Article

TouchPoint's award-winner expands definition of '`kiosk'

TouchPoint Solutions almost didn't enter the Interactive Kiosk Excellence Awards at KioskCom 2003, thinking its DigiBox Soundwave was too far out from the traditional "kiosk." But the product ended up taking the best hospitality/entertainment award.

June 25, 2003

Editor's note: This is the fourth in a series of profiles on winners of the Interactive Kiosk Excellence Awards from KioskCom 2003 in Las Vegas. The awards recognize the best kiosk implementations over the past year. This story is on the winner of the "best hospitality/entertainment kiosk application."

TouchPoint Solutions almost did not enter the Interactive Kiosk Excellence Awards at KioskCom 2003. Shamira Jaffer, TouchPoint founder and executive vice president, worried that her company's DigiBox Soundwave jukebox was a little too far out from the traditional definition of "kiosk."

But now she is happy the company decided to enter. The DigiBox product beat out such notable entrants as Kosmo Studios for the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2002 Fan Kiosk, Interactive Marketing System for Fullplay Media Systems, Interactive Skybox for the Minnesota Wild, and marblemedia/Fourth Wall Media for CBC's Fiftieth sales and marketing fall launch party.

"We feel there was really good competition, and that increases our pride," said Jaffer.

"We've extended the concept of what a kiosk is," said Rob Howard, manager of marketing communications at TouchPoint. "Jukeboxes have not been viewed as interactive in the past."

Jaffer said feedback from customers is that the DigiBox combines the best of the old and new. "Jukeboxes were cool and sexy in their day. We've kept the retro look and added fun, interactive features like video and advertising."

Advertising? Fun? She explained that the jukebox offers opportunities for one-to-one marketing. For instance, if a customer requests a Celine Dion song on the jukebox, a pop-up box could appear about her latest CD in stores, or about where she will appear in concert.

DigiBox Soundwave wall unit

Behind the scenes

Howard said it's the software and artificial intelligence of the DigiBox that impressed KioskCom judges. TouchPoint's Catapult software handles back-end management.

"It's a smart system that `learns' the audience's listening preferences," said Howard. If the jukebox is in a country-Western bar, country music plays in the background. The unit can be configured to automatically update content every two weeks via the Internet, in cases where music licensing permits.

"It's an organic system; living and breathing and learning its environment. No two jukeboxes are alike," said Jaffer.

The system is also tied to video, so that the video is shown on a plasma screen when a song is selected.

Before developing the jukebox, TouchPoint spent six months researching the market. The company had to evaluate the needs of the vending-machine operators and the venue owners, plus it had to learn how the music industry works in terms of publishing and licensing songs.

The machine went into the field in the United Kingdom in late 2001. Today they are sold in the U.K., Ireland and Canada (as of this summer). The push this fall is the United States market. Jaffer said TouchPoint expects to sell about 2,000 units per year.

The DigiBox sells for about 30 percent lower than other digital jukeboxes, Jaffer said. The company would not disclose pricing. TouchPoint pays royalties on the music.

Catapult power

The software in the DigiBox is designed to make life easy for the deployer. For instance, the machine is self-healing, meaning it can automatically reboot if memory is full. If it's Valentine's Day, hearts will appear on the screen.

When the bill acceptor on the machines is full, Catapult pages the operator to come empty it. The system can also email operators for specifically designated reasons. For instance, the operator might request an email if the machine isn't taking in much money. That way, he or she knows to move the machine.

Operators can log onto the Catapult site to see at any time how many users have accessed the machine, every dollar that has been accepted, what music is most popular.

DigiBox is also attractive to record labels, Howard said, because it could provide music companies the ability to track regional popularity of music through the CatapultSVR system.

See related KioskCom award-winner stories, "Two times a charm for KioskCom winner Apunix," "Netkey-Fleet deployment wins KioskCom award," "Award-winning self-serve ski kiosk a real 'Livewire'."