Big surprises reign supreme at self-service awards ceremony

*About the author: Shawna Miller is a managing editor for NetWorld Alliance's Self-Service Division, of which ATM Marketplace is a part. To submit a comment about this story, please contact the editor,Tracy Kitten.

Winners of the 2006 Self-Service World Outstanding Achievement Awards were announced Sept. 29 during a ceremony at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. But Sept. 28 was the real day of truth.

Awards finalists and other exhibitors began arriving at 7 a.m. to set up. By noon almost everyone was ready and anxiously awaiting the judges' arrival.

A flurry of activity and excitement surrounded the official opening of The Self-Service & Kiosk Show that evening. Mariachis played, food and drink were served, and the Silver Spurs dance team entertained the show staff and exhibitors.

An hour later, the winners were known, and 28 trophies, eight certificates and 18 ribbons stood ready, carefully guarded until Friday's ceremony.

Readers Choice

The winner of the second annual Readers Choice Award came as something of a surprise. The company was first called to the podium to accept the Silver Award for outstanding achievement in healthcare self-service. And after 16 intervening awards, the team representing PhreesiaPad was pleased to make a second trip up the aisle.

"It shows that users really want a solution like this," said Stephanie Kropkowski, marketing analyst for PhreesiaPad supplier KioWare. "Winning the Readers Choice Award reflects the impact the PhreesiaPad has had on its target audience, the end user. This also indicates how mature the self-service industry is becoming. Instead of a 200-pound immovable kiosk, a 3-pound portable kiosk captured the imagination of the voters."

More than 54 percent of respondents to the Readers Choice survey selected the PhreesiaPad as their favorite. That was the highest number of votes for any solution survey-wide. Runner-up for the award in the "other" category was Cox Communications' Xpress Pay Kiosk, which pulled 51.4 percent of the votes.

Second runner-up in the "public sector" category was the DMV Self-Service Kiosk, which pulled 44.4 percent of the votes.

PhreesiaPad, deployed by Phreesia Inc., is a patient-interviewing and education solution. The lightweight, tablet-based system allows patients to sign-in for appointments and complete a physician-patient interview while waiting for doctors' appointments. After the interview is complete, a report is printed for the physician to review prior to the appointment and patients are taken to the Patient Education Portal. This Web portal, customized by the physician, contains sponsored and non-sponsored information relevant to the patient's visit.

"Advertisers are able to target content more successfully; doctors are able to reduce paperwork and facilitate a more structured, meaningful doctor-patient conversation; and patients are able to research and ask questions based on information they receive during downtime in the waiting room," Kropkowski said. "And the best part is this all can be done at no cost to the doctor or patient as advertising pays for the solution."

Platinum Award

The solution winning the Platinum Award, a new award created to recognize the solution with the highest score overall, was no stranger to the podium. Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles' Self-Service Kiosk already had received a Gold Award for outstanding achievement in the "public sector" category and a Gold Award in the "other" category.

"We are thrilled and extremely proud to be recognized with three awards at a trade show where there were so many innovative products," said Dave Elich, director of commercial sales for DMV Self-Service Kiosk supplier JCM American.

Within the "other" category the DMV Self-Service Kiosk distinguished itself in all three judging components.

The judges evaluated entries based on industry need and the solution's response to that need; ROI; and positive impact within the industry. Out of a possible 300 points, the DMV solution received a near-perfect score of 287 - 13 points from complete perfection and 20 points ahead of the runner-up.

"Great self-service solutions solve a problem or enable a service and this one does both," said Tamara Mendelsohn, one of the judges.

Metal to Peddle: Gold, Silver, Bronze

Although the outstanding achievement awards are United States-based, entries came from all over the world. Representatives from the Gold Award-winning solution in the financial category, for example, crossed the Pond in a whirlwind trip, returning to the United Kingdom just days later flushed with success and San Antonio's 88-degree heat.

Outstanding Achievement in Financial Self-Service

The Gold Award for outstanding achievement in financial self-service went to Barclays Bank of London for its Branch Kiosk, deployed by and supplied byWincor Nixdorf U.K.

"We are very pleased to have won this award which we feel gives recognition to our achievements in introducing a significant new service offering in our branches," said Barnaby Davis, director of electronic banking for Barclays Bank.

Wincor Nixdorf U.K.'s Stuart Miller added, "Whilst many financial institutions have piloted kiosks over the years, this project has been the first full-scale rollout of a financial-services kiosk in the U.K. The key to our solution, which we feel had a major part to play in winning this award, is the application - both in terms of functionality and the intuitive customer interface."

Judges gave the solution the highest total score for usability.

The Barclays Bank Branch Kiosk provides online functionality to Barclays branches throughout the U.K. With it, customers can view all branch accounts on an at-a-glance screen; print a balance summary of all accounts; view and print the last six weeks' transactions; pay bills; pay third parties; transfer money between personal accounts; view, amend and delete standing orders; view and delete direct debits; print a standing order set-up form; print a report of regular payments; register for online banking; re-issue an online banking password; print confirmation of all account amendments or payments; and view a fully interactive demo.

The Silver Award went to the Cox Communications Xpress Pay Kiosk, deployed by Cox Communications and supplied by Source Technologies.

Outstanding Achievement in Healthcare Self-Service

The Gold Award for outstanding achievement in healthcare self-service went to the MediKiosk, deployed by Westchester Medical Group of White Plains, N.Y., and supplied by healthcare service provider Galvanon.

The kiosk and tablet PC-based MediKiosk solution allow patients to identify themselves upon arrival at the Westchester facility and check in for appointments with the swipe of a credit card or driver's license; enter, verify and/or update demographic and insurance information; sign consent or release forms; and make co-payments for outstanding balances, co-pays and deductibles.

The Silver Award went to PhreesiaPad, deployed by Phreesia Inc. and supplied by Analytical Design Solutions Inc. and KioWare.

Outstanding Achievement in Public Sector Self-Service

The Gold Award went to the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles Self-Service Kiosk. The Silver Award for outstanding achievement in the "public sector" category went to the "Cash machines for social payments" solution deployed by Germany-based  Bundesagentur für Arbeit and supplied by Wincor Nixdorf International.

The Bronze Award went to the city of Milwaukee Automated Payment Center Kiosk, deployed by Citation Management and supplied by Pay-Ease LLC.

Outstanding Achievement in Retail Self-Service

Giant Food Stores' Shopping Solutions, supplied by St. Clair Interactive, won the Gold Award for outstanding achievement in retail self-service.

The 24-application network allows customers to manage several functions, including loyalty (checking points and savings, receiving targeted offers and coupons, and updating information), ordering (from the deli and bakery to the pharmacy), and receiving health and store information as well as recipes.

Nanonation's Build-A-Bear Workshop Gift Card Kiosk took the Silver Award.

The Bronze Award went to Photo.Teller, supplied and deployed by Whitech USA Inc.

Outstanding Achievement in Travel & Hospitality Self-Service

The Gold Award for outstanding achievement in travel and hospitality went to the Amtrak Ticketing Kiosk, deployed by Amtrak/SITA and supplied by KIOSK Information Systems.

The updated kiosk allows Amtrak passengers of all abilities to securely purchase tickets.

The Silver Award went to the Continental Properties project, launched by Continental Properties and deployed by Nanonation.

The Alamo Check-in Kiosk, deployed by Alamo Rent A Car/Vanguard and supplied by KIOSK Information Systems, received the Bronze Award.

Outstanding Achievement in Self-Service (Other)

The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles Self-Service Kiosk received its second Gold Award for outstanding achievement.

Cox Communications Xpress Pay Kiosk also received a second Silver.

And the Bronze went to the Avery Dennison Human Resources Kiosk, deployed by Avery Dennison and supplied by Netkey Inc.

Winners Circle

Financial

• Gold - Barclays Bank Branch Kiosk (Barclays Bank, Wincor Nixdorf U.K.)
• Silver - Cox Communications Xpress Pay Kiosk (Cox Communications, Source Technologies)

Healthcare

• Gold - MediKiosk (Westchester Medical Group, Galvanon)
• Silver - PhreesiaPad (Phreesia Inc., Analytical Design Solutions Inc. and KioWare)

Public Sector

• Gold - DMV Self-Service Kiosk (Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, JCM American)
• Silver - Cash machines for social payments (Bundesagentur fur Arbeit, Wincor Nixdorf International)
• Bronze - City of Milwaukee Automated Payment Center (Citation Management, Pay-Ease LLC)

Retail

• Gold - Shopping Solutions (Giant Food Stores, St. Clair Interactive)
• Silver - Build-A-Bear Workshop's Gift Card Kiosk (Build-A-Bear Workshop, Nanonation)
• Bronze - Photo.Teller (Whitech USA Inc.)

Travel & Hospitality

• Gold - Amtrak Ticketing Kiosk (Amtrak/SITA, KIOSK Information Systems)
• Silver - Continental Properties Kiosk (Continental Properties, Nanonation)
• Bronze - Alamo Check-in Kiosk (Alamo Rent A Car/Vanguard, KIOSK Information Systems)

Other

• Gold - DMV Self-Service Kiosk (Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, JCM American)
• Silver - Cox Communications Xpress Pay Kiosk (Cox Communications, Source Technologies)
• Bronze - Avery Dennison Human Resources Kiosk (Avery Dennison, Netkey Inc.)