< Previous10KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE magazine (KDS), is the leading technical journal for manufacturers, integrators and deployers of self-service terminals and digital signage integrators. Previously known as Kiosk Solutions, our team at KDS understands the industry’s growing demands and responded by expanding into kiosk’s complementary digital signage and wayfinding markets and rebranding accordingly. Published six times a year, KDS reaches a readership of 25,000 individuals throughout the UK and Europe, comprised of customer service directors, design engineers, project managers, CIOs, CTOs, CFOs and many more. This presents a unique opportunity to reach a qualified audience not available through any other channel. Independent KDS is an independent publication, aiming to offer an objective view of the industry. Articles may present newsworthy acts and/or opinions of named companies, but all measures are taken to ensure that articles within KDS report the objective facts without bias. Editorial We welcome contributions and submissions of news, features, thought leadership posts and interviews from companies and individuals regarding the kiosk and digital signage industry. Send your story to the editor: Laura Vallis at editor@kdseurope.com. All editorial that we receive from third parties is subject to the editor-in-chief's ultimate approval, and submission of an article is no guarantee of publication. To ensure that all articles meet the editorial policy, we reserve the right to edit the whole or part of any material selected for publication. You can find our editorial policy on our website by clicking HERE. Advertising If you would like to discuss one of our advertising or advertorial packages please contact sales@kdseurope.com.NEWS IN BRIEF 11 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE If you would like to discuss one of our advertising or advertorial packages contact: sales@kdseurope.com Samsung Electronics Europe and iNUI Studio introduce AIRxTOUCH KIOSK Series 3. This interactive kiosk solution offers the same experience as a standard touch device without the need to physically touch the screen. This solution is designed to allow the user to gesture near the device and therefore offers a clear advantage from a sanitary point of view. To design this solution, iNUI Studio combined a Samsung 55in 4K screen – the QM55 – in a metal body with AIR TOUCH optical sensors and a powerful processor. The Series 3 is made for heavy traffic environments and is available in several colours. Due to its nature and the uses it allows, the AIRxTOUCH KIOSK Series 3 is particularly suitable for train stations or airports and any public space. CFL is the national railway company of Luxembourg. After Luxembourg brought transportation for free all across the country CFL wanted to go further and has deployed several AIRxTOUCH KIOSK Series 3 in two of Luxembourg’s train stations for this pilot phase. CFL wanted to bring a useful and exciting experience to their users who need real-time information. Thanks to custom software, users get traveller information in real-time and plan their journey at a distance of 5cm from the screen. Based on powerful proprietary image processing algorithms, the patented AIR TOUCH technology delivers exceptional mid-air interaction. Allowing click, double-click, drag and drop, slide and zoom interactions, with a precision of 3mm, AIR TOUCH is as easy to use as a conventional touch device. The solution integrates a 55in Samsung QM55R display. Using Dynamic Crystal Colour technology, the image quality is optimal, with a billion shades of colour, contrast ratio, high brightness and anti-reflection SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS EUROPE PARTNERS WITH INUI STUDIO TO DISRUPT THE TRANSPORTATION MARKET treatment that ensure good readability even in high light conditions. Immersion is further enhanced by HDR10+ compatibility and UHD (4K) resolution enabling professionals to bring all their commercial content to life, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Jon Raines, European Business Development Manager, Transportation at Samsung Electronics said, “Samsung was delighted to be chosen for this remarkable project. The pandemic has raised many questions about customer safety and we are committed to working PEERLESS-AV AND AURORA PARTNER Peerless-AV has announced its cooperation with Aurora Group Sverige AB, a distributor dedicated to creating value by building brands and serving resellers in Denmark, Sweden and Finland. Aurora has dedicated pro AV sales teams based in territory with the knowledge on a complete range of solutions, to guide, support and serve customers in their unique projects, whether big public tenders or small local installations. The partnership will complement Aurora’s portfolio by offering resellers a range of professional AV mounts, outdoor displays, kiosks and dvLED mounting solutions. Aurora Group has over 100 years of experience within the electronics industry, obtained through a series of mergers and acquisitions. They offer brands across a range of markets, including audiovisual, white goods, computer and gaming, home and lighting, mobile and tablet. Verticals served include control rooms, public transport, hospitality, venues and stadiums, digital signage and more. “By adding Peerless-AV to our portfolio of brands we are expanding our range of entry-level to high-end solutions so we can offer increased choice to resellers and better fulfil their project requirements,“ said Thomas Jansson, Business Unit Director Pro AV, Aurora Group. “Peerless-AV is a brand with over 80 years of experience in AV mounting and the manufacturer’s emerging technology expertise, especially in the field of outdoor and dvLED, is exemplary.” with our partner network to ensure we continue to innovate based on the real- world situation.” Olivier Raulot, Founder and CEO of iNUI Studio said, “We are very proud to partner with Samsung for the very first implementation of our technology in Europe. I’m deeply convinced that Touchless will naturally impose itself on the worldwide market. AIR TOUCH is as easy to use as a traditional device with the advantage of hygiene. By trusting us as well as the AIR TOUCH technology, CFL demonstrates its innovative DNA.”AV PREDICTIONS 12KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINEG reen signage will be critical for 2022 and beyond COP26 has made it clear 2022 will be a key year for sustainability, as companies come under increasing pressure to substantiate their green credentials and commit to achieving government climate goals. The digital signage market is no exception. Businesses need to realise where they fall short of sustainability and look for ways to improve. For digital signage vendors, it’s mainly the energy consumed to power screens and non- recyclable polystyrene packaging. 2022 is the year for these solutions and this will allow green signage to truly take off. Pro AV equipment is now required to conform to energy-related products (ERP) rules on energy consumption and power. On top of this, we all have a collective responsibility to reduce how much energy our products use. A move in the right direction here will be to install ambient light sensors that measure outside lighting conditions and automatically adjust the brightness of the screen accordingly. This will ensure that screens don’t waste energy running at a higher brightness level than required at night. Another trend that will help the industry achieve these energy-saving objectives will be proximity sensors. These allow the screens to only display content when an individual is close and prevents digital signage from using power unnecessarily when no spectators are nearby. These are small changes that have little impact on customer experience, yet they make a big difference in the environmental question. AV PREDICTIONS GREEN SIGNAGE AND DOOH: AV PREDICTIONS FOR 2022 From sustainability to transforming the retail sector as we know it for the post-Covid consumer, Tim Matthews, Senior Product Manager B2B, at Vestel gives his AV predictions. TIM MATTHEWS SENIOR PRODUCT MANAGER B2B VESTEL 13 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINEAV PREDICTIONS 14KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE The detrimental impact of plastic packaging on the environment is more widely established: it spends decades in landfill sites damaging habitats and releasing harmful chemicals. We have seen more and more interest in sustainability from both end-users and retailers in the past few years, particularly through the growing request for sustainable cardboard packaging to replace traditional expanded polystyrene (EPS). 2022 will be the year digital signage vendors make strong moves to reduce its use once and for all. It can and should be done. We are able to successfully package digital signage solutions in cardboard only that is much better for the environment. 2022 will see a significant transition to truly green packaging. D igital Signage and DOOH will transform the retail sector as we know it. Digital Signage will rise to meet the demands of the post-Covid consumer The retail sector has changed forever and elements of what makes a good shopping experience are being redefined. Pre-Covid consumers may have prioritised ease and comfort, but as Covid restrictions continue to evolve and change, safety is top of the agenda for many. Retailers have a social responsibility to address these anxieties. Here, the applications of digital signage in a post-Covid era become clear – to remind shoppers of the ever-changing Customers are increasingly expecting a more personalised experience. Businesses must realise the future is experimental and interactive retail. AV PREDICTIONS 15 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE government instructions, signpost the direction of traffic to ensure people are navigating through the store in a safe one-way system, and provide store numbers in the shop windows so shoppers can make informed decisions on whether to enter. The next step would be the installation of in- store sensors that communicate with digital screens enabling greater accuracy of footfall reporting. This digital technology will allow shoppers to make informed decisions based on the real-time information that retailers can now provide, therefore ensuring the retail experience moves in line with changing priorities in 2022. Experimental and interactive retail will help stores to gain a competitive edge Customers are increasingly expecting a more personalised experience in most items they consume. To meet these demands businesses must realise the future is experimental and interactive retail. Trigger-based content is a great example of how companies can gain a competitive edge. This entails digital signage content changing, based on customer proximity to the product. The customer can pick up a product and all details will be simultaneously displayed digitally. Then, once it is put back down the screen will revert to the standard messaging program. In addition, software, hardware and audio will form a perfect trio to immerse consumers in the products that surround them and make their shopping experience truly unique. 2022 will be the year retailers start to gain a competitive edge through these digital experiences. DOOH will become increasingly tailored and help to revive in-store shopping To push the capabilities of Digital Out of Home (DOOH) marketing, the next step for businesses will be to utilise targeted advertising in-store, with audience measurement and demographic analytics enabling them to tailor messaging depending on who is looking at the screen. Similar to how advertising works on the web, DOOH will personalise content and as a result direct consumers to products they may not have purchased otherwise. Convenience is increasingly influencing customer decisions and real-time information could make the difference between a sale or no sale. As more and more customers switch to predominantly purchasing online, this will allow retailers to create an engaging interactive experience to revive in-store shopping. G et to Know Your Customer Day serves as a great reminder to encourage companies to remember the cornerstone of their business: the customer. The day falls every year on the third Thursday of January, April, July, and October. As the January just gone marks the first of 2022, it’s a great time to consider what we can be doing this year to better engage with our customers and provide them with all-around better service. It’s all about the service When it comes to conducting business, exceptional customer service is no longer an option. “Exceptional service is part and parcel of what modern customers expect”, explains Terry Storrar, Managing Director, Leaseweb UK. “Every interaction between themselves and any business in any industry is now a gauge of good service. Providing tailored, relevant and easy to navigate service resources are instrumental in delivering a great customer experience. And customers will increasingly drive and shape this. “Businesses with a deep customer knowledge are well-prepared to give customers what they need, including choice and control through self-service. The pandemic has caused a huge change in what customers now expect from vendor services - whether this is consumer or business - and suppliers will have no choice but to adapt services and business models to suit the new demands.” Hugh Scantlebury, CEO and founder of Aqilla, continues, “Genuine engagement with customers is key to knowing them and understanding what they need from their suppliers. For us, as a software provider, there are two parts to this. Knowing our customers personally and using the intelligent reporting functions within our solution to understand usage spikes, customer growth and requirements for CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT There is no business without the customer, but too often, even organisations with the best intentions spend too much time and energy looking internally rather than addressing their customer’s wants and needs. Get to Know Your Customer Day serves to encourage companies to remember the cornerstone of their business – the customer. In this article we discover how some companies are improving their customer service. TERRY STORRAR MANAGING DIRECTOR LEASEWEB UK 16KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE THE IMPORTANCE OF MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT HUGH SCANTLEBURY CEO & FOUNDER AQILLACUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT 17 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINEintegration with their wider IT infrastructure. This approach means that we know our customers as ‘people’, and we also understand in very practical, analytical terms how they’re using our software – and what they might need from us in the future.” Be present There’s no such thing as successfully phoning it in when it comes to customers, it takes time and energy to cultivate a successful partnership. Ian Thomas, COO at Node4, highlights, “In addition to spending time with, and getting to know your customer, there are a number of practical steps you can take to help facilitate this, including: • Being ‘present’ with them and their teams in customer locations (not as easy as it was!) to ‘breathe’ in the environment and see, hear and watch your customers at work. • Undertake ‘A Day in the Life’ activities that will give you a deeper understanding of what your customer does, what they use your services and solutions for – all of which help CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT 18KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE to ingrain a deeper insight into why they may get frustrated with a specific element of service, or aren’t quite as happy in another area as you had hoped. These are great opportunities for further understanding and empathy, which are critical to keeping that partnership going. • Learn what is important to them – business outcomes, key dates in the year, cultural approaches, etc. • Enter into a Partnership Charter with your customer – it’s a two-way street and the Charter is just consciously agreeing on how you’re going to work together and what you can expect from each other in your relationship. • Ultimately, we all work better if there is harmony, and the best partnerships are harmonious. Gaining a better understanding by learning about what is important to your customer, and then helping them to achieve those outcomes, will all contribute to that objective”. IAN THOMAS COO NODE4CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT Customers are the lifeline of the company – accelerating customers towards their success targets is core to mutual success. 19 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE Joel Reid, UK&I VP/General Manager at Axway, explains similar initiatives that they have put in place, “Open Everything keeps the customer at the centre of the equation. Initiatives like PSD2 Open Banking regulations in Europe or Australia’s Consumer Data Rights directed companies to prepare for consumer data portability and accessibility. Open Everything extends those principles to every vertical: it is a call for enterprises to make the first move and provide timely access to backend systems in a secure, controlled and scalable way while maintaining visibility into both the systems and incoming transactions.” Provide feedback Creating an open and honest dialogue with your customers can be one of the most effective ways to provide good service. “Customers are the lifeline of the company, accelerating customers towards their success targets is core to mutual success,” explains Sharon Eilon, Chief Customer Officer at Aqua Security. “The customer office and specifically customer success and customer support are typically the ones getting direct feedback from users and serve the advocates on behalf of the customers. “Providing customer feedback to the product team leads to new, innovative capabilities. Customer advocacy inside the company is key for both customer and company - while customer achieves value and company continues innovating.” “It’s vital that service providers regularly ask for and act on feedback from their customers to ensure customer experience doesn’t drop,” furthers David Webb, Managing Director of Property and Facilities Management at Totalmobile. “One way that companies with mobile workers can improve customer experience is through the implementation of scheduling applications. These solutions not only benefit the workers themselves – helping keep employees up to date in real-time – but they also ensure customers receive visits from workers JOEL REID UK&I VP/ GENERAL MANAGER AXWAY DAVID WEBB MANAGING DIRECTOR PROPERTY & FACILITIES MANAGEMENT TOTALMOBILE SHARON EILON CHIEF CUSTOMER OFFICER AQUA SECURITYNext >