Self-service kiosks in retail settings are more common now than when Doug Peter started in the kiosk business.
In fact Peter, CEO of St. Clair Interactive, has seen many trends come and go during his 22 years in the self-service industry. While Peter isn’t exactly jaded, he does have a keen sense for unjustified hype.
Peter explained that many kiosks projects fail because they don’t generate sufficient revenue. “The problem with a lot of failed projects is that they’re not designed to maximize ROI,” he said.
But the rise in customer-controlled, multi-transaction kiosks is one trend in which Peter has confidence.
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Industry experts agree. A study by IHL Consulting Group found that self-service technologies are pervading all aspects of life. The report shows self-service transactions are dramatically accelerating in the retail industry. IHL predicts that transactions at self-service kiosks will approach $1 trillion by 2007.
Mulit-transactional kiosks are multi-value
According to Peter, retail kiosks that run multiple applications have great potential. They not only have the ability to offer more products and services, they also provide convenience while increasing value.
St. Clair’s SNAPTRAX Digital Media Station is an example of Peter’s zeal to provide convenience and value through multi-transaction applications.
“The beauty of SNAPTRAX is that retailers can customize the various entertainment features in any combination to meet their unique business needs,” explained Peter. “And the small footprint is the perfect way to maximize retail floor space.”
SNAPTRAX combines everything one could want in a digital media kiosk: The digital music feature allows users to download songs and burn them to a CD, transfer them to an MP3 player or load them on a laptop.
Additional features include Internet and e-mail access, WiFi access, digital photography services and cell phone features such as the ability to download and purchase ringtones.
St. Clair’s partner in the SNAPTRAX project is Kiosk Information Systems. Together the companies will cooperatively deploy the kiosks in various settings including airports, tourist attractions, resorts and hotels, supermarkets, convenience stores and other retail locations.
"These new units are the next generation of kiosk convenience," according to KIS President Rick Malone. "Travelers, vacationers and shoppers will be able to download music -- to MP3 players, laptops or to a CD -- print vacation photos, change flight arrangements on the Internet or purchase games and ring tones for cell phones -- all through a single innovative kiosk.”
Malone continued, “By combining all of these popular features into one unit, the return on investment for these machines far exceeds the first generation public Internet terminals and single-purpose transaction kiosks being deployed today."
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