Frank Mayer and Associates Inc.’s Ben Snider discusses the reasons for outdoor kiosk growth and how retailers and brands can use the technology to enhance the customer experience.
Outdoor kiosk Outpost features an integrated flush-mounted HVAC system and digital thermostat that keep internal temperatures within the right range for electronics. Frank Mayer and Associates Inc.
Although outdoor kiosks aren’t new, they have become more prominent in recent years. The same factors driving the overall expansion of kiosks are causing businesses, organizations and property owners to add more outdoor kiosks — factors which include labor shortages, the rising cost of labor, technology advances and a better customer experience.
According to DataIntello (a market researcher), the global outdoor interactive kiosk market will grow at an annual rate of 9.5% to 2030. Research shows that outdoor kiosks are often placed in high-traffic areas like malls and travel hubs to give important information, such as directions and maps, as well as to promote products and services.
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Ben Snider |
Kiosk Marketplace spoke with Ben Snider, a Frank Mayer and Associates Inc. account executive, to learn more about the factors behind outdoor kiosk growth and how brands and retailers can harness the technology to improve customer experience.
These are excerpts taken from the interview.
Q. Q. What are the factors driving outdoor kiosk growth?
A. These factors include the labor shortage, labor costs, technological advancements, and improved user experiences.
Take for instance a car washing company. They could hire employees to collect payment and send cars through the carwash. Or, they could pay $15,000 to $30,000 for a kiosk which will allow them to collect the payments, communicate and even let customers “subscribe based” unlimited plans.
Q. Q.
A. Other than the car washing, there are also ticketing, QSRs and transportation hubs. Bill pay, security, display, and wayfinding are some of the major verticals.
Q. Q.
A. Enclosures and high brightness touchscreens are the two most important requirements.
The following requirements are required for high-brightness touchscreens:
- High-bright LCD displays. A standard smartphone or laptop has a brightness rating between 250 NIT to 300NIT. Our outdoor touchscreen LCD displays typically have a brightness rating of 1,000 NIT to 1,200NIT.
- Anti-glare or antireflective touchscreens. The touchscreens’ glass has an antiglare or antireflective coating that reduces reflections and increases visibility.
- UV-reflective film. A standard TV would blacken if it was placed in direct sunlight. Our touchscreens are protected from the sun by a UV-reflective coating.
- PCAP touchscreen panels Capacitive touch is the typical touchscreen of your tablet or cell phone. A capacitive touchscreen will react as though water is touching it. This is why water can cause your phone to behave strangely when it touches it. Rain would make this not work outdoors. We use a projected capacitive touch screen (PCAP), which does not react to water but only works with one finger.
- IP65 rating. Weather resistance and water repellent are key features of the touchscreen. Gasketing material is used behind the bezel to stop water from getting into the kiosk enclosure.
The following are enclosure requirements
- Prevention of rust. We recommend stainless steel over mild steel. Although it can increase the price of the kiosks, it will also prevent future corrosion. Powder-coating kiosks can be used instead of wet paint to prevent rust. While indoor kiosks can be powder-coated any way we like, powder-coating is a good option to protect them from scratching, chipping and other wear.
- Weather resistance The kiosk will be placed outside so it must be constructed to prevent water from entering. You can do this by adding engineering. Gasketing materials or compression locks can be used to prevent water from entering the kiosk. This will seal the enclosure around the gasketing material/door to stop water from getting into the kiosk.
- Additional security Outdoor kiosks are often unmanned. Kiosks that accept cash are most vulnerable. We would normally design an extra security door to lock the kiosk at night if it has cash. We would design the kiosk door so that it is “beefed up”, to prevent vandalism, if the kiosk is not manned 24 hours a day. The door must be secure to prevent pry bars from prying open. The “ultimate loads” of the locks should be higher than those used indoors. If the kiosk does not have cash, a simple sticker stating that “this kiosk doesn’t have cash inside” will help to stop vandalism.
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The Omni outdoor kiosk is equipped with a 15 inch monitor that can be used to pay parking fees. |
Q. Q.
A.Heating and cooling. Heating and cooling are essential for outdoor kiosks. Many factors affect the amount of heating or cooling required. Kiosk electronics can also have a greater range of temperature settings that may be needed for outdoor use.
Q. Q. Do all outdoor kiosks have an HVAC?
A. Although HVAC systems are recommended, they are not always necessary. A kiosk’s cost can rise significantly if an HVAC system is installed. The HVAC system is not the only thing that can be expensive. You also need to make sure the enclosure is large enough to accommodate the HVAC system.
HVAC systems include a thermostat that can set the temperature to be maintained within the enclosure. It will turn on cooling when the temperature is above a certain point and heating when it drops below that level. A controlled temperature can be helpful in moisture control and keeping electronics at their optimal operating temperature.
These are the factors that will determine if an HVAC system needs to be installed:
- This is the location of your kiosk. The location of the kiosk will determine how hot or cold it can get there. It would be different to build a kiosk in Houston, Texas, or Breckenridge Colorado than one for Nashville, Tennessee.
- Placement of kiosk. The temperature of the enclosure can be affected by whether it is under a canopy or in direct sunlight.
- Electronics in the kiosk Some electronics can operate at higher temperatures than others. Barcode readers and credit card readers, for instance, have a greater operating temperature range than receipt printers.
- Electronic heat output. The heat from kiosk electronics can cause a rise in the internal temperature. You will need to adjust the amount.
- Size of the enclosure It is important to consider the size of your enclosure. It is possible to cool small enclosures using muffin fans, or heat them with a small heater. This is typically much cheaper. Our Omni Kiosk is an example of a kiosk that does not require HVAC, but it costs a fraction of what the Outdoor Approach 32 inch kiosk.
- Budget. Although an HVAC system is highly recommended for best quality and highest performance, it is not always necessary. An HVAC system may not be necessary, but it is a good idea to determine the budget of the client. The kiosk location requires space behind the HVAC unit to allow for airflow and ventilation.
Q. Q.
A. It depends on what the purpose of the kiosk is. We can make kiosks that plug into standard outlets for freestanding and mobile kiosks. A hardwired connection is recommended for kiosks that are permanently located.
Q. Q. Do outdoor kiosks need uninterrupted power supply?
A. Sometimes, not always. It all depends on the application. The indoor kiosk would work the same way.
Q. Q.
A. Not necessarily. You can clean the kiosks more often if the kiosks are exposed too much salt or sand. This helps to keep the metal from corroding and to prevent its coating from being worn off.
Q. Q. Do outdoor kiosks have different maintenance requirements than indoor kiosks?
A. Not necessarily. Although the electronics might be slightly different, overall maintenance is similar.
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Frank Mayer and Associates Inc. offer weather resistant outdoor kiosks in three sizes. |
Q. Q.
A. We see the biggest problem with site preparation when hardwired connections are required. This task is usually outsourced to a local contractor.
If required, we provide drawings with mounting instructions and hardware connections.
Another issue is that certain areas in the U.S. need an Underwriters Laboratories list. Although this is rare, it can happen. Next, the client must decide if they wish to go through the lengthy and costly process of obtaining a UL listing.
Q. Q.
A. They should ask these questions:
- What size and what model kiosk do you recommend to me?
- Is it necessary to have an HVAC system installed for my kiosk?
- Are there any electronics you recommend that is more “outdoor kiosk-friendly?”
- Is it more expensive to have my kiosk made of stainless steel than mild steel?
- Is there an additional cost for a larger touchscreen monitor?
- Are there ways to increase security at our outdoor kiosk?
- How can we reduce hardware and material costs?
Frank Mayer and Associates Inc.
Elliot Maras edits Vending Times, Kiosk Marketplace. His experience spans three decades in unattended retail as well as commercial foodservice.