Kiosks changing self-service

Kiosks in Grocery - Uptime is important!

2009-06-17T16:28:00.002-04:00

This is not what you nor your customers want to see.

This was taken at a Cincinnati Kroger's grocery location yesterday as my wife and I shopped for our once a month groceries. The deli ordering kiosk which normally sits just inside of the entry to the main store, was sitting by the shopping carts corral with this ugly but obvious sign. When your customers become so familiar with and used to the self service kiosks you implement in your store, it can be a real disappointment to them when it's unavailable. And while no kiosk can have 100% uptime, you should at least move the kiosk out of their view when it is unavailable. Now, truth be told, I think this was temporarily set aside while they were remodeling the space it normally sits in. New floors, new drywall, new counter tops, etc. so they had good reason to have this kiosk out of commission, and there was a second kiosk closer to the deli. But I believe they could have put this near a power outlet and dropped a temporary Ethernet to it for connectivity. But maybe this is too much of an over simplification of what it would take (I don't know their setup and networking). This would keep the customers happy, and the deli running efficiently... all of the reasons you deployed to begin with.

On a similar note, we just installed new kiosks for Krogers in a new store that hasn't opened yet in Norwood, Cincinnati. These kiosks are for a completely different purpose in the Personal Finance section of the store. We worked with their vendor who creates a lot of their retail displays and store fixtures. They were to provide an "enclosure" around our IBM AnyPlace kiosk computer. But as of the time we brought the kiosks, connected and installed, they had not delivered the enclosures. As a matter of fact, the client had not even seen them yet. So this should be an interesting integration. We believe that we should have been engaged for the entire kiosk enclosure, software and hardware, and let that partner focus on what they do best. You know it's bad when the client contacts us to provide a turntable type solution to this yet unseen enclosure. Shouldn't that partner have provided that? Ah well, we will go above and beyond to ensure that this deployment goes well.

In the past we have also integrated kiosks into other grocery retailers for loyalty card systems. The kiosks are highly used and loved by the customers as a means to redeem their points and update their account information. In our initial deployment we had a problem with one of the printers not printing correctly and I was needed onsite to help troubleshoot (hardware firmware needed updating). Trust me, when you take one of the two kiosks offline even for a few minutes, the customers are not happy. They had to walk to the other entrance to use that kiosk instead, but they felt inconvenienced. And they were, but the point is that customers love self service. And when they become familiar and accustomed to using it, you need to ensure it is there for them. Don't disappoint your customers and don't take the easy way out. Keep that kiosk online!

Update: Weeks later my wife and I returned to do our weekly shopping (yes, we are trying to eat at home more often) and found to my delight that the staff had taken off the hand written note and put the kiosk back online! They had even improved the signage and branding on and around the kiosk. Nice job! The original location of the kiosk has been replaced with an in store clinic which may be a new trend in additional services being provided by grocers to enable customers to perform many tasks with one visit, ensuring customer loyalty and foot traffic. This explains why the kiosk was in transition and temporarily offline. My preference would be to not have any kiosk, than the one with the "out of order" note taped to it. Consumers need to know that systems are always working to build trust.

Have an opinion or comment, use the comment link below to leave your thoughts! We publish most any comments as long as they are not spam, vulgar or tasteless. So tell us what you think!

A review of KioskCom May 2009

2009-05-15T15:33:00.004-04:00

The KioskCom Self Service Expo show last week was really good. We were nervous going into it because of the economy. We wondered if customers would come out to the show. We were happy to see a great turn out by VP’s and decision makers with real projects in hand. In years past you would see multiple team members from a brand attend, perhaps marketing folks, IT staff and VP’s. Kind of a “design by committee” mentality. But this year, they seemed to not need to bring the whole committee out, just the decision makers, which all of the vendors appreciated. We met with folks from Motorolla, Ikea, Target, Ceasars Palace, Delta, American Airlines and many more.

Our booth showcased the new Lobstr application on a 37″ touch screen, the new Zebra Kiosk Print Station with our “Hike & Bike” kiosk concept, as well as our demo kiosk of various past customer implementations. Our partners at 5Point also showcased Lobstr on their newest enclosure for Interactive Digital Signage (IDS) Platform, the Concierge. Our app looked so cool on their 40″ screens that we are considering partnering with them to have this as our default hardware option for Lobstr. More to come on that soon.

Our booth chotsky was a full pack of Orbit gum. I figured it was better than most of the squeeze balls and pens given out by many vendors. And also the obvious reason which is that I was tired of talking to people with bad breath. Hmmm, I think Orbit just found their next commercial idea! Now if only I could brand the packaging with my company information it would have been perfect.

The educational break out sessions and tech talks were a big hit with attendees. DT Research gave a session on “Interactive Digital Merchandising: Expanding brand and product impact and creating customer engagement.” which is a topic we can get behind. Andrew Fischer did a great job in this session. Another session was titled “Return on Message - Optimizing your digital signage network for success. ” which was giving by Keith Kelson who is the Chairman of the Content Best Practices committee of the Digital Signage Association along with Roger Sanford of the MediaTile company. Return on Message (ROM) is the new buzzword in our industry and a methodology that provides standards based processes to guide companies through complex variables that must be considered for a successful digital signage deployment. This also showcased many of the best practices laid out by the association in the past years.

Speaking of the DSA (Digital Signage Association) of which I sit on the advisory board: we had our board meeting the night before the show at the M resort just south of the strip. This new Casino / Hotel was only 62 days old and our board members were treated to a behind the scenes tour of the facility and the technology used by their vice president of information technology, Rob Willis. I doubt I will ever get to see the NOC and security areas of another Casino in my lifetime, it was very interesting to see and learn about how they operate and how they use Digital Signage for both customer facing areas of the facility and also employee facing messages. I appreciate the hospitality of Rob Willis and the M Resort in Las Vegas. During this meeting we did a review of several committees, discussed goals, events and recapped the past year’s success. I am now the chairman of the PR & Marketing committee for the Digital Signage Association. We have some good people on the committee already, so I’m excited about working with them to help promote the association, drive awareness and education, and help increase membership of the DSA.

As for new technology, there was a lot of the same hardware at the show that has been seen before. I got a sneak peak at a new product from MicroVision which is a Pico Projector (ultra small projector) about the size of an Iphone. Useful in our industry for some small digital signage applications for rear projection, etc. However the brightness and resolution are the only current drawbacks I could see. This may be addressed in the second and third generations of this unique laser projector called ShowWX. See their site for a preview and watch for it to be launched later this year. The projector is unique because of an ultra tiny red, blue & green laser that allows the image to be in focus at any distance. It was really nice, but the first generation will likely be a consumer model. They are interested in finding new products they could embed the engine into, such as a cell phone, or other device.

We enjoyed the opportunities to talk with many customers about their projects, hardware or software needs and to explain to them once again, that no… we are not THAT Electronic Arts company in California. The “S” at the end of their name is short for dollar signs and no, our firm does not make games for the Playstation or Nintendo. You have to love our name, but the similarities do make it confusing. I’m pretty sure the lady at the Paris Casino was treating me really good because she thought that was our company when she saw my shirt. For a free drink… I didn’t correct her.

Target's view of an in-store digital signage network, not what you'd think.

2009-03-13T18:18:00.002-04:00

I was at the Digital Signage Expo in Feb. 2009 and enjoyed meeting some of the Target staff. Chris Borek joined the Digital Signage Association's advisory board which I sit on and participated in lively discussions on the topics of the association, it's goals, social networking, and more. I must admit I did not get to hear him give his public talks on digital signage at the show. But I did get to talk to one of his co-workers at their booth who is actually in charge of online ad purchasing ( I think that's what she told me).

I was amazed to learn from her that Target's idea of an in-store digital signage network is as simple as the tv screens they have in the electronics department. That's it. They'll distribute their marketing messages to those 20 screens on the one wall and that is all they think should be done. The initiative is called "Channel Red". I asked her why they wouldn't put signs throughout the rest of the store and the response was that they had done research and determined that people wanted the store kept cleaner, simpler, no messaging. Hmmm, when did that ever stop any advertiser from putting their message out?

I suggested that the expo floor showed many good examples of tasteful and less "in your face" examples of good retail digital signage. Surely they could tastefully integrate it in select locations. Perhaps keep the messaging simpler than most video and commercial digital signage content that seems to be the norm. After awhile it makes your eyes bleed! I suggested that it could at least give them the economy and efficiency of replacing printed signage that has to be designed, printed, distributed, installed, etc. every time they want to change the message. Electronic distribution across stores / departments / particular end caps, makes a lot of sense over time and is greener in some regards to the above process. I got a blank stare with a nice smile... nope. They don't want to do that.

I discussed the obvious success of Walmart's in-store network where they charge brands to advertise on screen. It's a big revenue generator for Walmart and the brands. I know a brand that saw a huge increase in sales at Walmart each time they used Walmart TV. They loved it, and the consumers obviously used it too which drove sales in store. Walmart TV is selectively placed throughout the store. Albeit a bit high in the rafters. But no, they didn't want to be like Walmart. Well, okay. They had me there... Walmart is fast becoming one of the most hated retailers by many consumers. Love / hate, but mostly hate. So I can understand that response.

I really don't get how they expect to effectively use digital signage to talk to moms in the children's clothing isle when she is not likely going to be walking through the electronics isle first? How do you let me know about the benefits of a fiber product in the pharmacy area if the tv screens are on the other side of the building. I came for fiber, not a new HDTV! I'm not going over there. I really don't get this viewpoint. In their media program flyer they claim that you can "help your brand come to life within feet of your product". Yeah, if you're selling cameras or Ipods maybe. They claim 70 million target guests can be reached, but I'd like to know how many guest actually walk past those screens.

This is an attempt at something I've been preaching for years. I believe that retailers have an opportunity that most are missing. Instore networks where the store controls the hardware and network and provides the platform for the brands to advertise. Digital signage in-store is perfect for this but so is an interactive network such as a standardized kiosk platform that a brand could pay to use for 2 months. The IBM AnyPlace hardware is an ideal platform for quick setup in the cosmetic's isle or moved next month to the home goods section. A standard platform on any shelving system, would enable the IT department to be able to manage the network efficiently and then they could dictate to the brands and agencies what the specs would be (screen resolution, touch/no touch, sound, day part, etc) Many convenient store, pharmacy and quickserve retail should build their own network and lease it out to the advertisers who so want to be in front of the consumer when they are making that purchasing decision.

Now, let me just clarify: I like Chris and his team. Great people. I like the Target brand and shop there regularly. (Target: don't cancel my shopper card because of this post... please!) And I'm not trying to bring any darts down on them from our community. I'd just like to start a discussion on this topic. Perhaps they have something we can all learn from. Maybe they are totally guessing or are hamstrung by corporate old school staff? But if I don't post my thoughts here, we'll never know. Am I the only one who disagrees with their strategy on digital signage? Comment below and lets start the discussion. Challenge me or challenge Target, but join in the discussion.

Internet based pay phones

2009-02-06T17:19:00.000-05:00

As I traveled home from a ski trip to Whistler BC Canada the other day, I took note of the self service technology used in the airports. Airports are the largest consumer of kiosks, digital signage and vending that I've come across. Some more than others, obviously. I noticed in the Cincinnati airport, the same kiosks and digital signage exists that I've discussed previously, and they are still not 100% functional. But they've taken the time to add another item (before fixing the previous) and that is an Internet enabled payphone.

It was a nice hardware form factor, and the interface was okay, but really the design of it was from 10 years ago. The unit is produced by a company called Super Pay Phone. As I walked up to it, I noticed it had a Windows message onscreen (a big no no). It had evidently recently applied an automatic Windows update and was waiting on if the PC wanted a reboot. I touched the "reboot" button and the unit shut down and went through it's start up process. There are many reasons why this is bad including allowing hackers to see your OS (to know how to penetrate it), and during the start up they system gives all kinds of other pertinent information to the hacker, including the option to get into the BIOS (should be password protected with a unique password). This unit is obviously not completely PCI compliant. All of this could be fixed simply by changing the auto windows update method to only update late at night (3am) and automatically reboot. Or, not apply updates at all, and allow a network administrator to apply updates.

Years ago we priced similar units for Cincinnati Bell who was thinking of replacing all of their traditional payphones with Internet enabled devices. At the time, they just couldn't justify replacing a $300-$600 dollar device with a $3500 device (times thousands). Now, you can hardly find any payphones on the street, and only occasionally inside. But the smaller start ups such as Smart Pay Phones may take away the Bell presence in this marketplace, and quickly. It will be interesting to see the rate of adoption of these smart devices that provide greater service than a traditional pay phone. A small company trying to grow a market and network can pay for the devices with advertising and keeping costs low (compared to Bell's often expensive overhead) with leasing of hardware, and internet access.

I think the hardware is pretty nice, but a few tweaks to interface and security would make this much better. I'd love to know what kind of usage it gets, I doubt it is much. Those few travelers who don't have a cell phone or those who are interested in the "gadget" aspect of the phone will enjoy it, but I frankly would not be likely to use it. What about you? Would you use a device such as this when travelling? How about around your home town? Leave a comment below.

NRF show - Interesting Items

2009-01-19T16:11:00.003-05:00

NRF2009January 003
Originally uploaded by Tim Burke Kiosk Guy

I attended the NRF show (National Retail Federation - NRF.com) in New York last week at the Javitz center to see what was new and interesting in the Retail world. It was predominately point of sale hardware and related services, and only partially about retail experience, and customer self service (which is my main interests). While attendance seemed a bit down at the show, exhibitors told me that at least the quality of leads they had were still good.

One interesting thing I saw was from our partner at Zebra Printers. We've integrated Zebra printers into many kiosks, and they are widely used in Retail and industry. Now they have a new off the shelf kiosk print station that incorporates a thermal receipt printer with a mount to hold an all-in-one kiosk such as the IBM Anyplace you see in the photo. This is a great product that should catch on quickly. It allows firms like ours to sell a common solution (kiosk and printer) at a low cost and pre-engineered solution. It can mount to a wall, pole mount, or table top mount as seen here. Although our contact tells us the table top was done just for the show and not part of the solution, I'm sure it could be acquired if desired. It could also have custom graphics applied to it for an extra branding opportunity, but comes in standard retail grey standard. I give this product two thumbs up and we plan to start offering it to our customers.

Another interesting solution I saw at NRF was the "Scent Air" booth. They bring the nose into the overall kiosk experience. Or any retail experience for that matter. The majority of their customers are retailers who inject a scent into their retail space. But here they were showing a unique way of integrating it into an interactive experience. As part of their booth, they have a VW bus and touch screens built into the side of it. You can choose which sent you want to smell, and it blows a burst of that scent out a pair of holes on either side of the screen. It was really dead on, chocolate, lavender, cookies, there were up to 1500 different aromas available. In the back window of the bus you could see the apparatus that held the scent canisters and delivered it to the vents. Really great booth concept, and makes you think of lots of ways to incorporate the sense of smell into your retail experience. This could make an up sell much easier to the consumer, and shows that the experience at kiosks or digital signage can be much bigger than the touch, audio or sense of vision.

Provision had their 3D kiosks at the show again. We first saw these last year at KioskCom and they are pretty cool. This year they have incorporated the ability to touch the hologram and click it to interact. The technology is still in its infancy but they should have a revision out by the time of this posting. http://www.provision3dmedia.com/ The example at the show gave you different products to view in 3D, and when you touched one it would print out a coupon for that particular product. The folks at Bank of America are interested in this technology. I assume because one great way to use it could be through the front window of a retailer. Imagine standing outside of a closed retail shop and interacting with a hologram projected through the glass, enabling you to browse the store catalog. Fun and engaging!

The good folks at Comm-Works had a fun virtual experience at their booth. You could put on a virtual 3D face mask and drive a fun race car video game. The whole time you are sitting in a real race car seat with steering wheel, brake and gas pedals. I wrecked that car a few times before I could get the hang of it, but imagine a branded experience such as the Tide race car and brand placement along the race track.

If you attended the NRF show, what other fun and interesting items caught your eye? Add your comments below.

When is a project Digital Signage and when is it a Kiosk?

2008-11-18T16:57:00.003-05:00

That is the question that was posed to exhibitors of the recent KioskCom show in October by Mark Freed of JD Events, the show promoter. It was a good question and there is often a blurring of the line between the two. Historically, Digital signage was on LCD or Plasma panels and mounted high on a wall, while Kiosks were various computer screens from 8 to 19 inches in size and were usually touch screen interactive. But these days with LCD technology that has become cheaper and more common place, and the use of touch overlays that are capable of being used on 42 to 60 inch screens... you will now often find that digital signage is interactive, and essentially a very large screen kiosk. Or is it?

Digital signage can be interactive, and I think that is what determines what you "title" your project. Digital signage management tools often limit the amount of full programmable interaction you can create to accomplish your goals. After all, the main difference between kiosk management software and digital signage management software is that DS tools allow for scheduling of content into predefined zones or templates. A kiosk application is not expecting "scheduled content" and the way that information is laid out on screen can be most anything imaginable. So if you are running a system with a digital management tool you should think of your application as "digital signage" or perhaps "interactive digital signage". If you are using a kiosk management tool... well... it could be a kiosk... you could also be simple digital signage. It's confusing, I know... even for those of us in the industry, the lines between them are grey.

Some digital signage management tools such as Scala are highly programmable, and allow for integration of Javascript, VbScript or Python scripting to extend the dynamic content from a database. Not all management tools allow for this level of robust flexibility, most are much simpler and yet I'd hesitate to use Scala tools for a kiosk project. Scala is also dramatically more expensive than simpler digital signage management tools, which means that it is often used for enterprise level signage.

As for the initial question: "When is a project Digital Signage and when is it a Kiosk?"... the show made it a contest for exhibitors to come up with an interesting answer. Below are some of those answers. The winner was Dr. Robert DeVargas, CFO of Eternal Interactive, LLC who made his answer a bit of prose which I enjoy:

Is it signage or a kiosk? The answer’s tricky to tell;
For everything a kiosk is, the signage is as well.

There is one trait to ponder, that may put this to rest;
It’s not how each one functions, but how they’re used the best.

For it’s signage at a distance, for many eyes to see;
But when a user’s on it, a kiosk it must be.

Thanks Dr. DeVargas for a good quippy response. Below are some of the other responses:

“Digital Signage is a Kiosk when it’s message contains a call to action that can be immediately acted upon by interacting with the same sign.”
Jeff Brinson Presentation Concepts Corporation

Kiosks and digital signage share the same mandate of attracting, engaging and communicating with today’s hi-tech consumer offering everyone universal and ubiquitous access to the benefits of the digital economy. This new culture of fast paced individuals who manage their lifestyle through technology, who seek communication through integration and networking, who want to stay connected, empowered, inspired, who thrive in social networks, gaming and chat rooms, who have created a “digital fortress” against traditionalism have indeed spawned the age of the kiosk and digital signage as a means of meeting their unique needs for digital engagement in the public sector.
Doug B Matatall
President
iPhoenix Corporation

When is a kiosk digital signage? When you see it hanging 10 feet off the ground where you can’t touch it. (good for physical security concerns, bad for interactivity).
Tim Burke (author of this blog)

Q: When Is A Kiosk Digital Signage?
A: A kiosk is digital signage when it is networked to other kiosks and large-format displays, and showcases digital content in any form. Additionally, a kiosk qualifies as digital signage if it is tightly integrated with, and strategically complements, a digital out-of-home media network, regardless of its size, placement, or environment. Finally, if consumers can’t tell the difference, and respond positively to displayed content, then the kiosk is digital signage. Today, marketers do not need to choose one or the other. Rather, cost-effective kiosk and digital signage applications may be seamlessly deployed side-by-side, and work closely together to stimulate consumer behavior.
- Ian McKenzie, Chief Executive Officer
Dynamax Technologies.

‘When you can attach a ROI and you know what channel the sale came from”.
Lou Boudreau
National Accounts Manager
SkyMall Corporate Office

Kiosks changing self-service: Kiosk Cell Phone Interaction Follow Up

2008-11-06T15:14:00.000-05:00

Kiosks changing self-service: Kiosk Cell Phone Interaction Follow Up

Digital Signage - When things go wrong

2008-10-28T17:23:00.006-04:00

One of the reasons I bought and love my BlackBerry curve is that it has a camera built into it. I had been a BlackBerry user for 7+ years but used to carry a separate camera with me. Convergence is a great thing, because now I have one device to carry with me and it lets me capture pictures of kiosks and digital signage around town. I often see interesting deployments, good and bad interfaces and my favorite: systems that just don't work. I know there are entire web sites devoted to posting images of digital signage in very public places like Times Square that have stopped working. I'll just dedicate this blog entry instead of an entire site.

Yes, things go wrong. Computers stop working, and there are no systems that are 100%, no matter what the vendor tells you. But you can do a lot to keep the uptime to about 99% of the time with careful planning, quality software and best practices. Too often networks are thrown together quickly with the cheapest options. It's true that digital signage networks can be very expensive. Often starting at $20K just for management and server software, and you still need hardware and content. Most corporations can expect to budget around $100K annually for a good size deployment with continually updated content. So you can see why the smaller guys (and not so small) scrimp where they can. And often it ends up in a black eye for the brand or a system so poor that it eventually gets removed.

Here is an example of a digital signage network in the Cincinnati airport (CVG) near baggage claim. I've yet to see this working correctly. In this photo you can see the cursor over a mostly blank screen. It was trying to use a browser to pull in Artimis traffic cameras, so you would be able to avoid traffic jams. I think these guys should test before they publish, what do you think? Does this instill confidence in the product, the provider, the service? No. I imagine once it was running, you'd quickly forget all of that, but as I mentioned, I don't think it's ever worked when I've been there.

Here is the same sign panel a month ago as I traveled back from the digital signage expo in Philadelphia. This time it had new printed signs around the screen (they looked nice) yet the player was not receiving a signal and didn't have a default set of content to play in case this happened. So the guest walking by just saw a blue screen with the message: "¿No hay señal " which loosely translates to "I can't get a signal". Sounds like the computer wasn't happy either, it was feeling blue.

I saw the same unit two weeks ago upon returning from KioskCom, and it was simply turned off. That is all too common, unnecessary and unprofessional.

Notice the large enclosure they built just to hold a trackball (and perhaps the PC) that allows visitors to interact with the tools. An all in one touch screen would have been much cleaner and probably only slightly more expensive. In the long run, you would have fewer components to manage and install as well as a better user experience. I should also state that using web pages as content on digital signage is usually not a good idea. It is similar to someone not familiar with the web trying to make the web page act like print media. They just don't get that this is a different media with a different audience and purpose, as well as constraints.

While you can repurpose elements from the web like embedding video files, flash files and images from a web site, don't simply put the web site HTML into the sign and call it a day. The web was not built for this audience, the links and fonts are too small (especially for touch screens) and you have issues of connectivity. Instead, take those existing assets and embed them into a design specific to digital signage and public computing experience (versus sitting at a desk or a couch with a laptop).

Just because your are a big corporation, don't expect that you are immune to these same issues. Charles Schwab has digital signage in their windows in this Manhattan location. And one evening as I strolled by their home grown application had thrown an error. The application named SchwabTV2.exe experienced an application error. Since they didn't use a management tool that handles these issues and prevents the errors from displaying, this is what their brand presented to me. I expect that they would manage my money the same way, and let's just say I won't be using their services any time soon.

So talk to your vendor, choose good management tools such as Scala, Cisco, NetKey, Broadsign, DT Research or one of the many other quality tools. Have the vendor assist you in setting up quality hardware with contingencies for problems similar to these, such as connectivity, application errors, hardware uptime. Many of these issues are handled with best practices from the IT community (running your app as a service that can be auto restarted, hardening your operating system, etc.). And paying for the remote monitoring service that allows technicians to be emailed or sms texted when a sign has problems so they can remedy the issue immediately. Save some budget for ongoing maintenance and monitoring, don't blow it all on the initial install. Don't scrimp on consumer grade electronics, use commercial grade hardware that was meant for continual usage and come with great warranties.

Have you seen digital signage systems or kiosks fail like this? Take some pictures when you do with your camera phone and send them to me along with a description and I'll share them here. You can also share your comments below using the comment links. It's easy!

KioskCom NYC Day 2 evaluation

2008-10-16T18:14:00.003-04:00

Day two was also a good day from an exhibitor point of view. There was a fairly steady flow of foot traffic for most of the day, and a great amount of interest in our company's digital signage content and management solutions. As far as I could tell, we were the only Scala partner at the show, or at least the only ones showing any Scala branding and software. I was told by show management (JD Events) that Scala will have their own booth at the KioskCom show in April. Thanks to Dick Trask at Scala for sending us some booth materials and pop up signs at the last moment.

I sat in on a digital signage seminar this morning about some installations that vendors had done, and it was interesting to see their solutions, as well as hear about candid experiences and frustrations with each project. Very educational for myself and others in the room.

An interesting kiosk solution next to our booth was Parata who showed a pharmacy kiosk that dispenses prescriptions. It's a unique solution being piloted in some retail stores that allows the pharmacist to fill a prescription and put it into the quite large kiosk for pickup by the customer. The customer uses a kiosk touch screen to login with various identifiers and PIN info, answer a few questions, sign HIPPA consent forms, and pay at the kiosk for the prescription (or use an optional pay at the cashier feature). An automated door opens and dispenses the prescription. It's quite a nice solution and I predict they will do well with this kiosk vending solution.

I have several other unique products to share with you the readers in the upcoming days, after I get back to Cincinnati and recover from the show. I have a few pics to share as well. Stay posted.

KioskCom NYC Day 1 evaluation

2008-10-16T09:12:00.002-04:00

IMG_1689
Originally uploaded by Tim Burke Kiosk Guy

The first day of KioskCom was great. Lots of foot traffic, several potential projects to be followed up on afterwards. Compared to the April show, I'd say attendance and the number of exhibitors was higher at this show. We have had a lot of interest in our digital signage offerings which is good to see.
I've noticed a greater presence at this show by NCR, who appears to be attempting to take over IBM's dominance in the retail kiosk space.
I went to dinner afterwards with the guys from Provisio and Reality Interactive. Reality is competition to my firm, but these guys are great. A former employee works for them and I'm happy to see he landed at a good firm. It's important that a firms leadership believe in being nice people and good businessmen at the same time. Christo, Heinz and Minh from Provisio were a lot of fun to talk with, Christo and Heinz are from Germany so hearing their perspective, and seeing their fascination with America was refreshing. Again, good people, good company.

Okay, I've got to get over to the show again for the second day... I just hope my feet can hold up for one more day.

KioskCom NYC This week!

2008-10-14T12:20:00.003-04:00

I'm in Mahattan this week to exhibit at KioskCom.com which is located at the Javitz center and the show runs Wed / Thurs, Oct. 15 & 16. If you are planning to attend, please stop by booth 539 and see me at our booth. The industry show on kiosks and digital signage is a great opportunity to explore the offerings of many vendors in the marketplace, from the very largest such as IBM to smaller vendors with specialty niche components or interesting software applications.

Today is a setup day for me, so I'll be at the center this afternoon setting up the booth, kiosks and our digital signage. Rob Brinkmeyer, our salesperson will be joining me this evening and throughout the show. I hope to be able to blog occasionally and share pics. But on the other hand, I hope to be so busy talking to you that I won't have time to blog! This show we have the new Hike & Bike concept app which is geared towards outdoor outfitter retail stores.

We are also showing a new wayfinding application that is for office complexes, a "Building Directory" application which allows for dynamic content management via an online tool to manage people and companies within an office building. This is shown on a large touch screen digital sign, but future versions will include a kiosk sized version. The flash front end allows you to search for a person or company in an office building or complex. The predictive text typing feature speeds up the process and gives a full profile with optional items such as photos, etc. Future enhancements include instant alerts that let your appointment know you have arrived for your meetings, and so much more. This is to be offered in an ASP model where you pay a monthly fee based on the number of people in your building. Touch Screen hardware is available for sale or lease as part of the package. Stop by the booth to see this cool real estate management tool.

Hope to see you at the show!

Does your kiosk need a keyboard?

2008-10-02T17:46:00.004-04:00

Our company often have prospects looking for kiosk hardware or software who have not thought through the entire experience. This includes not considering the amount of information on screen that a person is willing to read while standing at a kiosk, or considering how the person interacts with the software. A common example is the keyboard. The basic question of "Should I have a keyboard on my kiosk?" doesn't seem to go through their minds... so it's our job to help them think through this when we consult for them.

Think about it, you have a touch screen kiosk with a killer app that is going to make your company money, reward your customers, streamline operations, etc... why do I need a keyboard when I can just have an onscreen keyboard? In our experience, there are some pros and cons to having only a touchscreen keyboard. By relying on the touch keyboard, you will need to consider the interface and how much real estate it will consumer onscreen. This means you have less space for your content or form fields that they use to enter data into. It also increases your software development budget, as the keyboard needs to be integrated, customized to your branding, etc. But one of the biggest reasons not to use an onscreen keyboard for your kiosk is your customer. As long as you only are asking for small amounts of data, a onscreen keyboard is great. But if you are asking for much typing from the customer, we have found that the adoption rate or completion rate drops considerably. Nobody wants to enter as much data as they would on a web page, when using a touch keyboard. The user is not accustomed to the flat surface that is perpendicular to the ground, and they will type much slower. A tradition keyboard sits flat and with proper ergonomics, a person can type very fast.

So if you are asking for a good deal of typing from your customers, consider a tradtional tactile qwerty keyboard. While it will still be slower than when they are at their comfy chair and desk, it will be more natural for them and you will get better participation in your programs. There are many different styles to chose from, and each kiosk vendor has their own preferences based upon testing, availability, durability, etc.

At Electronic Art, we integrated a smaller keyboard with a built in trackpad which requires less cleaning than a trackball, has no moving parts, and we believe more people are comfortable with the trackpad that is similar to laptops, than an ball system. The keyboard is not hardened or vandal resistant, but is is also about 1/6 of the cost of a hardened keyboard. We rarely have problems with them, and when we do it is easy to replace.

Hardened keyboards or vandal resistant keyboards are very cool. They are well engineered to resist spills, prying off of keys, breakage, and they are made to take many more cycles of up/down on the keys so they will last longer. There are many reasons to consider using them, such as when you have a kiosk in an unattended environment like a shopping mall. But if you are using it in a monitored area such as a retail shop, you may find them to be overkill. They are also often harder to depress (slightly) and flat without finger curves on top which can lead to some users typing slower or not liking the experience as it makes them feel uncomfortable. Some models are also not in a typical configuration, so the space bar or control keys are in places you would not expect. They add $200-$450 to the cost of a kiosk on average. There are both ruggedized plastic or metal versions depending on your risk tolerance.

Another cool keyboard concept is the software/hardware from Staco Switch that allows onscreen keyboards to feel as if you are really touching a button. It sounds impossible, but when touching an screen it gives the right vibrations to your brain that make it feel like you just depressed a physical button. I'm so hoping to get a customer that will want to integrate this great attention getter into their applications. It would be great on kiosks or touch screen digital signage.

Recently, our technical director passed on a link to me about a brand new methodology of using onscreen keyboards called Swype. While in it's infancy, it seems really cool. Instead of touching each letter individually, you draw a path between letters and a word matching search engine helps to do a predictive text to speed you up. CNet did a quick video on their site about it from the TechCrunch50 show (see below). It would not work for every project, and introducing a new mindset on input may confuse your customers so you should only use it when appropriate to your audience. And expect to have to give assistance while people learn it, but it can provide an impactful wow factor to your edgy project!

So no matter if you plan to use a physical keyboard or an onscreen keyboard... consider your customer. What will they prefer, what will be most intuitive and easy for them. Test with A/B testing if you have budget. But don't let the input method get in the way of your killer app and kiosk's success.

Kiosk operating systems - Exploring the options

2008-09-15T09:39:00.005-04:00

When you are planning a kiosk project it is not likely that the first thing that comes to mind is what operating system will you use to run the kiosks, unless you are the CTO or IT admin in charge of assisting with the project. And the first thing you should consider is what the application should accomplish, what value it brings to the consumer and your business. But at some point when you know what it is going to do, you will start to discuss how it is going to do these things, and that is when the technology choices begin.

The choice of operating system may not matter at all to you, but it is good to be informed of the choices available and the pros / cons of each choice. This choice will become critical when you have issues such as integration with existing systems, ease of management by your internal team (if managed internally), security and cost. If you have a third party company managing the kiosks for you as part of an annual maintenance agreement, and it doesn't integrate directly with existing systems, again this may not matter to you and you should go with what that vendor is most familiar with and capable of managing efficiently.

As in the world of home and business desktop computers, there are a few main contenders in the kiosk marketplace: Microsoft Windows, Linux and yes... sometimes but rarely Apple. Each with varying flavors, customized versions or overlaying shell applications.

Microsoft Windows
Just as in the rest of the world, my guess would be that most public kiosks run on a flavor of Windows. However, most kiosk deployers would never use only basic Windows security methods to lock down the system or provide application maintenance and monitoring. Most kiosks running Windows use it as the base operating system (OS), and apply another OS over top of it (Shell) to create an environment tailored to the special kiosk needs. Also, it should be stated that often, kiosks run on Windows Embedded which is a scaled back version of XP that is much cheaper to license and doesn't include a lot of consumer oriented overhead. This version of XP is pretty stable and can be tailored to different industries. Windows and most of their Shell operating systems have a remote desktop feature that enables IT admins to work with the kiosks much like they would any other windows based server or desktop computer. Leveraging the same IT staff for system management of your kiosks can make a lot of sense.

There is also Windows CE for kiosks, which I've never liked. It can be as small of a footprint as Linux, but it is also so restrictive for most software developers that it often is only a good idea for basic kiosk content. This traditionally mobile phone platform seems too lightweight for most flashy or interactive applications.

Examples include:
SiteKiosk
Netkey
Kioware
Netstop Pro

Linux: While Linux based kiosks may be a bit more stable and less likely to be hacked. That is always based on the assumption that your IT administrator is talented. That is why so many Windows systems get hacked or are poorly implemented: So many systems are managed by inexperienced IT staff. Linux by nature takes a greater understanding to implement and manage by "true believer geeks" which means that they often have been meticulous in looking at all of the patches, and best security practices. Not always but often this is the case. Often with a Linux based kiosk OS, they are pretty easy to implement and doesn't actually require a lot of geek knowledge. Some is helpful, but not required. Only when you start doing a lot of custom work or integration with third party components, hardware, etc., would it be necessary. If you are a "true believer geek" you could potentially use an open source Linux operating system straight up... but in my opinion you'd be reinventing the wheel and would spend much time building what is already built, and frankly would make as much sense as using Windows by itself. Linux also has an "embedded" version and frankly often has a smaller footprint than Windows.

Examples include:
Wirespring
(The good folks over at Wirespring have an excellent blog entry on this very topic I suggest you check out at: http://www.wirespring.com/dynamic_digital_signage_and_interactive_kiosks_journal/articles/FireCast_and_the_open_source_argument_for_kiosks_and_digital_signs-157.html They are certainly more "geek" than I am, my perspectives are from a more manager or director perspective. )

Apple:
I've seen a few Mac based kiosks such as one at the NYC WTC memorial, but not many others. Now that Mac is a Unix based computer OS, I could see this being a decent platform for kiosks as long as you program for this type of environment. Perhaps we'll see more Mac Kiosks in the future.

Examples:
WKiosk by App4Mac

Kiosks / Digital signage: Yes, sometimes the same operating system can be used for digital signage or kiosks... but frankly digital signage content is often "scheduled" content. Meaning it is remotely managed to play some content at different times of day, day of week, holidays, etc. In this case, a Kiosk OS usually doesn't have this feature built in, as most kiosks do not require scheduling. Watch for an upcoming article on digital signage operating systems.

Final thoughts: Does it really matter in your kiosk? Content is still king and can be OS agnostic such as Flash, video, HTML, etc.) It matters most when it comes to who will manage the systems going forwards and what expertise they bring to the team. It may also matter if the people writing the software need it to work with some Windows based tools like IE, ActiveX, .NET, or other Windows specific technology. Otherwise, you probably could deploy content to either platform, but you want to make this "architecture" decision BEFORE you begin building the software.

Do you know of other kiosk operating systems? Comment below and tell us about it.

KioskCom NYC

2008-08-22T10:45:00.003-04:00

If you haven't already heard, the next Kiosk trade show will be October 15 - 16, 2008 in New York city at the Javits Center. This is the largest kiosk show and also includes digital signage, which is so often part of kiosk projects, or at least provided by the same vendors such as our company. The KioskCom web site is HERE. If you'd like a FREE pass to the tradeshow, contact me and I'll hook you up with a free pass. Comment here or visit our web site at http://www.electronicart.com/ .

Our firm has been busy planning, designing and discussing what software and hardware to showcase at the event. Our designers are putting finishing touches on booth design as well as content for the digital signage (touch screen) and kiosks. We will be in booth #539 on the left hand wall as you enter the show floor.

A new application this show will be a building directory system for digital signage. This would be installed at large office buildings or campuses to allow guests to locate businesses or employees within the building, and get their contact information. This touch screen application will be shown on a vertical 37" touch screen LCD signage panel in our booth. The application can be licensed as a service (web management interface) and can run on your existing hardware and signage network (internet access required for content updates, or a manual update version is available) or hardware and installation is available from Electronic Art. Many hardware form factors are available.

What is a Kiosk? Depends on who you ask...

2008-06-05T15:48:00.003-04:00

What is a kiosk?

Sounds like a simple question, but different people have perspectives that are relative to their world. The other day our designer answered the phone after hours and spoke to a person who was looking for a kiosk. After much discussion, he determined she was looking for a kiosk booth like you see at the mall to sell jewelry in. He politely told her we work with computer kiosks... which took her by surprise and she wasn't sure what that was! Believe me this is common.

There is also the type of kiosk that is for outdoor public spaces to post hand bills and flyers onto, which are often littered with staples and thumbtacks.

In the computer kiosk industry, there are also several sub variations to think about. Often, I see ATM machines that have upgraded their screens to full color touch screens, and can even vend postage stamps at the ATM. The ATM industry is taking advantage of touch screen technology in order to provide a better customer experience, and to allow them to utilize more impactful advertising and design on the screen. Every touch point with the client is important.

Speaking of vending, many vending machines are now a quasi kiosk mix. Using a touch screen interface to engage and assist with the functionality of the products offered or how to complete a transaction. But in the end, they are still simply a vending machine with mechanical levers and switches to release the appropriate product through the cabinetry. But in the not too distant future, I think you will see vending machines take on a more multi-faceted role in assisted selling, surveys, product promotion and more. They have the real estate, why not? If you go to the supermarket, you will likely see vending kiosks for DVD rentals, or the famous Coinstar spare change exchange machines. Their interfaces are nicely done, and they often have a small amount of promotion taking place. Every touch point with the client is important.

Often, a self service kiosk may be used to provide you with a encoded mag stripe card such as a store loyalty card, or a membership card tied to your digital account. Not exactly vending since you are not there to buy a product, more of a "dispensing kiosk". It may allow you to create a membership account, manage your preferences, gain points by watching a promotional commercial, and yes... dispense your loyalty card. You'll use that card when purchasing to get discounts or coupons, and the store will better understand their customer's buying habits by store, region, time of year, etc. And you can revisit the kiosk to swipe that card and edit your preferences. All by dispensing an account card to you.

Occasionally kiosks are transactional, and allow you to purchase at the kiosk. Perhaps you are in a retail store but need to buy something they don't physically stock in the store. Square footage isn't cheap, and they keep those very large items or rarely purchased items in a warehouse. But you may be able to browse the full product catalog at the kiosk and actually pay for the item and have it shipped to the store or your door. This is a great way for retailers to not lose your sale just because you couldn't find the right item on the shelf in your size.

Often kiosks are simply self service informational devices. Browse through a list of recommended items that would go great with the item you just scanned at the shelf, or learn about why certain types of hair styles need a particular conditioner. Find out about a health issue, or which wine goes best with spicy flank steak (I recommend the Malbec from Argentina in the International wines department).

A more recent use for kiosks is the help desk or concierge concept. A self service kiosk to find information or solutions, and when you need an actual person to help you, you touch a "live agent" icon to do an instant video chat with a helpful and knowledgeable staff member who give you the personal touch that is sometimes still essential to an interaction with clients.

Convergence. I guess that is what I am really talking about, there are many ways that a kiosk is more than a kiosk. Often taking advantage of multiple technologies to make the shopping experience a good one. Once the mall kiosks start integrating computer kiosks that vend items, that's when it gets kinda hard to describe! My blog is devoted to discussing computer kiosks in general, and that often means the integration of several hardware components, software drivers, and a pool of vendors to bring a total solution together. Kiosks are now being used to supplement digital signage, or interact with cell phones via SMS or email. Every day we are challenged with a new concept from a client that has a unique need, with a convergence of unique hardware components, branding needs, and custom software requirements. We enjoy the unique nature of each challenge, and the resulting solution.

What other kinds of kiosks can you think of? Comment below and lets learn from each other.

Green Kiosks - Recycle please

2008-05-12T17:32:00.003-04:00

I've been musing for some time now about kiosks and the ability to go Green. Last year, IBM announced that they were going to make their new IBM AnyPlace kiosks more Green and environmentally friendly. At first you think... it's a computer, how green could it be? Well, for starters they are using more recycled plastic, lower power consumption CPU's, no paints in their finishes, and processes that take less energy to produce parts. This is a good start towards green, I love it when a big corporation refines it's product and processes to be more efficient.

Another kiosk hardware vendor, Olea, has produced a kiosk enclosure out of sorghum plants. It was first shown at the NRF in Jan 2008 and again at KioskCom 2008. While not a production ready unit, it shows that it can be done. Their enclosure looked like a box made out of bamboo, but it was actually an engineered panel made from sorghum waste material. That is a great idea and our hats are off to Olea for engineering this enclosure. It shows it can be done, and gets our creative juices flowing about how to make a more environmentally friendly kiosk.

I guess when steel is required for security and durability in public spaces, we could try to use only recycled steel for our enclosures. But what about alternative material such as the laminated plant panels Olea created, is there a good green kiosk material we can use out there such as this? If you know of any good environmentally friendly materials that can be used structurally, pass on the idea. Perhaps we will build it. As I continue to muse about the topic, I wonder where I can go to learn more about green building materials? I suppose it would be the same trade shows that builders and architects attend? There must be a central place to locate these types of materials. I just have to hunt them down.

Other industries are using green materials to build their products, and I'd love to see some examples that may spark ideas for our kiosk industry. Readers, what have you seen out there? Does your company produce green materials? If so, comment below or email me your thoughts.

KioskCom follow up

2008-04-25T16:02:00.001-04:00

KioskCom in Las Vegas was fun and there were lots of new things to see. Everyone's feet are tired but we all gathered many new leads and had opportunities to talk to other vendors in the industry. The show was unlike last year in that the flow of traffic and prospects was... how do I say it... not necessarily slower, but more evenly distributed. Instead of 80% of the leads arriving in the first 2 hours, it was fairly consistent throughout. Except for the last 2 hours of the final day, which is almost always slower. That's to be expected.

Many of the same industry vendors as always and a few new ones too, like Big Wave who has an online software service to help manage kiosk rollouts and kiosks that are out in the field. This is an important tool that can help make rollouts go smoother, allowing all of the players to login and see the current status, post message, see specifications docs, installation notes, all the way down to the tech on the ground who can make updates for each machine he touches. And post launch this can be used to manage the kiosks over time. It's an interesting product that you may not even think of when you are first putting together a kiosk project and planning for the rollout, but once you go through a large rollout, you'll understand the value of it. Check out www.bigwavesoftware.com for more information

Another lively booth at the show was a bit unexpected... and I'm not sure if it's really a kiosk, but it is a self service device. The company is Glenview Health Systems, and the product is BioMeasure. It measures your height, weight, and you grip some handles on the side where it can presumably get a good bit of information about your body and the final product is an analysis of your BMI body mass index, and other helpful information. It became a competition for everyone to get measured and see how they stacked up! I was pretty average, and leaning towards being overweight. But I think I dropped most of that weight by the end of the show from all of the walking you do at shows and in Las Vegas itself! Check out their cool product at www.biomeasure.net

There was a great seminar on PCI compliance that was presented by Fast Transact
that dealt with many great security issues when it comes to credit card transactions at a kiosk. It also spent a good bit of time talking about kiosk security in general, from the OS and application level all the way to the physical level which was very very interesting. I hope they continue to have these seminars at every show! The folks at Retail Solutions Providers Association www.goRSPA.org also gave out a great CD about this topic. There were several Ah Ha moments at the seminar where a white hat hacker gave his perspective and insightful observations.

Our company showed off it's new model of kiosk hardware, the EasyShip XL which you can see at our newly re-designed web site at: www.ElectronicArt.com

A fun side note, an employee of mine passed this link on to me, which is a blog entry from a self proclaimed "trade show virgin" who lists lessons she learned at a recent show. Check it out at: http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2008/05/nine-lessons-from-trade-show-virgin.html

Getting Ready for KioskCom

2008-04-11T18:04:00.005-04:00

Well, it's time again for KioskCom in Las Vegas. This show runs each spring and fall, between Vegas and NYC to give both coasts a chance to see the latest in Kiosk and digital signage technology and vendors such as our company, Electronic Art. We've been working hard to prepare, including loading up the kiosks into large crates (that cost more than they should to ship), preparing brochures and business cards, making sure the booth materials are ready and more! And trying to meet deadlines for shipping, etc.

This is the first year that the KioskCom show is including a digital signage show within the same show floor with one entry fee! The two technologies are very similar when it comes to hardware, networking, etc. and most large deployers are integrating both into their overall interactive marketing strategy. Or they are considering both, which makes it easy for them to get more bang for their buck by attending this single show. Our firm provides hardware and content for digital signage as well as kiosks, so we will have a 37" touch screen panel in our booth running some demo content. Check us out in booth 521 at the show.

Those guys at JD Events (show operators) are working hard to make sure everything goes off without a hitch... and they always do a superb job with this show. And it helps that they are all very nice people too!

These shows are a great chance for you to see, touch, and learn about kiosks and the various vendors who can help you deploy your kiosk initiative. You will be tired after walking the floor for hours and your eyes will hurt from all of the visual stimulus which is why it is great that you can walk down the hallway in the Mandalay Bay and eat at a nice restaurant or get a coffee at Starbucks to recharge your batteries. I like the Rum Jungle which is a restaurant / nightclub that mixes fire and huge walls of glass with water cascading down them to make for an interesting atmosphere. After 11pm, the gogo dancers come out as people switch to party mode. You'll even see scantily clad women swinging on trapeze in the rafters over the bar... that's right, just like a circus... Vegas is crazy! Also, check out the hottest nightclub going right now, LAX in the Luxor. Last time I was there I saw Dave Navaro, but beware... the line to get in is very long for the common man!

But I digress, back to Kiosks! Be forewarned, the following paragraphs are less of an unbiased view and more of an opportunity to talk about our company.

At the KioskCom show, we will be unveiling the latest kiosk design in the EasyShip family of products called the EasyShip XL. This kiosk enclosure uses a modern metal enclosure to hold a full size thermal role printer that can print 8.5x11 print outs, or optionally could hold a small form factor pc to run your kiosk and digital signage screens. It also has an overhead signage panel option. See it on our newly redesigned web site at: http://www.electronicart.com/ or see it in person at the show. We will also be showcasing official IBM Paper which you'll find in our printers. You'll also see the original EasyShip kiosk with it's new oval base that is 20% larger to provide greater stability.

We are also announcing a new partnership with a local fabricator. Our new kiosk fabrication partner has enabled us to have greater capacity, more options, quality engineering, and lower costs. That's right, the original EasyShip kiosk is now dramatically cheaper than last year and the new EasyShip XL is a very good value too. The printer hardware is the most expensive part of the kiosk! Contact us through our web site to get a quote for your kiosk needs at http://www.electronicart.com/ .

Are you planning to attend? Need a free pass to the tradeshow floor? Contact me to get one! My next Blog post will probably be at the show or a post show follow up to the cool things I've seen at this year's KioskCom show.

Show Dates: April 16-17 2008, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV
October 15-16 2008, Javits Convention Center, NYC
KioskCom

Traveling with Kiosks via Airports

2008-04-04T14:08:00.000-04:00

Recently we traveled to pitch a kiosk concept to a very large prospect and the meetings went well. We brought along an IBM AnyPlace kiosk to demonstrate some of our recent custom kiosk applications to the client, which we do often. It gives them an idea of the type of applications they could build, show the level of design quality we can perform, and allows to to touch and feel some actual hardware. The IBM kiosk is retail hardened and can take a lot of abuse and constant interaction. But then we put it up against Delta airlines and the TSA.

After packing it in a foam lined hardshell travel case (TSA locked), we checked the kiosk with our other baggage for our return flight home. All seemed well until we opened the case a week later to prep the kiosk for our next pitch. The kiosk screen was broken! Imagine the shock and then anger. You always wonder how roughly they treat your luggage, and now we have a gauge of the high level of abuse. This glass is not cheap or fragile. It's touch stuff with lots of coatings, etc. (see IBM's specs at: http://www-03.ibm.com/products/retail/products/anyplace/index.html )

As you can see from the picture, it must have taken a hard and heavy blow from a sharp object or corner of another package. But through our hardshell case? That takes some effort. And now that it is a week or more past our return flight, I don't know if we can issue any kind of complaint or claim. I doubt they will cover this, so I am simply down one unit and out a lot of money. My next step is to see what IBM will charge to repair the unit for me. They have great warranty service, but this would not be covered, obviously.

Shipping electronics is always risky business, and passenger airlines are not in the habit of being gentle with the luggage in their care. I'm sure this would be a bit less likely with a carrier such as UPS/FedEx who handle a lot of fragile items daily. An airlines is expecting clothing and golf clubs most of the time. We ship a lot of kiosks via common carrier and rarely have any problems. But we are going to have to re-evaluate how we travel with the kiosks on passenger airlines. We are currently evaluating other types of hard shell cases that we can check with the airlines, and will likely come up with a good solution that we will resell to other customers.

How about you, have you had similar experiences? Do you have mobile kiosks and need to protect them? How do you travel with them?

Digital Signage Expo follow up

2008-03-05T15:09:00.006-05:00

Headrest kiosks by Tapinto
Originally uploaded by Tim Burke Kiosk Guy

Well, I've had a few days to recover from the Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas Feb 27th - 28th 2008, and I'm ready for a few more comments. First let me say, Vegas can really wear you out. It seems like the only time I go is for tradeshows and I spend 5-6 hours walking around tradeshows shaking hands, talking, meeting and greeting and kissing babies (not actually). And everywhere you go in Vegas someone is charging you twice the value of the service or product (because you are in Vegas) and it take forever to get around the city. I made the mistake of thinking the show was at Mandalay Bay convention center when I booked our rooms, so we ended up having to take planes, trains and automobiles to the far side of the strip both days to get to the "Las Vegas Convention Center". Ugh. At least the center is very nice and the show was well organized. The food court is not half bad either!

Okay, the first photo is of a headrest kiosk network by TapInto which is a British firm that has a GSM network of kiosks inside of the headrests of cabs / Taxis (see first picture). They plan to expand this into more than just cabs, but are busy growing this network first. Very impressive setup with a nice clean interface allowing guests to view news, movies, television, play games, see maps, find local dining, and see discounts from sponsors. I think the sponsor area can even send coupons to your cell phone if I remember correctly. Their booth had a London style taxi with a larger flat screen inside for a larger interface as well, all set to some cool music. Nice booth guys! David Welsh shown here is their technical director and a very knowledgeable resource at TapInto.

Other cool things at the show include Admart's booth of low tech small screen Point of Purchase video players called AdView. Sure, its not touch screen (has play buttons) and it only supports video... but this can be a low cost product demo tool that is small enough for onshelf display. We have 3-4 RFPs that can benefit from this product, as a full touch screen interactive hardware device is too expensive for their budgets. These guys are not far from our Cincinnati location, they are in Danville Kentucky! See them online at http://www.admart.com/adview.html.

TruMedia had a special camera setup that can watch how many faces actually view your digital signage. It was really cool, you could see how it highlighted faces that it recognized and were pointed towards the screen. A nice reporting interface gave charts and graphs of the number of visitors, repeat views, and various demographics. Another vendor named CognoVision had a similar product that could use any video camera (not TruMedia's proprietary hardware) and had similar capabilities. Very cool measurement tools!

Did you attend the expo or exhibit? Share you comments below and let's discuss!

Greetings from the Digital Signage Expo

2008-02-29T17:42:00.006-05:00

3M Rep shows rear projected kiosk
Originally uploaded by mauser_fan

Well I've spent the past two days exploring the Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas. I was there initially for a meeting of the advisory board of the Digital Signage Association of which I sit on the board. The Expo was a very large show this year. It was double the size of past expos, as the digital signage industry grows by leaps and bounds.
There were many cool digital signage apps, but also many that could be considered kiosks in my mind. The photo here shows 3M's Vikuiti rear projection kiosk/signage application. A projector displays content onto a glass surface that has a special 3M coating. The image is projected through that material for viewing on the other side, and only on the surface of the coating, not the rest of the glass. The photo here also shows that a touchable menu can interact and change the content of the video being projected. Very cool retail application, and it could be used in many other solutions too. http://www.3mdigitalsignage.com/dse/ .

Other fun items seen at the show include the LongPen remote book signing tool that is being used by Borders Books. Created by author Margaret Atwood, the video conferencing solution is combined with a remote controlled pen, allowing an author in a remote location to talk to the consumer and sign a book for them! Very impressive and fun. Think of the saved travel time and expense for the authors. They could do multiple book signings each week and never leave their office. http://www.longpen.com/

All in all, the show was a big success. Our company, Electronic Art was in attendance and was there to cement some relationships with Cisco systems who has a robust digital signage network system, of which Electronic Art will become a VAR and content management / provider partner. Also, we evaluated using NetKey as a digital signage management tool as well as Kiosk OS system.

I'm still in Vegas at the moment, working at Starbucks before flying home tomorrow, so I'll try to post more entries from this show in the next week. So many to talk about!

Did you attend the show? If so, comment below on your favorite booths and products.

Simplicity of Interface Design

2008-01-30T12:56:00.001-05:00

Verizon-Store4
Originally uploaded by mauser_fan

Design is an interesting thing because it is so subjective. Everyone has an opinion on design, what they like, what they prefer, even if they don't understand what drives their opinions. Sometimes kiosk interface design can become very complex, hard to navigate, and frankly too much to look at. Often simple is better. Better because it is easy for the viewer to understand the purpose, and easier for their eyes to focus on important content.

Design can often set the mood, visually simple design can set a calming mood and affect the user's experience. Busy designs or designs with heavy animation can often create a sense of high energy and can be good for kiosks with a multimedia or entertainment purpose. But either way, design should be strategic with the goals and the user in mind. If budget allows, do focus groups or A/B testing to see which designs provide the desired results or actions by the guests.

Just be careful of the dreaded "design by committee" which is when multiple people within a corporate setting feel they have to interject their own design ideas, and in the end you get a Frankenstein design, which is often poor. Trust talented design professionals who went to school for design and know how to effectively engage. Just be sure to give them all of the strategic goals up front so they can consider them when conceiving the designs. While I'm not a good designer myself, I did attend art college and know how the creative process works (I ended up in photography). I have also managed interactive teams with design agencies for nearly 10 years for major brands, and know both the account executive side of things as well as the designer or producer side of things. Give a good designer the right information, and you'll be happy with the results.

As you know, with this Blog I often reference kiosks I see out in the real world, and the image shown here is from a local Verizon Wireless store near my home. I took the images with a camera phone so please excuse the quality. This check-in kiosk is simple in design, which makes it easy to understand and the guest can quickly perform the task at hand. Branding is consistent with VZW's other corporate material and onscreen media. Our company has done mobile marketing kiosks for Verizon Wireless and while the design is a bit more creative on ours, you would still tie the two together in regards to branding.

The purpose of this kiosk was to quickly get the patrons to the store into a queue for service. The store is always busy, and they find it to be most effective to get them into the system and then allow them to wander the store until their name is called or posted on digital signage in the store. This prevents them from standing in a physical line, when they could be exploring new phones, accessories and making impulse purchases. It was pretty effective and made the process clear.

More images of the interface are available on my Flickr account here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21792517@N02/2176776060/ along with other retail examples. The photos show the hardware, as well as the onscreen interface to allow guest to self serve and get checked in.

Check-in kiosks are a common form of self service. We have developed check in kiosks for an American Express sponsored event where guests registered online before the event, and checked in at the kiosks once at the event. They confirmed their information and registered for the door prize at the kiosks. They also filled out a short survey that enabled us to gather yet more demographics and learn more about them. Amex and other sponsors had onscreen branding and expo information. The beauty of this type of setup is that it allows you to measure attendance, build your profiles of your guests for remarketing purposes later, provide automated sweepstakes winners on site, and more. All done electronically, not by hand and by paper, thus speeding up the time for turn around of data for data mining, removing double keying and lowering error rates.

Check in kiosks can take many shapes, event check-in, hotel check-in, or retail check-in such as this example above. How might your company use check-in kiosks? Comment below and share your experiences.

Virtual Bartender kiosk in retail store

2008-01-07T20:04:00.001-05:00

IMG00234
Originally uploaded by mauser_fan

I was recently told to go check out a kiosk at the local "Party Source" retail store. So my salesperson and I head over at lunch and find the "Virtual Bartender" kiosk. It's a very well done point of purchase retail kiosk that is setup on an end cap. It has a good use of video to describe how to make drinks with a bit of whimsical humor. It also has "recipes" on how to make the drinks and you can print them to a receipt printer below the screen. Good signage above, and around the screen are well made, and the kiosk uses a wide screen touch panel that is becoming more common.

This POP kiosk is great because it has the product referenced on the kiosks sitting right in front of you. You don't have to find it in the store. This kiosk is by Bar.com, nice job guys! I'm sure that there was a lot of work put into this, and the video production budget must have been pretty big!

See more of these images on my Flickr account. I have many interface shots.

Tis the season to plan your next kiosk project

2008-01-03T18:00:00.000-05:00

Well, it has been a busy December. Our firm has been cranking out proposals for kiosks and digital signage like mad men! This is the time of year when many corporations need to either spend money by the end of the year, or they are taking the slow time at the holidays to start planning initiatives for 2008. Often, the planning and fact finding is done at this time of year, to prepare for budgeting season that is often in the March time frame. Budgeting is proposed internally, and then approved by the end of the corporate calendar year which is often June. That money is then part of the following corporate calendar year's budget. Development on these projects may not start in earnest until the summer or fall of next year.

This is an annual exercise for firms like Electronic Art and my competitors. We are all cranking out proposals, responding to RFP's, and letting everything else get pushed back while we attempt to land this new business. It can be frustrating, but this is when many projects are born, and this groundwork can make it possible to land that project in the late spring. There is often a long sales cycle in regards to these projects. It can be frustrating for the "new business development" staff, but accepted.

If you are looking for firms to bid on a kiosk or digital signage project, take a look at your needs. Think about what "pain" you are trying to solve, and do a good job of outlining what you want from the vendor. If what you need is an off the shelf solution, start comparing apples to apples. If your needs are custom or you want it custom built so you "own it" and don't have to pay licensing... outline the project well, and find vendors who will be consultative in their approach. Often a good vendor can suggest good features for your project that you may have overlooked, and raise concerns about feasibility and cost (do you REALLY have a Google budget to build this??) and tell you how they can save you money, or implement tools to speed up time to deliver.

For example, we once had a client with a small budget that needed a content management tool to manage the kiosk. We could have built him one if he had budget, but he needed to spend much of his budget on hardware, design, and video production. So we suggested the use of a free third party tool to allow him to manage textual content, in this case it was a calendar of events. This allowed him to spend his money where he really needed it. Now we also had to explain the dangers, which include that vendor going out of business, etc. But the risk was low since the third party vendor was Google. We integrated the Google tool within a day and had that portion of the project out of the way.

At the same time, realize that your kiosk vendor has to be careful not to give you a full project description for free that you can shop around to his competitors. So often a consultative approach may lead to a consultation fee to cover the cost of R&D, Project specifications creation, flow charts, wireframes, etc. If you don't have this work already done, then expect to pay for it. In the end, you'll have all you need to get the funding, or have a clearly defined project, so you and your vendor know what is being built.

Some prospects come to us with clear specifications for their project, so we can give clear pricing. Others are vaguely written, or don't have enough information to accurately price but still want a price by next week. So those proposals are often written with price ranges such as "between $50K - $75K depending on complexity". If the client cannot define how complex it will be, what features it will have, and what level of integration is needed... how can I know what it will cost me to build it? As a solution provider, I have to be fair to the client and my company.

A kiosk solution provider should listen to your needs, and be consultative in their approach. Sometimes it is not about selling you the biggest project they can, but rather selling you the right project for your budget or what is right for the project. But make sure you are being fair to them and giving them what they need to help you. Like Jerry Maguire said to Rod Tidwell in the movie "Jerry Maguire" - - "Help me... help you".

Kiosk Cell Phone Interaction Follow Up

2007-12-19T19:59:00.000-05:00

As a follow up to my last post, the interaction of cell phones and kiosks or digital signage can be made real by existing technology. Bluetooth and SMS are the most common ways to interact. These can be integrated into many kiosk projects via partners such as BlueFire Digital. I became aware of BlueFire in February of 2007 and have been wanting to integrate their tools into a kiosk project for quite some time. I haven't found a project yet where the client was willing to try this technology, or the budget just didn't allow for the additions. But its a compelling proposition, lets look at some pros and cons:

Bluetooth:
Pros - no cost for messaging, other than battery life. Can send messaging to the phone from the kiosk via graphics such as Jpeg, PNG, Gif, etc., or video or MP3. Text maybe... a smart phone may have software to read a text file, but a regular dump phone may not.
Cons - Requires a bluetooth dongle (antenna) to be added to the kiosk enclosure. That may only be a problem for slim form factors that don't have an enclosure. Connection speeds can be slow, and some users don't fully understand how to use.

SMS:
Pros - Text! Which can be the best way to communicate in some scenarios. And no programming required in the kiosk (generally speaking) and no extra hardware.
Cons - Text! Limited to 160 Characters per message. Also, the kiosk doesn't truly interact, a SMS hosted service does... (Fees vary upon usage). Users may also be charged a fee from their carrier if they don't have unlimited texting.

There are pros and cons to either method. But it may be right for your project. Generally, only a particular market segment will "get it" and be willing to interact this way. But that is growing as people become more familiar with texting their votes to American Idol, or downloading ring tones. If your market target is the younger generation, these tools may be great for your brand.

Also, how you interact is important. Don't think that you can simply broadcast a bluetooth message out to any device nearby. Technically its possible, but frankly, you won't know if that device is in someones purse, or jacket and they may not know you are asking to connect to their phone until they get home from the store and look at their screen. Even if they do see their phone telling them that someone wants to connect, most people are unlikely to allow a connection from an unknown or untrusted source. So you will likely have to prompt them to "opt-in" by having a compelling reason for them to choose to send something to their phone. Perhaps a branded jingle as a ring tone, or a MP3 instructional audio snippet to help them with a task, or a coupon.

Ah... coupons. Now, a bluetooth coupon is compelling, especially in retail. But many retailers are not yet setup to scan a bar code from a phone screen. So your coupon may be a graphic that says "show this coupon to the cashier for 10% off your purchase". If the retailer can work this way, this is a good way to measure usage at the kiosk, and its value to the consumer. If you're giving 10% off of a purchase, simply for interacting with the kiosk or digital signage, I think many consumers would interact.

And then you have their eyes. That is so important in a venue competing for their attention. If they are at your kiosk and you have a compelling brand message, you can get them to do more than just get the coupon... you can get them to change from a passive consumer to an advocate. You could introduce your latest products, you could get them to join you in your green initiatives. But it has to be compelling, and better yet, targeted. Have them give you a contact point such as an email, and you are getting permission to interact again. Send them to your website and you can do very measureable things. So, is that coupon for 10% off of a purchase worth it now? If you integrate a full program with goals and measurements, and a compelling targeted message, I think you come out ahead in the ROI proposition.

What do you think? Click the comment link below to post back a thought or comment.