My goal for this series of articles on kiosk software development is to give an overview on the basics of developing kiosk software that’s both a joy for your customers to use and adheres to the guidelines of PCI-Compliance. This is more of a series of general guidelines and tips based on my 7+ years of experience developing and dealing with other people’s kiosk software not a comprehensive how-to guide. When I use the term “kiosk software” I’m referring to any software running on a kiosk in a self-service (unattended) environment regardless of the technology used. The kiosks our company commonly deals with are running Microsoft Windows so I’ll use terms like “Web app” or “Windows app” when referring to the kiosk software but feel free to substitute whatever technology is appropriate for your environment. This first article in the series will cover the basic considerations you’ll have when getting started on your first kiosk software project and later articles I’ll get into more advanced topics like security, payment processing and more.
Should my kiosk software be web based or a Windows app?
Originally we did all of our kiosk software development as web based (specifically ASP.NET web applications) because the kiosk lockdown software we were using only supported locking down the Internet Explorer web browser not a Windows application. After several years of trial and error I now prefer developing Windows based .NET WPF apps for our kiosk. We’ve found it’s much more responsive because the processing is done client-side and also reduces the load on the server. Interfacing with complex hardware devices is also easier when the logic is performed client-side. Speed of the internet connection is much more of a factor when using the web browser since a lot more bandwidth is used to deliver the content. We had cases where the kiosk would perform great at most client’s sites and then we’d come across a site where the client had opted for a cheap (slow) internet connection and the web browser would get really laggy and occasionally fail to load content. To which we would lamely respond with recommending a better internet connection. In short if you value responsiveness and want to minimize bandwidth and load on the server then create your kiosk software as Windows software not web based.
Replace the Window Explorer shell with your own kiosk software
This is a really cool feature of Windows that allows you to run your kiosk software as the Windows shell instead of explorer.exe. This means that Windows will boot right into your kiosk software at start-up. This can be accomplished easily enough by modifying the Windows registry value “HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell” and replacing explorer.exe with your kiosk software. This is a great way to minimize memory usage when launching Windows and is perfect for a kiosk environment. If you need to launch additional software take a look at the registry value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Making your kiosk software touchscreen friendly
This was a must for our kiosk software since many of our client’s kiosks did not include a physical keyboard. It was surprisingly involved to create a “skinnable” touchscreen keyboard that was easily “brandable” to our client’s look and feel but I’m going to save you some heartache here. We originally wasted a bunch of time creating an HTML keyboard and styling it via CSS but we had cases where the web browser control failed to load the keyboard (even though it was stored locally) and so we ditched that idea. Instead we ended up creating a XAML keyboard and loading it via our WPF kiosk software. It ended up being much more responsive and reliable which is one more reason I prefer creating our kiosk software as Windows software over a web app.
Summary
Developing kiosk software that is both a joy to use and secure is a daunting task but many others have done it before you so take heart. Using a kiosk lockdown software can also help offload much of the development I’ve outlined above and address the security concerns I’ll cover in the next article.
Our company has created some easy to use kiosk lockdown software called KioskSimple (www.KioskSimple.com) to do just that so you can focus on developing your kiosk software and leave the security of your kiosk to us.
The next article in my series will focus on the security aspects of “hardening” your kiosk software. Please follow me on Facebook at facebook.com/kiosksimple or Twitter @kiosksimple
How To Improve Accessibility – Testimony by Eve Hill July 2022
Testimony of Eve Hill during Senate Hearing. She calls out the Social Security Administration intake kiosks, calls for enforcement tools among other things and ending the immunity of the federal government for its wide-ranging violations. Interesting point raised “if Access Board is given enforcement authority”. Many thanks to Bill Goren and Understanding the ADA
“In a world in which digital communications and services happen at the speed of light, people with disabilities must not be left to rely on slow, obsolete, and expensive analog technologies,” Eve explained in written testimony. “If websites aren’t accessible to people who are blind or low-vision, if videos are not captioned for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and if kiosks are not built to communicate flexibly, people with disabilities are not just inconvenienced – they are shut out.”
About Eve Hill — Partner at Brown Goldstein & Levy and was formerly a Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division. She has spent her career implementing the laws protecting the rights of people with disabilities.
During her testimony, Eve offered her insight on the meaning and history of technology accessibility law as it pertains to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires all federal agencies to make all their information technology accessible to people with disabilities. She also addressed areas where government oversight and accountability can be strengthened and best practices for achieving/maintaining web and technology accessibility in the federal government.
Excerpts from Testimony
If websites aren’t accessible to people who are blind or low-vision, if videos are not captioned for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and if kiosks are not built to communicate flexibly, people with disabilities are not just inconvenienced – they are shut out.
Many individuals with vision disabilities use screen reader software that can convert visually delivered Internet content into an audio or Braille form; however, the visually-delivered content must be properly formatted and structured for the screen reader to work effectively. For instance, a screen reader or similar assistive technology cannot “read” an image. Thus, when images appear on websites they must be paired with “alt-text” that describes the image for screen readers to read. In addition, individuals with vision and manual dexterity disabilities often cannot effectively use a mouse, so websites need to be coded to allow navigation using the keyboard.
As the Court in Robles v. Dominos Pizza, LLC, explained, “Defendant contends that its phone line is an acceptable accessibility substitute for its webpage and App. This is not true; it is undisputed that Plaintiff waited over forty-five minutes before hanging up on at least two occasions. No person who has ever waited on hold with customer service – or ever been hungry for a pizza – would find this to be an acceptable substitute for ordering from a website.
in February 2022, 96.8% of the top one million home pages still had accessibility barriers. Each page had an average of 50.8 accessibility errors. A user with a disability can expect to encounter one error in every 19 home page elements they use. And most of these errors are simple – low contrast text, missing alt-text for images, incorrectly labeled form inputs, empty links or buttons, and failure to identify the site’s language. If these accessible elements had been incorporated as a matter of course in the design of the site, they would have added nothing to the complexity or cost of the site. In fact, they would have made the sites work better for everyone. The WebAIM Million, The 2022 Report on the Accessibility of the Top 1,000,000 Home
Pages, https://webaim.org/projects/million/.
While issuing digital accessibility regulations for federal, state, and local governments and agencies is a good first step, it is also critical to issue regulations addressing the web accessibility obligations of public accommodations under Title III of the ADA. Private entities, including retail stores, restaurants, medical professionals, entertainment, schools, gyms, and service providers, play significant roles in our lives. Now that they have mostly moved their goods and services online, people with disabilities cannot afford to wait for equal digital access.
in 2021, the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation found that 30% of the most popular federal websites were not accessible and nearly half had access barriers on at least one of their most popular pages.
If this is the result for websites – the simplest form of information and communication technology to make accessible – one need not guess at the level of accessibility of other forms of technology, such as self-help kiosks, telehealth platforms, multimedia trainings, and office equipment
In fact, the accessibility of those types of technology is dismal. Clients of my firm, alone, are currently dealing with trainings required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that are totally unusable by screen readers, and intake kiosks used by the Social Security Administration that are not usable by blind people. In each case, people with disabilities are being forced to rely on third parties, and even to reveal private information to strangers, such as security guards, in order to receive service at all.
The Social Security Administration has also, as a policy matter, refused to adopt accessible technology at all. For example, it insists on wet-ink signatures on various documents required to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, in spite of the wide availability, security, and accessibility of electronic signature programs. Although the agency began accepting e-signatures temporarily as a result of litigation during the pandemic, and did so successfully for nearly 18 months, it has refused to change its policy on a permanent basis.
For Section 508 to be effective, the federal government needs to stop the inflow of inaccessible technology into its agencies. This requires agencies to pay attention to accessibility at the beginning of a procurement or development. Agencies often rely on Voluntary Accessibility Product Template forms or other statements from vendors made during the procurement process to support their assumptions that selected products meet the Section 508 standards. Unfortunately, these statements are often aspirational, misleading, or confusing and too often do not ensure accessibility. This is particularly problematic when agencies such as the Treasury Department or GSA purchase technology that is then used across the government.
If the Access Board is given enforcement responsibility, it must also be given appropriate authority to respond to complaints, to conduct compliance reviews, to engage in informal enforcement activities, such as public notices of violation, and to engage in formal enforcement, such as administrative compliance orders. Of course, with a staff of fewer than 30, the Access Board does not currently have the resources to meet its current responsibilities and add responsibility for oversight of federal government digital offerings.
Congress should amend Section 508 to make clear that both taxpayers and federal employees have a private right of action to enforce the law. In addition, Congress should explicitly waive the government’s sovereign immunity to such suits – another argument that has been raised by the government but not decided by the
courts.
Congress should ensure that agencies have strong tools to hold their vendors accountable – including contract recission, liquidated damages, indemnification, and specific performance. Congress should insist that agencies actually use those tools and requiring regular reporting on technology products that were found to be inaccessible, the vendor responsible, and the action taken to remedy the breach.
More Testimony
Anil Lewis Executive Director for Blindness Initiatives
The Social Security Administration offers good and bad examples of providing equal access. In one instance, the introduction of technology has made it more difficult for a blind person to access SSA services. Formerly, I would go into a Social Security office, pull a number and wait an indefinite time alongside other citizens. This was frustrating, but equal. With the implementation of the new Social Security kiosks, which are inaccessible to the blind, I am confronted with the option of coordinating my visit with a sighted friend or family member, or asking a complete stranger to enter my Social Security number into the inaccessible kiosk to be added to the service cue. In another instance SSA has demonstrated the benefit of accessibility through the creation of one of the most accessible websites within the federal government. At one time, it was extremely easy to use my screen reader to access the information provided at https://www.ssa.gov/. Unfortunately, this was only as long as the individuals familiar with the technology were on staff. The access continues to diminish as the trained staff retires, or leaves for other employment.
News from the U.S. Access Board • September/ October 2017
Access Board to Host Workshop Comparing Accessibility in the U.S. and Australia
GSA Holds Interagency Forum on Refreshed Section 508 Standards
Access Board to Meet November 15
Upcoming Board Webinars
Mayer-Rothschild Foundation Releases Report on Grab Bar Research
Transportation Research Board Issues Airport Wayfinding Guide
Voting Kiosk ADA
Access Board to Host Workshop Comparing Accessibility in the U.S. and Australia
The Access Board will host a workshop with accessibility experts from Australia on November 13that will compare how building accessibility is addressed in Australia and the U.S. The public is welcome to the free event which will explore methods used in both countries to regulate, monitor, and enforce compliance with accessibility requirements. The goal is to foster a better understanding of how covered entities meet their responsibilities under civil rights and other laws governing access to the built environment.
Representing Australia will be Michael Small, a former government official and the recipient of a Churchill Fellowship to study building accessibility from an international perspective. He was active in drafting Australia’s building accessibility regulations and standards and also produced a variety of resources to assist building professionals in meeting them. He will be joined by Robin Banks, a consultant in human rights who formerly headed the Australian Public Interest Advocacy Centre and served as a state Anti-Discrimination Commissioner.
The Access Board has invited panelists from disability rights organizations, building codes groups, government, the design profession, and industry. The structured portion of the program will run from 9:30 to noon. Following a break for lunch, there will be an informal guided discussion with invited panelists, other participants, and members of the public that will cover implementation, particularly in relation to alterations and additions to existing facilities. The public can attend in person or remotely through a phone bridge with communication access real-time translation (CART). Call-in instructions and the CART link will be posted on the Board’s website at a later date.
For further information, contact Marsha Mazz at (202) 272-0020(v), (202) 272- 0076 (TTY), or [email protected].
Achieving Access for People with Disabilities in the Built Environment: An International Comparison November 13, 9:30 – 12:00 (ET), followed by an informal discussion after the lunch break
Access Board Conference Center
1331 F Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, D.C.
Dial-in Number: (877) 701-1628, International: (517) 268-2743; Passcode: 69545743
CART Link: [to be posted] Note: For the comfort of all participants and to promote a fragrance-free environment, attendees are requested not to use perfume, cologne, or other fragrances.
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GSA Holds Interagency Forum on Refreshed Section 508 Standards
The General Services Administration (GSA) held an interagency forum on accessibility to information and communication technology (ICT) on October 13 at its national headquarters in Washington, D.C. The full-day event focused on the refreshed Section 508 Standards issued by the Access Board in January which apply to ICT procured, developed, maintained, or used by federal agencies. The Access Board and several other agencies partnered with GSA in conducting the event, including the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Homeland Security. It attracted over 350 attendees from government, industry, and advocacy.
The day started off with welcoming remarks from Dominic Sale, Deputy Associate Administrator for GSA’s Office of Information, Integrity & Access and a keynote address by Access Board Executive Director David Capozzi.
“Although section 508 only applies to the federal government, its impact has been felt in state governments, the private sector, and around the world,” Capozzi noted. Last year, the U.S. government spent about $80 billion on ICT; when you can harness that purchasing power to drive accessibility, progress is bound to happen.
Capozzi recounted the history of Section 508 and called attention to its global effects. “The European Union now has a new set of ICT accessibility standards – modeled after our updated section 508 standards; Australia is using public procurement to drive accessible technology; and, Canada is developing a new law that will address public procurement of ICT as well,” he stated. “The world is paying attention to what we do here.”
The forum featured a series of workshops organized into tracks on ICT development, agency policy, and the revised 508 Standards. Representatives from the Access Board and other agencies conducted the sessions which addressed different aspects of Section 508 and the standards, including major changes in the updated standards, how the standards apply to federal acquisitions, IT development contracts and the IT lifecycle, revisions to federal agency Section 508 policies, testing methods and other topics. The event also provided an opportunity to publicize new tools and resources, including a“Toolkit” on the revised 508 standards developed by an interagency transition team and the Information Technology Industry Council’s recent release of an updated Voluntary Product Accessibility Template which businesses can use to document product conformance with the revised standards.
For further information on the Section 508 Standards, visit the Board’s website and GSA’s section508.gov website.
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Access Board to Meet November 15
The Access Board will hold its next meeting on November 15 from 1:30 – 3:00 (ET) at the Board’s conference space in downtown Washington, D.C. The public is welcome to attend in person or through a live webcast of the meeting. A public comment period will be held during the final 15 minutes of the meeting. Those interested in making comments in person or by phone should send an email to Rose Bunales at [email protected] by November 8 with “Access Board meeting – Public Comment” in the subject line. Please include your name, organization, state, and topic of your comment in the body of the message.
Meeting of the U.S. Access Board November 15, 1:30 – 3:00
Webcast link: www.access-board.gov/webcast
Access Board Conference Center
1331 F Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, D.C. Note: For the comfort of all participants and to promote a fragrance-free environment, attendees are requested not to use perfume, cologne, or other fragrances.
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Upcoming Board Webinars
The next webinar in the Board’s free monthly series will take place November 2 from 2:30 – 4:00 (ET) and review differences between the ADA Standards and counterpart provisions in the International Building Code (IBC) and the accessibility standard it references, the ANSI A117.1 Standard. While the ADA Standards and IBC/ANSI A117.1 were largely harmonized, substantive differences remain. In addition, the newly released 2017 edition of the A117.1 standard includes additional changes not reflected in the ADA Standards. A representative from the International Code Council, which maintains the IBC and published the new A117.1 standard, will partner with the Board to highlight differences between these documents, answer questions, and clarify common areas of confusion.
For more information or to register, visit www.accessibilityonline.org. Questions can be submitted in advance of the session (total limited to 25) or can be posed during the webinar. Webinar attendees can earn continuing education credits. The webinar series is hosted by the ADA National Network in cooperation with the Board. Archived copies of previous Board webinars are available on the site.
Section 508 Best Practices Webinar
The Board also offers a free webinar series on standards issued under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act which requires access to information and communication technology in the federal sector. This year’s sessions focus on the updated Section 508 Standards published by the Board in January. The next webinar in this series is scheduled for November 28 from 1:00 to 2:30 (ET) and will review available resources explaining the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. Issued by the W3C’s Web Accessibility Initiative (WIA), WCAG 2.0 is a globally recognized, technology-neutral standard for accessible web content. The Board’s updated Section 508 Standards reference WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria Level A and AA and applies them not only to web-based content but to other electronic content as well. This session will cover various technical assistance materials issued by the W3C’s WIA to support use of the WCAG 2.0, including a customizable reference guide and guidance on developing conformant web content.
For more details or to register for this session, visit www.accessibilityonline.org/cioc-508/schedule. The Section 508 Best Practices Webinar Series is made available by the Accessibility Community of Practice of the CIO Council in partnership with the Board.
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Mayer-Rothschild Foundation Releases Report on Grab Bar Research
At the Access Board’s September meeting, Board members received a briefing on the results of recent research sponsored by Mayer-Rothschild Foundation on grab bar specifications for independent and assisted toilet transfers in residential care facilities.
The study used subject testing to assess preferred configurations, dimensions, and placement of grab bars at toilets. Project Director Jon Sanford of Georgia Tech’s Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access and Margaret Calkins of the Mayer-Rothschild Foundation presented the findings from the project. The study tested the side and rear grab bar configuration required by the ADA Standards, parallel fold-down grab bars on both sides, and customized configurations preferred by test subjects. The subject pool included seniors who can bear weight and transfer independently and those who required assistance. Researchers collected feedback from both elders and caregivers on various specifications, including grab bar length, height, positioning, as well as spatial dimensions and clearances for assisted transfers.
There was strong preference, highly consistent among transfer types, for a hybrid configuration with fold-down grab bars on both sides approximately 13″ – 14″ from the toilet centerline along with a fixed grab bar on one side two feet from the toilet centerline. The optimal configurations were further tested in follow-up field trials and in laboratory biomechanical evaluations. Researchers also conducted force tests on bilateral fold-down grab bars to determine their maximum weight capacity.
These and other findings are discussed in the project report, “Determination of Grab Bar Specifications for Independent and Assisted Transfers in Residential Care Settings.” The research was funded by the Hulda B. & Maurice L. Rothschild Foundation, a national philanthropy dedicated to improving long-term care for elders. Visit the Mayer-Rothschild Foundation’s website for further information.
Transportation Research Board Issues Airport Wayfinding Guide
The Transportation Research Board (TRB) has published a guidebook on airport wayfinding for people who are elderly or have a disability under its Airport Cooperative Research Program. The new resource,Enhancing Airport Wayfinding for Aging Travelers and Persons with Disabilities, offers best practices for improving and optimizing information for wayfinding and travel by people with cognitive, sensory, or mobility challenges in the complex environment of airports. It is intended to help airport operators and planners implement pedestrian wayfinding systems in standardized accessible formats to better serve travelers with disabilities or who are elderly.
The guidebook includes an airport wayfinding accessibility audit, guidance on creating wayfinding plans, information on best practices and available technologies and state-of-the-art techniques for wayfinding, and other topics. Further information is available on TRB’s website.
Kiosk Software – NEW to KioWare for Android – Improved Wi-Fi Management & Expanded Guided Setup Assistance
Kiosk Software Version 3.13 of KioWare for Android is now available. New Guided Setup options have been added to make it easier to create a custom start page, set up your device to play videos, and add a start page for use with KioCall video conferencing. KioWare has also added a number of features to improve the use of wireless networks. KioWare for Android also adds the ability to create a reboot schedule for Samsung devices running KNOX.
September 2017, York, PA – Analytical Design Solutions Inc. (ADSI) has released a new version of KioWare for Android kiosk software allowing users to create a custom start page and improving the wireless network experience, as well as other changes and additions.
Custom Start Page Creation – Easily add buttons and modify styles to create a custom start page
Version 3.13 of KioWare for Android (Lite, Basic, & Full with Kiosk Management) has added new options to the Guided Setup tool. This tool (first available in version 3.12) helps new users quickly and easily configure KioWare. In Version 3.13, the Guided Setup wizard has added options to select the type of deployment they will be needing from additional options including start page creation, video player set up, and KioCall video conferencing portal customization.
Improved Usage and Management of Wireless Networks
KioWare for Android 3.13 has also added features to improve the use of wireless networks on your kiosks. KioWare for Android allows for setting up a Wi-Fi access point list, automatically connecting to networks in the list when KioWare starts, saving networks to the list, and managing existing access points. A Wi-Fi indicator button is also now an option for use with the custom toolbar. This shows the strength and connectivity of the Wi-Fi network, and, optionally, the network name.
Additional new features for KioWare for Android (Lite, Basic, Full with Kiosk Management)
Click for full size image
New guided setup options include:
Custom start page setup – If you don’t have your own web content, you can now create a custom start page with custom buttons to navigate to URLs, open apps, or make calls with KioCall.
Video player setup – Creates a portal page with buttons that will show full screen video content.
KioCall portal creation – Creates a portal page with buttons for making calls with KioCall.
The ability to automatically connect to networks in the list when KioWare starts.
The ability to save networks in the list.
The addition of an option to clear known Wi-Fi access points.
The ability to create a Wi-Fi indicator toolbar button:
Shows the strength and connectivity of the Wi-Fi network.
Indicates the network name (SSID) when you click the button.
Support for Android 8.0 (Oreo™)
Web pages can now receive JavaScript events when the Wi-Fi status changes.
End users can now control screen brightness:
An option has been added to create a toolbar button to allow kiosk users to control the screen brightness.
JavaScript functions can also now be used to control the brightness from web pages.
Via the addition of a JavaScript long click event, web pages can now respond to long clicks on the screen.
Using Samsung KNOX and the KioWare Samsung Support App, Samsung devices with KNOX enabled can reboot the device on a schedule.
KioWare can now be configured to set PDFs to display within a current tab or a new tab.
Support has been updated for Star Micronics Printers.
KioWare Basic for Android and KioWare Full for Android now support these additional Star Micronics Printer Models: TSP100U/ECO, TSP100GT, BSC10, TSP-L10, SM-S210i/230i and the mPOP mobile printer.
Licensing KioWare for Android
A license is needed for each deployed kiosk running KioWare for Android. Quantity pricing is available. Annual support and maintenance is recommended and current support is required in order to upgrade. View a full description of features for this and other versions of the KioWare product line.
All of these products are available as a free trial download. Existing clients have the ability to upgrade.
KioWare has been providing OS, desktop, and browser lockdown security for the kiosk and self-service industry since 2001 and Android software since 2012.
Parabit has received commitments from 7 of the top 20 Commercial US Banks for 10,000 plus units over the next two to three years. Over the last 4 weeks 3 US Commercial Banks have upgraded their ACS-1E systems with MMR’s or installed MMR’s with our ACS-1E ATM Lobby Access Control System at over 400 ATM Lobby locations.
For good info on an outdoor display, digital signage, kiosks and drive-thru’s one of our favorite sources is Keyser. Their latest blog entry on Outdoor displays doesn’t disappoint. Did you know about IK ratings? What vandalism might an outdoor advertising display for Tesla in 2025 be prepared for?
Summary
Overview of IP Ratings in Outdoor Display & Digital Signage
If you have any specific aspects of IP ratings or digital signage you’d like to explore further, feel free to ask ([email protected])
Additional
While there isn’t a direct equivalent to IP ratings specifically for wind resistance in outdoor displays, there are several factors and standards that address wind-related concerns:
Wind Load Ratings: These are crucial for outdoor structures, including signs and displays. Wind load is a measure of the pressure wind exerts on a structure, depending on its size, shape, and the wind speed. The American Society of Civil Engineers provides standards for calculating acceptable wind loads based on the maximum expected wind speed in a location
Why did you join RSPA? We joined RSPA to gain more visibility on the hardware and services we provide to the ISV community offering point-of-sale solutions in retail and other verticals.In one sentence, what do you want RSPA members to know about your business?
UCP Inc. is an authorized distributor and value-added reseller of payment hardware that you can rely on to configure and deploy your terminals correctly, and trust to support your merchants post installation.
Name one fun fact that makes your company different from others.
We decided long ago that we would never have an automated answering service. We treat our clients like family, and when family calls, you answer!
What new/existing technologies do you have an interest in learning more about?
We are really interested to see the innovative ways ISVs are leveraging AI in the retail and payment industries.
What would you tell other resellers like you about the need to join RSPA? The member directory of the association’s website is a valuable tool in finding partners and solutions to resell in numerous industry verticals.
What is the most encouraging thing you see for the future of the point of sale technology industry? Since we specialize in payment systems for self-service we are often solutioning for harsh outdoor environments, so we are encouraged to see the adoption of contactless only payment technologies in our industry.
This is a look at Walmart Self Checkout thru the lens of NCR who is the primary provider of SCOs and the service and maintenance. We see Walmart trending towards using its own SCO design and “moving away” from NCR. Obviously Walmart is NCRs biggest client for hardware, software and services. Having spent time in the NCR headquarters at Bentonville, we were given an inside view of the operation which for NCR has historically been massive, and a huge source of revenue.
Time to take another look as one the journals is looking for data.
Question: Could you tell me, or tell me where to find, the number of self-checkout machines/terminals currently being deployed by retailers in the U.S. for a story I’m writing?
Answer:
A reasonable “estimated total” for 80% of US is over 200,000? Figure hw/service/support at 20K a unit and its a 4 billion dollar industry for the Fujitsu, NCRs, Toshiba, etc of the world.
Do Amazon hubs and USPS self-pickup count? Whole bunch of other numbers.
Number of SCO Self-Checkout units in US aka Walmart Self Checkout
Here are the number of stores for some of the top retailers in the United States per copilot with number of estimated SCO per store in brackets:
Walmart: There are 4,618 Walmart stores in the United States as of April 15, 2024 [10]
Amazon: The number of Amazon stores in the United States reached 528 in 2020 [5]
Costco Wholesale: There are 606 Costco stores in the United States as of March 19, 2024 [10]
The Home Depot: As of the end of the fiscal year 2023, The Home Depot had a total of 2,015 stores in operation throughout the United States [5]
The Kroger Co.: As of the end of 2023, The Kroger Co. had a total of 9,395 stores [10]
Walgreens Boots Alliance: Walgreens Boots Alliance operates close to 10,000 stores throughout the United States [1]
Target: As of February 3, 2024, Target had a total of 1,956 stores open throughout the United States [8]
CVS Health Corporation: As of the end of 2023, CVS Health Corporation had a total of 9,395 stores
Lowe’s Companies: As of January 28, 2022, Lowe’s Companies had a total of 1,737 stores in the United States [6]
Albertsons Companies: As of the third quarter of fiscal year 2020, Albertsons Companies had 2,253 stores [5]
The true number is well north of 300K is my guess
Seems to be an “audience grabber” for many media outlets (Forbes e.g.) beating up on self-checkout. Maybe that tone gets them more eyeballs and clicks (and more ad dollars). Used to be truth and accuracy in journalism was bigger than the national enquirer/globe type panderings. I’m 70 so I remember some of the good old days.
Self-checkout only gets bigger and bigger. Easier to spend more money, and faster. Used to have clerks handling dollar bills. Now it’s NFC and facial (low friction)
Biggest problem with SCOs and retailers is that too often they overweight their checkout mix of SCO-versus-Clerk. Too many SCOs and not enough clerks is a problem. Generally 4-to-1 SCO versus clerk and often higher.
Costco has the best SCOs. Those are “attended” self-checkouts and the employee does all the work in your cart scanning.
The numbers seem to be holding for 2024 as they did in 2023.
In this report – 190K were shipped in 2022 and NCR had 1/3 of the shipments. This means that NCR shipped almost 63K units. You can figure that 2/3 of those were to the US or about 40K.
So in the last three years.. NCR has shipped over 100K in the US.
Let’s look at it a different way… Let’s assume that NCR has held a 30% ship share for the last 5 years. AND you use 190K (which is high) but you assume that only 50% are installed in the US (which is low).
If you just do 30% for the last 5 years you are at 285,000 units of NCR installed.
Digital Signage Software – Improved Device Integration and Content Management for Interactive Displays
SiteKiosk Online has unveiled its latest update, Version 1.5, introducing new features and improvements to enhance and simplify managing and deploying interactive displays for better user experience and functionality. This Cloud-based Kiosk and Digital Signage software is used for various interactive displays, such as HR Kiosks for employee self-service and product information displays in retail and corporate spaces. SiteKiosk Online is a Cloud subscription and licensed server software for on-premises deployments. Free trial accounts at https://us.sitekiosk.online
Digital Signage Software Enhancements:
Improved Hardware Support: The update streamlines incorporating predefined hardware, such as Nexmosphere devices, into kiosk projects. Version 1.5 extends support for various sensor and hardware devices, including:
● Nexmosphere (light, motion, distance sensors)
● MaxBotix (ultrasonic distance sensors)
● Generic emulated keyboard devices
● Serial port devices
New Calendar Element: Users can now display customized daily schedules on displays using iCal links from popular online calendar services like Google or Outlook.
Revamped File Manager: A new file manager for Windows clients enables administrators to manage files across multiple folders.
New File Explorer: A new file explorer for Windows and Android clients allows for flexible positioning within projects to display files like PDFs and videos.
Additional Features:
● Custom buttons can be added to the taskbar and browser toolbar for personalized functions.
● New predefined virtual keyboard layouts are available.
● The browser toolbar can now be positioned at the top or bottom of the screen.
● Users can override system colors for text, icons, and highlights.
“We are thrilled to announce the release of SiteKiosk Online Version 1.5, which represents a significant step forward in our mission to provide cutting-edge solutions for interactive displays," said Heinz Horstmann, CEO of PROVISIO, LLC in Miami, Florida. "This update reflects our commitment to innovation and responsiveness to customer needs. The improved device integration and enhanced content management features will empower our clients to create more engaging and efficient interactive experiences.”
HIMSS 2024 was our first booth at the show and it started as a 10×10 and then went to 10×20, and then finally ended up as a 10×30. Traffic was lighter than expected but we brought in many highly qualified leads looking for patient kiosks and telehealth. Around 200 total which is more than NRF.
Physically the show may be the most taxing of all. If you were older than 35, you “complained” about the very long walks (Freeman service center was more than a mile away e.g.)
The show not only covered patient kiosks, wristbands, and telehealth, but thin client is a big deal at hospitals. Single sign on Imprivata e.g. LG Business had a huge booth showing all types of healthcare computing. Here is the link for very impressive 3D walk thru of their booth.
click for full size – LG HIMSS and “check out” the slick check-in kiosk
PREVIEW
Be sure and visit us at HIMSS 2024 in March. The Kiosk Association’s mission is to inform and educate. Membership is open to all companies. Contact [email protected] — at HIMSS 2024 we will also be offering our Advance Regulatory Guidelines.
Kiosk Association Booth #2189 – Make an Appointment!
Stop by the booth and be scanned so you get our Association guidance doc on what you can expect for regulatory accessibility changes in July by U.S. Access Board.
YourDolphin — See our kiosk bundle for ambulatory & hospital outpatient clinics.
REDYREF Telehealth kiosk solution for“always-on access” to care.
ImageHOLDERS – Experts in digital kiosk solutions in the healthcare sectors.
Kiosk Innovations – will have their brand new patient check-in unit there at booth
Boca Systems, Inc. — BOCA produces thermal printers, known worldwide for their speed, reliability & durability. BOCA’s wristband, badge and label printers, combined with their experience in barcode and RFID encoding, are well-suited for the health technology environment.
At the Show — Our Regulations Change Advance Notice will be available. Our insight and predictions for upcoming accessibility and ADA changes by U.S. Access Board in July.
OTHER MEMBER BOOTHS TO VISIT
LG Electronics – LG Business Solutions offers various form factors of Cloud Devices along with cutting-edge medical-grade monitors that provide excellent image quality to healthcare providers across the globe. LG’s excellence in display products can add value to your work environment with better performance and lower costs.
LG Business kiosks & digital signage & thin client
22Miles – AI-enabled visitor and wayfinding software
For more information contact [email protected] or call Craig at 720-324-1837
MORE BOOTHS
ACF in 2806
Certify 863
Connected 2090
Glory Star 5476
IGEL 4362
Phreesia 6661
RFIdeas 3313
Samsung 2667
VIDEO OF ACCESSIBLE KIOSK CHECK-IN
See At Our Booth 2189
About Kiosk Association
Kiosk Industry will feature patient check-in kiosks & telehealth in our booth 2189. Assistive tech from Storm Interface for tactile navigation on standup and countertop kiosks. Pyramid and Imageholders will provide those kiosk enclosures. See the YourDolphin screen reader + magnifier on an ECS Entropy kiosk. Also the latest telehealth kiosk as deployed by RedyRef. Kiosk Industry and the Kiosk Association is an industry co-op comprised of over fifty companies in self-service and can provide market research and RFP examples. Learn from the experts and join the community. It is free assocation for self-service. Contact [email protected] for more info
Smart City project by Peerless-AV — Pierson Computing Connection, Inc. is proud to share a recent installation of a Peerless-AV Smart City Kiosk at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, completed in partnership with our friends at CDW.
These state-of-the-art outdoor kiosks are designed to replace static signage and elevate campus communication with dynamic, real-time content. Perfect for sharing campus news, wayfinding, event info, weather updates, and more — all in a sleek, modern design built to withstand the elements.
The Smart City Kiosk features:
✅ 55″ Xtreme™ High Bright Outdoor Display with full HD 1080p resolution — crystal clear even in direct sunlight.
✅ All-weather rated enclosure for long-term durability.
✅ Optional 10-point IR touch overlay for fully interactive experiences.
✅ Easy installation without the need for heavy equipment.
✅ Locking rear door for simple maintenance access.
By integrating this advanced kiosk technology, Fayetteville State University is taking a big step toward improving campus engagement and streamlining information sharing.
👏 Big thanks to CDW and Peerless-AV for being great partners in bringing this project to life!
A tall outdoor digital display in a Smart City setting features a screensaver of a palm tree and sailboat. Its lower panel is open, revealing internal electronics. A person from Peerless-AV crouches beside it, working with a laptop to ensure seamless operation in North Carolinas vibrant environment.
A person is crouched down, skillfully working on the wiring of a tall, metallic structure that is part of the Smart City initiative outdoors. The structure stands near the entrance of North Carolina’s Charles A Lyons Science Complex, with several boxes and shadows cast on the ground.
A digital kiosk from Peerless-AV with a large touchscreen display stands on a grassy area next to a sidewalk. It showcases a beach-themed desktop wallpaper. This Smart City feature enhances the outdoor scene under the clear sky, surrounded by North Carolinas buildings and trees.
A Peerless-AV digital kiosk showcases a desktop wallpaper of a tropical beach scene, complete with palm trees and a sailboat. Situated in North Carolina, this smart city feature is positioned on a grass patch by the sidewalk, framed by nearby buildings and trees.
A Peerless-AV outdoor digital display panel, showcasing a computer desktop with palm trees, graces the sidewalk. Nestled near a modern building and lush trees under clear skies, it embodies the essence of a Smart City in North Carolina.
Excerpt from very nice article on Fast Company covering Walmart and its IRL lab stores. Great example of inventory management and fulfillment via AI and cameras
When Amazon launched its first Go store in 2018, the public lined up around the block to see the future of retail: a new experience where you could walk in, grab something off the shelf, and walk out. Sure, there were cameras on the ceiling and AI on computers tracking silently from above, but the promise was convenience through automation–maybe not The Jetsons, but a better 7/11 for certain.
Now Walmart has shared its version of the future of brick-and-mortar retail, the Intelligent Retail Lab, or IRL for short. Unlike Go, it doesn’t feature any futuristic user experience. There’s no automated checkout or similar whiz-bang head turner that people will Instagram about. Instead, IRL can track Walmart’s inventory in real time with unprecedented efficiency, making sure every item on every shelf is always in stock.
Rethinking the entire shopping experience, as Amazon Go has done, was not on the table. “It’s just not a priority for us right now, as we think about it,” says Mike Hanrahan, CEO of IRL (which is technically a startup within Walmart itself). Instead, the IRL store has 1,500 cameras hanging from the ceiling to ensure that when you walk up to the meat section, there’s in stock. “If you have really good inventory, it leads to a better managed store,” says Hanrahan. And a better managed store is a more profitable one.
Walmart Ghost Kitchen Kiosks Now Offer Restaurant Kiosks
Updates to the story:
8/19/2021 – Hospitality Ghost Kitchen Expansion — Butler Hospitality recently added the Canopy by Hilton Washington DC Embassy Row to its list of 100+ hotel clients. Ghost kitchen for hotels specializing in virtual room service and catering for hotels.
Post on NRN March 2021 — Locations will offer kiosk-based ordering on-site and third-party delivery of restaurant and CPG food brands
Click for full size — ghost kiosk kiosk walmart kiosk
Wendy’s News 8/11/2021– Wendy’s on Wednesday also unveiled an ambitious update to its global development plans. It now expects to have between 8,500 and 9,000 locations worldwide by 2025, up from a previously forecast 8,000. That growth will be aided by three new initiatives:
A new $100 million build-to-suit development fund is expected to result in 80 to 90 new franchised units.
Lowered liquidity and net worth requirements for prospective franchisees.
Cloud Kitchen Factoids
Top 500 players is around 230,000 units in US.
Figure another 500,000 independent restaurant operators
Percent of units offering delivery — now around 90% (Dairy Queen is 89)
RTN June 2021 — Market surveys indicate that half of enterprise brands will launch some form of ghost, host or cloud kitchen concept in 2021, and that the global cloud kitchen market size, estimated at $43.1B in 2019, is forecasted to reach $71.4B by 2027.
Numbers from Restaurant Dive as of Oct 2020 — The U.S. currently has 1,500 ghost kitchens, putting it ahead of the U.K. market (750), but behind China (7,500+) and India (3,500+), according to Euromonitor estimates from July.
Excerpt:
The new service will allow shoppers in those locations to select items from the menus of about 15 national and regional restaurants and CPG food concepts, including Quiznos, Saladworks and others, combined in a single order. The on-site kitchens, meanwhile, will also serve as delivery hubs for those brands via third-party delivery services such as Uber Eats.
In the Wild – SEVA at Walmart check-in kiosk (take a number)
Seva operates microstores in Walmart and for customer check-in you take a number though you use a kiosk to get the number. The kiosk is a tablet which is sandwiched between black particle board on spinning lazy susan (as they say here in the states). I might call it the Black Oreo.
Walmart Innovation Lab 415-C is opening submissions to technology companies wanting to be selected for Walmart’s “Technology Innovation Open Call” on Oct. 6, 2016. Submission deadline is July 22, 2016 or the first 250 submissions. Submissions should include a three-minute video and written overview of the company.
During the open call event, vendors will meet with key technology leaders to pitch innovative solutions/technology for retail, logistics, big data, security and social media. It is anticipated that more than 100 of Walmart technologists, leaders and senior leaders will meet with companies.
“As part of Walmart Technology, Lab 415-C actively seeks to engage emerging technology in order to better understand how to serve our customers,” said Tom Douglass, director of Walmart Lab 415-C. “Our goal in the event is not only to offer these companies a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but to keep Walmart on the cutting edge of technology.”
Not only is the open call aimed at finding technology, but it is also designed to companies to better understand working with Walmart Technology. To accomplish this, Lab 415-C will be hosting an information session prior to the pitch event.
The Walmart Lab 415-C “Technology Innovation Open Call” event is part of the 2016 Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit hosted by the Northwest Arkansas Technology Council as part of the Bentonville/Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce.
Submission deadline is July 22, 2016 or the first 250 entries.
You will be notified by August 1, 2016 if your company is selected for the Open Call. If selected your company will travel to Bentonville, Arkansas in October to present.
With the recent news of the Walmart Innovation Lab 415-C soliciting new tech ideas, I thought it would be useful to look back at one of the original Star Labs.
From March 22, 2002
Technology Spotlight — NCR Room 504
In these days of busted budgets and deferred deployments, it was a real treat while at the ATMIA show in Florida, to be invited to the rumored-to-exist-to-date “Room 504”. This is name NCR gives to the private display of futuristic technology concepts. I personally applaud NCR for this fantastic commitment to the future in this time of budget scrutiny. I know other companies such as Intel and others have their own scenario labs and I count myself very fortunate to have been given a peek into NCRs.
What is Room 504?
It is the brand name for NCR’s Future Concepts. It is NOT the location or room number (tell that to the elevator operator in NCRs Dundee Scotland Headquarters!).
The idea was introduced to customers back in 1998 by NCR’s “Self Service Strategic Solutions” team, who have been instrumental in the develoment and introduction of many future concepts and ideas.
SSSS monitors the key indicators which highlight potential changes which will impact business; they then build concepts which demonstrate possible future senarios. Keeping a close eye on “disruptive technologies” and how they influence new business models is key to a company being a core participant.
The feedback and knowledge gained from these concepts influence the design and development of NCR’s new solutions.
Back to the Show!
Mark Grossi, Chief Technology Officer from the NCR Financial Solutions Division (out of Dundee, Scotland) and Neal Schwartz, Vice President Convenience TouchPoints, NCR Financial Solutions Division (USA) were the hosts in Florida.
I actually have had some dealings with Mark and the Dundee group prior to this when I was gathering reseach, comments and perspective from various Association members regarding Biometrics and specifically Facial Recognition. I had a presentation at a conference in London in February where I presented on this subject. Mark and Group were very helpful and encouraging towards my presentation and I consider myself very fortunate for the opportunity to work with them on this subject. I would be remiss if I didn’t also thank Tim Peterson and Dan Palczynski of NCR as well. The presentation is accessible at http://www.kiosks.org/smi.
In the photo is Morrison Reyner, Mark Grossi and Bob Sutherland by the way.
Before we started there was the inevitable NDA to sign. Once that was out of the way my NCR Room 504 tour was led by Mike McNamara with Mark and Bob Sutherland (all from Dundee). In the photo is Morrison Reyner, Mark Grossi and Bob Sutherland by the way.
The most interesting concept that I took home just happened to be the very first one and that was the idea of “prestaging transactions”. I like that concept!
(Note: I cannot describe precisely what I saw as that would be in violation of my agreement and the consequences at the very least would be that Mark and company could not buy me beer! It’s actually much more serious than that of course).
Somewhat younger Keefner and Grossi
Anyway back to the tour — they took my picture at the first “point”, which always makes anyone nervous. I decided to even the match a bit and whipped out my Palm Pilot with my hand carefully obscuring what could be 802.11x transceiver. Mark smiled and squinted a bit trying to eyeball my palm. Mission accomplished I revealed I didn’t have a transceiver. Tech war in Florida! Count me in…
Seriously though, other concepts which got lodged in my brain were “object computing and communcation”. All types of objects. My own longtime favorite of personalization was not lost on this crowd as they had pushed the envelope in that regard. One bit of very good advice from Mark is to learn to leave preconceptions at the door. Harder to do than it sounds take it from me.
All of which also communicates some very basic concepts that all of us are aware of. One, is never put all of your eggs in one basket. Another is that Consumer Trends and Consumer Behavior is something that must be constantly evaluated and tracked. Don’t make people wait. Handle all types of media.
Some people will wonder if looking ahead to the future makes perfect sense. I used to work geophysics for Litton Resources back in the 70s and we had our own specially funded “Star Wars Group” in the UK that looked ahead. Exxon, Shell and Chevron were our big clients (and that’s pretty big…). Back then experts were predicting that the world’s oil reserves would be completely depleted by 1995. That didn’t happen because we found new ways to find oil. I noticed BP Chairman Sir John Browne talking about the tremendous new reserves in deepwater Gulf of Mexico just the other day. Like it or not, technology advances occur and make tremendous economic impact. If Exxon and Shell had restricted themselves to West Texas, yes we would’ve run out. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
I really want to thank the guys (and gals) from Dundee and NCR Financial Division in general for the opportunity that they extended to me.
Note: The concepts on display at Florida were a very small segment of the concepts that SSSS has developed (I will guess I was exposed to at best one of ten).
And to close, just to introduce the SSSS team I do have one picture of the main team in Florida cutting up for the camera. “Freedom” for customers to conduct transactions and to manage their information safely and more effectively is a concept which any company serving customers can appreciate….
The end of an era. Appears Walmart has decided to pull out of the photo print kiosk business. Kroger did this about 12 months ago. This is a picture from a relatively new Walmart located right near Boulder, Colorado.
Disabled Shoppers Struggle With Inaccessible Self-Checkouts
This is NOT a kiosk
Dec 1, 2022 – New article from Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on inaccessible self-checkouts. Blind people, wheelchair users and others say the design of typical self-service machines prevents them from shopping independently. By Katie Deighton — we continue to see major media taking the “increase our viewership” tactic by less than accurate article critical of self-checkout. Latest example is the Guardian article on “not living up to promise” [thanks Ross Tocher].
Update:See our post on another article by by Food Institute. Includes comments from Toshiba, Storm Interface and also Kiosk Association. One distinction that we like to make is that self-checkout at grocery stores is closely aligned with Point Toshiba kiosk of Sale terminals and in fact are truly just hybrid customer-facing POS terminals or platforms.
This is a kiosk
You can see on the Toshiba site how they categorize their self-service offerings with three iterations one of which is what we call a standup kiosk. The “warts” which are the POS terminals attached to these are almost always the complicating factor. Money transfers have that effect. We are impressed with Toshiba responding. You might think NCR would respond but probably they have their hands full right now in the middle of their reorganization of retail and financial divisions (the financial division being banks and ATMs generally).
grocery store self-checkout
Summary In Brief
Good to see continued awareness
RBR, who counts NCR and Toshiba as clients, estimates rising shipments
2018 – 80,000
2019 — 141,000
2021 – 200,000
Not sure how many new, how many replacements
Speed is the main driver
Pretty weird health justification. You are definitely more vulnerable in self-checkout than you are in a line with clerk, at least when it comes to airborne which is 10X the factor of surfaces touched.
Picture of Marks and Spencer and actions they tool
McDonalds in an airport. Are these employee assisted? Look like standard Verifone terminals.
NFB Hackert recommends headphone jack, screen-reader sw and tactile keyboard
Hackert puts the responsibility on the vendors providing the kiosks
Fast-food restaurants should offer unassisted accessibility
Academic explains kiosk purchase process
The article quotes — In the U.S., regulations concerning technological accessibility don’t specifically cover self-service checkouts and kiosks. And ATMs are standard.
Walmart 2018 legal victory in Maryland with staff assistance is referenced (nothing about 2017 California verdict against)
Eve Hill comments on privacy and she is always good to hear from
Article closes with pointing to U.S. Access Board future actions.
Note the distance reach to POS terminal. Click for full size
Despite its gated accessibility for articles, the WSJ is still a welcome communicator of accessibility issues.
It’s unfortunate that it is the Walmarts and Krogers (in the US) do not feel the imperative to demand better accessibility engineering from vendors like NCR and Toshiba. Maybe they do in California where the Unruh Act has already bit Walmart.
Probably, the occasional settlement these companies pay is relegated to the cost-of-doing-business accounting column (much like casinos). FOBS or Fear of Being Sued is reserved for SMB which do not drive that market.
Headphone jacks are fine, as long as they work and many don’t, especially in the ATM world
There are regulations (operable parts for example) that are applied to kiosks.
There is a big difference between “regulations covering” and “regulations enforced”. Take a look at compliance at the federal and state level where Section 508/etc is absolutely mandated.
Regulations in the private retail space are decidedly different than in the federal and state space but enforcement remains low in both.
Note all the merchandising at foot level. This is Kroger which is Toshiba. Click for full size
Those same POS devices which are used in unattended are most times not certified by PCI SSC for unattended cardholder data (aka CAT or Cardholder Activated Transaction). The large retail chains want economies of use by using the same device across attended and unattended and figuratively “twist the arm” of the POS provider to provide conditional exceptions on liabilities. That reduces provisioning costs and service costs for them.
You have to wonder how McDonalds deploys non-CAT certified POS devices “outside” their restaurant (airport terminal e.g.)
These are NOT kiosks. They are hybrid POS customer-operated. Lots of them on counters at stores where you “swipe” your card.
Too often these articles leave the impression that there is some essential kiosk that everybody sells.
The buying and deploying companies issue their RFP with requirements laid out.
The vendors recommend adding accessibility options.
The buying and deploying companies check with bean counters and budget
They decline the additional options
Another real-life example is the AT&T Bill Payment machine. The POS device is mounted out of ADA spec, and at the insistence of AT&T we think because some marketing person thought “it looks better at that angle”.
It’s noteworthy that authorities in the kiosk industry are never interviewed for these articles or the POS providers for that matter (which are always the key trigger point). Consultants and academics have their own vested interests and to a large extent the term “kiosks” is used almost as a deflection. Simplifying the equation, it is mostly a touchscreen in tandem with POS device.
Stores’ self-checkout machines can annoy shoppers with error messages about unexpected items in the bagging area and other hiccups. But for some disabled people, they are often unusable.
Blind people can have trouble navigating the touchscreens. Deaf people might not be able to troubleshoot on kiosks that connect to a customer-service worker located somewhere else. And wheelchair users sometimes can’t reach or see the screens, or fit their chairs comfortably in the space allocated to each checkout.
The problem is spreading as companies continue to install self-service transaction machines around the world, some disabled people and disability-rights activists say. It also has the potential to put the brakes on companies’ efforts to automate much of the shopping experience in the name of speed and cost savings, as lawyers and lawmakers begin to scrutinize accessibility in a retail context.
“Why should I have less choice on how I check out my shopping just because I have one leg and I’m in a wheelchair?” said Lyndsay Watterson, an above-the-knee amputee who lives in the U.K. and has founded Neo Walk, a maker of fashion-forward walking sticks.
Self-Checkout – click for full size
“I don’t want to go to a staffed checkout because I’m still vulnerable to catching infections, and I don’t want someone else handling my stuff,” she said. “[Self-checkout] just cuts out that extra person that you’ve got to interact with.”
Comments
So given all these reasons to not use self-checkout at grocery, why is it flourishing?
The biggest reason companies are deploying Self-Checkout now is that they cannot get enough employees to run their stores. COVID helped move the trend further, but retailers must do more with less. There are 3 million fewer retail workers than we had pre-COVID, but 10,000 new stores. So self-checkout helps retailers move employees to other functions like Click and Collect, preparing meals, and picking digital orders. This is just one technology of many that retailers are deploying to help redeploy labor and lower costs. — Greg Buzek of IHL Services
Retailwire Nov 2022 — Headline: Have grocery self-checkouts been designed to disappoint? — In recent months we have read Wegmans announce that it is pulling its self-checkout technology because of concerns over theft; Tesco is facing customer displeasure with its self-checkouts; Albertsons is redeploying self-checkout after an eight-year hiatus; Kroger added Everseen’s Visual AI to its self-checkout POS; and Walmart wants to eventually have all cashier-less stores. The direction of self-checkout is varied.
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 is incredibly important, and a good one can keep customers coming back time and time again. To help guests navigate drive-thru menus, companies like Sonic, McDonalds, and THE.FIT have incorporated AI into their ordering to create a seamless transaction.
Taken from PSFK’s Food Service Debrief report, take a look at how these innovators have redesigned ordering to offer personalization and enhanced convenience:
Sonic, Mastercard and ZIVELO
Global payment company Mastercard has partnered with self-service kiosk technology provider ZIVELO to trial AI-based voice ordering at select locations of the drive-in chain Sonic. At the restaurant, guests place their orders with an AI-powered voice assistant, while an integrated digital menu display can be customized in real time, taking into account context, like weather, time of day, season and location, as well as specific customer preferences. The system aims to streamline repeat orders and use data to offer personalized suggestions and loyalty rewards that are more relevant.
More specific details on an implementation schedule, company-owned versus franchisees, new kiosk versus existing kiosks expected prior to NRF 2022 which at the KMA Booth 1606 Storm will be showing the latest in accessibility technology.
Worth noting that in hospitality, Marriott uses the AudioNav now. Airline check-in such as Southwest Airlines has been using for a long time.
Storm Interface is also leading an open conference call later this month which will be a discussion session on strategies for extending accessibility to all manner of self-service. October 28th at 11 am CT. Contact [email protected] for invite. Limited seating available.
The technology will be added to all existing kiosks in company-owned restaurants in California, and 25% of existing kiosks in other U.S. states. [company-owned restaurants]
McDonald’s only operates around 5% of its roughly 14,000 U.S. restaurants, the company said. The rest are run by franchisees.
The company said it would add the new accessibility function to all new kiosks installed in any U.S. restaurant after July 1, including those sold to franchised restaurants.
“Initiatives to improve accessibility to products and information for those with disabilities or impairments should be recognized and applauded”, say Storm Interface.
Storm Interface, manufacturers of the AudioNav system interface, are working with McDonald’s to accelerate improvements in the accessibility of McDonald’s restaurant kiosks. McDonald’s was recently recognized by the National Federation of the Blind for its achievements in accessibility. Storm are pleased to have had an opportunity to work with McDonald’s delivering an effective audible and tactile customer interface.
“From the first meeting it was clear that the McDonald’s team had recognized the challenges faced by those who could not see, read or interact with a touchscreen” said Peter Jarvis SEVP at Storm Interface. “We were (and remain) impressed by their willingness to explore and implement new ideas and new technologies. Storm are delighted that the AudioNav device was chosen by McDonald’s to provide the integrated audio connection and tactile interface for navigation of restaurant menu options.”
“Inclusion is at the core of our values,” said Kelsey Hall, Senior Manager of Global Digital Accessibility at McDonald’s. “Implementing new options for our customers to be able to order independently is vitally important to ensuring the restaurant experience is accessible for everyone.”
Storm Interface’s AudioNav device is currently being deployed to McDonald’s corporate owned stores and select franchise locations across the US.
Background Information:
About Storm Interface
For more than 35 years Storm Interface have designed and manufactured secure, rugged and reliable keypads, keyboards and interface devices. Storm products are built to withstand rough use and abuse in unattended public-use and industrial applications. Storm Assistive Technology Products are recognized by the Royal National Institute of Blind People under their ‘RNIB Tried and Tested’ program. https://www.storm-interface.com
On Thursday, McDonald’s announced that it would expand the service to all 14,000 of its American restaurants.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
McDonald’s Chief Executive Steve Easterbrook, speaking at a McDonald’s in New York’s Tribeca neighborhood on Thursday, said the company has long expected customers to adapt to its business model of ordering at the counter and then waiting to collect their own food. Now, he said, “we’re adapting our business around customers.”
The Journal also reports that “test runs at more than 500 restaurants…showed an increase in foot traffic and contributed to a mid-single-digit percentage increase in restaurant sales, lifting the $5 to $6 average check by $1, on average.” Customer satisfaction scores also increased “because families, in particular, appreciate having their food brought to them.” (The company also announced rollout of a new mobile order-and-pay app, which would allow customers to order and pay for food from their smartphones.)
Demonstrating returns is key to convincing franchisees to make the switch, executives said. In a video, one UK executive said sales grew 8 percent in downtown London as a result of the initiative.
With drive-thru seeing an obvious surge in popularity, is this now the blueprint for all out of town QSRs?
Fantastic to be working again with McDonalds on their latest Drive-Thru deployment. A huge part of their future business strategy and a massive benefit for their customers during this past year. — Dean Ward Founder of Evoke Creative
Today at the company’s first investor update in three years, McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski detailed a new long-term growth strategy that hinges in large part on machine learning and mobile software. That might sound strange for a company known more for its burgers than its bitrates. But given its recent investments—including its $300 million acquisition of “decision engine” Dynamic Yield last year—the Golden Arches can lay a convincing claim that it’s as much a tech company as anything else. And given its quick-service ubiquity, where it goes the whole industry will likely follow.
The dramatic changes wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic have made that transformation all the more critical. By mid-April, 97 percent of restaurants in the United States weren’t permitted to host in-person dining, according to market research company NPD Group. That makes the drive-thru—where 70 percent of McDonald’s sales have taken place during the Covid-19 pandemic globally in top markets—existentially important.
“It’s a must-do, now,” says Lucy Brady, who since January has led a new McDonald’s digital engagement effort. “It’s no longer optional.”
It’s no surprise that at McDonald’s, we’ve got a thing for Drive Thru. After all, that’s what happens when you have over 25,000 of them worldwide—the most of any restaurant company in the world. And when you know Drive Thru like we do, you can’t help but ask yourself: what should the future look like?
Already, we’re welcoming a new generation of customers. One that expects more features and convenience than ever before. Lucky for us, we know our strengths, and as we step toward the future we’re doubling down on each of them.
Because what our customers love about McDonald’s isn’t just the food or coffee with a smile on the side, it’s the speed, simplicity and consistency of their entire experience. Our desire to innovate starts here: By using new technologies to revolutionize the way customers pick up their food.
• Easy Ordering and Payment ID: We’ve been cooking up ways to make the ordering process easier and more streamlined with automated ordering and payments made by identifying customers at the display screen.
• Express Pick Up: New technology will alert crew to prep orders when customers are nearby, while dedicated parking spaces ensure fast pick up.
• Express Drive Thru: A new lane lets customers using the app skip the line and get their food even faster (that means less time waiting and more time enjoying delicious, hotter food).
• On-the-Go: A smaller restaurant footprint would focus exclusively on efficiency, featuring Drive Thru, takeaway, and delivery with limited or no dine-in seating.
Growth comes through innovation. After looking at both the landscape and our customer, we’re once leaping even further ahead by obsessing over what works best for everyday McDonald’s customers: speed, convenience, and ease.
Put it all together and you’ve got a McDonald’s experience made with the future in mind. One we hope reaches more than 10,000 restaurants worldwide and offers countless more opportunities for customers to have the experiences they know and love. Experiences we believe could be truly transformative.
At McDonald’s, we’ve been setting the standard for Drive Thrus for more than 45 years. We’re always testing new ideas, learning what our customers love, and exploring ideas that make the McDonald’s Drive Thru experience faster and easier for everyone. Stay tuned.
Self-serve kiosks are making their debut in the fast food industry! The recently renovated 10th Ave. McDonald’s here in Great Falls has just added self-serving kiosks to their menu. Instead of 3 places to order, there are now 8 in the newly designed restaurant.
In an effort to offer a better guest experience, McDonald’s is allowing their customers to have the opportunity of ordering everything themselves.
The staff that was once stuck behind the counter, are now making the experience more personable by helping out on the floor.
For many, the new service is great!
The good news is that these self-serving kiosks won’t be taking jobs away from the fast food industry any time soon. In fact, they’ve created some!
The new kiosks have allowed the opportunity for labor to be directed elsewhere, such as in the kitchen or helping customers on the floor.
One of these new positions is known as GEL, or Guest Experience Lead. This position is designed to help customers understand the new kiosk and order process.
It’s also important to note the new self-serving kiosks are just an option You can still order your meal the traditional way or through the drive-thru.
Overall these kiosks have drastically helped with efficiency and customer interaction.
COMMENTS
Eunice CoughlinJust wanted to share our recent experience with kiosks in McDonald’s. We were at a McDonald’s in Waco, TX on Easter weekend (Sunday) and people were using the kiosks. The problem was that there were not enough kitchen staff to fulfill the orders that were coming in from the kiosks and the regular order takers. People were waiting a good 10-15 minutes for their food. Hopefully, these kinks will be worked out soon. Maybe a solution: disable the kiosks when there’s not enough kitchen staff?
Craig KeefnerThat may be McDonald specific. Paneras process was to first upgrade the kitchens to ensure the higher order level would be met. I haven’t seen anything from McDonalds on expanded kitchen throughput. The kiosks though are desired particularly at the “burst” point so that when the counters are busy, you can still order quickly. Obviously they have some work to do but they may see it as a good problem. Thanks Eunice!
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 charging stations at tables.
The high-tech upgrades are part of its strategy to drive sales by bringing customers back to its stores. The renovations are meant to improve convenience for the customer and modernize the look of the restaurants.
Times Square McDonalds Kiosk Renovation Schedule
McDonald’s originally scheduled all U.S. store renovations to be complete in 2020 but pushed the deadline back to 2022. In 2018, McDonald’s spent $1.4 billion to remodel around 4,500 restaurants. This year, spending is expected to drop to about $1 billion to upgrade 2,000 locations.
On its first-quarter earnings call, executives said that it is finally seeing a “net positive impact” from store renovations that made up for the necessary store closures.
Here’s a look at the new flagship store:
Self-order McDonalds kiosks
Comment by Frieder Hansen CEO of Pyramid.de — Congrats McDonalds: Today Grand Opening NYC Times Square wonderful McDonalds restaurant and 18 polytouch 32“ kiosks are ready to take orders. In close neighborhood, at AMC Theatre Times Square there are 16 polytouch 24“ units, selling cinema tickets since 2 years. Design, performance and reliability makes the difference.
When customers enter the location, the sight of self-order kiosks greet them. Employees are also available to take orders and payment.
Two flights of stairs
Stairs inside the McDonald’s Times Square flagship store
Source: McDonald’s
Times Square sees about 50 million visitors annually. In anticipation of such high demand, McDonald’s has three floors — and plenty of seating.
Second floor
Seating on the second floor of the McDonald’s Times Square flagship location.
Source: McDonald’s
On the second floor, self-order kiosks are also available to order any forgotten items.
Third floor
Seating on third floor of the McDonald’s Times Square flagship.
Source: McDonald’s
The interior’s modern, simple look is meant to contrast with the flashing billboards and bustle outside in Times Square, according to Max Carmona, McDonald’s senior director of global design and development. Its glass exterior gives customers a great view of that activity.
We’re modernizing the customer experience through the intersection of technology and hospitality. Located at the corner of 45th & Broadway, the new McDonald’s Flagship Times Square restaurant represents a commitment to building a better McDonald’s, showcasing the Experience of the Future for our customers.
Designed by Landini Associates and Progressive AE, this new McDonald’s flagship adopts a more composed and at the same time bold approach to restaurant design, creating a calm environment. The three-story glass curtain wall provides customers with spectacular dining room views out into the heart of Times Square. Customers will notice hints of gold and red to celebrate our brand with a modern twist.
And we can’t forget about the technology available for customers within the restaurant. Digital technology is reshaping customer interactions through models like table service, mobile order and pay, self-order kiosks and delivery focused on making delicious feel-good moments easy for everyone.
And that’s not all. Take a look a few fast facts about our newest flagship restaurant:
The 11,199 sq ft building will be one of the busiest McDonald’s in the United States.
3 levels of floor-to-ceiling glass provides spectacular views into the heart of Times Square
Our 9,280 sq ft billboard is the 3rd-largest in Times Square
18 digital kiosks, Guest Experience Leaders and table service await guests
173 seats in a variety of arrangements adapt to customer preferences
YVR’s Innovative Travel Solutions becomes first to pilot
kiosk-based border control solution in the Schengen Area
Iceland airport pilots four BorderXpress kiosks to enhance security and efficiency in preparation for the new EU Entry/Exit System
Richmond, B.C. June 24, 2019: Today, Innovative Travel Solutions (ITS) by Vancouver International Airport announced the implementation of four BorderXpresskiosks at Keflavik International Airport (KEF) in Iceland. The kiosks are part of a six-month pilot to simulate the impending requirements of the Entry/Exit System (EES) of the Schengen Area, which comprises 26 European states that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders. This is a landmark day for both the industry and ITS as they bring their proven expertise in kiosk design and experience as an airport operator to Europe with their end-to-end border control solution, BorderXpress. This is the first automated kiosk-based border control solution in a Schengen member state.
“We recognize the complexity and challenges that many Schengen member states face with the implementation of new regulation for entry and exit border control. Kiosk-based solutions, like BorderXpress, have a critical role to play in helping Schengen member states effectively fulfil the new security and data collection requirements outlined by the European Commission, while also keeping pace with increasing demand for air travel,” says Craig Richmond, President and CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority. “Isavia and the Icelandic Police have shown tremendous leadership in preparing for the new regulations and recognizing the importance of future-proofing their airport with a customizable and adaptable solution like BorderXpress.”
The EES is a part of the Smart Border package introduced by the European Commission. It will be fully operational in all the Schengen countries by the end of 2021. The main purpose of the EES is to register data on entry, exit and refusal of entry of third country nationals crossing the external borders of all Schengen member states through a central system.
“As an airport operator ourselves, we have a unique understanding of the challenges airports in Europe are facing. Our demonstrated success as a trusted partner in over 43 airport and seaport locations globally ensures that we are positioned to guide airports and governments as they prepare for EES,” says Chris Gilliland, Director, Innovative Travel Solutions. “We are confident that our pilot program with Isavia at Keflavik Airport will further demonstrate the adaptability and effectiveness of BorderXpress, making a meaningful impact on travellers, border control authorities and the airport, alike.”
Isavia operates all airports in Iceland, including KEF, which is the largest border crossing point in the country with more than 95 per cent of the passengers entering the Schengen area through Iceland coming through this airport. The BorderXpress kiosks are available for Third Country Nationals (TCN) and EU citizens to use when entering Iceland. The kiosks have been customized to meet specific requirements of the Icelandic police.
“We at Isavia are always looking for ways to enhance and improve self-service automation for our passengers,“ says Gudmundur Dadi Runarsson, Technical and Infrastructure Director at Keflavik Airport. “By running a pilot for this new and innovative solution we want to gather information and prepare ourselves to make the process easier for everyone when the new regulations are implemented. These new kiosks will help to speed up the process for passengers, improve their experience and ensure an enjoyable journey through Keflavik Airport and will provide important information for the development and operation of our new border facility expected to come into use in 2022.”
In July 2018, BorderXpress became the first permanent kiosks to provide Entry and Exit border control in Europe with the launch of 74 biometric-enabled kiosks at Pafos International Airport and Larnaka International Airport in Cyprus.
BorderXpress uses self-service biometric-enabled kiosks to expedite the border control process. At the kiosk, travellers select their language, scan their travel documents and answer a few simple questions. The kiosk also captures an image of each passenger’s face which can be compared with and verified against the photo in their electronic passport. Travellers then take their completed kiosk receipt to a border services authority.
BorderXpress kiosks are proven to reduce passenger wait times by more than 60 per cent. In a recently published White Paper by InterVISTAS, the study concluded that the use of kiosks for border control significantly outperforms traditional immigration processing with a border officer. This results in cost and space savings and allows border authorities to focus on maintaining the safety of the border. BorderXpress provides better exception handling, is fully accessible to persons with disabilities, and can be configured with up to 35 different languages. It can process any passenger, including families travelling as a group.
BorderXpress technology was developed by ITS, an independent business unit within Vancouver International Airport (YVR), named Best Airport in North Americafor 10 consecutive years. ITS specializes in delivering industry-leading travel technology to transform the traveller’s experience. Since 2009, ITS has sold over 1,600 kiosks at 43 airport and seaport locations around the world, helping more than 250 million passengers clear the border safely and securely.
-YVR-
About Innovative Travel Solutions by Vancouver International Airport
Innovative Travel Solutions (ITS) is the innovation team at Vancouver International Airport (YVR), voted North America’s Best Airport for 10 straight years by Skytrax World Airport Awards. In 2009, the innovation team implemented BorderXpress at Vancouver International Airport and soon discovered that other airports and governments might also want the ability to reduce wait times and increase their international arrivals traffic without having to add additional space or staffing resources. As of May 2019, BorderXpress has processed more than 250 million passengers at 43 airport, seaport and onboard sites around the world and has sold over 1,600 kiosks. In 2018, the team at ITS set their sights on the next innovation in the evolution of the passenger experience with the launch of CheckitXpress, the world’s most accessible, efficient and intuitive self-service bag drop. CheckitXpress improves ease of use for travellers regardless of age, digital fluency, language or mobility, and is the result of a collaboration between YVR and Glidepath, one of the world’s leaders in airport baggage handling. innovativetravelsolutions.ca
Kiosk Group Taps 25-Year Industry Veteran Karla Guarino to Lead Sales & Marketing Team
Responding to strong, accelerating market growth with fresh leadership, new products and long-range marketing and manufacturing strategies
FREDERICK, Md., June 4, 2019 –Kiosk Group Inc. (KGI) has announced the appointment of Karla Guarino as Director, Sales & Marketing. Ms. Guarino’s assignment is the latest of several strategic steps designed to grow the company to better serve the rapidly-expanding global market for interactive kiosks and related software.
Ms. Guarino will be responsible for top-line growth, expanding into new markets with interactive touchscreens, software and remote kiosk management. “Karla’s stellar reputation across the industry is strategically wide and tactically deep,” said Mike James, KGI’s founder and chief engineer.
Privately-held KGI develops and markets a wide range of solutions for hundreds of customers. Kiosk Marketplace Census Report values the global market at $9.22 billion (2018) with a compound average growth rate approaching 18%.
In response, KGI President Alan Mischler said “We are executing an aggressive effort to launch new kiosk enclosure designs, increase manufacturing, boost customer responsiveness and re-invent marketing. Karla Guarino is being armed with the best solutions our industry has to offer. She brings a blue-ribbon resume. We are indeed fortunate to have her guiding the marketing and sales challenge.”
Ms. Guarino said “Mike James is a creative visionary for iPad and Android tablet enclosure technology. These products have set engineering and design standards. Coupled with Alan Mischler’s manufacturing and management leadership, I plan to quickly build market share and open new markets for interactive touchscreens in static and mobile applications.”
An early priority is improved market recognition for KGI’s extensive catalog. “I’m turning our website into an interactive marketing, sales and customer education center and plan to develop dynamic outreach to customers and the media,” Guarino said. “And I’m encouraging new product development for smaller tablet-based terminals as well as mobile software to enable our customers to put interactive kiosk technology at the fingertips and in the palms of the world’s rapidly-growing base of digital consumers.”
Guarino’s 25-year Kiosk Industry Background
Karla Guarino Kiosk Group New VP
For nearly 15 years at Kiosk Information Systems, Karla mastered virtually every marketing and sales challenge, adding product development and strategic partnerships to an impressive sales record ($37M in 2007). Gaining broad industry experience through executive assignments with Zivelo, 8Speed8, Jane and Meridian Kiosks, Karla became a senior industry consultant last year as founder and CEO of Kiosk Mentor LLC. Recently, Kiosk Group’s Mike James and Alan Mischler convinced Karla to apply her knowledge and leadership to the well-financed challenge of propelling Kiosk Group to pinnacle status.
About Kiosk Group
One of the first companies to pioneer the tablet kiosk marketplace, Kiosk Group has compiled 30 years of design/manufacturing innovation serving hundreds of industry and government customers. Founder Mike James was first to develop iPad technology for kiosk service. KGI’s exceptionally popular software development browser package (Kiosk PRO) is available via the iTunes store. Today, KGI is an innovation leader for Android, iPad and Windows kiosk enclosure solutions. Privately held, KGI is headquartered in Frederick, MD. For more information, visitKioskGroup.com.
Original article by Elliot Maras published on KioskMarketplace May 2019
The self-service drumbeat rattled Chicago’s McCormick Place last week as attendees swarmed exhibits promising faster customer service. This year’s National Restaurant Show showcased even more interactive kiosks (39 exhibitors) than last year’s record-breaking 36 exhibitors. Less than a third of this year’s companies (11 exhibitors) were repeats from last year, indicating the market continues to attract new interest.
Kiosk hardware and software manufacturers have heeded the call from restaurants looking to automate the customer order to deliver a more satisfying guest experience, boost sales and make more efficient use of store labor. And while established kiosk providers were once again well represented on the trade show floor, restaurant POS software companies have also entered the fray in a big way.
Once again, many of the kiosks on display integrate with other front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house touchpoints, such as online ordering, mobile ordering, loyalty rewards, customer messaging, order delivery, ingredient and nutrient content, kitchen display systems, inventory management, labor management and more. Foodservice operators have clearly recognized interactive kiosks as one part of a customer experience ecosystem rather than an isolated guest interface.
And while self-order kiosks dominated the presentations, artificial intelligence is allowing additional capabilities such as allergen lookup and guest location.
Highlights of KI Sponsors
Pyramid Computer GmbH
Pyramid Computer GmbH presented its Pyramid Location System that saves guests from having to wait in line after placing their order. The customer can order and pay at the self-order kiosk, which dispenses a puck. The customer then places the puck on the bar and chooses a seat while their order is prepared. The system will recognize their location when their order is ready, allowing a server to serve the customer accurately at their table. The system was presented in the Intel booth.
Zivelo LLC presented a prototype of its X2 Slim kiosk which offers a larger screen size compared to pole-mounted tablets without taking up too much counter width. There is also an X2 Extended model that takes up the same amount of counter width but has a deeper component door to allow for additional components such as a printer.
Mike Moon presents a prototype of the X2 Slim kiosk.
Frank Mayer and Associates Inc.
Frank Mayer and Associates Inc. demonstrated a self-order kiosk the company designed for a food truck using KioWare POS software. The software works on Windows and Android, and features browser lockdown. The customizable and EMV-compliant kiosk was demonstrated in the ADUSA Inc.booth.
David Anzia of Frank Mayer and Associates Inc. presents a food truck self-order kiosk in the ADUSA booth.
Appetize Technologies Inc.
Appetize presented its Interact kiosk which is part of a comprehensive POS, inventory and analytics package. The company’s kiosk line includes an Android-based solution, 15- and 20-inch landscape touchscreen options, countertop and freestanding models, and support for barcode scanners, printers and payment devices.
Shiv Sundar Founder | Esper.io San Francisco Bay Area
Wherever you go today, whether Starbucks or Taco-Bell, screens are in – touchscreens that is. More than likely your fingers will interact with a digital device at some point, whether swiping a tablet to pay a bill or signing a receipt or else ordering your favorite espresso on a kiosk.
And thanks to the flurry of new cashierless checkout technologies like Amazon Go, waiting in a grocery store checkout line like it’s 1976 will soon be a thing of the past. Just scan your smartphone to enter the store and you’re good to go.
But while all of this new technology is a great thing, it also creates plenty of corporate challenges. Unfortunately, one of the tradeoffs has been a sharp rise in hackers and cyber-attacks in recent years. Retailers today are more vulnerable than ever to phishing, malware, and other infiltrations that can steal millions of financial records in no time.
That’s why it is more incumbent than ever for you to pay attention to your customer endpoints in a secure, seamless way that boosts customer confidence and avoids disasters like data breaches and lost financial information?
Below are 5 best practices, lessons learned, and security tips that will help ensure your retail management and security strategy is “scan and go” ready.
1. Nearly Half of U.S. Enterprises Have Experienced Recent Data Losses
The two major focus areas that often are not stressed enough by enterprises are device management and security. Let’s face it, everyone likes all the new shiny objects, but getting down to brass tacks about securing the devices isn’t always as popular. A recent report by technology advisory firm IDC says that greater than 40% of U.S. enterprises say they’ve had a data loss issue in the last 12-18 months.
To survive in today’s high-stakes retail race means providing your customers with a Device management fleet solution that delivers seamless, secure, and elegant customer experiences. Device security is more important than ever. Doing so will save countless headaches, protect your corporate assets, not to mention save your company millions of dollars in legal fees.
2. Retail Hackers are More Aggressive than Ever
It seems like every time we turn around today, we’re hearing about another major data breach. In fact, some of the most popular companies have been the target of hackers in recent years. Chipotle, Equifax, and Uber were attacked in 2017. And Chili’s, the well-known food chain, believes that in the spring of 2018 malware was used in its restaurant payment systems to gather credit and debit card information.
The message should be clear – if major corporations fall victim to major data breaches, then no one is immune. Retail devices such as digital tablets, POS, and kiosks are especially vulnerable as they are the conduit for millions of shoppers’ names, addresses, emails, credit cards, passwords, or other personal and financial information.
Who can also forget the Target Corporation data breach of 2013? That debacle ended in the theft of 40 million card numbers and 70 million personal records. The breach started after a third-party vendor was attacked through a phishing virus. Since the vendor had access to Target’s Ariba external billing system, and since Target had poor network segmentation, the hackers were able to easily gain unlawful entry to Target’s entire system.
3. Your Management & Security Strategy Probably Isn’t Good Enough
Let’s face it, the likelihood exists that any honest enterprise is not going to be completely satisfied with their current state on security and device management. But the honest truth is that retailers need to manage and secure their device fleet to achieve full operational efficiency, protect assets, and preserve peace of mind. Today, it goes without saying that that every bit of hardware and software in retail devices must be fully compliant with the most stringent security measures.
4. Adopt These Five Device Security Tips
To ensure that your device fleet (kiosks, smartphones, POS, etc.) is fully protected and compliant against cyber-attacks or malware, the following steps should be taken into account by any serious enterprise today.
1. Ensure all device software is from a known and trusted source
Regular compliance checks and updates are critical for ensuring that all software is free of malicious code or malware that can infiltrate the enterprise infrastructure.
2. Encrypted manufacturing protocols
Any type of unsecured manufacturing process is going to create another entry point for criminals to introduce unauthorized code into production runs. Therefore, ensuring strict protocols starts with hardware security modules (HSM’s) and other digital certificates to ensure full code authenticity.
3. Secure code signing
Code signing is a critical part of affirming the efficacy of your source code and scripts. Make sure that it comes with the use of a cryptographic hash to validate authenticity and integrity.
4. Secure boot with chain of trust
Secure boot is designed to protect your devices against malicious code by ensuring only authenticated software runs on it. Secure boot goes hand in hand with chain of trust and is an integral part of any data management and security strategy.
5. Encrypted key management
By including encryption key management with other data protection measures, companies will be able to manage the primary steps involved with protecting, storing, and backing-up their mobile device fleet.
Developers building applications for Dedicated Devices need a platform that will allow them to efficiently and securely create, deploy, and manage Dedicated Devices at scale. Current solutions are meant for managing user-centric enterprise devices and do not address the unique needs of Dedicated Device fleets.
Esper is a platform for developers to deploy applications seamlessly and move beyond standard management tools to securely Orchestrate their Dedicated Devices in the field. We are focused on developers by taking an API-centric, language-neutral approach. Our tools enable developers to tackle the big challenges of Dedicated Device development such as identifying, debugging and resolving issues with their apps and devices in the field.
We streamline the process for building, deploying and managing apps on Dedicated Devices for POS, Restaurants, Kiosks, Logistics, and Transportation at scale. But Esper can be applied however you need it for unique Dedicated Device fleet solutions.
Kiosk Idle Timeout: What Happens When
They Walk Away…
Andrew Savala – highly respected kiosk consultant and tech entrepreneur Fresno, California
Customers don’t always behave as we would expect when using our kiosks. In the context of software, this is referred to as the “happy path” where everything goes according to plan.
As kiosk software developers we also must plan for what we’ll refer to as the “sad path.” This is when the customer deviates from the expected behavior.
In this article we’re going to be covering the case where the customer walks away from our kiosk in the middle of their transaction. Obviously, we don’t want the next customer to continue where the previous customer left off. The new customer needs a fresh start and it would be confusing if they walked up and the kiosk is in the middle of a transaction.
Let’s start by first talking about why customers might abandon their kiosk transaction. Why do customers abandon their transaction? The list of reasons could potentially be endless, let’s just cover a few common ones…
They didn’t find what they were looking for
They didn’t have enough money to complete the transaction
The kiosk was too confusing, or the customer gets frustrated
They got distracted
The “customer” was just a small child playing with the screen
I could keep going, but you get the point. As developers we need to be prepared for the inevitable case where the customer will abandon their transaction, because life happens.
Can’t we just start over?
The most obvious solution would be to start a timer when the kiosk is idle and if the timer expires we just restart the kiosk workflow by redirecting the customer to the kiosk attract screen. Any time the customer interacts with the kiosk, the kiosk idle timer would get reset. It would also be a good idea to prompt the user with a dialog asking if they’re still there before restarting the workflow. Something like, “Are you still there? Your order will be cancelled in 30 seconds.”
To put this in layman's terms, if the kiosk is idle for too long, we’ll simply start over. Pretty easy to understand right?
Restarting the kiosk workflow will work fine in most scenarios, but it might not work in every scenario. For example, what if the customer is inserting cash and they’re digging around in their wallet for another bill? Restarting the kiosk workflow could cause them to “lose their money”, which will result in some pretty irate customers. In the next section we’re going to cover what to do when we can’t just start over.
What to do when we can’t just start over
We’ve covered the scenario where we can just restart the kiosk workflow using an idle timeout. Now let’s talk about what to do when starting over is problematic. Imagine the scenario where our kiosk accepts cash but has no ability to dispense change. Once the customer inserts their cash, there’s no spitting it back out, so we have to move forward.
Now you might ask, “why not just install a cash dispenser?” Well for one, it would raise the cost of our kiosk and for the sake of this example let’s just pretend dispensing cash in not an option.
For our example, let’s assume the customer is paying their cell phone bill at our kiosk and they owe $100. They approach the kiosk, search for their bill and start inserting cash. But when they’ve inserted $80, they realize they don’t have enough cash to complete their transaction. What should we do in the case where they’ve inserted some of their money, but don’t have enough cash to complete their transaction? Remember, dispensing the cash they’ve already inserted is out of the question because our kiosk doesn’t have a cash dispenser.
In this case, the answer is to give the customer a partial credit.
Giving partial credit Going back to our cell phone kiosk example, the answer would be to apply the $80 to the customer’s account as a partial credit. Should we just apply the partial credit and start over using our idle timeout? Eventually yes, but since the customer is inserting cash, we should give them some extra time and fair warning in the
form of a popup dialog.
Another consideration is what if the next customer approaches the kiosk before the idle timeout has completed. We wouldn’t want the next customer to be able to go back and search for their own bill and apply the $80 credit.
Therefore, it’s imperative that once cash is inserted, the customer cannot navigate backwards and search for another bill. By locking the credit to the original bill, we ensure that even if the customer walks away, the next customer cannot “steal” their credit. The worst they can do is either complete the transaction or wait for the idle timer to expire. Either way, the original customer gets the credit.
Final thoughts on the happy path
The temptation as developers is to focus on the happy path and assume that our customers will use the kiosk just as we would. But you can see from this example that’s a pipe dream. Anytime we’re designing a new feature it’s important to think through what could go wrong (the sad path) and how we might mitigate that. Keep in mind there’s always a point where self-service is not the answer and you just have to get a person involved. We can maximize the effectiveness of self-service by planning for the worst and thinking ahead.
Home Depot Bill Pay Kiosks reviewed by Francie Mendelsohn
Francie Mendelsohn is President of Summit Research Associates, Inc.
Every so often, industry veteran Francie Mendelsohn tests kiosks that she previously evaluated several years ago to see if they are still useful, operational and, most-importantly—enjoying popularity among the establishment’s customers. This time, she paid a return visit to Home Depot.
Years after initially installing self-checkout kiosks, Home Depot has replaced them and deployed new-and-improved kiosks at their megastores. Located in the same space previously occupied by their old units, the four kiosks take up as much space as two manned checkout lanes. There are two self-checkout units per lane. The kiosks, in fact, take up so little room because no conveyer belt is needed to move products along (everything is tallied using the scanner) that a cooler selling Red Bull is located between the two units in one aisle! Both aisles are marked by bright orange “Self Checkout” illuminated signs on poles about 12 feet off the ground.
Update October 2023
Here are the latest iterations at Home Depot. Dell, Ingenico, hand scanner + black box.
There are several notable, positive changes. The 22″ Dell touchscreen is more than twice the size of the previous units. The interface has been completely updated; it is very well-designed and easy to use. Very few words are used; almost everything has a pictogram associated with each step, thereby eliminating any confusion.
The instructions are quick and to the point: Start Scanning. The customer takes the PowerScan scanner out of its holster and aims it at the bar code on the item he wishes to scan. He has to push in the orange “trigger” button on the scanner in order to operate it but this is easy to figure out. If a customer has a problem, there is a human assistant who quickly comes to resolve the problem and help move things along. She was most pleasant and not-at-all-condescending. The scanner is quite forgiving – the customer does not have to align the scanner perfectly over the barcode. He just has to get the scanner close enough so that it registers. The process takes only a second.
The advantage of these cordless scanners is that they can transmit the barcoded data over a good distance which is useful for sheets of plywood, 2x4s, and other large-sized items. (Previous scanners in several self-checkout deployments—notably IKEA–used tethered scanners which made the process difficult and frustrating.) Each item is scanned in the same way, with a running tab showing on the touchscreen.
When the customer has finished, a “Ready to Pay?” screen is presented with a large rectangular orange “Pay Now” button appearing. (The smaller Pro Xtra ID button is Home Depot’s loyalty program and is not covered in this review.)
The next screen is intended only for those environmentally-aware localities where customers have to pay for each bag they use. This Home Depot, in Rockville, MD, is in one of those jurisdictions. Each plastic bag costs $.05. Accordingly, the next screen asks the customer to indicate how many bags they wish to purchase with numbers from 0 to 7+. There is no visual feedback on these kiosks; when you push a button, nothing tells you that what you pushed has been acknowledged. On the other hand, the system works so quickly and effortlessly, it is not an issue. (Note: as can be seen from the picture of the unit, the stack of plastic bags is easily accessible and one wonders how many people simply “help themselves” to free plastic bags.)
Home Depot Bill Pay Prefers Credit Card Payment
The units are intended only for customers NOT paying with cash. The opening screen states this fact clearly and in large font: CARD PAYMENTS ONLY. The customer is then asked to Choose your payment type. There are three options: Credit or Debit cards, Home Depot Gift cards and a special Home Depot Commercial card for the many professional contractors who patronize this store. The Ingenico card reader is very familiar to customers who have had plenty of experience using these devices to pay for groceries and gas. The receipt is quickly printed at the compact NCR printer located to the left of the kiosk. Many customers don’t even take their receipt; note the wastebasket located on the floor under the printer.
These kiosks represent an evolutionary change in the self-checkout space. Home Depot is to be commended for installing effective, easy-to-use, and fast kiosks. The customers and assistants I interviewed all agree that these units are a positive and welcome step forward. Lastly, every customer said they were a pleasure to use.
Notes
The distance from the floor to the bottom of the touchscreen is 42″.
The distance from the floor to the holster holding the scanner is 43″
The distance from the floor to the part of the credit card reader where you insert the card is 44″
Furthermore, you can tilt the cc reader down a bit. I never knew you could do that.
In any event, all the peripherals are within legal limits. The whole unit is so close to the end of the table–on which the touchscreen sits–that people in wheelchairs can readily access the kiosk. In addition, there is so much space in the aisle that wheelchair-bound people can easily turn around if they are more comfortable accessing it with their right arm/hand.
Associated Press story published on Oil City News 5/12/2019
Editors note: There should be a way to accept cash without the usual liabilities and the usual ways. Cash for credit conversion machines for example.
By ALEXANDRA OLSON and KEN SWEET AP Business Writers
NEW YORK (AP) — Hembert Figueroa just wanted a taco.
So he was surprised to learn the dollar bills in his pocket were no good at Dos Toros Taqueria in Manhattan, one of a small but growing number of establishments across the U.S. where customers can only pay by card or smartphone.
Cash-free stores are generating a backlash among some activists and liberal-leaning policymakers who say the practice discriminates against people like Figueroa, who either lack bank accounts or rely on cash for many transactions.
Figueroa, an ironworker, had to stand to the side, holding his taco, until a sympathetic cashier helped him find another customer willing to pay for his meal with a card in exchange for cash.
“I had money and I couldn’t pay,” he said.
Read complete story published on Oil City News 5/12/2019
Generation Next Franchise Brands, Inc. Acquires Print Mates™, Expanding Company’s Unattended Retail Portfolio
Click photo kiosk image to expand to larger view
SAN DIEGO, CA, April 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — via NEWMEDIAWIRE – Generation NEXT Franchise Brands, Inc. (OTCQB: VEND) announced today that it has reached terms to acquire the assets of Print Mates, LLC, a small team of entrepreneurs, software engineers, and photography professionals in San Diego that are on a mission to reinvent the premium-quality photo printing experience by making it fast, fun, and inexpensive to get your photos “out of your phone and into your hand” with the Print Mates™ Kiosk.
Nick Yates, CEO of Generation NEXT Franchise Brands, said that the Print Mates assets will be held by a wholly owned subsidiary of Generation Next which will operate separately with its own facilities, staff, and resources. “It is extremely important to us that Print Mates, or any acquisition, is mature enough and has the right team, product and supply chain to operate independently, as a wholly-owned but separate subsidiary. For us, anything less would have been a non-starter,” Yates said, noting that the nationwide rollout of the company’s flagship unattended franchising concept, Reis & Irvy’s, has both his and Generation Next’s “undivided attention.”
“Print Mates™ is a turn-key subsidiary for us. The team, facilities, manufacturing and product fulfillment; everything is in place. The Print Mates™ Kiosk perfectly complements our product portfolio, and is ready to ship. The timing of the acquisition was designed to allow us to be first to market with a complementary unattended retail concept that is even more autonomous than our flagship Reis & Irvy’s kiosks, requiring only about 30 minutes permonth in human maintenance,” Yates said. “The ultimate goal however is to own and operate thousands of these replicating the Redbox/Coinstar model and the team at Print Mates has already established relationships and tests with the country’s largest retail, convenience and grocery chains.
Generation Next is assuming the liabilities of Print Mates, LLC in exchange for the assets. There is no cash consideration being paid by Generation Next to Print Mates or any of its members. The assets acquired include five patent applications, complete engineering documents for the kiosk, customer contracts, supplier agreements, intellectual property, and proprietary software. A contract with a Canadian licensee with a commitment to purchase $7,000,000 of Print Mates Kiosks over a 5-year term is part of the assets acquired by Generation Next. The liabilities assumed by Generation Next net of kiosk inventory value are approximately $300,000.
An Unfulfilled Demand in a Billion Dollar Industry
Due in large part to consumers’ adoption of the smartphone, at least 1.5 trillion photos are estimated to have been captured in 2018. Predictions to 2022 continue to show a compounded annual growth (CAGR) in that figure of greater than 10 percent, so that by 2022 the number of photos captured annually will grow to over 2.3 trillion. Print Mates™ is an innovative new way to monetize consumers’ craze for the phone camera.
Print Mates™ unattended kiosks are designed to reinvent the premium-quality photo printing experience by making it fast, fun, and inexpensive to get your photos “out of your phone into your hand,” while creating a low-to-no maintenance, extremely high margin business opportunity in unattended retail for entrepreneurs and retailers. Recent consumer research reports show that consumers in every age group – from tweens to Millennials; from Generation X to Baby Boomers – still desire to preserve their most cherished memories in high-quality photo prints. But until now, professional-quality, third party services that turned digital photos into prints were either too inconvenient, too slow, or too expensive for today’s consumer.
Print Mates™ easy-to-use, patented touchscreen kiosks are promising to close the loop on the consumer photo lifecycle, as well as drive much-needed foot traffic to traditional brick-and-mortar businesses ranging from supermarkets, grocery and drug stores to big box retailers, shopping malls, family fun centers, convenience stores, hotels, airports, and more. The Print Mates™ Kiosks put reliable and quality photo printing at customers’ fingertips while allowing independent operators and business owners to earn a very high margin from each sale. Customers love using the Print Mates™ Kiosk because they can instantly, easily and cost-effectively print high-quality photos directly from their smartphones or through their favorite social media (Facebook, Instagram, Google Photos, Dropbox, and Flickr) photo sharing, or cloud storage accounts in six different sizes of prints in just seconds.
Consumers can also conveniently order decor and other photo products, gifts and accessories ranging from frames, picture books, posters, jumbo-sized prints, and fridge magnets to beautiful canvas and wood prints and have them conveniently shipped to their home with just a few taps. A soon-to-be-released software update will also add an option for passport photos, a product many retailers are asked for daily.
“The team at Print Mates is solving another problem with a simple, unattended retail kiosk solution,” Yates said. “We all have hundreds, if not thousands, of photos stuck in our cell phones and stored on social media accounts like Facebook and Instagram. The only reason most of us don’t print them is because we don’t have a convenient way to do so, staring us in the face,” Yates continued. “Print Mates kiosks can be placed in any number of location categories, from grocery chains to hotels and big box retailers, just to name a few. And the kiosks earn extremely high margins on each sale with some products on the kiosks’ menu selling for as much as $125 dollars. The team at Print Mates has secured agreements to test the kiosks in some of the largest grocery, convenience and big box retail chains across the U.S., representing tens of thousands of potential locations, and our plan is to provide Generation Next, our shareholders, and our franchisees the exclusive opportunity to own, operate and share in the revenue provided by this extraordinary product,” Yates concluded.
Print Mates™ location partners will be supported by a unique marketing program that leverages Google Business to drive consumers in real time directly to their machines whenever they need to quickly and conveniently print their photos. If a customer types “photo printing” in to the google search engine, it will point them to the closest Print Mates retailer. The strategy will be paired with a national regional marketing program to create awareness of the Print Mates™ brand.
Item 404 of Regulation S-K requires disclosure of any transaction over $120,000 in which the Company is a participant and any related person has a direct or indirect material interest. “Related persons” include directors, nominees, executive officers, five percent shareholders and their immediate family members. The present acquisition of the assets of Print Mates, LLC is a related party transaction as the sole member of Print Mates, LLC, Franklyn Yates, is an immediate family member (Brother) of Nicholas Yates, the CEO and Chairman of Generation Next Franchise Brands, Inc. The transaction has been duly authorized by the Board of Directors of the Company who have been informed of the related party interest.
Generation NEXT Franchise Brands, Inc., based in San Diego, California, is a publicly traded company on the OTC Markets trading under the symbol OTCBB: VEND. Generation NEXT Franchise Brands, Inc. is parent company to Reis and Irvy’s Inc, 19 Degrees Corporate Service LLC and Print Mates.www.gennextbrands.com
About Print Mates
Print Mates™ was formed by a team of entrepreneurs, engineers, and photography professionals in San Diego that are on a mission to reinvent the premium-quality photo printing experience by making it fast, fun, and inexpensive to get your photos “out of your phone and into your hand” with the Print Mates™ Kiosk – and creating a golden opportunity for retailers in the process.
Print Mates’™ easy-to-use, patented touchscreen kiosks are promising to close the loop on the consumer photo lifecycle, as well as drive much-needed foot traffic to traditional brick-and-mortar businesses ranging from supermarkets, grocery and drug stores to big box retailers, shopping malls, family fun centers, hotels, airports and more.
The company began a nationwide expansion in 2019 by offering retailers, business owners and forward-thinking retailers across the country an opportunity to own a piece of an emerging multi billion-dollar industry.
Print Mates™ Kiosks and ever-expanding product line of photographic decor, gifts, prints and accessories are proudly Made in the USA.www.printmates.com
About Reis & Irvy’s, Inc.
Reis & Irvy’s, Inc. is a subsidiary franchise concept of Generation NEXT Franchise Brands, Inc. (VEND). Launched in early 2016, the revolutionary Reis & Irvy’s Vending Robot serves seven different flavors of frozen yogurt, ice cream, sorbets and gelatos, a choice of up to six custom toppings, and to customers within 60 seconds or less at the point of sale. The unique franchise opportunity has since established itself as a high-demand product and currently showcases a franchise network both domestically as well as internationally. www.reisandirvys.com
There are all sorts of situations where a company needs to accept regular payments from their customers. Utility payments, cellphone bills and store credit cards are just a few of the situations where customers make regular payments.
And if one thinks that the ability for those organizations to accept payments via their website, mobile or by mail has eliminated the need for other payment options, they’d be mistaken. Some example payments include Alimony, Rent payments, Healthcare co-pays, mobile phone payments, cable TV bills, money transfers, tuition payments, and correctional facility services.
The Franklin Bill Payment Kiosk from Olea is designed to simplify cash transactions. Standard options include a high-capacity bill acceptor, bill dispenser, coin dispenser, credit card terminal, and receipt printer
Others include cell phone top-ups, long distance, and digital phone cards for International calls. There are international payment options available as well, especially for Latin Amerian countries like Mexico, where for example the customer can pay his mother’s Telmex bill in California.
And how these payments are made are important to note. As much as Check21 did to simply checks, that is still a major form of payment depending on the venue. You have cash payment terminals running $5000 a day in some locations. And then there is a credit card and mobile.
Unbanked and Underbanked Statistics
According to a recent survey conducted by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, more than 8.4 million households in the United States are unbanked, meaning they don’t have access to a checking or savings account. Other data points to at least 50 million unbanked. Another 24.2 million households are underbanked, with access to a checking or savings account but also making use of financial products and services outside of the banking system. Together, more than a fourth of U.S. households are unbanked or underbanked.
There are specific geographic and demographic data outlining these groups. Ethnic and cultural factors play into it with some cultures preferring cash.
Having a reduced set of payment options for what can be a very large customer set doesn’t help retain and create more customers. The end result of adding bill payment options ultimately increases the cash flow for companies and expands their consumer base.
Philadelphia just became the first large city in the nation to ban cashless businesses in the city, in part to protect people like construction workers who don’t have a bank or credit card.
In addition, a significant portion of the population, primarily lower-income and younger people, still prefers to conduct their business in cash. Maybe they don’t trust the banking system. Maybe they tend to pay bills closer to their due date and don’t want to risk a late payment or service cutoff. A personal US Mail check or money order may be delayed. Maybe they want to wait till the last moment during the “last chance” before penalty phase. It could be a language. Add to that the 11 percent of U.S. adults who don’t use the Internet, according to a Pew Research study, and it’s clear there will always there will always be a need to provide payment options to customers.
That’s where a bill pay kiosk comes into play.
The benefits of adding a bill pay kiosk to an organization’s payment options are many. For the customer, those include few service disruptions, improved credit and fewer reconnect and/or late payment fees. The kiosks in a way become the financial center or “bank” for the underserved, which they know the bank has ignored them. For the organization, they include more timely payments, fewer trips by a technician to reconnect service that was cut off, lower staffing needs at the payment center, fewer trips to payday loan, check cashing centers where they used to go before the kiosk, and overall much improved customer satisfaction. That translates to higher retention of existing customers and a higher acquisition rate of new customers.
Still, accepting payments by kiosk isn’t just a matter of setting up a device in the headquarters lobby and hoping for the best. Here are a few considerations to take into account when deploying a bill pay kiosk.
Bill Pay Machines Make it easy
27 percent of U.S. households do not have regular access to banks and other mainstream financial services.
That’s 90.6 million financially marginalized people who are further penalized, in terms of time and money, by having to rely on alternate financial services (AFS), which charge fees for transactions that are often free to customers of banks, credit unions and other federally insured institutions. Despite the financial recovery since the Great Recession and the growth of online financial services, the number of households with little or no access to bank accounts has remained stubbornly steady since 2009, when the FDIC began collecting statistics on the phenomenon.
Theresa Schmall, a manager at CFSI, points out that “solutions using digital and mobile platforms can provide expanded access” for the unbanked. It may also remove the presumption of exclusivity that prevents many unbanked and underbanked households from approaching mainstream financial services — while also eliminating those seemingly endless lines.
July 2018 article by OZY
By a large margin, those people who don’t use the Internet are 65 or older. Some of the main reasons, they say, are that it’s too difficult and they believe they’re too old to learn. If the kiosk application is too difficult to use it’ll be the same reason they give for avoiding it.
Incorporate large fonts and a logical payment process for the interface to make the kiosk easy on the eyes and the brain. Incorporate a simple way to start the process over if the user makes a mistake. It won’t hurt to have a staff member nearby during the first few weeks after initial rollout to assist first-time users. Kiosk technology also makes it easy to incorporate a variety of languages; make sure you include those options, especially if the unit will be located in a culturally diverse area. Users will appreciate it.
Publicize the option
Include marketing materials about the new bill pay kiosks with bills, in print ads, on TV commercials, and on your website. Also have office staff inform customers who come in to pay their bills about the devices, and offer to guide them through the payment process.
Add additional locations
One of the beauties of kiosk technology is that it allows organizations to expand their footprint without the capital costs of a brick-and-mortar location. In addition, we now live in a world where people expect to be able to conduct business at any hour of the day.
One way to increase the value of bill pay kiosks is to place them in areas where customers can access them at any time of the day or night, in a place that’s convenient for them. Along with placing a kiosk in the lobby of the central office, consider placing units in grocery stores or other 24-hour locations. This would be especially important when a significant number of customers live in rural locations.
Making sure that the right biller is available in the right geographic area is important. Utilities get the biggest use, and they’re the “magnet” effect if you are pulling the customers into paying their utility bills. Once the customer is there, they can see an array of options for paying their cable, wireless phone, and stored value cards like VISA & MC prepaid cards
Make it reliable and secure
Nothing will frustrate customers more than a kiosk that’s out of order when they need to pay a bill. If it happens more than once, you’ve likely lost them as kiosk customers forever. Invest in a solution that incorporates quality, reliable hardware.
One the same note, make sure the kiosk hardware and software is secure from tampering. The last thing a business needs is the expense and negative publicity that accompanies a data breach.
Partner with an expert
Partnering with an experienced vendor saves you the headaches of learning these lessons on your own. Work with someone that has existing projects and can offer consulting and advice on how to make your project a success. Olea Kiosks stands ready to help.
Eunice Coughlin Just wanted to share our recent experience with kiosks in McDonald’s. We were at a McDonald’s in Waco, TX on Easter weekend (Sunday) and people were using the kiosks. The problem was that there were not enough kitchen staff to fulfill the orders that were coming in from the kiosks and the regular order takers. People were waiting a good 10-15 minutes for their food. Hopefully, these kinks will be worked out soon. Maybe a solution: disable the kiosks when there’s not enough kitchen staff?