Article

A new kiosk association

Dick Good, chief executive officer of NetWorld Alliance, discusses a new kiosk industry association being built upon the foundation of kiosks.org.

March 27, 2002

A recent study by Summit Research Associates revealed that there are nearly half a

Dick Good.

million kiosks in operation around the world. The number of people and companies involved in the industry is growing at an astonishing rate.

NetWorld Alliance is one of those newer companies. Our experience in the ATM industry has proven valuable in getting to know the people and issues affecting kiosks, but the key to becoming a factor in the industry was our purchase of kiosks.org last fall.

Seeking a voice

With the help of Craig Keefner, the founder, publisher and guru of kiosks.org, we were able to identify something that has, until now, been missing. Craig said that for years his members have been telling him the industry needs a unifying organization, a single voice to speak out on issues affecting all of us. Craig says that now is the time to act on behalf of those members.

We chose the day after the conclusion of KioskCom, the industry's largest gathering, to organize a meeting of key players on the kiosk stage. Our idea was to create a new organization that advanced the cause of the industry, one that would provide a sounding board for ideas and present a unified voice to the government and media on all sorts of issues.

Making virtual reality into fact

Craig, who has been a force in the industry since he founded kiosks.org in 1993, says the time is right to formalize what has been a "virtual organization" for many years. He said the new group is a logical next step for the industry.

More than 150 companies are already members of kiosks.org, so it's only logical to launch this new group through a recognized force in kiosks. It makes sense to make kiosks.org a more complete organization.

Like many trade organizations, the logic leading us is that there truly is strength in numbers, and we think all of the numbers associated with kiosks, from applications to corporations, is likely to continue growing. The group will include manufacturers, suppliers, deployers and any others whose business involves kiosks.

A round of meetings, and golf

We knew that persuading these busy executives to give up another business day just after the KioskCom show would be a challenge. They had businesses to run, calls to make and lists of e-mail messages to answer. But we knew that creating an important organization for the kiosk industry was also something that would appeal to them.

An opportunity for a round of golf at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club didn't hurt their interest, either.

Friendly competition

The amazing thing about this group, many of whom had never before met and only knew

Competitors break bread at Wednesday evening's dinner.

of their competitors by name, was the almost instant camaraderie that developed between the business rivals. The 14 executives got acquainted at an informal cocktail party and dinner Wednesday night, paving the way for a productive planning session Thursday morning.

The hand-picked group proved to include the right mix of knowledgeable individuals. There was no shortage of strong opinions. Nobody, in other words, just went along with the concepts presented, and everyone provided valuable input. The intent was not to create a set of policies but to consider an organization and set the agenda for issues that will become the core of the group's platform.

One thing that wasn't settled on was a name for this new group, though kiosks.org is an obvious first choice. Our small group of organizers has been given an affectionate name. Forever, it will be known as the Bay Hill Bunch.

Preparing the groundwork

Today, a month after the meeting, we're preparing bylaws and exploring ways to finance the activities of the group. Once those issues are more solid, probably in another few weeks, we're anxious to introduce the group to the industry in a more formal way.

The Bay Hill Bunch, from left: Shawn Proffitt (CyberTotems), Otto Lohse (MEI), Dick Good, Mike Zweber (NCR), Bob Fincher (NetWorld Alliance), Derek Stewart (NetShift Software), Mike Mayer (Frank Mayer), Tom Harper (NetWorld Alliance), Tom Smith (MontegoNet), Rick Malone (KIS), Craig Keefner (kiosks.org), Bob Ventresca (NetKey), Gary Curran (Companion Systems), Greg Swistak (Factura), Scott Smith (Elo TouchSystems), Steve Bellinghausen (COMPAQ), Richard Rommel (Eastman Kodak).

I was encouraged by the enthusiasm of the attendees, who might have collectively said of the organization, "It's about time." That's exactly what Rick Malone of Kiosk Information Systems and Scott Smith of Elo TouchSystems said during the meeting. If not now, they reasoned, the industry could become further fragmented.

While the details aren't yet finalized, today it can be said the association will be open to anyone involved in the electronic kiosk industry.

An alliance with NetWorld

You might wonder why NetWorld Alliance would take a leadership position on this issue. We think a strong industry association will serve and be served by all concerned, including our own Web portals, kiosks.org and KIOSKmarketplace.

We are uniquely qualified. Our president, Tom Harper, co-founded the now-thriving ATM Industry Association, which has now branched out into Europe and earlier this year hosted a conference attended by more than 500 ATM executives.

Breakout meetings give the group a chance to get down to cases.

Debate was lively during our brainstorming session, which went on well past our allotted five hours. And I'm sure that in several foursomes, the talk was not all about golf. The meeting was a success, and now we've got our sleeves rolled up to move ahead. Drafts of plans and schedules are being prepared for publication, review and feedback.