Article

The 2005 Kiosk Awards: Entries for Best Retail Kiosk, Best Financial Kiosk

Find out who has entered what into the categories of Best Retail Kiosk and Best Financial Kiosk in the 2005 Kiosk Awards.

September 22, 2005 by

Best Retail Kiosk

Express Bill Payment Kiosk at Verizon Wireless, by Source Technologies

The Express Bill Payment kiosk has effectively transitioned an inefficient, manual process into a fully automated one without loss of functionality. The self- service financial kiosk allows customers to pay bills without waiting for assistance from a customer service representative. At the kiosk, customers are identified by entering their phone number or account number or by scanning the barcode on their statement. The kiosk guides users through the transaction and accepts payments in the form of credit or debit card, cash or check. By automating the system, Verizon was able to decrease wait times for service and redeploy staff to other customer service areas.

Coupon Machine Deployer, by HoloDeem Inc.

The HoloDeem Coupon Machine is an advanced way to coupon. It displays Holo-mercials - patented three-dimensional aerial holographic commercials - that attract attention while inviting consumers to view and print coupons via self-service touchscreens. The device enables multiple shoppers to view the Holo-mercials and permits two users to simultaneously select coupons through the use of category specific drill-down menus and print those coupons. As an interactive in-store media, HoloDeem Coupon Machine meets a variety of advertising and coupon objectives. It provides short lead times, virtual shelf space, branding and opportunities for new product trials.

Photo.Teller, by Whitech USA Inc.
Photo.Teller accepts digital images from all memory cards, CDs, DVDs and phone cameras via infrared or Bluetooth. The images also can be scanned in and printed, archived, burned to CD, DVD or e-mailed. The Photo.Teller digital kiosk has been designed to upsell customers by presenting them with a range of additional services, such as borders or an index print, every time they use the kiosk. Photo.Teller's open architectural design provides the retailer with choices that allows them to offer services specific to their business and customer needs, and a remote management feature lets retailers control kiosks across multiple locations.

DekkoMatic-AmeriGas Propane Exchange at AmeriGas vending locations, by WebRaiser Technologies Inc.
The

DekkoMatic-AmeriGas Propane Exchange is the first pneumatic-driven propane vending system available. Designed for outdoor retail use, the touchscreen kiosk system offers 24/7 access to propane with no employee assistance. Purchases or exchanges take approximately 3 minutes, and the system accepts cash, credit, debit and gift cards. The e application was designed to comply with national, state and local regulations and the pneumatic cage system eliminates the use of electronics near the gas. The soft ware offers centralized remote management features, detailed transaction reports and it integrates with existing POS systems for all payment functions.

PictureStation, by Sony Electronics Inc.
Sony PictureStation kiosks provide high-quality photos in seconds from all popular digital media. All PictureStation systems feature Sony's easy-to-use software designed for increased revenue opportunities, such as custom value packages and creative print options. Customers can add colorful borders and text, create photo greetings, announcements and photo collages. The kiosks offer multiple print sizes and CD burning. Retailers can choose to add credit card functionality, which also allows retailers to remotely monitor their systems. Retailers also can create different promotional packages and have those packages displayed as options on the PictureStation screen.

Product Advisor Kiosk at OfficeMax Inc., by Active Decisions Inc.

Product Advisor Kiosks were designed to give consumers the tools they need to make informed purchase decisions based on manufacturing-supplied information, personalized recommendations, side-by-side comparisons and Consumer Reports reviews. The kiosk's interactive guides present questions that assess a customer's underlying needs, then generates recommendations and presents them in an objective, balanced manner. The kiosks also integrate cross-selling to suggest additional products. Sales associates gain increased knowledge and confidence from using the kiosk and receive help when the store is busy.

Polaris ATV Experience Center at Polaris Industries, by SeePoint Technology
The Polaris

ATV Experience Center is a unique, large scale dramatic retail kiosk installation that uses sight, sound and touch to educate and excite the customer about Polaris products. Each center features a full-size ATV sitting on simulated, three-dimensional rock terrain. One touchscreen hangs in front of the customer seated on the ATV and simulates the ride while illustrating the ATV's many capabilities. Another touchscreen on the sales floor educates customers about Polaris' products. A 26-inch LCD screen hangs above the ATV and is viewable from the entire store. The center enables Polaris to establish a stronger brand identity and presents an opportunity to advertise accessories.

Best Financial Kiosk

Express Bill Payment Kiosk at Verizon Wireless, by Source Technologies
The Express Bill Payment kiosk has effectively transitioned an inefficient, manual process into a fully automated one without loss of functionality.

The self-service financial kiosk allows customers to pay bills without waiting for assistance from a customer service representative. At the kiosk, customers are identified by entering their phone number or account number or by scanning the barcode on their statement. The kiosk guides users through the transaction and accepts payments in the form of credit or debit card, cash or check. By automating the system, Verizon was able to decrease wait times for service and redeploy staff to other customer service areas.

Corporate Network Kiosk at Flagstar Bank, by Microspace Communications Corp.
The primary

goal of Flagstar Bank's digital signage applications is to capitalize on "dwell time" that a customer faces while awaiting service. The informative kiosks showcase the bank's products and services. Content is presented in seven-minute sequences triggered by the arrival of a customer and has several rotating sequences. The network comprises three sections: 1. Excelevision Network, passive video-based retail advertising of bank products and services on large TVs or plasma screens; 2. Customer Learning Terminal, an interactive experience where customers can request information and apply for services; 3. Employee Learning Terminal, a remote interactive training tool for employees.

Self-Service Branch at credit unions, by Ensenta
Self-Service Branch is the only certified shared branching financial kiosk that allows millions of credit union members to conduct a full array of banking transactions in real time. It is the first shared-branching platform to successfully send image cash letters directly to a processor, bypassing the acquiring institution's back-office and eliminating the needs/cost of daily check-sweeps. Its Web-based back-end server minimizes fraud by evaluating each check deposited on 21 separate risk factors. Self-Service Branch offers members greater convenience by being available in more locations and for longer hours than brick-and-mortar branches. Its one-to-many Web-based architecture can broadcast to any kiosk in the shared network custom policies and targeted sales campaigns directed to a credit union's specific customers.

TIO Bill Pay and Financial Services Kiosk at convenience stores, by Info Touch and Palm Desert National Bank
TIO terminals deliver automated financial services to the nonbanked consumer marketplace. The kiosks act as an aggregation point for a variety of products and services, including bill payment, money order and money transfer, digital merchandising, PIN dispensing for prepaid products and services, interactive mapping and directions, auto insurance, e-mail, check cashing, electronic coupons and general Web-browsing. Located in high-traffic convenience stores, the TIO terminals are available 24/7, provide real-time bill payment, posting and confirmation and offer multiple language choices.

Other categories in the Kiosk Awards are covered in the articles The 2005 Kiosk Awards: Entries for General and Best New Kiosk Application and The 2005 Kiosk Awards: Entries for Best Demonstration of ROI, Best Digital Display Application, Best Entertainment or Gaming Kiosk and Best Travel or Hospitality Kiosk.

Click here to take part in the 2005 Kiosk Awards Reader's Choice Survey!

[Editor's note: Info Touch Technologies became Tio Networks in April 2006.]