KIOSKCOM: Economy a theme, but not an obstacle

LAS VEGAS — With budgets ever-tightening and a swine-flu panic still in the air, organizers and exhibitors of last week's KioskCom Self Service Expo and The Digital Signage Show had good reason to fret over attendance numbers going into the event, held at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
 
But organizers stepped up their promotional efforts in the weeks leading up to the show by offering free full-conference passes and utilizing social media outlets, for example, and it seems to have paid off.
 
"There were 1,423 pre-qualified buyers registered," said Lawrence Dvorchik, general manager of the event. "That is about what we expected, but we are not an organization that measures success on numbers alone."
 
In the days following the close of the show, Dvorchik stressed that organizers calculate their acheivement based on whether they accomplished the goals of delivering qualified buyers to exhibitors, providing worthwhile educational opportunities and ample displays of technology to attendees and filling the seats for speakers.

"The answer, based on the feedback we have heard and read, is unequivocally, yes, these objectives were met,'" he said. 

(See the latest KioskCom Show Report here.)

High numbers or not, there was certainly no shortage of interesting booths and innovative solutions for attendees to peruse. Highlights from the show floor included:
 
Transaction-automation solutions provider ArcaTech Systems showed its line of encrypted, PCI-approved PIN pads for self-service kiosks and ATMs. Also offering cash dispensers and recyclers, check image scanners and coin dispensing systems, the company is taking advantage of a recession-induced resurgence in cash-based transactions.
 
"We're seeing the increased usage of cash, and kiosks today that don't accept cash and don't manage cash are missing a big part of the economy," vice president Aubrey Meador said. "As self-service becomes more and more prevalent across the whole economy, we're seeing that cash is a really big part of that."
 
On the digital signage side of the floor, Black Box introduced its iCOMPEL digital signage solution, which comes preloaded with numerous templates and allows the user to create a customized display with still images, real-time or ad hoc messaging or dynamic content.
 
"What makes the iCOMPEL solution very unique to the market is that it's a one-time investment; the software and the hardware are included," Brian Kutchma, director of marketing for the company, said. "There are no ongoing licensing fees or ongoing maintenance fees." 

Comark Corporation showed its multitouch outdoor kiosk, which is ruggedized and can operate in virtually any climate. The solution features an extended temperature hard drive that can withstand temperatures between 32 and 122 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 50 degrees Celsius), the capability to reject dirt and dust and both high-bright and low-bright screen options.
 
Digital signage provider DT Research exhibited its event-triggered display system, which responds to a customer picking up a product (either through a tethered display or RFID) and provides product information on-demand.
 
"The bonus of using this type of system is that it really keeps your customers more satisfied with service," Gabrielle Marshall, marketing manager with the company, said. "They feel like they're getting better service, because they are able to get the information they want, when they want it."
 
Also on display in the DT Research booth was the company's line of ruggedized, handheld POS systems. The device can process transactions from any location and also features product-information lookup and inventory management capabilities.
 
The buzz in the Esprida booth surrounded the software provider's new SaaS incarnations of its enterprise system, the Esprida LiveControl and Esprida ScreenGaurd products. The company is known for its experience with large self-service deployments, but its newest solution is catered to small- and medium-size businesses and allows deployers to monitor the health and welfare of their systems remotely.
 
In addition to its big announcement regarding a PSA partnership with the Ad Council, MediaTile showcased it new Return on Message, or ROM, initiative, which will help digital signage deployers determine the contextual relevancy of their content and whether it is accomplishing their goals.
 
"You get to work with digital signage in its environment to see if it's working, how people are responding to it, if it's effective, and basically, how to optimize it," Roger Sanford, executive producer and vice president of meida services, said.
 
At the Meridan Kiosks booth, vice president of sales and marketing Robert Giblett spoke of the company's recent acquisition of KING Products and how the deal will allow Meridian to supplement its existing product line and bring to the market a robust, enterprise-level software platform.
 
"The benefit for us now is that we can offer our clients a truly turnkey solution, offering both hardware and software and meeting all of their needs," Giblett said.
 
One of the aesthetic high points of the show was Olea's Modena model — a standard offering, small-footprint kiosk with a 22-inch touchscreen mounted in portrait mode and a total width of only 15 inches. Olea is able to integrate a receipt printer, barcode reader, card reader and even a camera into the kiosk, which is ideal for small retail establishments and hotel lobbies, according to vice president Frank Olea.
 
P3 Services, a provider of on-site services such as preventative maintenance, repair calls and installations, spoke to attendees about the importance of having a dependable on-site servicing company to turn to.
 
"It sounds simple enough with on-site services, but you really should have an expert in there to help you, because there's a lot that can go wrong," said manager/partner Steve Petry. "It says a lot about your company if there's a guy in the field representing you that doesn't do a good job."
 
Heinz Horstmann of Provisio announced some new features of the software provider's out-of-the-box solution, such as extended language choices and enhancements to its SiteRemote back-end management solution. Horstmann also shared that the company is close to releasing a new product that will combine kiosk management capabilities with a digital content management solution and expects to debut SiteRemote 3 in a matter of months. 
 
Starmount Systems showcased its expertise in professional managed services for the retail industry. The company works with clients to manage POS systems and inventory and to integrate mobile and kiosk technology into their environments, all of which runs on one platform that Starmount has developed in-house.
 
The company also can tie digital signage into its managed services capabilities, allowing a retailer to run content from any point in the integrated environment.
 
"That integrated approach to digital siange and the combination of managed services really makes us unique in the industry," said Dick Trask, vice president of marketing for Starmount.