On the first day of the KioskCom Self Service Expo, even before all the crates are pried open and the show floor becomes a tangle of power strips and duct tape, one room of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas will buzz with a different vibe.

That's when dozens of deployers of self-service technology will gather for the Third Annual Customer Facing Technology Buyers Summit. The closed-door, high-level discussion serves as a mini-think tank for deployers and potential deployers of kiosks, digital signage and more to discuss the top issues facing them, as well as to learn from one another how to improve, expand or add to their current customer-facing technology program.

As an educational and networking forum, The Customer Facing Technology Buyers Summit allows its members an opportunity to speak candidly and off the record about issues and programs which may be sensitive or confidential. As such, no press, suppliers, analysts or consultants will be admitted.

"After 13 years of organizing this event, and of leading the charge for kiosks, self-service, digital signage and the like, I often get the impression that some organizations still feel like they are going it alone. You can sense concerns of ‘How am I going to make this work?' and ‘Who can help me with an unbiased viewpoint?'" said Lawrence Dvorchik, general manager of KioskCom Self Service Expo and The Digital Signage Show.

"The Customer Facing Technology Buyers Summit was developed in conjunction with our Board of Advisors three years ago to offer this type of environment, and to challenge people to share their fears, failures and successes. It's a safe haven of people who are in similar situations in various industries, and it has been refreshing to hear the feedback from past attendees on just how valuable that portion was to their overall experience and success of their project," he said.

The Self-Service and Kiosk Association is a supporter of the Summit. "While deployers will learn a lot from vendors and educational sessions during the trade show, they can also benefit greatly from time with their peers. The Customer Facing Technology Buyers Summit is like a big support group for end user deployers, especially given that many face extremely similar challenges and decisions. We are thrilled to be supporting this type of user-only forum, and KioskCom Self Service Expo is the best place to host it," said David Drain, SSKA executive director.

Agenda for the May 5 event

1:30 - 3:15 p.m.    Part 1: Discussion of top issues faced in attendee's organizations and deployments.

3:15 - 3:45 p.m.    Dessert break, hosted by Nanonation

3:45 - 4:30 p.m.    Part 2: Interactive Q&A discussion period with a panel of top industry experts, answering questions that arose in the private session as well as any questions from the floor.

The Summit is open to anyone who has deployed at least one customer-facing technology program, such as kiosks, other self-service devices, digital signs and more, or a combination of them.

Attendance is by approval only. Go here to apply online, or call 203-371-6322 with any questions.