This article originally published in Self-Service World magazine, Sep 2007.

The last several years have witnessed an explosion in emerging technology such as mobile phones, online video, rich Internet applications and social computing applications (blogs, MySpace, Second Life). But the in-person self-service industry hasn't kept up with the pace of innovation in other channels.

Poor kiosk usability keeps firms focused on the basics and vendors stifle innovation by acquiescing to client demands. There are few new software applications, and only a small number of stand-out kiosks dot the sea of uninspiring physical enclosures. As a result, in-person self-service experiences leave much to be desired -- and in tomorrow's world, mediocre customer experiences just won't cut it.

So what does the future of in-person self-service look like? As the focus shifts from the self-service kiosk to the self-empowered customer, in-person self-service will become device-agnostic. Look for technologies such as RFID, mobile phone cameras, wearable computing, Wi-Fi and WiMAX to integrate with one another to provide the customer with the ability to gather information or process transactions that will be based less on physical hardware and more on helping users achieve their goals. In short, the user experience will hog the spotlight.

Software applications will become more personal: They will understand contextual information, incorporate consumers' personal devices, bridge offline and online experiences and embrace consumers' desires to connect with each other. For example:

1. When Nike launched its Nike ID custom sneakers, it worked with interactive agency R/GA to create a 22-story interactive billboard in Times Square that invited passersby to configure their own sneakers through their mobile phones -- and then displayed the results for all of Times Square to see. A code sent back to the users' phones allowed them to log on to the Nike ID Web site to view and purchase their masterpieces.
2. Microsoft Surface is a tabletop-embedded display that allows users to seamlessly interact with online content and personal physical objects, such as cameras and cell phones, through its slick, multiuser touchscreen interface.

In the future, hardware elements will become more engaging. Large-scale displays will enable groups of users to consume and interact with information; new display surfaces will encourage playful interactions; and devices will merge with the environment to create more integrated experiences. For example:

• For Virgin's Megastore in Times Square, GestureTek used a combination of overhead projectors, mirrors and cameras to develop an interactive floor display that users can manipulate by stepping on different areas of the projection.
• FogScreen and Netkey joined forces to create an interactive fog display that can be installed in the middle of any large room. Users can draw on the "screen" or select interface elements through physical gestures, and then walk right through the display.
• The Verizon Experience store -- another concept designed and developed by R/GA -- seamlessly integrates more than 70 interactive touchscreens into the architecture and interior design of the 5,000-square-foot retail location.

What do these changes mean? First, savvy marketing execs won't hesitate to take their business to proven customer experience leaders, so self-service hardware and software vendors must embrace the user-centered methods and tools of the design world or risk losing work to interactive agencies that use these methods. Second, as future in-person self-service deployments more closely marry technology with environmental design, architecture and commercial interior design experts will become the next groups of superstars. And perhaps most importantly, consumers can look forward to more engaging and meaningful self-service interactions, which will translate into improved efficiencies and increased revenues for businesses.