News

Eight tips for maximizing uptime

In the world of self-service, nothing is more important than keeping the machines up and running.

June 14, 2006

By David Weiss, CEO, Dataprobe

Many companies at home and abroad rely on hundreds and, in some cases, thousands of self-service kiosks - from airline ticketing kiosks to self-checkout kiosks at the supermarket - to provide efficient and consistent service to their valued customers. Unfortunately, kiosks and their operating systems are subject to the same system failures as any computer, and the implications can be devastating to a company and its bottom line. Dataprobe, a leading provider of remote site equipment management, has outlined a top list of all-important recommendations to help companies more effectively deploy and manage their kiosk networks.

Dataprobe's list of top recommendations follows:

1. Acknowledge the value of "self-service." In our increasingly networked world, more and more information and commerce transactions are being pushed further and further toward the customer. As a result, kiosks are popping up everywhere, helping merchants to reach customers in a diverse set of environments and enabling consumers to speed through lines and make purchasing decisions with a whole new ease and expedience. Embrace the reality that the self-service revolution is here to stay and understand the value of automation - and its direct financial impact - for both businesses and consumers.

2. Plan for Murphy's Law. Both kiosks and the communications systems that link them together (cable modems, routers, and Wi-Fi access points) are subject to occasional system failures. It is important to recognize that these failures are inevitable in any system running any type of operating system on any communications platform.

3. Identify specific risks. Identify specific vulnerabilities associated with kiosk networks and learn how to mitigate risk:

• Applications - Rigorous testing of any application is required to ensure ongoing operation of the system.
• Operating System - The operating system utilized in the kiosk environment should be optimized for its specific application.
• Hardware - Kiosk hardware should be designated in accordance with the demands of the application as well as its operating environment.
• Network - Reliability of communication networks and system redundancy need to be considered in the network design.
• Security - The actual machine, as well as its contents, needs to be protected both physically and electronically.
• Other - Kiosks that dispense products, records or receipts need to have mechanisms in place to recognize problems that arise in the transaction process.

4. Understand the impact. When kiosks are not functioning, their negative impact goes beyond the customer who can't complete the transaction or get needed information. Each person who walks past a dead kiosk is left with a negative impression of not only the company sponsoring the unit but of the entire self-service business model. The longer the kiosk sits idle, the more negative the impact becomes. Lost revenue can also be another grave consequence of kiosk downtime.

5. Create a contingency plan. In the unfortunate event that your kiosk network fails, it is best to be prepared. Collaborate and communicate with your internal team and develop a comprehensive plan on how best to handle a number of different situations. Monitor and review the plan on a regular basis and ensure ongoing and consistent training is a key element. Also, be sure to secure buy-in from senior management.

6. Factor in the costs. In many cases, trouble resolution comes down to a simple reboot. This is sometimes considered the first or last step in troubleshooting and is usually a sure-fix to the problem. It is important to factor in the cost of utilizing external technicians, though; dispatching technicians to a site can be costly, time-consuming and labor-intensive for times when rebooting the system is the solution.

7. Utilize state-of-the-art remote power solutions. To combat such difficulties, turn to remote power solutions to prevent and repair kiosk network failures quickly and conveniently. These devices not only increase constant reliability for businesses deploying kiosks, but their utilization could actually cost less than one service call.

8. Pick your tools wisely. Many manufacturers are developing simple and extremely cost-effective solutions for remote management that allow administrators to reboot when system crashes occur. Because convenience is an important factor for most, consider solutions on the market that offer remote power control via the network and automatic detection of failures. The crashed system can then be accessed and rebooted via the network using an IP address on any Internet browser.

About Dataprobe

Dataprobe is a leading manufacturer of technology solutions for remote site management and networking needs. Since 1969, Dataprobe has been providing communication managers, OEM developers and direct consumers with innovative technology products that help make their jobs easier, businesses more successful and overall work environment more productive. Led by industry veteran David Weiss, Dataprobe serves over 4,000 customers worldwide in the remote technology market sector.