November 15, 2011

Genkiosk Launches in the Cloud, Globally

GWD Media, the international supplier of kiosk management software, has launched Genkiosk in the Cloud worldwide. Genkiosk makes self-service kiosks easy to use, and increases reliability and profitability. Moving into the Cloud makes the same benefits available everywhere, extending reach beyond major data hubs to include regions such as the Pacific Islands, Indonesia and the Philippines.

No More Data Smog for Self-Service Kiosks -- Genkiosk Launches in the Cloud, Globally

Sheffield, United Kingdom (PRWEB) November 15, 2011

Genkiosk, the kiosk management software, has now been launched in the Cloud worldwide (available everywhere and not just via regional servers), and self-service is set to boom globally.

Self-service is growing, wherever the business case makes sense for unattended kiosks to help customers:

Pay bills
Print photos
Access the Internet or information
Transfer money
Browse and shop.

The kiosks are simple and fast to use. The availability is high – up to 24 hours a day – and they remove the need for customers to stand in line or wait for human assistance.

Genkiosk is the kiosk management software that:

Helps operators keep kiosks running efficiently, securely and profitably
Ensures end-users get what they want quickly and easily.

James Oladujoye, CEO of GWD Media, the developers of Genkiosk explains: “Up until now, location made a big difference in self-service. If you were near to major data centres and highways – say in the large population centres of Europe, Asia or the Americas – all well and good. But think about more remote installations. Each interaction – monitoring or managing data – may take just a few fractions of a second longer. But you are looking at many millions of events per hour. It all adds up to commercially significant delays. Not to mention the challenges of load-balancing, security, resilience and backup over long distances. Now everything has changed. Genkiosk is in the Cloud. Globally. The advantages for operators and end-users are massive. Anywhere and everywhere.”

Examples of how this makes a difference in the real world include:

Migrant workers sending money home cheaply and easily via self-service kiosks
Residents in under-banked regions settling their bills, without bank accounts or credit cards
Citizens everywhere shopping or printing photos or accessing the Internet at any time.

Genkiosk – now available anywhere in the Cloud – provides the solutions to these challenges. No matter how remote the location. This is being played out for example in Qatar with the major build up underway preparing for the soccer world cup. Self-service helps the rapidly growing transient workforce.

Not so far away in the UAE, Genkiosk makes it easier for the under banked to pay their bills.
In the Americas, people are benefiting from Genkiosk to send funds home through money transfer kiosks.

Wherever people shop, access the Internet or print photos, Genkiosk is on hand to power the kiosks that are ever more present, everywhere.

Now Genkiosk is in the Cloud, location is no longer a barrier.

The result for end users: they get what they want - fast and simply.

Commercially, self-service improves reach and delivery: operators can maximise their access to customers at whatever time that suits their customers best. Margins also improve, by reducing costs, especially for maintenance.

With Genkiosk it is straightforward to get the most out of an estate of kiosks by managing:

Sales
Performance
Service.

It’s not just a question of keeping on top of things technically – to ensure the kiosks run smoothly while keeping visits and cost to a minimum – that is just the beginning. Genkiosk also underpins effective retail management: checking which locations are performing best, so operators can bring all of the estate up to scratch.

If things do ever go wrong, Genkiosk supports recovery and restoration, including self-healing, no matter where the kiosks are located.

Genkiosk was first developed in Europe, and has now gone global. Location is no longer critical to taking full control of self-service estates, as James Oladujoye, CEO of GWD Media explains: “Going into the Cloud – where Genkiosk kiosk software services are delivered remotely regardless of global region – has transformed our business. Nowadays, why should it matter which part of the world you are in, as far as software services are concerned? Customers everywhere deserve– and demand – the very best. “

Genkiosk, from GWD Media was first developed to run and manage pay-as-you-go Internet kiosks. It has now grown to cover the full range of self-service applications, including:

Bill payment
Money transfer
Internet access
Information
Photo
Retail.

After launching in Europe, Genkiosk expanded first to the Americas, then the Middle East and beyond, going global via multinational customers and now with direct clients all round the world.
Genkiosk is now delivered via the Cloud, maximising service and availability in every region of the world.

VeoVend, the sister of Genkiosk, provides the same monitoring and management services for more traditional vending (snacks, drinks, beverages, retail.) A hardware plug-in, with a mobile phone SIM, gives online access to even the most basic vending machine.

GWD Media is headquartered in Sheffield, UK, and operates worldwide.

Key markets include Europe and the Americas, with the Middle East, Asia and Australasia rapidly growing.

For more information, check http://www.genkiosk.com

###

No More Data Smog for Self-Service Kiosks -- Genkiosk Launches in the Cloud, Globally

Posted by staff at 07:09 AM

October 25, 2011

People - Stephen Kendig Named Chief Operating Officer of Leading Self-Service Healthcare Technology Company SoloHealth

DULUTH, GA, October 25, 2011 -- SoloHealth (www.solohealth.com), a leader in self-service consumer healthcare technology, is pleased to announce the promotion of Stephen Kendig from Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations to Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately.

Stephen Kendig Named Chief Operating Officer of Leading Self-Service Healthcare Technology Company SoloHealth - EIN News - News Media Monitoring

Reporting directly to CEO and Founder Bart Foster, Kendig takes the role during a time of tremendous growth for the company and will lead the day-to-day operations and strategic direction of SoloHealth, including overseeing the nationwide rollout of the highly anticipated SoloHealth Station this fall.

During his four years with the company, Kendig has been instrumental in forming partnerships with organizations including Coinstar and the National Institutes of Health, growing the company tenfold and developing an award-winning new product, the SoloHealth Station. The SoloHealth Station is a next-generation consumer kiosk, offering vision, blood pressure, weight, and body mass index screenings. The SoloHealth Station gives users a free overall health assessment and recommendations for follow-up care, including access to a database of local doctors and healthcare providers. The bilingual kiosks, which will be accessible across numerous platforms, will lead to prevention and lower health care costs for millions of Americans.

"Stephen takes this role during a time of tremendous growth and opportunity at SoloHealth, led by the nationwide rollout of our award-winning SoloHealth Station," says Foster. "I can't think of a more capable individual than Stephen, as he has been an invaluable asset to SoloHealth, contributing his impressive business and engineering background, strong leadership abilities, and finance skills to help turn us from a mere startup into a thriving and growing industry leader in our space. This is an extremely exciting time for SoloHealth, as our SoloHealth Station will help empower millions of Americans to take charge of their healthcare and ultimately led to a healthier, efficient and more financially sound nationwide healthcare system."

Kendig oversees retail sales, finance, product development, engineering, supply chain and production, legal, regulatory, and external and internal operations. In addition to his daily operations management duties he will guide the nationwide rollout and implementation of the SoloHealth Station this fall. "I've never been more excited about SoloHealth's future. I'm really proud of the team we've built over the past 4 years and am looking forward to taking SoloHealth to the next level," says Kendig.

Kendig came to SoloHealth from CIBA VISION, where he held a number of positions, each with increasing responsibility, in R&D, ultimately managing a new product portfolio of more than $200 million and leading the European launch of Air Optix Aqua. While at CIBA VISION, Stephen filed five patents and was awarded the 2006 Executive Award.

He has a degree in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and received a master's degree in business administration from Georgia State University, where he was honored with the Norman R. Harbaugh Scholastic Achievement Award, presented to one MBA student who demonstrates the greatest potential for leadership.

About SoloHealth: Based in Atlanta, Ga., SoloHealth is the leader in self-service healthcare, utilizing technology to develop and deploy interactive health screening kiosks, as well as other platforms, in an effort to empower consumers about their health through awareness, education and action. The award-winning company's first offering was the EyeSite Vision kiosk, currently located in retail outlets in nine metro markets. In summer 2010, the company received a $1.2 M grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to help enable innovation for self-service healthcare and prevention. In 2011, SoloHealth announced its next-generation kiosk, the SoloHealth Station, offering vision, blood pressure, weight, and body mass index; receive an overall health assessment; and access a database of local doctors. The company's bilingual kiosks provide free health screenings and recommendations for follow-up care, which leads to prevention and lower health care costs. For more information, visit www.solohealth.com.

SoloHealth Contact:

Lindsey Gerdes, [email protected] 770-622-4158

SoloHealth (www.solohealth.com), a leader in self-service consumer healthcare technology.

Stephen Kendig Named Chief Operating Officer of Leading Self-Service Healthcare Technology Company SoloHealth - EIN News - News Media Monitoring

Posted by staff at 09:26 AM

October 07, 2011

NAMA Names Carla Balakgie CEO

Carla_Balakgie.jpgCHICAGO -- The National Automatic Merchandising Association has selected a professional from the digital transaction industry as its new president and chief executive. Carla Balakgie, who will be the first woman to hold the top spot at the 75-year-old association, succeeds Richard Geerdes, who held the reins for more than a decade.

Balakgie comes to NAMA from the Washington, DC-based Electronic Transactions Association, where she served as chief executive for eight years. She will assume her new post with the Chicago-based vending association on Dec. 1. NAMA executive vice-president and COO Dan Mathews will serve as interim chief executive.

Geerdes will continue to work with NAMA through the end of the year to aid the transition. NAMA's board of directors announced its CEO transition plan a year ago. | SEE STORY

The ETA's membership spans the payment industry, from financial institutions and transaction processors to independent sales organizations and equipment suppliers.

When Balakgie joined ETA in May 2003, her first task was to establish the organization's national headquarters in Washington and put together its first full-time staff. She is credited with numerous accomplishments, including development of an active and influential government relations function, the organization of such educational events as the Strategic Leadership Forum and, more recently, the launch of ETA's Certified Payments Professional credentialing program.

Balakgie also increased ETA’s profitability, yielding average net contributions of $260K annually and a 6% average gain in net assets each year.

See NAMA's official press release for more background information.

Mathews joined NAMA in 1999 and has been involved in creating an executive development program with Michigan State University and the association's own Supervisor Development and Certified Executive Programs. He also played a key role in creating NAMA's Balanced for Life and Fit Pick healthy vending tools, and launching a remake of the association's national trade show called the OneShow.

Presently, Mathews is overseeing NAMA’s new Industry Growth Strategy, including the recently launched Vend.Love.Win Facebook contest and Vending Gratitude Tour, an interactive mobile exhibit that’s on the final leg of a seven-city tour that kicked off last month.

"There's no question that with Carla's background and Dan's depth of experience and knowledge of NAMA, there has never been a better time for our industry," said NAMA chairman Brad Ellis, Crane Merchandising Systems. "We know they will be a powerful team and we look forward to welcoming in a new era at NAMA."

Geerdes joined NAMA in 1988, following a career in vending operations that included senior management positions with Interstate United Corp. and Canteen Corp. He became president and chief executive on Jan. 1, 1999, after holding a variety of posts with responsibility for membership, conventions, education, strategic planning, public relations, accounting and management information systems.

NAMA's board of directors will honor Geerdes and his achievements for the vending industry at the 2012 OneShow. The show will be held in Las Vegas in late April.

link

Posted by staff at 11:05 AM

May 02, 2011

HP Expands Retail Portfolio with New Point-of-Sale and Kiosk Solutions

HP (NYSE:HPQ) today announced new technology solutions to help retailers engage with their customers and enhance the shopping experience at every customer touch point.

HP Expands Retail Portfolio with New Point-of-Sale and Kiosk Solutions | SYS-CON MEDIA

The powerful HP rp5800 Retail System is a high-performance point-of-sale (POS) solution that combines enhanced processing and functionality to meet the needs of even the most demanding retail environments.
HP Self-Service Kiosks, featuring Virtual Sales Assistant software, provide customers with an easy-to-use, interactive platform that offers information and personal assistance via crisp, 23- or 42-inch diagonal high-definition (HD)(1) touchscreens.

“Retailers know that consumers want the shopping environment to be as interesting as online experiences,” said Ray Carlin, vice president, Retail Solutions Global Business Unit, HP. “Savvy retailers are upgrading their in-store technology – especially at the point of sale – to seamlessly integrate with other channels and enable their customers to shop the way they want to, creating a better in-store experience.”

Deliver results with the HP rp5800 Retail System

The HP rp5800 Retail System boasts advanced POS performance, manageability and security features that enable retailers to standardize on one system throughout their stores. Second-generation Intel® Core™ processors(2) with Intel vPro technology(3) provide a stable and reliable IT infrastructure, while dual-integrated graphics ports that support both clerk- and customer-facing displays create a rich and engaging customer experience.

The HP rp5800 also enables enhanced manageability and control for retailers through compliance with industry-leading manageability standards, including Intel AMT (Intel vPro), DASH, WMI and DMTF, and support for Microsoft® Windows 7 Professional, Microsoft Windows POSReady 2009 and Microsoft Windows® XP operating systems.

With extra memory slots, multiple PCI Express slots and optional optical drives, the HP rp5800 can be customized for a variety of retail environments. It can easily be connected to a range of optional peripherals such as receipt printers, monitors, cash drawers and scanners. New optional peripherals include:

HP L1506x 15-inch LED Monitor: Utilizing an LED-backlit industrial panel, the HP L1506x Monitor offers increased brightness and a high contrast ratio and supports operating temperatures up to 50 C (122 F), making it ideal for demanding retail environments. The L1506x has a detachable base and standard VESA mounts, allowing it to be mounted to a wall,(4) the rp5800 Integration Assembly or other custom mounting solutions.
HP Integration Assembly: The HP Integration Assembly is a four-part, mix-and-match kit for retail locations. The Terminal Enclosure provides extra security and protection for cables and I/O ports and against dust, while the Integration Tray Assembly keeps peripherals neatly contained – either secured on top of the HP rp5800 Enclosure Assembly, the Heavy Duty Cash Drawer or directly on the counter. With room for a keyboard, printer and barcode scanner, the flexible design allows for various configurations depending on retailers’ needs. The Pole Mount Assembly and Optional Display Arm Assembly enable the mounting of multiple monitors for customer and employee use.

The flexibility and management features of the HP rp5800 enable it to be used as a manager’s workstation, placed within a kiosk or as a player for HP Digital Signage.

Designed with the environment in mind, the HP rp5800 Retail System is ENERGY STAR® 5.0 qualified, EPEAT® Gold registered and free of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).(5) The HP rp5800 Retail System provides retail-hardened reliability to minimize downtime and is backed by a standard three-year limited warranty, extended product life cycle, and parts and services availability.

Expand customer reach with the HP Self-Service Kiosks

HP Self-Service Kiosks are interactive self-service solutions that engage customers with a crisp, 23-inch diagonal, 16:9 LED-backlit BrightView display or an immersive 42-inch diagonal, 1,920 x 1,080 HD touchscreen housed within a secure lockable steel enclosure. Retailers can place the kiosks in any customer-facing environment to run in-store promotions, provide directions or share news and product information.

The HP Self-Service Kiosks use Microsoft Windows 7 Professional operating systems and integrated Virtual Sales Assistant software, which includes an easy-to-use setup wizard that enables retailers to personalize a variety of pre-developed user interfaces, upload custom assets, manage content remotely and assign locations and playlists. As seen in a recent Disney deployment, the technology can be tailored to provide an onscreen host, guiding customers through the interactive applications.

The HP Self-Service Kiosks are available in three configurations:

Wall & Shelving Mount: Includes an HP TouchSmart 9300 Elite Business PC with a 23-inch diagonal screen for touchscreen interaction, which also can be used to display advertisements or messages when not in use.
Pro: Includes the HP TouchSmart 9300 Elite Business PC with a 42-inch diagonal HP LD4210 Digital Signage Display mounted above shelf level that can provide messaging to consumers even when the software is in use on the interactive screen.
Elite: Features the HP LD4200tm Interactive Digital Signage Display, a 42-inch diagonal, touch-enabled, vertical-mounted display delivering HD-quality messaging and content to the user, creating an ideal interactive self-service solution.

Each model can be customized with additional optional accessories such as HP Digital Signage Displays, Thermal Receipt Printer, HP Imaging Barcode Scanner and HP Mini Magnetic Stripe Reader.

Pricing and availability

The HP rp5800 Retail System is expected to be available worldwide early this summer from HP resellers. The HP L1506x 15-inch LED Monitor is now available in North America and Asia-Pacific Japan. The HP Integration Assembly is expected to be available later this summer from HP resellers.

The HP Self-Service Kiosks are expected to be available beginning May 23 in the United States, Canada and Latin America.

More information on HP’s retail solutions is available at www.hp.com/go/hpretail. Join the discussions on Twitter @HP_Retail and the HP Retail Technology and Solutions LinkedIn group.

About HP

HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure at the convergence of the cloud and connectivity, creating seamless, secure, context-aware experiences for a connected world. More information about HP is available at http://www.hp.com.

HP Expands Retail Portfolio with New Point-of-Sale and Kiosk Solutions | SYS-CON MEDIA

Posted by staff at 09:00 AM

April 28, 2011

Company Profile - Interactive Touchscreen Solutions, Inc.

New entry to directory solutions based in Maryland. Interactive Touchscreen Soultions, Inc. Interactive Touchscreen Solutions, Building Directory, Digital Signage, Wayfinding


Hospitals / Healthcare Facilities
Office Buildings / Corporate Campuses
Government Facilities
Universities


Navigo offers the most comprehensive and efficient system for directing, informing, and managing visitors to a broad range of public facilities. Navigo utilizes the latest technology coupled with the internet to provide state-of-the-art solutions custom tailored to specific site requirements. Whether it’s wayfinding, visitor processing, or communicating current pertinent information through digital signage, a Navigo system will inform your visitor more efficiently and their impression of your facility will be enhanced by the experience.

You can also request information by:

Phone: 800-652-4830
E-mail: [email protected]

Interactive Touchscreen Solutions, Inc.
1655 Crofton Blvd., Suite 103
Crofton, MD 21114

Contact form

Posted by staff at 09:09 AM

January 21, 2011

Kiosk Information Systems Funding

Kiosk Information Systerms and Alerion Capital Group complete recapitalization.

McGladrey Capital Markets Leads Negotiations as Kiosk Information Systems is Recapitalized by Alerion Capital Group

McGladrey Capital Markets Leads Negotiations as Kiosk Information Systems is Recapitalized by Alerion Capital Group

Kiosk Information Systems (KIOSK), a privately-held designer and manufacturer of customized self-service kiosk systems, solutions, and services, was recapitalized by Alerion Capital Group, a private equity and management advisory firm.

McGladrey Capital Markets : initiated the transaction, sourced the investor, led the negotiations, and acted as exclusive financial advisor to KIOSK.

Transaction terms were not disclosed. Faegre & Benson acted as legal counsel to KIOSK. Ballard Spahr acted as legal counsel for Alerion.

Senior and Mezzanine debt was provided by Silicon Valley Bank and Peninsula Capital, respectively.

“KIOSK’s stakeholders sought an experienced value-added investor who could help the company reach the next level of success, provide current liquidity, and begin a gradual long-term succession plan for the majority owner,” said Paul Weisbrich, senior managing director at McGladrey Capital Markets. “This transaction confirms our view that kiosks will remain an important enabling technology for an ever-increasing amount of day-to-day, self-service transactions across many applications.”

Rick DeAvila, managing director for Alerion, stated, "We are very excited about the KIOSK recapitalization. KIOSK fits well into our strategy of investing in technology-related growth opportunities that complement our operating experience. This recapitalization provided us with both an opportunity to invest with an impressive management team and in the rapidly maturing kiosk/automated self-service marketplace. We look forward to partnering with management to maintain the company's stellar reputation for leading solution development and continue the support of its valued customers and suppliers.”

About Kiosk Information Systems

Since 1993, KIOSK Information Systems (KIOSK) has led the industry in design and manufacturing of self-service kiosk terminals. An exceptionally broad portfolio of standard and custom KIOSK designs is deployed with Fortune 500 clients in virtually all self-service vertical markets. As the undisputed market leader in custom solutions, KIOSK provides proven expertise in design engineering, component integration, and quick-turn manufacturing for even the most sophisticated self-service solutions. ISO 9001:2008 certified processes in engineering, manufacturing, service, and support ensures every solution provides superior field reliability.

About Alerion Capital Group

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Alerion Capital Group is a private equity firm investing in mid-market technology businesses located primarily in the Mountain West and West. Alerion's investment philosophy focuses on companies that will benefit most from the group’s direct operating experience and knowledge, centering around technology products and technology enabled services. Alerion was founded by James Unruh, former Chairman and CEO of Unisys, as a means of helping managers build their companies leveraging the entire Alerion team’s collective 75+ years of technology industry experience.

About McGladrey Capital Markets

McGladrey Capital Markets LLC ( www.mcgladreycm.com : ) is a global provider of investment banking services to private and public companies with annual revenues of up to $1 billion. The firm’s services include mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, recapitalizations, capital raising, fairness opinions and restructurings. McGladrey Capital Markets, which offers in-depth expertise in many distinct industry sectors, brings together companies, capital and creativity on a national and international scale to help clients achieve their personal and strategic objectives.

McGladrey Capital Markets is affiliated with RSM McGladrey Inc., a professional services firm providing accounting, tax and business consulting. Both firms are indirect subsidiaries of H&R Block Inc.

(NYSE: HRB), the world’s preeminent tax services provider. McGladrey Capital Markets’ international headquarters are located in Costa Mesa, Calif. The firm is a member of FINRA.


McGladrey Capital Markets Leads Negotiations as Kiosk Information Systems is Recapitalized by Alerion Capital Group

Posted by staff at 07:54 AM

January 01, 2011

Solution Provider - Vendor HealthCare Check-In

Solution Provider -- Reptrax is a web driven software service that aids in the credentialing and monitoring of sales/service representatives in healthcare environments.

We provide an effective solution that allows hospitals to enforce their policies throughout their vendor community, and for vendors to maintain compliance with those policies.

Posted by keefner at 08:35 AM

December 06, 2010

Self-Service Technology Center

Nice video on self-service technology center showcase with Meridian and Zebra.

YouTube - Self Service Technology Center - Kiosk Showcase

Posted by staff at 11:30 AM

August 18, 2010

Meridian Kiosks Poised for European Expansion

With the global demand for self-service solutions continuing to increase, Meridian is expanding into Europe. According to Nick Van Wyk, President and Chief Executive, “Strong partnerships have been integral to our success in the US and Canada. These existing relationships are bringing us an ever increasing number of opportunities globally.”

As Meridian seeks to open their first European facility, Chris Gilder, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer stated, “Our design thinking studio and ability to create innovative, custom solutions are unmatched in the industry. We take our clients’ needs and turn them into a reality--seamlessly and efficiently from concept to completion.”

Gilder, a British citizen, continued, “We are currently very open-minded regarding our entry into Europe. We have numerous potential hardware and software partners and are also looking at potential acquisitions.”

Van Wyk and Gilder are traveling to Europe later this month to further their expansion plans. Of the trip, Van Wyk said, “With our acquisition of Canadian-based King Products last year, we are in an excellent position to expand geographically through partnerships.”

###

Source link

Posted by staff at 04:29 PM

August 13, 2010

NCR projects growth in retail self-serve POS, DVD kiosks

Self-service now accounts for about 40 percent of the retail division’s revenues, up from one-third previously, according to John Bruno, NCR executive vice president. Traditional POS devices account for about 60 percent.

NCR projects growth in retail self-serve POS, DVD kiosks | SelfServiceWorld | Self Service World

Burney Simpson editor
• 13 Aug 2010


Sales of self-serve check-out devices to the retail sector are on the cusp of a period of extended growth with new installations in grocery, big box and other large merchants. Meanwhile, consumers in North America will see several thousand more DVD kiosks at local shops by the end of the year.

That and other positives for the self-service and kiosk industries were discussed by top leadership of NCR Corp. during its recent second-quarter conference call with stock analysts. Several analysts pressed NCR executives on its expansion in the kiosk DVD sector and the firm’s relationship with troubled Blockbuster Inc.

The Duluth, Ga.-based provider of assisted (or traditional) and self-service hardware and software for the financial and retail industries last month reported net income of $31 million, compared with $23 million in the same three-month period last year. Revenues rose 5 percent to $1.18 billion compared with $1.12 billion in the second quarter of 2009.

NCR’s retail division, covering its traditional and self-service point-of-sale devices and kiosks, has seen strong numbers this year with revenues rising 83 percent in the second quarter compared with the same period in 2009, Bill Nuti, chairman and CEO, told analysts. And for the first six months of 2010, retail division revenues were up 63 percent compared with January thru June 2009.

NCR doesn’t break out sales of self-service POS devices and traditional devices. But Nuti was particularly pleased with self-service, and with the prospects of the product set.

“In the second quarter, we saw strong revenue and order growth in self-checkout and were encouraged by the mix shift to self-checkout from assisted point-of-sale,” he said.

Indeed, self-service now accounts for about 40 percent of the retail division’s revenues, up from one-third previously, according to John Bruno, NCR executive vice president. Traditional POS devices account for about 60 percent.

Going forward, Nuti says that self service is poised to keep growing.

“Upgrade cycles tend to run in a four to five-year increments, and based on our conversations with customers, we believe the next cycle will be led by increased adoption of self-service technologies,” he said.

Gil Luria, a vice president and research analyst who follows NCR for Wedbush Securities, says the question hanging over NCR is whether Nuti is right on his cycle theory.

“Will retailers spend? If so, (self-serve) will be a great category,” Luria said.
In the firm’s entertainment division, NCR continues to build on its DVD kiosk rental program with Blockbuster in the North American market.

At the end of the quarter, NCR had about 6,500 installed DVD kiosks and was adding 100 to 200 a week, says Nuti. The firm’s goal is 10,000 installed by the end of the year, most carrying the Blockbuster brand name. NCR pays the firm a licensing fee for its brand and a royalty per kiosk, depending on the success of the kiosk.

Read rest of story at SelfserviceWorld

Posted by staff at 10:42 AM

August 06, 2010

People - HP Hurd Resigns

IDG News Service - Mark Hurd is stepping down as CEO of Hewlett-Packard following an investigation into claims that he sexually harassed a former contractor to the company

The investigation, conducted by outside legal counsel and the company's general counsel and overseen by the board, found that Hurd did not violate HP's sexual harassment policy but he did violate HP's standards of business conduct, the company said.

Cathie Lesjak, HP's CFO, will serve as interim CEO while a search committee looks for a permanent replacement for Hurd. She will retain her CFO position and has asked not to be considered for the permanent position.

"As I step into the role as interim CEO, I've never had more confidence in the company's future," she said in a conference call about the announcement.

HP discovered the situation recently when outside legal counsel sent a letter to the company on behalf of the contractor on June 29. The next day, the board was notified and launched the investigation.

The investigation discovered that Hurd had a "close personal relationship" with a marketing contractor that he did not disclose to the board, Mike Holston, HP's general counsel said. The consultant does not wish to be named, he said.

It also revealed that there were numerous instances where the contractor was paid or reimbursed without performing work. There were also inaccurate expense reports from Hurd meant to hide his personal relationship with the contractor, Holston said. That evidence pointed to "a profound lack of judgment" by Hurd, he said.

"Based on all of this, the board concluded and Mark agreed that it was impossible for him to be an effective leader and he has stepped down," he said.


Update: HP's Mark Hurd resigns amid sexual harassment probe - Computerworld

Posted by staff at 04:02 PM

July 29, 2010

Coinstar Evaluating Beauty Kiosks?

From WSJ: Coinstar diversifying. Next business in beauty kiosks? Analysts figure good solid 3 or 4 years of solid growth but then they need a new line.

Coinstar Inc. (CSTR) may try to do for makeup what its Redbox unit has done for movie DVDs.

The DVD-vending and coin-counting machine maker is recruiting a vice-president-level manager to oversee a new venture in the beauty or cosmetics space.

And while the Bellevue, Wash., company wouldn't comment on its plans, advertisements for the job posted on the Internet this month indicate Coinstar is trying to develop partnerships in the beauty and cosmetics industry and to develop vending machines that eventually might be rolled out across the U.S.

"We are continually looking at new opportunities in the self-service, automated retail space and plan to have a number of seed businesses that we're testing and evaluating at any given time," Coinstar said in an email statement to Dow Jones Newswires. "It would be premature to provide comment on any of these early concepts."

Coinstar is scheduled to report quarterly results after markets close Thursday.


rest of article

Posted by staff at 03:48 PM

July 14, 2010

Kiosk Provider Appoints New CEO

People in the News - Nick Van Wyk named CEO of Meridian Kiosks.

Kiosk Provider Appoints New CEO - Restaurant News - QSR Magazine

[2010-07-13] Meridian Kiosks, a provider of self-service solutions, announced the appointment of Nick Van Wyk as CEO. Van Wyk will be responsible for driving Meridian to the next phase of its development and integrating the recent acquisition of King Products and Solutions.

Van Wyk has an extensive background in technology. Most recently he was a senior executive responsible for Global Operations at Red Hat.

"We'd be hard pressed to find a better fit for Meridian than Nick," says company founder and former CEO, Chris Gilder. "His vast experience in creating channels and business operations will help take us to the next level. From the moment we gave him a tour of our facilities, it was clear that he understood the vision and the opportunity."

"Chris and Christa Gilder have built a company that is at the forefront of conceptual design and are recognized for the quality of their products and flexible manufacturing capabilities," Van Wyk says.

In an economy that is slow to recover from the recession, Meridian is growing. "Companies are looking for a new way to empower their customers and employees," Van Wyk says. "Self-service offers the ability to expand services to meet the increasing demands whilst improving quality.

"This interlink between people and technology is a rapidly growing space. To address this burgeoning market, we are collaborating and partnering with industry leaders as well as strengthening our operations."

"We've been fortunate to have an ever-increasing customer base," Gilder says. "We needed someone with Nick's experience and stature in the industry to help us meet this demand and grow the business properly as we do."

Meridian has a 12-acre campus in Aberdeen, North Carolina, where Van Wyk will be based.

The meridian kiosks website is located here

Posted by staff at 02:42 PM

June 12, 2010

NCR Wins Microsoft Windows Embedded OEM Partner Excellence Award

NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) today announced that it has won a Microsoft Windows Embedded OEM Partner Excellence Award for its innovation in enhancing consumer experiences and leveraging Windows Embedded platforms and technologies to build new applications, such as the latest version of the NCR Netkey management software.

DULUTH, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) today announced that it has won a Microsoft Windows Embedded OEM Partner Excellence Award for its innovation in enhancing consumer experiences and leveraging Windows Embedded platforms and technologies to build new applications, such as the latest version of the NCR Netkey management software.

Introduced in March 2010, this new version supports Windows Embedded Standard 7 and includes many enhancements to simplify digital signage content management and deliver richer content, which helps companies connect better with consumers and offer a more dynamic experience.

The NCR Netkey management software is the first to bring together in-store digital advertising and self-service kiosks under a single platform, enabling companies to leverage rich multimedia content across digital signs and kiosks. For example, a business could opt to use digital advertising to promote their loyalty program and then make it easy for customers to enroll at self-service kiosks.

These innovations mean that NCR customers can introduce a growing range of interactive kiosk and digital signage applications faster across multiple industries on disparate hardware platforms. Examples include Gift Registry, which provides consumers with a convenient, self-service means of creating and purchasing from wish lists and Endless Aisle, which helps retailers integrate their e-commerce and bricks-and-mortar operations by providing a means for consumers to view a retailer’s extended inventory on a kiosk in the store.

“We are pleased to recognize NCR’s contribution and commitment to building innovative digital signage applications that improve the in-store customer experience,” said Pascal Martin, general manager of OEM Embedded Sales for Microsoft Windows Embedded. “NCR has a proven track record of delivering a wide range of high-quality, complementary solutions that will help our mutual customers build their next generation, smart, connected digital signage devices based on Windows Embedded platforms and technologies.”

The award recognizes Microsoft partners who bring innovative solutions to market using the Windows Embedded portfolio of platforms and technologies. NCR is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.

“Our relationship with Microsoft plays a key role in helping NCR deliver innovative solutions to our customers and enabling them to deliver a seamless and rich experience to their customers,” added Dusty Lutz, general manager, NCR Netkey digital signage and kiosk applications. “Windows Embedded includes many technology innovations that allow us to quickly build the cutting-edge digital signage and self-service applications our customers demand to reach consumers in a more personalized and compelling manner.”

For the latest updates regarding the Windows Embedded business, and to read more about Microsoft Windows Embedded OEM Partner Excellence Award, please visit the Microsoft Windows Embedded News Center.

About NCR Corporation

NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR) is a global technology company leading how the world connects, interacts and transacts with business. NCR’s assisted- and self-service solutions and comprehensive support services address the needs of retail, financial, travel, healthcare, hospitality, entertainment, gaming and public sector organizations in more than 100 countries. NCR (www.ncr.com) is headquartered in Duluth, Georgia.


NCR Wins Microsoft Windows Embedded OEM Partner Excellence Award | Benzinga.com

Posted by keefner at 04:21 PM

April 22, 2010

Fujitsu Continues To Be Unsettled

New president of Fujitsu takes helm saying all restructuring is done though the messy departure of former CEO continues to negatively impact. From WSJ.

Fujitsu President: No Plan to Exit Major Businesses
New President's Remarks Clash With Views of His Predecessor, Who Is Pressing for Changes
By JURO OSAWA And DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI

TOKYO—The new president of Fujitsu Ltd. said Thursday that the sprawling technology giant has no immediate plans to exit its major businesses or to reduce its head count, nor does it need a major overhaul.

Taking office amid the turmoil stemming from the departure last year of its former president, new president Masami Yamamoto said restructuring had run its course and the company has finished reorganizing its unprofitable businesses.

"I'm not saying restructuring is all over. But as for drastic measures, we've already done most of what we need to do," said Mr. Yamamoto, who took over April 1, succeeding current chairman and interim president Michiyoshi Mazuka, and who comes from the company's computer-server business.

Mr. Yamamoto's views on the need for more restructuring are a stark contrast to those of the former president, Kuniaki Nozoe, who resigned in September but who is fighting the company over allegations he was forced out on false pretenses. Under Mr. Nozoe's leadership, the company sold off its hard disk-drive business and stopped producing semiconductors.

Since his departure, Mr. Nozoe has argued the company needs more restructuring, which has come to a halt.

Fujitsu initially said Mr. Nozoe was stepping down due to illness. But on April 14, the company said he had been asked to resign after continuing to associate with an unidentified fund with possible ties to "antisocial forces," despite being warned against doing so. Antisocial forces is a common Japanese euphemism for organized crime.


more

Posted by staff at 01:39 PM

January 12, 2010

Interesting Company Watch - New announcements from Escalate

Escalate is demonstrating new kiosk solutions at NRF this week and gets a "Interesting Company" rating from us. From promoting a Silverlight solution with MS and HP to small Pocket Kiosk they covering quite a bit of ground. Plus their main backbone is their retail CRM ecommerce platform. Worth checking out.


http://www.escalate.com

January 11, 2010
Escalate Retail Demonstrates New Interactive Store Kiosk with Microsoft Silverlight™ Technology
http://www.escalate.com/media/cms/pdf/r_Kiosk_Microsoft_HP_100111.pdf


January 7, 2010
Escalate Retail Launches Latest Release of Clienteling Solution
http://www.escalate.com/media/cms/pdf/r_Clienteling_20100107.pdf


January 6, 2010
Escalate Retail to Launch Pocket Kiosk at NRF 2010
http://www.escalate.com/media/cms/pdf/r_Escalate_Pocket_Kiosk_20100106.pdf


December 30, 2009
Escalate Retail to Showcase New Customer-Centric
Kiosk and Mobile Solutions at NRF 2010
http://www.escalate.com/media/cms/pdf/r_Escalate_NRF2010_20091230.pdf

December 3, 2009
Escalate Retail Launches Next-Generation Cross-Channel Commerce Platform, Goes Live with Two Customers

September 22, 2009
Escalate Retail Now Offers eBillme™ as a Secure Cash Payment Option for Ecometry Commerce Customers


August 20, 2009
Escalate Retail Announces Co-Marketing Alliance with Adobe

July 13, 2009
Homemakers to Deploy Escalate Retail Software to Gain Competitive Advantage in Tough Economy

July 7, 2009
Escalate Retail Releases Latest Versions of Ecometry with Validation of PA-DSS Compliance

July 1, 2009
Escalate Retail Introduces Buy Anywhere Commerce for Direct Marketers

May 19, 2009
EILEEN FISHER Selects Escalate Retail's Buy Anywhere, Fulfill Anywhere Commerce ™

May 11, 2009
Escalate Retail Announces Partnership with MyBuys


About Escalate Retail
Escalate Retail is the #1 provider of retail solutions that drive cross-channel excellence and personal, relevant shopping experiences – on the web, in the store, on your mobile device, and over the phone. Escalate’s All-Channel Commerce delivers revenue-driving interactions in every channel through a powerful portfolio of solutions, including e-Commerce, m-Commerce, Store Kiosks, Pocket Kiosks, Relationship Marketing, Clienteling, and Order Management. More than 500 retailers run their businesses on Escalate software, including 11 of the largest 100 retailers
worldwide, over 50 of the Internet Retailer top 500 e-Commerce sites and 14 of STORES Magazine’s “Hot 100.” The company maintains headquarters in San Diego, CA with three additional offices located across North America and Europe. For more information, visit www.Escalate.com.

Posted by staff at 08:27 AM

December 29, 2009

People on the move - NCR creates new role

NCR Corp. (NYSE:NCR) has hired Richard Bravman as vice president of corporate development. In the newly created role, Bravman, who will also oversee marketing, will lead business development strategy to drive top-line growth.

Aggressive NCR adds corporate development post (Corporate Dealmaker)

He joins from Intelleflex Inc., where he was chief executive and led initiatives including acquisitions and expansion into markets including India. In 2004, Bravman formed the early stage investment firm Coastal Ventures.

Bravman's appointment comes as NCR makes an aggressive push into the DVD rental kiosk market. As The Deal's Sara Behunek noted in this post, the technology firm best known for its ATM operations has fast become the No. 2 rental kiosk firm behind Coinstar Inc.'s (NASDAQ:CSTR) Redbox. NCR got into the space after signing an agreement in August 2008 to build kiosks for Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE:BBI). Then in April, it acquired TNR Holdings Corp., operator of 2,200 kiosks in the U.S. and Canada.

Bravman isn't the only new hire. NCR this summer poached Alex Camara from rival Coinstar to head up its Entertainment Solutions unit. - Suzanne Stevens

Posted by staff at 11:16 AM

August 14, 2009

Company Profiles - Why NCR Is Retreating From Outsourcing

Businessweek interview with Bill Nuti on NCR reversing the outsourcing strategy and now bringing more of it in-house (in the US). [video]

Article is published in the Aug. 24/31 edition of BusinessWeek magazine.

Source link

By Pete Engardio

When NCR decided to outsource production of bank ATMs in 2007, it was joining a trend that had been sweeping America’s electronics industry for more than a decade. By shutting its own factories in Canada and Scotland and inking a five-year deal with a contract manufacturer to make ATMs for North America, the company assumed it could cut costs. Instead, says one NCR manager, the collaboration became “an enormous and costly exercise” that led to product delays and upset customers.

Now NCR is changing course again. And this time it may be in the vanguard of a shift in corporate thinking that could bring skilled manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. Not only will NCR once more build all automated teller machines in-house, but it will also supply North America entirely from an 800-worker plant in Columbus, Ga. Before, some ATMs sold in the U.S. came from China and Brazil.

Behind the reversal is a sweeping rethink of corporate strategy prompted by the recession. The financial crisis hit NCR’s
key customers—large banks and retailers—especially hard. Besides ATMs, NCR makes such devices as super market self-checkout kiosks and bar-code scanners. Sales dived 16% in this year’s first half, to $1.12 billion, while profits plunged 91%. NCR does not expect demand to rebound quickly. “We spent a lot of time thinking about how we can win under the new norm,” says CEO Bill Nuti, who came from Symbol Technologies in 2005 after Mark V. Hurd left to lead Hewlett-Packard.

Nuti and his team decided they had to halve development times of intelligent, easier-to-use ATMs—currently 12 to 18 months—and consolidate production. Because many ATMs are custom-designed, NCR wants buyers to be directly involved in development.

The plant is just a two-hour drive from three key spots: NCR’s main customer service center, its innovation hub, and its new headquarters in the Atlanta area. Besides generous state tax breaks and worker training subsidies, NCR says it was lured from Dayton by advanced manufacturing programs at local universities. “We want quantum-leap changes in our cost structure,” Nuti says. “To effect that change, you have to control your destiny.”

The new setup will be far more streamlined than NCR’s current ATM production in factories spanning four continents. NCR makes ATMs at its own plants in China, Hungary, and India. The devices are also assembled in South Carolina and offshore in plants run by Flextronics International, which in 2007 acquired Solectron, NCR’s original contractor. Among the headaches: Because ATMs are so complex, NCR engineers often had to jet around the world to sort out production glitches and design changes. This led to delays just as NCR was launching a line of ATMs that simplify making deposits and verifying transactions. “By outsourcing, we just couldn’t move as quickly,” Nuti says. E.C. Sykes, Flextronics’ president for industrial products, says: “We did have some bumps with this product line.”

NCR isn’t ditching globalization. Flextronics will still make machines that are less complex and produced in higher quantities. NCR plants in Latin America, Europe, and Asia will make ATMs for those regions. Other U.S. manufacturers are reassessing their scramble to outsource high-end products to Asia. Says electronics manufacturing consultant Charlie Barnhart: “Often, it would be cheaper for them to manufacture by themselves.”

Posted by staff at 07:38 AM

July 24, 2009

NCR Q2 profit beats Street, reaffirms 2009 outlook

Maker of automated teller machines NCR Corp (NCR.N) posted a quarterly profit that handily beat market estimates, aided by improved cost management, and stood by its 2009 forecast, sending its shares up almost 14 percent.

The company, which is also known for its self-service kiosks, expects to end the year with about 2,500 DVD rental kiosks. Earlier this year, it signed a deal with Blockbuster Inc (BBI.N) to provide 10,000 DVD rental kiosks by 2010.

On a conference call, the company said the roll-out of the DVD kiosks was going according to its plan.

While NCR's entry into the DVD kiosk market is considered "interesting," it is yet to be determined if this will be a good investment or not. [ID:nBNG501922]

"They are being measured and cautious in the roll-out of the DVD kiosks. It sounds like they are going to roll out very few units this year," Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Gil Luria said, adding that NCR expects to accelerate the roll-outs next year.

NCR could face stiff competition from Coinstar Inc's (CSTR.O) Redbox business that currently dominates the market for DVD rental kiosks. Redbox has more than 15,000 locations, according to its website.

"NCR's challenge will be to get good real estate locations," Robert Baird & Co analyst Reik Read said.

"Redbox has a tremendous lead," he said, but added that the marketplace was always looking for a second supplier.

NCR's deal with Blockbuster could give it an edge when it comes to brand recognition in the marketplace.

"They may be able to capture 50 percent of the incremental share going forward, but again, Redbox starts off at a higher point," analyst Luria said.

The company's quarterly profit from continuing operations nearly halved to $23 million, or 14 cents a share.

However, excluding items, it earned 13 cents a share from continuing operations, while analysts on average were looking for 8 cents, according to Reuters Estimates.

Revenue fell 16 percent to $1.12 billion, trailing Wall Street estimates of $1.14 billion. Revenue was dragged by lower product sales in the Americas.

Selling, general and administrative expenses fell 15 percent to $156 million.

The company reiterated its 2009 earnings view of 60 cents to 75 cents a share.

It also continues to expect revenue to be 5 percent to 10 percent lower on a constant currency basis compared with 2008.

Shares of the Duluth, Georgia-based NCR were up $1.21 at $13.11 in afternoon trade Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange. The stock touched a high of $13.52 earlier.

Posted by staff at 07:29 AM

July 01, 2009

Interview: Nuti of NCR on CNBC on Blockbuster and More

nuti-120.jpgBill Nuti interviewed on CNBC regarding $22B DVD Kiosk business. Buy/Sell/Trade of DVDs (movies or games). NCR has seen it's stock price plummet along with everybody else. It still seems to be searching for next horse to ride with ATMs declining and retail in shock. NCR reported a loss in net income for 1st quarter of 2009.
CNBC Link
Posted by staff at 08:40 AM

June 04, 2009

Update: NCR moving HQ to Duluth, to bring 2,100-plus jobs to Georgia

ncr.jpgFollowup on NCR Move: ATM Marketplace reports that NCR is also pulling manufacturing back into the company. It had originally sourced some ATM manufacture to Solectron (and later Flextronics)


Source ATM Marketplace

In addition to the move, NCR will bring the manufacture of its SelfServ ATM in-house, and sales will be up and running in Columbus, Ga., by the fourth quarter of this year.

"We're always adjusting our strategy," Dudash said of the company's decision to bring the manufacture of its SelfServ ATM line for North American sales back in-house. In January 2007, NCR signed a five-year deal with Milpitas, Calif.-based Solectron, later acquired by Flextronics, to outsource the manufacture of its ATMs and payment solutions in the Americas and its self-checkout systems globally.

"Last year we introduced the new SelfServ ATM family to North America, and as more customers introduce intelligent deposit and our sales grow, we believe that by manufacturing the ATMs ourselves, it gives us more flexibility and the ability to respond faster," Dudash said.

NCR would not confirm what percentage of its overall business comes from North American ATM sales, but ATMs continue to be a primary source of income for the company that has branched out in recent years into other lines of self-service, including self-checkout systems and DVD rental.

NCR will continue to work with Flextronics for ATM manufacturing in other markets, at least for the time being. And other equipment lines, such as NCR's line of teller cash recyclers, will continue to be manufactured by Flextronics.

"The decision to consolidate functions in Georgia and build a technology-focused corporate headquarters campus is right in line with our business strategy to drive growth, improve our innovation output, increase productivity and continually upgrade our focus on the customer," said Bill Nuti, NCR’s chairman and chief executive. "We will decrease time-to-market for innovative solutions, improve our internal collaboration, deliver next-generation employee education programs and lower our current operating costs. NCR is already benefiting from Georgia’s pro-business environment through our existing operations. For example, we have recently created NCR University, working in partnership with world-class academic institutions in Georgia."


Atlanta Business Chronicle - by Urvaksh Karkaria Staff Writer
link

NCR Corp., maker of ATMs and self-service kiosks, will move its headquarters from Dayton, Ohio, to Duluth, Ga. The company will bring 1,250 jobs to its Gwinnett County campus, and relocate 880 manufacturing jobs to Macon.

NCR Corp., a Fortune 500 company, will move its corporate headquarters from Dayton, Ohio, to Duluth, Ga., adding clout to metro Atlanta’s technology reputation.

NCR will relocate 1,250 corporate jobs to its Gwinnett County operation, a source familiar with the plan said. The company is also expected to launch a 550,000-square-foot manufacturing operation in Columbus, Ga., where it will employ nearly 880, the source said.

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue is expected to make the official announcement Tuesday.

NCR CEO Bill Nuti and Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland spoke by phone Monday evening, and Nuti told Strickland the company has been looking at Georgia for some time, an official in the Ohio governor’s office told Atlanta Business Chronicle sister publication Dayton Business Journal (DBJ).

In a letter to Nuti obtained by the Chronicle, Strickland offered more than $31.1 million in economic incentives to convince Nuti to keep the company in Ohio.

On May 31, the Chronicle, and the DBJ, first reported NCR’s interest in relocating to Georgia.

NCR (NYSE: NCR), which makes automated teller machines (ATMs) and retail self-checkouts, will be Georgia’s 14th Fortune 500 company and the second in Duluth. Last July, Asbury Automotive Group Inc. (NYSE: ABG) announced the relocation of its headquarters to Duluth from New York.

NCR, which employs 20,000 employees globally, ranked 446 on the 2009 Fortune 500 list. The company, which did not return calls Monday, reported a $228 million profit on $5.3 billion in revenue last year.

Last fall, NCR said it would move its Worldwide Customer Services headquarters to metro Atlanta, investing $15 million and creating more than 900 jobs in Peachtree City and Duluth. In October, NCR said it would co-locate an NCR Learning Center and its Customer Care Center hub for the Americas region with the company’s existing Global Service Materials operation in Peachtree City.

NCR, which occupies about 150,000 square feet at its Satellite Boulevard operation in Duluth, will lease an additional 100,000 to 200,000 square feet at that facility. The corporate jobs will pay on average about $70,000 annually.

The manufacturing distribution operation will be in two buildings and will make ATMs, according to the source. Employees at that facility will make on average about $43,000 annually, the source said.

NCR received tax incentives from both Gwinnett and Columbus governments, the source said, declining to disclose details about the state’s incentive package.

While Dayton -- where NCR was founded in 1884 -- is the company’s official headquarters, the city is not the center of the company’s influence.

Nuti, along with the company’s chief financial officer and other senior executives, maintain offices on an entire floor of 7 World Trade Center in Manhattan. In March, NCR removed the language “world headquarters” from the sign at its Dayton campus. Nuti will not be moving to Atlanta.

Relocating to Atlanta — the commercial capital of the Southeast — makes sense for the company.

Four of the cities in Ohio — Youngstown, Canton, Dayton and Cleveland— are among the top 10 dying cities in America, according to an August 2008 report in Forbes.

“They [NCR] can’t recruit talent to move to Dayton, Ohio,” the source said.

Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL), The Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD) and Sun Trust Banks Inc. (NYSE: STI) -- big NCR customers -- are also based in metro Atlanta.

NCR supplies Delta with self-service kiosks, and NCR and Home Depot announced a deal in 2002 to install self-checkout lanes in about 800 of its 1,487 stores. In 2007, the two companies announced a deal to expand the project into Home Depot stores in Canada.

In 2005, SunTrust said NCR would upgrade existing ATMs and provide new ATMs for all new SunTrust branches.

Posted by staff at 10:10 AM

April 15, 2009

Meridian Kiosks now ISO certified

ABERDEEN, N.C. — Meridian Kiosks LLC announced that it is certified to the ISO 9001:2008 standard.

The standards represents an international consensus on good management practices with the aim of ensuring that the organization can consistently deliver the product or services that meet the client’s quality requirements. The certification of compliance with ISO 9001:2008 recognizes that the policies, practices and procedures of the company will ensure consistent quality in the design and manufacture of kiosks.

"Our team does a tremendous job of designing and building kiosks on a day to day basis to meet and constantly exceed our client’s expectations. We wanted to obtain the ISO certification to be able to demonstrate that we are committed to continual improvement in every part of our business and have the processes in place to accomplish this," said Chris Gilder, Meridian Kiosks chief executive.

The Meridian Kiosks ISO registration covers sales, design, manufacturing, assembly and shipping.

Posted by staff at 01:14 PM

July 10, 2008

Kiosk Software Companies - Nextep

Nextep's kiosk technology propels company to huge growth, plans to hire six

source link

metromode, 7/10/2008
Imagine going into a coffee shop or fast-food joint and not having to deal with a sneering, disgruntled minimum wage worker who loathes his job, you and the world in general. (Not necessarily in that order)

That is the world envisioned by Nextep Systems.

The Troy-based firm specializes in producing automated kiosks that allow customers to order their own food or coffee, grab a ticket and wait for it come up. It promises to make John Q. On-The-Go-Public's experience more efficient while improving customer service.

"These people are more interested in getting in and getting out," says Charles Wheeler, creative director for Nextep. "Everybody is in a hurry."

And the company is in a hurry to keep up with its explosive growth. Nextep
has doubled its sales projections in the first quarter and expects to do so again in the second quarter. It has also created 15 new jobs in its first four years (including six this last year), currently has three open positions and expects to hire six more people on top of that by the end of the year.

"We've got a lot of great talent in Michigan," Wheeler says.

Source: Charles Wheeler, creative director of Nextep Systems
Writer: Jon Zemke





Posted by staff at 09:31 AM

June 13, 2008

Video - St. Clair Profile Video

web_cpeter.jpgNice introduction to St. Clair with Chris Peter over in London. Also talks about gift cards (big deployment for Dave and Busters current notable)... [watch video]...
Posted by staff at 08:42 AM

Video - Phil Cutrone on HP entry to kiosk market

phil_cutrone_HP_kiosks.jpg HP announced that it is adding self-service kiosks to its portfolio to meet the needs of business customers at KioskCom Self Service -- watch video
Posted by staff at 08:22 AM

June 12, 2008

Video profile kiosk companies

web_abby.jpgVideo feature on kiosk company. Also demonstration of EyeSite kiosk and HP Cosmetic Kiosk.



Here is EyeSite Solo Healthr Demo at KioskCom



Here is HP Cosmetic Advisor Demo at KioskCom

Posted by staff at 03:18 PM

April 28, 2008

HP Self-Service Kiosk Solutions

HP used the last KioskCom in Vegas in April to announce its intent to aggressively pursue the kiosk market. Part of their marketing initiative is the new redesigned website they have for kiosks which includes information on different application segments as well as brochures.


source links

Offerings Catalog

» Overview

Kiosk solutions


Human Resources

Improve employee reach and effectiveness
HR kiosks extend the reach of your HR department by providing convenient and consistent information to employees. Representative applications include job application, benefits management, online forms and employee training.

Retail

Improve sales, service and loyalty
Retail kiosks enable you to provide convenience services to your customers, increase awareness and offer new channels to grow your business. Representative applications include online shopping/guided selling, gift cards and registry, job and credit application, and way finding.

Order Entry

Enhance customer’s control of service
Order entry kiosks help you improve customer services by enabling accuracy on self-placed orders and offering the ability to suggest additional products. Representative applications include QSR order entry, prescription ordering, automated contracts and guided up-sell.

Financial

Improved banking services reach
Financial kiosks serve as a secure aggregation point for many common financial services and security features such as privacy screens, trigger mats and proximity sensors. Representative applications include bill paying, ATM/check cashing, prepaid/gift credit cards and money order printing.

Check-in

Enhanced service and transaction accuracy
Kiosks offer a convenient and fast alternative to traditional check-in methods, act as a virtual reception desk attendant and provide service for late arrivals. Representative applications include airline/cruise ship check-in, car and truck rental contracts, hotel registration and baggage handling.

Photo

Cost-efficient service expansion
HP Retail Photo Solutions allow you to expand your existing photo services with self-service options and cost-effective solutions. Representative applications include image optimization, digital prints, scrapbooking and photo gifts.

Ticketing

Greater sales and box office reach
Ticketing kiosks offer convenient, 24x7 access to purchase admissions tickets formerly available only through a box office window. Representative applications include automated box office for travel, theatres, sporting events, theme parks and concerts; remote location sales; and guided up-sell.

Security

Efficient, secure passenger service
With increased awareness of security issues, you can address your security concerns while maintaining efficiency and cost savings through the implementation of kiosks. Representative applications include biometric identity tools, registered traveler services, border control and baggage security.



Get started
» Contact HP

Learn more
» HP Kiosk Solutions brochure
» HP Kiosk Solutions demo
» Point of Sale Solutions
» Retail In-store Solutions
» Third-party Solutions

Spotlight

spotlight

» Solution helps Dan’s Camera City offer new products


Posted by staff at 12:24 PM

November 07, 2007

What Lies Behind Killer Kiosk

Press Release -- SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- A study by Aberdeen Group reveals how Best-In-Class Companies are leveraging self-service to improve their costs to sales, enhance customer conversion and provide differentiated services. Infonox, the leading provider of on-demand financial solutions and custom self-service solutions, announced today the reasons why Companies avail these benefits utilizing the Active Payment Platform(TM).

What Lies Behind Killer Kiosks: The Infonox Advantage - Press Release

Infonox provides the complete suite of services that ranges from Transactional Services, Business Services and System Management Services on their Active Payment Platform(TM). The Platform has been refined after years of experience in the financial, gaming and retail industries and tens of thousands of deployments in the US and Internationally. Infonox enables both small and large companies to deploy their services on to innovative new delivery channels, such as self service kiosks, counter-top units, and mobile phones.

Sahir Anand, Retail Analyst, Aberdeen Group says, "'Best In Class' is a term used to describe the industries' top performers -- those companies that have leveraged the power of technology to successfully deliver on the promises of self service. All companies can improve the effectiveness and return of their Kiosk deployments in a number of areas ranging from automated processes, analytics, touch screens, biometrics, and remote diagnostics to further increase the benefits from a self-service strategy. Also, scalability is a key success driver for any self-service strategy."

Aberdeen Group's research further shows some revealing facts about a successful self-service strategy. In order to manage their multi-channel process and kiosk efficiencies more effectively, Companies must measure and report their kiosk usage data on a real-time basis. The Infonox Active Payment Platform supports sophisticated real-time reporting and analytics as an integral part of the solution, providing deployers, retailers, vendors and service providers with instant access to critical performance information.

The quality of customer interaction at the point of service, as well as brand differentiation, are the foremost reasons behind usage and adoption of self service kiosks, according to the Aberdeen Group study. The Active Payment Platform provides the richest, most intuitive customer experience available in self-service today. Infonox has developed an entire suite of ready-to-implement solutions that can be quickly customized and branded to the needs of the deployer, whether the environments are restaurant/QSR, gaming, retail, banking or convenience / grocery.

Companies are facing considerable pressure to differentiate their service offerings. 54% of companies believe that differentiating their service offering through improved customer and employee processes or workflow is the most significant operational pressure. More than half (50% or more) of companies surveyed believe that kiosks enable better workflow, thus positively impacting a differentiated service environment for customers. To serve different market needs, the Infonox Active Payment Platform(TM) facilitates the configuration of any workflow or business process. It is flexible, scalable and extensible, allowing the system to be modified and adapted quickly and easily. Companies are free to define their own unique work flow requirements and can refine their customer experience over time without the concern of spiraling development and maintenance expenses.

Safwan Shah, CEO, Infonox said, "The Active Payment Platform from Infonox has been designed with the total needs of our customers in mind. More and more Companies want turn-key, reliable and scalable solutions that provide access to a variety of payment services and features that are critical to a successful kiosk deployment. Infonox's experience in the gaming, retail and banking industries has allowed us to develop the most robust self-service solution in the market. We enable Companies from virtually any industry to realize the benefits of self-service through integrated, end-to-end solutions that include real-time analytics, flexibility and the ability to add differentiated services on-demand."

You can request the release titled "Killer Kiosks: Reinventing the Customer Experience through Self-Service" in PDF format at the following URL: http://www.infonox.com/press/press_releases/infonox/2007/KillerKiosks.shtml

You can also request the article titled "Catch the New Wave in Self-Service" in PDF format from the following URL http://www.infonox.com/press/press_releases/infonox/2007/SIFinancial.shtml

For the report, "Killer Kiosks: Reinventing the Customer Experience through Self-Service" please see Aberdeen Group http://www.aberdeen.com/summary/report/benchmark/4128-RA-kiosk-reinvent.asp

About Infonox

Infonox is a leading technology company serving the financial services industry that enables the delivery of financial products and services to new markets and innovative distribution platforms, including self service kiosks, ATM's, web-based applications and mobile phones. The Infonox TransIT network provides on-demand access to a wide array of services, including check cashing, money transfers, bill payments, ATM transactions, credit/debit card payment processing, check processing, prepaid, gift cards and more. The Infonox Active Payment Platform provides end-to-end transaction lifecycle and system support management from the point of sale to final settlement. These innovative solutions enable Infonox clients to realize turn-key delivery of fully functional, robust and scalable transactional platforms that can be easily configured for new services, products and distribution platforms. Infonox offers its services in a SaaS model, allowing clients to maximize their return on investment and realize the fastest time to market.

For additional information on Infonox: Infonox, Inc. 980 Hamlin Court Sunnyvale CA 94089 Tel: (408) 744 1700 Ext. 224 Fax: (408) 744 0607 [email protected] http://www.infonox.com/

Posted by staff at 02:24 PM

August 23, 2007

Company Profile - Smart Button Loyalty for Casino

Company profile -- Smart Button is a leading developer of loyalty marketing solutions and rewards programs for the sports, entertainment, gaming, and retail industries.


Profile as PDF

Smart Button is a leading developer of loyalty marketing solutions and rewards programs for the sports, entertainment, gaming, and retail industries. Smart Button’s software helps companies identify their most loyal customers and fans, tailor and segment customer data, and use that information to market more effectively. Smart Button’s loyalty marketing software has been helping organizations achieve their business objectives since 1994, and is currently utilized in over 500 facilities throughout the United States and Canada, including over 60 percent of the North American pari-mutuel venues, several Las Vegas casinos, MLB and MLS professional sports teams, NCAA college athletics, retail shops, restaurants, and radio stations. Over 2.5 million patrons are currently enrolled in Smart Button's database. More information can be found on Smart Button at www.smartbutton.com.



Posted by staff at 12:54 PM