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CETW readies for showtime in the Big Apple

Attendees of this year's event can expect a heavy dose of technology and omnichannel advice.

October 21, 2013

This year's annual Customer Engagement Technology World show in New York City is fast approaching. The formerly twice-yearly show focuses on a broad spectrum of customer engagement technologies, covering the gamut of kiosks, digital signage and mobile technologies.

Including both a wide-ranging exhibit floor and an exhaustive list of educational sessions, the two-day show at the Javits Center in Manhattan will feature keynotes from pop-culture phenomenon and technology festival extraordinaire South by Southwest and quick service chain and phenomenon in its own right, Dunkin' Donuts.

CETW is the official partner show for the Digital Screenmedia Association, and DSA Executive Director David Drain said this year's show has a great deal to offer visitors. His organization will be hosting a member lounge on the show floor and also will be hosting the "DSA Party @ CETW" from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at the Hard Rock Cafe Times Square. CETW itself is scheduled to run Nov. 6 and 7 at the Javits Center.

"CETW is such an interesting show for the variety of topics and solutions presented," Drain said. "You'll meet a wide range of people and companies, but they will all have one thing in common: an interest in how technology can be used to engage and activate customers. The education program is top-notch. You'll hear many case studies on how various technologies — ranging from mobile, digital signage and self-service — were implemented and the lessons learned from those projects."

Lawrence Dvorchik, the show's general manager and chief content officer, recently corresponded with KioskMarketplace.com for an email question-and-answer session about what attendees should expect from this year's show.

KMC: Are there any speakers or exhibitors you're particularly excited about? What is the general theme of the sessions this year?

Dvorchik: All of them. Every single one has been hand-selected based on their experience and ability to clearly and concisely share actionable information and data that attendees can take home. We have one of the leading brands in the digital and social engagement space, South by Southwest, sharing their experiences and best practices; we have brand new research with Vibes; and have educational sessions throughout that cover the omnichannel experience, one channel at a time, as well as all together.

KMC: What can attendees expect to take away from the show? Why should they attend?

Dvorchik: CETW is the only place where marketers, brand managers, agencies, brands, venues, creative strategists and technologists gather to understand, analyze and deliver on the use of technology for Customer Engagement.

Attendees will take home actionable strategies and data to enable them to implement, grow and sustain their customer engagement programs, including customer experience, loyalty, data and analytics. They will learn about mobile, self-service and digital signage, in-venue, out-of-home and mobile. They will be exposed to leaders with success stories and best practices, with ample time to network with them.

The Expo Hall is larger than before, and is comprised of a far greater array of solutions. The goal for CETW 2013 was to encourage a wide breadth of different solutions for attendees to engage with, so they may understand all the options available for their organizations. We are extremely excited about the makeup of the Expo floor, and think our attendees will be as well, and will spend considerable time understanding and demonstrating those solutions.

KMC: And finally, what else do you want people to know about CETW?

Dvorchik: Nowhere else will marketers, brand managers, agencies, brands, venues, creative strategists and technologists be able to gather together with a unified focus on customer engagement, and the technology solutions available to improve those efforts. We can't wait for everyone to get to CETW, engage with the speakers and exhibitors, and secure the information they need to create actionable customer engagement plans.

The first day's keynote address, "Networks and Networking: Reaching the Hyper-Connected at SXSW," from South by Southwest Director of Technology Scott Wilcox, will look at how that festival has engaged the tech-savvy, according to the CETW website:

South by Southwest events cater to connected consumers — those technology super-users who crave immersive and engaging experiences and expect constant connectivity. SXSW engages and retains clients to create and enable SXSW communities through myriad technologies, including mobile apps, digital signage, social media, kiosks, Wi-Fi, streaming, RFID, QR codes and a host of custom software. In this enlightening keynote, Scott Wilcox, the director of technology and member of the board of directors for SXSW LLC, will share the strategies behind their use at SXSW events to create engagement opportunities. Drawing from 18 years of experiences producing SXSW Music, Film, and Interactive events, Scott will also share how some brands and agencies have uniquely engaged attendees of SXSW through mobile, social and experiential technologies.

The show's second day features two keynotes:

• "The Converged Media Conundrum: What Brands Need to Know to Profit in a Paid+Owned+Earned Media Ecosystem," by Rebecca Lieb, author and industry analyst for The Altimeter Group
• "Consumer Engagement Must Be 360 Degrees, 365 Days a Year," by Scott Hudler, vice president for global consumer engagement with Dunkin' Donuts

The keynote from Dunkin's Hudler will look at leveraging technology to drive the business and to drive a deeper level of customer engagement with the brand, according to the CETW website:

While some eye-popping technologies have emerged in the 60-plus years since Dunkin' Donuts first opened, Dunkin' Brands has held firm to the belief that "You don't just do cool for cool's sake, especially with technologies." Regardless of channel — and Dunkin' takes a 360-degree approach to technology channels — each solution must ensure brand consistency across all levels. From mobile marketing, mobile apps, gamification and social to in-store technologies and the in-store experience, Dunkin' keeps a sharp focus on the goal of giving customers exactly what matters most to them. Join Scott Hudler as he explores the Dunkin' Brands playbook on how Dunkin' utilizes a myriad of customer engagement technologies to drive traffic, business, engagement and loyalty.

CETW also will feature educational sessions throughout both show days, ranging from topics such as "How To Generate Actionable Insights from Your Omnichannel Marketing Efforts Using 'Big Data' Analytics Tools" to "The Future of Digital Signage in Retail Through Mobile Interactivity."

Here are some of the kiosk companies scheduled to exhibit at this year's show:

• Armodilo
• elevate DIGITAL
• EuroTouch
• Frank Mayer and Associates
• KioWare
• Livewire Digital
• Nanonation
• Olea Kiosks
• OneSource Interactive
• Star Micronics
• URWay Kiosks
• Vislogix

Read more about kiosk manufacturers.