News

Banging the gong

IBM is generating a new "buzz" about its self-check-in technology by formally inviting the press to kick the tires now that the trial is in full swing.

February 8, 2004

I received an invitation via email for this week, and it made me pause to think, "Wow, this is one kiosk company that does things right." The invitation was from IBM, and it was requesting my presence at a media event in New York next week to unveil guest check-in kiosks.

It's not news that Hilton has been testing check-in kiosks at hotels in New York and Chicago. The industry has known about this implementation for months. But IBM is generating a new "buzz" about the technology by formally inviting the press to kick the tires now that the trial is in full swing. See related story, "Huge potential for kiosk trial at Hilton Hotels."

An IBM spokeswoman said she's expecting reporters from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and several high-profile travel trade publications to attend. She is making IBM executives and Hilton executives available for one-on-one interviews. So be on the lookout for great publicity for self-checkout kiosks by the end of this week.

I think that kiosk companies can really learn from IBM's example in this case. They received publicity for their trial of the kiosk technology last fall. Now they are going to get a second dose of attention by holding this event. And it's not just good for IBM or Hilton, it's good for our industry. The more people are exposed to self-service, the more comfortable they might become with the technology. When they see a kiosk in a lobby, maybe they will be curious to try something they've seen in the papers.

I was talking with Sam Matheny, technical sales manager at FotoZoomer, last week for the most-recentwho's who on KIOSKmarketplace, and he said some interesting things about the level of education consumers still need regarding kiosks.

"My biggest gripe with this industry is the 'field of dreams' theory that says if you build it, they will come. There is an educational learning curve with kiosks."

Matheny noted that consumers need to see personal value before anyone can expect them to pay to do something for themselves.

He even admitted that his own photo kiosk is not necessary to customers' lives. Large-format digital photos are an impulse buy. They are fun. But someone has to show the consumer that entertainment value.

CUSS'd out

IBM is also taking the media-day opportunity to talk up CUSS, or the Common Use Self-Service standard, which will allow check-in kiosks at airports, hotels, convention centers and other hospitality venues to speak the same language and work together.

So IBM is right to make some noise about it. That convenience is something to which everyday people could relate. Convenience is the prize of most kiosks.

Now I'm realistic enough to know that the majority of kiosk companies don't have the resources of Big Blue to hold media shindigs in New York City. But those companies do have local papers and television stations. They do have business organizations and chambers of commerce. I wish they would invite some opinion leaders from their communities to see what they've been up to.

Too many times while interviewing industry players have I heard, "We have this great project in the pipeline, but we can't talk about it." Maybe it's time to make clients understand that they have to bang the gong to get people interested in their kiosks. IBM understands that.

Chris Zimmerman, editor