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Wrap-up: The Self-Service & Kiosk Show, day two

October 19, 2005

The second day of this season's Self-Service and Kiosk Show started early, with the annual meeting of the kiosks.org association. And one of the key announcements made at that meeting was the official change of the organization's name to The Self-Service and Kiosk Association.

"A lot of our members are involved in a lot of things aside from kiosks," said Greg Swistak, executive director. "There are a lot of things outside of the narrow focus defined by `kiosks.' Most people consider a kiosk to be a device, but consider `self-service' to be an integrated solution."

(Click here to read more about the name change.)

Also announced at the meeting was Swistak's departure as executive director of the organization, effective Oct. 28. (Click here to learn more.)

Keynote address

A massive crowd turned out to listen to the keynote address, "Connected Commerce Drives Customer Satisfaction to a New All-Time High," delivered by Mohsen Moazami, vice president and global managing director, retail - IBSG, Cisco Systems Inc.

Moazami stressed the need for an intelligent core structure at the "bottom" of a business IT model, one which would easily allow new channels to be integrated without requiring an entire new infrastructure. He also stressed the importance of understanding "causal data" - everything from consumer habits to the weather - and using that data to reduce waste in retail.

"Today, with the advent of capabilities and technologies such as kiosks and self-service, Â… big players in the marketplace have the opportunity to do a better job of sensing consumer demand, and incorporating this sense-data, this causal data Â… into historical-based event forecasting, and drive dynamic replenishment programs."

He reiterated this point with a lucid example: "Consumer-driven replenishment - sense and response. One end of the value chain starts making Kleenex when the other end sneezes, in near-real-time."

Immediately after Moazami's presentation, NetWorld Alliance vice president and associate publisher Joseph Grove presented the 6th Annual Kiosk Awards. (Click here to view the winners.)

The show floor

It's hard to walk by a putting green without stopping to try your hand. The minds at friendlyway understand this; a green was central to their large anchor booth, which was shared with partners NEC, Scala Broadcast Multimedia and METALfx. On display were survey kiosk solutions, information on digital signage, and Technology Portals Inc.'s hospitality kiosk/display combination, which was runner-up in the Kiosk Award category for Best Travel or Hospitality kiosk.

Kiosk Information Services' Craig Keefner tries his hand at the gaming kiosk at the St. Clair booth, which his company helped bring to market.

Source Technologies showcased its Concourse family of multi-function financial kiosks. According to vice president of marketing Glen Fossella, the show saw more of an emphasis on complete solutions than constituent parts, which he sees as a change in the industry's way of thinking.

"We're pushing for a higher level of vertical integration," he said. "Compared to other shows we've been to, you see that evolution - more vertically integrated solutions. It's not so much `this is my kiosk,' it's `this is my bill-payment solution.'"

St. Clair Interactive Communications Inc.'s booth was diverse and engaging, beginning with an immersive sit-down gaming unit running "Black Hawk Down" and other current games. Just a few yards away, the SnapTrax entertainment kiosk offered up a wealth of choices - downloadable music and games, ring tones, cell-phone top-up, and even the ability to print a 4x6 photo wirelessly from a camera phone.

One of two Zoom Shops on display from Zoom Systems

The SnapTrax was displayed in two configurations - a large sit-down unit with two screens, one on either side and each positioned in front of a comfortable swivel chair, and a tabletop model installed on an IBM Anyplace kiosk.

At the Palm Desert National Bank booth, financial services were front and center. VERO check-cashing solutions were on hand, as was a comprehensive overview of the highly configurable TIO system from Info Touch Technologies.

Also turning heads were the two "Zoom Shops" installed by Zoom Systems, high-end vending devices that use a series of robotic arms to dispense big-ticket items (one machine offered gifts and CDs while the other was stocked with iPods, accessories and headphones).

Watch for complete show coverage on KioskMarketplace in the coming days!

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