Article

German kiosks: For the public good

Two major German firms have introduced kiosks as public information sources. But the method and philosophy behind each company's delivery differ.

July 8, 2002

In recent months, the German kiosk industry has witnessed the debut of projects launched by two of the country's most noted companies, telecommunications firm Deutsche Telekom and AOL Germany.

Each project's target group differs, but the goal is the same: to create a positive interactive experience for the kiosk user.

In Deutsche Telekom's case, the experience is wholly contained within its new office facility in Berlin. AOL Germany takes a different approach, using kiosks to facilitate usage at locations through the country.

Deutsche Telekom

On Feb. 7, Deutsche Telekom's new building was opened in Berlin by German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Deutsche Telekom chief executive officer Ron Sommer.

In two steps the former Imperial Main Telegraph Office on French Street near the Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin has been reconstructed and enlarged. The rooms of the new building will serve as a forum for discussions about future trends in cultural, political, scientific, technical, and social aspects.

The building features an atrium with a 60-foot-high entry hall for events. Most modern innovations in communication media will support press conferences, concerts, or other big events. The atrium's eye-catching feature is a multi-vision screen that can be moved above the audience. This LED wall is unique in its flexibility and high resolution. Web sites sports events could be broadcast on the screen.

Next to the Atrium is a seven-story office building. The worlds of interactive media and future-oriented technologies combine impressively in this building. The facility contains an information system that supports an innovative way to orientate visitors within the building through the use of kiosk terminals.

The system is totally integrated in an event management system that also contains a visitor guidance system called VistaVisit developed especially for Deutsche Telekom. At central points visitors can access any one of 22 kiosk terminals that offer individual guidance within the building.

The kiosks feature an overview of the building's floor plan, pictures, and information on building events. Furthermore they can access the Internet and e-mail, order a taxi, or obtain information about recommended neighborhood restaurants. Deutsche Telekom employees have access to the same information on their desktop PCs. They can also use the platform to organize room resourcing, set meeting dates, and schedule events.

In addition, small doorplates like small LCD screens are available on the outside door of every office or meeting room to inform visitors about meeting dates and other pertinent information. About 130 rooms have been equipped with this online RoomResourcing system, which was developed by Berlin-based IVISTAR Kommunikationssysteme AG. The central component of the system is the LCD doorplates, which are navigated over the Internet and are always updated.

AOL Germany's new public access Internet kiosk is available in more than 150 locations throughout Germany.

AOL Germany

Since May, guests at about 150 bars, bistros, coffee shops, and business lounges in nearly every large German city have enjoyed Internet access thanks to a cooperative agreement between AOL Germany and Internet kiosk developer StadtNet GmbH.

The two companies teamed forces to build the largest network of high-speed Internet terminals in Germany. The hook to draw in users, according to AOL Germany marketing manager Philipp Schindler, is that the service is free. AOL currently has 7.8 million members in Germany, and is looking to grow.

"With the AOL Internet stations we want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to have a look on the possibilities Internet, and especially AOL services, can submit," Schindler said.

The AOL Internet Stations are equipped with high-speed DSL access. Users can test for themselves AOL's high-speed contents such as video trailers, games, and news. Maps with locations to all 150 Internet stations are available at both AOL Germany's and StadtNet's Web sites.

AOL plans to promote the project through a major advertising campaign. The company has already booked space for one-page advertisements in leading German scene and youth magazines for the next year.

These two projects are among a number of initiatives involving kiosks in Germany. German employment officials plan to install 13,000 self-service terminals, starting with an initial rollout of up to 4,000 units this year. The kiosks will help unemployed Germans search for jobs,

Another project involves the Germany Federal Ministry of Transportation, which is working with Deutsche Telekom, DaimlerChrysler Services and French company Cofiroute to develop an electronic tax system for trucks on German's highway system. Truck mileage will be determined using satellites, mobile technology, and 3,500 kiosk terminals. The project is scheduled to launch in 2003.

Eckhard Reimann is ownerof the Strategy Consulting Bureau for Interactive & Database Marketing "E.REIMANN:CUSTOMERIZED M@RKETING (ERCM)" in Oberursel (Ts) near Frankfurt/Main in Germany (http://www.ERCM.de), author of articles about multimedia, Internet, eCommerce, Database Marketing, and Customer Relationship Management, editor of the kiosk specific microsite athttp://www.iBusiness.de/ekiosk, board member of the German kiosk conference and exhibition group SMARTKIOSK (http://www.smartkiosk.de), and organizer of the "eKiosk" working group of the German Multimedia Association (http://dmmv.de).