Winners of the 2006 Self-Service World Outstanding Achievement Awards were announced Sept. 29 in a ceremony at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. But Sept. 28 was the real day of truth.
Awards finalists and other exhibitors began arriving at 7 a.m. to set up. By noon almost everyone was ready and anxiously awaiting the judges’ arrival. The three judges — KioskCom’s Lawrence Dvorchik, Francie Mendelsohn of Summit Research and author Roy Cammarano — made their way around the exhibit hall and awards gallery, putting each solution through its paces before entering their evaluations and turning in their scores.
A flurry of activity and excitement surrounded the official opening of The Self-Service & Kiosk Show that evening. Mariachis played, food and drink were served and the Silver Spurs dance team entertained the attendees and exhibitors.
Shortly after, the winners were known and 28 trophies, eight certificates and 18 ribbons stood ready, carefully guarded until Friday’s ceremony.
Readers Choice
The winner of the second annual Readers Choice Award was something of a surprise. This solution was first called to the podium to accept the Silver Award for Outstanding Achievement in Healthcare Self-Service. And after 16 intervening awards, the team representing PhreesiaPad was pleased to make a second trip up the aisle.
"It shows that users really want a solution like this," said Stephanie Kropkowski, marketing analyst for PhreesiaPad supplier Analytical Design Solutions Inc. (ADSI)-KioWare. "Winning the Readers Choice Award reflects the impact the PhreesiaPad has had on its target audience, the end-user. This also indicates how mature the self-service industry is becoming. Instead of a 200-lb. immovable kiosk, a 3-lb. portable kiosk captured the imagination of the voters."
More than 54 percent of respondents to the Readers Choice survey selected the PhreesiaPad as their favorite. This was the highest number of votes for any solution in the survey.
Runner up for this award was Cox Communications’ Xpress Pay Kiosk (Other) with 51.4 percent of the vote. Second runner up was the DMV Self-Service Kiosk (Public Sector) with 44.4 percent of the vote.
PhreesiaPad, deployed by Phreesia Inc., is a patient-interviewing and education solution. The lightweight, tablet-based system allows patients to sign-in for appointments and complete a physician-patient interview while in the waiting room. After the interview is complete, a report is printed for the physician to review prior to the appointment and patients are taken to the Patient Education Portal. This Web portal, customized by the physician, contains sponsored and non-sponsored information relevant to the patient’s visit.
"Advertisers are able to target content more successfully; doctors are able to reduce paperwork and facilitate a more structured, meaningful doctor-patient conversation; and patients are able to research and ask questions based on information they receive during downtime in the waiting room," said Kropkowski.
"And the best part is this all can be done at no cost to the doctor or patient, as advertising pays for the solution."
Platinum Award
The finalist winning the Platinum Award, a new award created to recognize the solution with the highest score over all of the judging components, was no stranger to the podium. In fact, before it was announced as the Platinum winner, the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles’ Self-Service Kiosk already had received a Gold Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Sector Self-Service and a Gold Award in the program’s "Other" category.
"We are thrilled and extremely proud to be recognized with three awards at a trade show where there were so many innovative products," said Dave Elich, director of commercial sales for DMV Self-Service Kiosk supplier JCM American. "Coming from the industry itself makes it even more special. We have worked closely with many individuals at the Nevada DMV and it’s a validation of their forward thinking and efforts to be more consumer friendly as well."
Within the "Other" category the DMV Self-Service Kiosk distinguished itself in all three judging components.
|
|
|
The Cox Communications Xpress Pay Kiosk received its second trophy of the morning, taking the Silver award for Outstanding Achievement in Self-Service. The trophy was accepted by supplier Source Technologies’ Suzi Schweiger McNicholas. |
In Component I, three judges evaluated the entries based on their industry’s need for a self-service solution and the resulting solution’s response to this need; ROI; and positive impact within the industry. Out of a possible 300 points, the DMV solution received a near-perfect score of 287 — 13 points from complete perfection, but 20 points ahead of the runner up.
"I’m not surprised that the DMV Self-Service Kiosk won this award," said Tamara Mendelsohn, senior analyst for Forrester Research and one of the expert judges for the "Other" category. "Great self-service solutions solve a problem or enable a service and this one does both. These kiosks were deployed in response to a measured problem: long wait times and the need for longer business hours. It’s not surprising that they’ve seen high adoption rates and great success."
In Component II the DMV solution was the second runner up for Readers Choice and first runner up in its category, earning it an additional seven points. Then, in Component III it aced its usability tests, missing only 18 of a possible 180 points.
"Our self-service kiosk program is key to our strategy of serving the fastest-growing state in the union," said Nevada DMV Director Ginny Lewis, the solution’s deployer. "Kiosks are an effective and efficient way to serve the large cash economy in Nevada and our customers rave about getting their documents immediately. The program has been highly successful to date and, as we expand services available at the kiosks and seek private-public partnerships to expand locations, we see nothing but continued success in the future."
The Nevada DMV Self-Service Kiosk processes current and late vehicle registration renewals, current and late driver license renewals, and insurance reinstatement on demand 24/7. Elich said that in two years’ time more than 400,000 transactions have been conducted at the kiosks statewide.
"The beautiful thing about the kiosk is its ease of use," Elich said. "Without training, anybody can complete a transaction using either cash or credit in less than 90 seconds. The comments and feedback we get from end-users at the DMV has been phenomenal."
Metal to Peddle: Gold, Silver, Bronze
Although the Outstanding Achievement Awards are a U.S.-based program, entries came from all over the world. Representatives from the Gold Award-winning solution in the financial category, for example, crossed the Pond in a whirlwind trip, returning to the U.K. just days later, flushed with success and San Antonio’s 88-degree heat.
Outstanding Achievement in Financial Self-Service
The Gold Award for Outstanding Achievement in Financial Self-Service was presented to the Barclays Bank Branch Kiosk, deployed by Barclays Bank of London and supplied by Wincor Nixdorf U.K.
"We are very pleased to have won this award which we feel gives recognition to our achievements in introducing a significant new service offering in our branches," said Barnaby Davis, director of electronic banking for Barclays Bank.
Wincor Nixdorf U.K.’s Stuart Miller added, "Whilst many financial institutions have piloted kiosks over the years, this project has been the first full-scale rollout of a financial services kiosk in the U.K. The key to our solution, which we feel had a major part to play in winning this award, is the application — both in terms of functionality and the intuitive customer interface. … The result has been so successful that we are seeing usage increase week on week, without further investment in customer migration initiatives."
|
|
|
An up-close view of the PhreesiaPad, the Readers Choice winner by popular vote and — by judges’ vote — Silver award winner for Outstanding Achievement for Healthcare Self-Service. |
Component III judges agreed with Miller’s assessment of the solution’s interface, giving it the highest total score for usability.
The Barclays Bank Branch Kiosk provides online functionality to Barclays branches throughout the U.K. With it, customers can view all branch accounts on an at-a-glance screen; print a balance summary of all accounts; view and print the last six weeks’ transactions; pay bills; pay third parties; transfer money between personal accounts; view, amend and delete standing orders; view and delete direct debits; print a standing order set-up form; print a report of regular payments; register for online banking; re-issue an online banking password; print confirmation of all account amendments or payments; and view a fully interactive demo.
The Silver Award for Outstanding Achievement in Financial Self-Service went to the Cox Communications Xpress Pay Kiosk, deployed by Cox Communications and supplied by Source Technologies.
Outstanding Achievement in Healthcare Self-Service
The Gold Award for Outstanding Achievement in Healthcare Self-Service was awarded to the MediKiosk, deployed by Westchester Medical Group of White Plains, N.Y., and supplied by healthcare service provider Galvanon.
Simeon Schwartz, president of Westchester Medical Group, gives Galvanon credit for enhancing its operations. "Rather than just providing a plug-and-play solution, Galvanon went the extra mile and helped us to refine our workflow in a way that would complement our patient self-service strategy. From patient flow management to improved revenue cycle processes, MediKiosk has enhanced virtually every aspect of our business operations," he said.
The kiosk and tablet PC-based MediKiosk solution allows patients to identify themselves upon arrival at the Westchester facility and check-in for appointments with the swipe of a credit card or driver’s license; enter, verify and/or update demographic and insurance information; sign consent or release forms; and make co-payments for outstanding balances, co-pays and deductibles.
The Silver Award for Outstanding Achievement in Healthcare Self-Service was presented to PhreesiaPad, deployed by Phreesia Inc. and supplied by ADSI-KioWare.
Outstanding Achievement in Public Sector Self-Service
As mentioned above, the Gold Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Sector Self-Service went to the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles Self-Service Kiosk.
The Silver Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Sector Self-Service was awarded to the "Cash machines for social payments" solution deployed by German state employment agency, Bundesagentur für Arbeit, and supplied by Wincor Nixdorf International.
The Bronze Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Sector Self-Service was presented to the City of Milwaukee Automated Payment Center Kiosk, deployed by Citation Management and supplied by Pay-Ease LLC.
Outstanding Achievement in Retail Self-Service
Giant Food Stores’ Shopping Solutions, supplied by St. Clair Interactive, won the Gold Award for Outstanding Achievement in Retail Self-Service.
|
|
|
Two special awards were given during the ceremony. PhreesiaPad won the Self-Service World magazine Readers Choice award. The recipient of that award is selected via online survey by the magazine’s readers. The Platinum Award, the program’s highest award, is given to the solution that received the highest score overall among the program’s judging components. This is the first year that award has been given. Here, Judy Karabin accepts the Platinum Award for the DMV Self-Service Kiosk on behalf of JCM American and the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. |
The 24-application network allows customers to manage several functions including loyalty (checking points and savings, receiving targeted offers and coupons, and updating information), ordering (from the deli, bakery and pharmacy with several options); and, receiving health and store information, and recipes. Also, functions for associates include managing items, checking orders and updating an order’s status.
Nanonation’s Build-A-Bear Workshop Gift Card Kiosk received the Silver Award for Outstanding Achievement in Retail Self-Service.
The Bronze Award for retail self-service was awarded to Photo.Teller, supplied and deployed by Whitech USA Inc.
Outstanding Achievement in Travel & Hospitality Self-Service
The Gold Award for Outstanding Achievement in Travel & Hospitality Self-Service was presented to the Amtrak Ticketing Kiosk, deployed by Amtrak/SITA and supplied by KIOSK Information Systems.
The updated kiosk allows Amtrak passengers of all abilities to securely purchase tickets. Its unique claim is its specially wired and software-recognized headphone jacks for use by visually impaired patrons. In addition, the solution helps protect customer security by factoring VISA PED and Single DES regulations into the new encrypted PIN pad.
The Silver Award for Outstanding Achievement in Travel & Hospitality Self-Service was awarded to the Continental Properties project, deployed by leasor Continental Properties and supplied by Nanonation.
The Alamo Check-in Kiosk, deployed by Alamo Rent A Car/Vanguard and supplied by KIOSK Information Systems, received the Bronze Award in this category.
Outstanding Achievement in Self-Service (Other)
The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles Self-Service Kiosk received its second Gold Award for Outstanding Achievement in Self-Service.
Cox Communication’s Xpress Pay Kiosk also received its second Silver Award in this category.
The Bronze Award for Outstanding Achievement in Self-Service was presented to the Avery Dennison Human Resources Kiosk, deployed by Avery Dennison and supplied by Netkey Inc.
