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Engaging exhibitors bring it to New York for CETWorld

More than 100 exhibitors will be showcasing their top products and services at the inaugural CETWorld show.

November 1, 2010

In less than 10 days the first official CETW show will debut at New York City's Javits Convention Center with more than 100 exhibitors showing off their latest products and services, displaying software and hardware related to the digital signage, kiosk and self-service industries.

The show, once two co-located shows known as KioskCom Self Service Expo and The Digital Signage Show, is today’s Customer Engagement Technology World.

On Nov. 10 doors will open to thousands of attendees looking to see more than 70 speakers at dozens of educational presentations and seminars. Many will probably sample some of the great food, entertainment and other delights that New York offers.

Companies from across the spectrum of customer engagement technologies already have reserved space on the CETW show floor. Here is a sample of the exhibitors and what they'll be featuring at the show:

VISILOGIX
On the digital signage side is Visilogox, a Boynton Beach, Fla.-based firm that calls itself a "manufacturer and distributor of dynamic interactive technologies that can enhance virtually any environment along with other innovative customized next-gen 'wow factor' solutions!"

Visilogix definitely does have some cool factor technology such as its transparent, holographic touch screens that it will display at Booth 426 at the CETW.
The company plans to debut an addition to its ViPro line of projection screens, an 80-inch rear-projection mirror screen with touch interactivity.

"The mirror grabs people's attention – they look at themselves. Then it turns into a screen and shows an ad, a game or whatever," says Oliver Ferrier, cofounder and chief xperience officer, Visilogix.

The ViPro allows consumers to play a game or interact with it in one portion of the screen, while another portion will change content in response to motion. Ferrier says the ViPro is also sunlight-capable, meaning it can display a high-definition image even in direct sunlight, a helpful feature for merchants that want to use it in a storefront window.

NCR NETKEY
Self-serve giant NCR Corp.will highlight in Booth 207 several products that it has been beefing up since it purchased Netkey in 2009 (See "NCR buys digital signage software provider Netkey," Nov. 2, 2009).

Last May it introduced the NCR Netkey Loyalty Kiosk, a loyalty and offer-management solution for retailers. Netkey provides coupons and other promotions inside the store, online or via mobile devices.

Bob Ventresca, the company's vice president of marketing, says NCR Netkey's retail management software brings together in-store digital advertising and self-service kiosks under a single platform, enabling retailers to use digital advertising to promote their frequent shopper program and enabling shoppers to enroll in the program at self-service kiosks.

"The customer can check (at the kiosk) their points and see promotions, or have it sent to their mobile phone. Everything is tied in with mobile; that's the trend we're seeing in the marketplace," he said.

NCR will also show its deli-ordering application targeting grocers that allows customers to put in an order and continue on with their shopping. Once the order is ready the store contacts the consumer either via a page or through her phone. "This automates the process, possibly increases order size, and it's more efficient shopping for the consumer," Ventresca said.  

In addition, visitors to NCR's booth can view an endless-aisle application that gives consumers the ability in store to select size, shape, color, etc. of products that may not be in stock.

REDDOTNET
Visitors to RedDotNet in Booth 200 will get a demo of its recently introduced 15-inch diagonal touch screen "The Dot" kiosk. RedDotNet serves retailers, providing wall-mounted and floor stand kiosks for endless aisle, wayfinding, promotions, loyalty programs and in store-marketing. The Vista, Calif.-based firm claims 18,000 of its kiosks have been installed in more than 800 stores.

RedDotNet prides itself on its small kiosks, offering one model with a 6½-inch diagonal screen and a second with a screen about 10½ inches across diagonally. The devices have a unique look with a round screen, though the new larger Dot is closer to an oval shape. 

The new kiosk is driven by the Intel Atom N450 processor and features a durable, industrial-grade touch screen. Options include an integrated 3-inch thermal printer, swipe-style card reader and navigational thumbwheels.

Robb Kirschenmann, vice president of operations, says the patented thumbwheel design offers users the ability to quickly scan through categories and images. This comes in handy when you are in a store, searching through hundreds of products and can't quite remember exactly what it is you're looking for.

Ever gone shopping for a print cartridge, get to the store and forget the printer brand, or cartridge number? RedDotNet sells its Dot to a European retailer that sells printer ink cartridges, says Kirschenmann. "The customer can quickly click through images of printers on the Dot, find the right one, and that will list the correct ink for the brand," he said.

In a second application, a do-it-yourself, fix-it-type retailer, also based in Europe, uses the Dot to post images of hundreds of insects and household pests. Consumers scroll through the images to, first, find the bug and, second, find the right pesticide, says Kirschenmann.

The Dot itself will be highly visible at CETW as it is the kiosk the show is using to provide attendee registration and badge printing.

OLEA KIOSKS
Olea Kiosks will demonstrate in Booth 509 its new iPad enclosure, a custom-designed kiosk for skin care and makeup merchant Sephora, and its Soho kiosk that is "completely clean," front and back, of external add-ons, says Frank Olea, CEO of the Artesia, Calif.-based firm.

The Soho model to be shown will be devoid of any external locks, fans, vents, power outlets and other add-ons "that sometimes make the back of a kiosk look like a refrigerator," Olea said.

As for the iPad, retailers are incorporating the device in their floor operations, but security can be a problem as it is small and lightweight and often accessible to customers, Olea says.

Olea built its enclosure to secure the iPad whether it's on a desk top, mounted on a wall or freestanding. "We’ve done some marketing on this and are getting a very strong response," Olea said.

The Sephora kiosk comes with a touch screen option that pages a store employee.


(Please see part 2 of this story "CETWorld exhibitors bring it to New York - continued.")

(Photo by blakespot).