the one recently dramatised by UK tabloid newspapers and McDonalds resulted in some serious actions despite the nature of the report.
Service and maintenance by employees is a direct factor on how much service support you will need. Design the unit for easy servicing and maintenance and productivity will go up for both factors, and costs will go down for both.
Replacing paper in printers would seem to be a common task to train for, yet many times there is only one person who has taught themselves to do it.
Make sure the unit and components are designed to be serviced. Provide tools internally if necessary. Sometimes you can actually have customers do some of the servicing for you.
Ever grab a grocery cart at Krogers? Maybe you got one of the cleaning wipes out of the canister and wiped it down before taking into the store. Happens all the time and it helps keep the carts cleaner and safer.
Some real-life examples below:
Here is a credit application kiosk. Complete strangers and prospective customers approach and provide detailed information for a credit application. They get a printout. That printer requires paper replenishment (which is a good ROI indicator in itself). The problem is that the unit is designed so that employees leave the internal components accessible to anybody in order that they may easily change paper. But what if I were a bad hacker? The computer is exposed too, and I can just as easily insert a USB malware drive into the unit and record all the credit information entered. Perhaps I may be able to breach the actual office system and conceivably the corporate system..
It may make it easier to change paper but it is NOT the way to do it
Another real-life example would be cash cassettes. A super-major telecom provider with bill pay units had a severe cost problem with cash cassettes being damaged by employees when removed and re-inserted. They literally dropped them, often on the floor resulting in damage. Those costs were well over 300K a month just servicing those damaged cassettes. And it could have been averted by proper training.
In McDonalds, every one of those units has locks which operate to track and audit access by employees. They were designed in and they are not cheap, but in the overall scheme they are a bargain in the reduced service costs they might otherwise incurred. And it is worth noting that the original locks did not provide audit access but they were selected because they could easily be upgraded later to include auditing. That’s thinking ahead and saving yourself some budget. Look ahead and have a plan for success.
Types of Service Needs
In addition, service needs will vary depending on the type of service the unit provides. Informational and transactional self-service share much of the same technology, but their complexity varies greatly. Informational self-service projects are usually much smaller in scale with prepackaged software and information that can easily be rolled out to a self-service unit.
A transactional solution, on the other hand, is typically defined by its integration with a payment device or ecommerce module. With a transactional kiosk, there are more challenges around data security and payment processing. As such, transactional self-service projects are always more expensive and require more strategic planning.
<“Anything that’s transactional and helps drive revenue is likely going to require service much more quickly,” Vallieres said. “Anything that’s transactional and tied to the deployer’s business plan will typically have requests for a much quicker response time. If it’s informational, that may be a lot more flexible.”
Keeping kiosks healthy can be made easier with the use of kiosk management software. Tools that notify kiosk owners that maintenance is needed, paper is out, or the printer is jammed can optimize staff time and increase kiosk up time. The use of kiosk management software is just as important as staff availability for fixing hardware issues on site and keeping abreast of kiosk downtime.
Utilizing kiosk system software and keeping that software up to date is another way to avoid security holes and downtime. Updating to the latest version available can reduce bugs, security holes, and other issues that can cause downtime.
Having people maintain the kiosks and the hardware is one thing, but the maintenance of software over time, and the features that can assist with monitoring kiosk needs/health/states can be vitally important to the success of a project.
A changing approach
In addition to ensuring that kiosk uptime remains high, planning for service from project conception can have a major impact on the cost of that service.
While designers may approach a project from the perspective of how the kiosk looks, they don’t always consider serviceability. That’s something that can drive service costs through the roof.
“Speaking from experience, manufacturers sometimes think, hey, we’re going to put this box together and it ends up weighing 1,200 pounds or it needs to be bolted down, and the access panels are in the back,” Vallieres said. “Those are some of the issues that need to be taken into account that manufacturers don’t always think of.”
And who will provide that service is another issue that needs to be nailed down from the very beginning.
As the use of self-service devices in the marketplace changes and expands, so is the way service is provided. Some manufacturers offer service as part of a kiosk project, while others partner with third-party providers. In addition, the growth of the “gig economy” has spawned companies such as Field Nation, Upwork and others that make it possible for deployers to keep up with repairs and maintenance without the expense of an in-house service staff.
However they choose to approach it, though, deployers need to do their homework, talk with other deployers and examine the provider’s history.
“Design the software, the kiosk, the service aspects and the service plan for both Soft and Hard service needs all at the same time,” said Frank Olea, CEO of Olea Kiosks. “ And as time goes on, monitor your approach and adjust as needed. Don’t go it alone thinking you’ll figure it out when it happens. We don’t jump off cliffs and think about a parachute after the fact.”
Easily create a secure public-facing kiosk. PR originally published on PRNewswire
ORK, Pa., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Analytical Design Solutions Inc. (ADSI) has released a new product to secure the Chrome™Operating System. KioWare for Chrome OS™ is a kiosk application used with Chrome OS Kiosk Mode to secure the Chrome Operating System and activate additional interactive kiosk features.
KioWare for Chrome OS Configuration tool provides an easy set up with attract screens, restricted access, session management, and more.
Users with the Chrome operating system activate “Chrome Kiosk Mode” on their device. They then add the KioWare for Chrome OS kiosk application to provide additional features and security not available using Chrome OS kiosk mode alone. Learn more about setting up a Chrome OS device with KioWare for Chrome OS.
KioWare Lite for Chrome OS includes features such as:
KioWare for Chrome OS is available in a free fully functioning demo. Download, configure, and test, then license by purchasing an annual subscription. One license is needed for each deployed kiosk running KioWare for Chrome OS. Volume discounts are available.
KioWare has been providing OS, desktop, and browser lockdown security for the kiosk and self-service industry since 2003 and Android software since 2012.
About KioWare
KioWare kiosk software secures an application or website on Windows or Android devices, restricting user access to approved behaviors and protecting the user and network data. KioWare is fully customizable and offers solutions ranging from browser lockdown to full server-based kiosk management. From simple out of the box configurations to more complex integrations, KioWare is trusted by developers, IT professionals, marketers, Fortune 100 corporations, and small business owners. The KioWare team is based in York, Pennsylvania, with an office located in Reading, UK. Choose the best KioWare product for any self-service project and download a fully functioning free trial at KioWare.com.
kioware-for-chrome-os.png KioWare for Chrome OS KioWare for Chrome OS Configuration tool provides an easy set up with attract screens, restricted access, session management, and more.
kioware-for-chrome-os-logo.png KioWare for Chrome OS Logo
Editor Note: Originally published Feb 25, 2019 – article link
Telehealth Kiosk Manufacturer Market Report 2019
Telehealth Kiosk for Libraries Guide Report
Telehealth is expected to become an essential part of a healthcare system and programs in the future. Telehealth kiosks allow health care professionals to treat patients at distance using telecommunication technology. Telehealth stations outfitted with telemedicine capabilities such as telephony and video conferencing with healthcare providers. Telehealth self-service can lower healthcare costs to the patient and reduce visit and wait time.
Telehealth kiosk has tools and capabilities such as store and forward diagnostic data and report. This capability of telehealth kiosk help to have access specialists anywhere. The systems have tools to track vital signs and other health data which is more beneficial for patients. Telehealth kiosk could reduce the number of transfer between one facility to another off-site medical facility which is helpful in reduce transportation cost and provide early diagnosis. Telehealth kiosk is designed to meet specific healthcare requirement in one in all solutions. Telehealth kiosk has features such as medical devices for clinical examination such as the stethoscope, Spo2 sensors, and blood pressure monitor. Telehealth kiosk is also available with special features such as ADA assistance devices for deaf, blind and limited mobility patients.
Telemedicine Kiosk Market: Drivers and Restraints-
Increasing need of urgent care medical service expected to favor the demand for the telehealth kiosks. Technological advancement in the medical industry expected to impel the growth of telehealth kiosk market. Increasing demand for telehealth services in rural and urban areas in an advantage of minimum time duration is a major driving factor of telehealth kiosk market. Evolution and advancement in medical data transferring through telemedicine systems propel the growth of the telehealth kiosk market. Telehealth kiosks are gaining popularity in developed countries as high demand for healthcare cost reduction. Rise in partnership with manufacturers and hospital and pharmacies for telehealth kiosks are expected to favor the growth of the telehealth kiosk market.
In July 2018, Rite Aid Pharmacies signed a deal with California-based telehealth provider InTouch Health. Growing use of telehealth kiosk as the digital pharmacy is a major factor expected to boost the growth of telehealth kiosks market over the forecast period. Telehealth kiosks are able to administer the limited number of common medicines. Strong reimbursement policies for telemedicine have also favored the growth of telehealth kiosks market. However, the lack of trained manpower to support telemedicine and medical education expected to restrain the growth of the telehealth kiosks market.
On the basis of application, telehealth kiosk market can be segmented as:
Vital Sign Monitoring
Teleconsultation
Digital Pharmacy
On the basis of the end user, the telehealth kiosk market can be segmented as:
Hospitals
Community Clinics
Pharmacies
Telehealth Market: Overview
Telehealth kiosk is very helpful to provide healthcare facilities to rural and remote areas. Telehealth kiosk is beneficial for emergency and critical care situations, to provide access to healthcare services and reduce the cost of patient transfer. Telehealth kiosks are the better option for the overcome shortage of trained healthcare professionals and provide cost-effective medical consultation
Telehealth Market: Region-wise Outlook
In terms of geography, the market has been divided into seven regions including North- America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia- Pacific excluding & Japan (APEJ), Japan, Middle-East & Africa, and Latin America. North America is the most dominating market for telehealth kiosk market due to increasing partnership and investments in telemedicine sector and government initiatives for healthcare cost reduction. Western European expected to contribute second largest revenue share in telehealth kiosk market due to increasing adoption of telemedicine services, technology advancement, and increasing need for emergency consultation. The Asia Pacific excluding Japan telehealth kiosk market is expected to gain a high growth rate over the forecast period due to increasing healthcare spending and increasing digitalization. Increasing public-private partnership for the advancement of healthcare infrastructure, information technology, healthcare services expected to favor the growth of the APEJ telehealth kiosk market.
Example of some market players participants in global telehealth kiosk market identify across the value chain are American Well, Olea kiosks Inc., Computerized Screening Inc., H & S Quality in Software SpA, AMD Global Telemedicine, Inc., InTouch Health, Computerized Screening Inc., ZIVELO Inc., and others.
Meridian Continues to Grow: Searching for Their Next Innovative Engineer
Aberdeen, NC — December 11, 2018 — Meridian, an industry leading manufacturer of indoor and outdoor kiosks, interactive digital signage, and self-service software, recently announced plans to continue expanding their Engineering and Design team. In doing so, Meridian is looking to onboard an additional experienced Kiosk Design Engineer.
“We’re excited to continue growing the Meridian team as we move into the new year,” said Meridian CEO, Chris Gilder.
Meridian’s plans to continue expanding their Engineering and Design team follows their decision, earlier this year, to restructure their manufacturing leadership. Welcoming Eric Frank, Engineering Manager, to the Meridian team was a key aspect of that restructuring. As Engineering Manager, Frank is now responsible for leading Meridian’s engineering and design teams and collaborating with sales, manufacturing, and quality assurance to create new designs and improve upon existing ones. The Design Engineer will work directly under Frank and will play a key role in the fast-paced engineering team.
In addition to collaborating with Frank, and other members of the Engineering and Design team, the Design Engineer will also be working directly with the sales and production teams, as well as some of the largest tech companies in the world on a regular basis. The primary responsibilities of the Design Engineer will include creating sheet metal self-service kiosks and related products in SolidWorks, creating 3D-view and isometric drawings, and working from printed drawings, as well as taking conceptual drawings and renders and creating designs from those concepts.
“As self-service solutions have grown in popularity and found their place in a variety of industries, Meridian has noticed a steady increase in demand—especially for custom solutions.”
With nearly 20 years of experience in creating self-service solutions, Meridian is a kiosk industry pioneer, therefore the Design Engineer must also be well-versed in the kiosk industry and possess a proven portfolio of unique and effective designs.
Meridian is a self-service industry pioneer and fully integrated manufacturer of kiosks and digital signage. For nearly two decades, Meridian has specialized in helping companies optimize brand impact and extend brand reach. The Meridian team understands that together great minds create even greater solutions.
Partnerships such as Intel, HP, Panasonic, Samsung, NEC, and others have allowed Meridian’s team to collaborate, challenging the status quo to create innovative and engaging self-service solutions.Meridian differentiates itself by building kiosk solutions completely in-house.
When Mzero software was born in 2009, Meridian became one of the largest end-to-end self-service solution providers in North America. By owning the entire process, Meridian can guide clients from start to finish, creating a robust solution to help reach specific goals.
Meridian’s headquarters are located in Aberdeen, NC – only a 10 minute drive to Pinehurst and Southern Pines, NC. For more on what the Moore County area has to offer, visit our local Convention and Visitors Bureau website, www.homeofgolf.com.
To learn more about the Design Engineer position and apply, interested candidates can visit https://www.meridiankiosks.com/meridian-seeks-experienced-kiosk-design-engineer/.
This article is republished from the Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. blog
2018 Recap POP Kiosks
Katie KochelekNovember 14, 2018
It feels like just yesterday I was opening a fresh Word document to start writing a wrap-up for 2017, and here we are rounding out 2018.
With retail transforming at a rapid pace, it’s not terribly surprising that the year has flown by. The industry has witnessed some undeniably innovative changes – checkout-free convenience stores, an embrace of self-service kiosks in the quick service restaurant (QSR) and fast casual industries, and augmented reality playing a larger role in personalizing the customer experience. On the flipside, we’ve also bid farewell to some traditional retailers that sadly couldn’t keep stride with their more inventive competitors.
All in all, though, 2018 really shone a spotlight on the winners of the brick and mortar sector of retail – those willing to regroup, reinvent, and reestablish a presence in their various verticals.
I sat down with my Frank Mayer and Associates, Inc. colleagues to get their unique perspectives on the point-of-purchase and retail industries in 2018. My questions and their answers are below.
How would you sum up the last year in the point-of-purchase industry?
Mike Mayer, President MM: Still solid. Brick and mortar retail remains strong but will need to continue striving to provide a positive and exciting experience to attract customers. Then the retailers need to continue to change to keep them coming back.
David Anzia Senior Vice President of Sales DA: There appears to be more category-managed merchandising and displays. It’s about streamlining the shopper experience and removing competing graphics, colors, and messaging. I’m also seeing more measured, ROI-based models for all displays. Because brands tend to have a smaller inventory on the product shelves, ROI is tested even more in regard to how quickly the product sell-through takes place.
Cheryl Lesniak Integrated Marketing Manager CL: It’s been quite the shake-up in retail this past year. Those retailers who are willing to embrace technology to provide a customized consumer experience are proving why brick-and-mortar stores are still integral in the shopping experience.
Joe Holley Vice President of Business Development JH: OEMs and retailers have had a challenge this year. I’ve noticed in client meetings that many are trying to reinvent themselves to combat online ordering and home delivery as well as separate themselves from the rest of the competition. They’ve had to really examine brand equity issues with buying groups. How they shop and how quickly they want items has an impact.
Ryan Lepianka Creative Director RL: It appears the ‘pie’ is redistributing with less market share being used at major department store chains, and more warehouse outlets relying heavily on point-of-purchase to tell a product’s story in the absence of sales associates. In some retail stores, the level of style and experience in POP has increased, with brands at these outlets focusing their spending on portraying a ‘showroom’ appearance. After all, while customers may end up making their purchases online, a great display can still help purchasers make a brand decision as people feel better about purchasing something they have seen and touched under favorable circumstances and not just only viewed on their phones.
What changes or trends did you see emerge in 2018?
DA: A trend toward more category-managed displays as well as the use of more semi-permanent materials on permanent displays to reduce overall costs.
JH: I saw a lot of retailers take a step toward “pick up in store” capabilities. It seems to help them minimize some inventories and offers more products that don’t need SKUs out on the floor. It ends up being a win for the customers as well when they don’t need to pay for freight to the store.
CL: We’re seeing multiple e-commerce sites branch into the brick-and-mortar sector, but with nontraditional marketing and customer service plans.
RL: In 2018, I saw better looking, more dramatic, bigger, bolder, more innovative, higher-quality displays in focused retailers.
Was there anything that you thought would be big, but ended up being less impactful?
MM: With so much buzz around self-service kiosks, I expected greater implementation of order entry kiosks in the QSR sector. While slower than originally believed, I think 2019 will be the year we really notice them being executed in-store.
DA: Virtual reality still hasn’t quite caught on at retail. It’s a great solution for flagship locations or a small segment of a company’s overall store count, however, at this point, VR does not appear to be a technology-based resource that will help consumers make a buying decision at retail.
RL: I agree about virtual reality. Apparently, the overall cost and inconvenience (for example, dangling cords, obtrusive headsets, etc.) has been too much for the marketplace to overcome this year. More development is needed to bring this technology into the mass consciousness. I’m hopeful that phone processing power will one day reach a level to help this take off.
Any surprises from certain industries?
DA: The proliferation of self-checkout across a number of retail chains. The momentum will only continue to accelerate through 2019.
JH: Home delivery being offered from grocery stores. Not only can you pick up curbside at the story, but now they’ll deliver your order directly to your home. In fact, Kroger is testing driverless cars that pull up to your driveway and require a code to access your groceries. Even George Jetson didn’t have that benefit!
RL: Not a big surprise, but I continue to see more QSR kiosk examples in the field.
CL: The department store sectors have had to reinvent their traditional models to extend a more experiential shopping trip to customers. Testing products, tailoring services, makeup tutorials, dining experiences – these offerings are drawing the consumer in while the merchandise feels less “center stage.”
So where do our trusty experts see the point-of-purchase market heading for 2019? Keep an eye out for our first blog post of the new year where we predict what the industry has in store!
Designed for system integrators and installers, the new Diamond Level focuses on video wall mounting systems for direct view LED displays
AURORA, Ill. – November 14, 2018 – Peerless-AV®, an award-winning designer and manufacturer of the highest quality audio and video solutions and accessories, is pleased to announce the launch of the newest level of its Certified Installer Training Program – the Diamond Level. This level, entitled, “Video Wall Mounting Systems for Direct View LED Displays,” is led by long-time industry experts who have the sales application and engineering experience to make every job successful for those who attend.
Peerless-AV’s new Certified Installer Training Program course provides instruction on direct view LED displays and video wall mounting systems. Participants will learn about direct view LED technology and the benefits of these displays, allowing professionals to identify the features of LED video wall mounting systems. In addition, the course will focus on distinguishing between and the installation of flat, pull out, universal, and dedicated LED mounts. Finally, participants will learn how to understand and explain the preparation and installation procedures for configuring these video walls. Step-by-step instructions for completing an application will also be provided.
Peerless-AV’s, now five-level, Certified Installer Training Program is designed to give system integrators and installers an edge on the competition by providing them with both industry education and Peerless-AV-specific training; the trainings are compliant with continuing education standards and are certified by both AVIXA and CEDIA.
Offering in-person or online webinar options, these value-added courses demonstrate the importance of proper installation techniques and safety, and address efficient methods to reduce the risk of faulty installations. Attendees will receive customized, hands-on sessions to fit their installation needs, and detailed takeaway resources that can be referred to again and again.
The Diamond Level is the fifth level in Peerless-AV’s award-winning program (each level offers 1 AVIXA CTS RU credit and 1 CEDIA CEU credit after completion):
Bronze Level: Getting to Know the Basics
Includes training for flat, tilt, pivot, and articulating wall mounts, and projector/display ceiling mounts with ceiling accessories.
Silver Level: Fundamentals of Digital Signage Solutions
Includes training for basic video wall mounts and carts, menu board wall mounts, and kiosk product overview with installation tips and tricks.
Gold Level: Advanced Digital Signage Solutions
Includes training for full service video wall mounting options and multi-display ceiling applications.
Platinum Level: Mastering Wireless and Outdoor Solutions
Includes best practices for installation and set-up scenarios for wireless systems, outdoor displays and sound bars, media enclosures, and touch overlays.
Diamond Level: Video Wall Mounting Systems for Direct View LED Displays
Includes training on direct view LED displays and video wall mounting systems, including the benefits of such technology and how to properly install both flat and pull out video wall mounting systems.
About Peerless-AV Driving Technology Through Innovation
For over 75 years, passion and innovation continue to drive Peerless-AV forward. We proudly design and manufacture the highest quality products, ranging from outdoor displays to complete kiosk solutions, digital signage mounts to wireless systems. Whether a full-scale global deployment or custom project, Peerless-AV develops meaningful relationships and delivers world-class service. In partnership with Peerless-AV, you are trusting an award-winning team of experts who will support your business every step of the way. For more information, visit peerless-av.com.
Throughout 2018 Vista assessed Olea on behalf of its customers. This included testing the durability of the hardware, its ability to integrate with Vista’s platform, and accommodate the varying needs of theatre sizes. During this time Olea won the 2019 Frost & Sullivan Customer Value Leadership Award, which ranks industry participants by value in terms of price, product performance, service, and brand loyalty.
Appetize Contacts
homebuyers to click on different content by touching the glass from the exterior.
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