LAS VEGAS - This year's Self Service Expo wrapped on April 26. About 2,500 exhibitors and attendees made their way to this year's show, which was touted by exhibitors to be one of Self Service Expo's best.
Displays covered a range of technology, from self-checkout and financial self-service solutions to digital signage and gaming. The offerings were diverse.
From a financial perspective, companies like CreditCall Corp. say they're branching out and expanding their services into the kiosk arena. The payment-gateway provider, well known in the ATM space, is working with companies in the United States and Europe to enhance transaction processing. In the kiosk realm, the opportunities are vast, said Peter Alcock, CreditCall's marketing director.
"We've been working in this space for some time now," he said. "As kiosks offer more diverse transactions, like payment acceptance, we see real opportunity for growth."
England-based Felix Corp., provider of the Max Box - a hybrid ATM/kiosk that offers everything from cash dispensing to digital photo printing - and CreditCall have worked together in the United Kingdom for about a year. Now the two are initiating deployment in the United States.
Andy Egan, Felix's chief executive, said the U.S. market is ready for more diverse self-service offerings, like those offered on the Max Box. He expects Max Box to make its U.S. debut this summer.
"It's a revenue opportunity for the retailer, and there really is no risk," Egan said. "The retailer gets about 50 percent of the profit from the transactions, and the Max Box gives them a chance to offer services they wouldn't otherwise provide, like digital photo printing."
Through the "Everyone's a Winner" promotion, Max Box offers consumers rewards, for transactions. Users pay a fee for cash or digital photo printing, but with each transaction a reward from one of Max Box's partners is offered. The rewards range from retailer discounts to free hotel stays. Consumers can select the rewards they want.
The advantage for the retailer, Egan said, is that Felix offers the rewards through partnerships it establishes - freeing the Max Box deployer from finding sponsors for those incentives.
"We find the sponsors," he said. "The retailer doesn't have to do anything, so it truly is a win-win."
Egan expects to launch the full Max Box line in U.S. gas stations, convenience stores and pubs - locations that have been successful in the U.K. The line includes the Max Box midi and mini, digital retail kiosks, and the Max Box maxi, an ATM hybrid that includes all digital-retail functions in addition to cash dispense.
KIOSK Information Systems will manufacture the enclosure for the U.S. deployment. CreditCall will process the transactions.
"Having international coverage is an advantage for us, especially when it comes to working with companies like Felix," Alcock said. "The Max Box can be deployed in the U.S. with the same processor, so expansion overseas is easier.
