The internet is one of the most important developments of the 20th century. The ability to go anywhere in the world with a single click and to instantly reach information of every kind has opened up horizons for us all. As it grows rapidly more potent, the virtual world has also given birth to something that's been dubbed the "New Economy".

According to Jupiter Communication, total online and web-based offline payments and expenditures in the United States were worth more than USD 235 billion in 2000. By 2005, that figure topped USD 831 billion.

While we sense and believe that the virtual world is very large, it is also something that is very hard to quantify in exact terms. Nevertheless the points at which it comes into direct contact with the "real" world are interactive kiosks and these have already begun to make their way into every aspect of our lives.

According to Computer Economics Report, there were 158,000 interactive kiosks in the United States in 1998. By 2004, the number of such units was increasing by a quarter of a million a year on average. Here in Turkey this market is only about five years old and it is estimated that the number of installed kiosks has reached about 4,000 so far. As is the case elsewhere in the world, the biggest buyers of these units are financial services and retail businesses. It seems likely however that the telecommunications sector will also become a major customer for them in the years ahead.
Factors contributing to market growth
  1. Lower hardware costs
    PC prices in all categories have been declining tremendously in recent years. This drop in the cost of computers has a comparable beneficial effect on the cost of kiosk systems. In 1993-1996 alone, kiosk prices fell on the order of 50%, which significantly reduced the time in which investments in such systems could be recouped and thus made them attractive to more firms.
  2. Habits
    The proliferation of bank-installed ATMs made the units acceptable to every segment of the public as people became accustomed to using and trusting computerized boxes.
  3. Greater bandwidth availability
    In the past, geographically dispersed systems like interactive kiosks posed significant problems in terms of updating and reloading their software, which had to be done individually at each location. Thanks to greater bandwidth that is available nowadays, a complete system can be updated/upgraded online from a central location, which significantly reduces operation costs.
  4. Advances in audiovisual technology
    Rapid advances in multimedia technologies and lower hardware costs have made interactive kiosks systems even more attractive. The growth and spread of the internet have also been instrumental in the proliferation of kiosk solutions aimed at internet-based businesses and information access points.
Identifying needs
Before undertaking any investment in interactive kiosks, consideration needs to be given to a number of issues.
  1. Investment recovery
    One of the crucial questions that needs to be taken into account when planning an interactive kiosk investment is the matter of recouping one's investment costs. In that respect the investment needs to be planned in detail so as to incorporate a "win-win" structure, measurable targets for transforming costs into benefits, and a convincing business plan.
  2. Realistic task calendar
    Interactive kiosk systems are inherently design-based solutions and must never be thought of as "plug and play" systems. Be aware that alpha and beta testing stages will be essential and will need to be planned thoroughly.

    • Has anyone tried to do something like this before?
    • What constitutes success? What are its problems?
    • How can things be done better?
    • How many people will really use the system?

  3. Software
    All the elements of well-designed and effective software applications should be presented to users in ways that are appealing, convenient, and straightforward. The "Ten Golden Rules" of software design are just as crucial in interactive kiosks.
  4. Hardware
    As is the case with other IT solutions, the software and hardware elements of interactive kiosk systems need to be compatible with one another. If a kiosk investment is to be carried out as planned and the returns expected are to be gained, there must be no compromise in quality.
  5. Boxes that reflect your corporate identity
    The first thing that anyone notices about an interactive kiosk is the "box" that it's contained in. It's essential that the visual impact of a kiosk be compatible with the corporate identity of its owner because the external features of the kiosk will be acting as representatives of the owner. At the same time the box also needs to be compatible with its surroundings: Is there adequate ventilation? Is there a problem with dust that might damage the innards of the box? Is the box susceptible to vandalism? This and similar details all need to be taken into account. Polished steel, chrome, and glossy black grounds and surfaces that reveal fingerprints and stains should be avoided.
  6. Location
    Interactive kiosk systems should be installed in places where there will be large numbers of people present for as much of the time as possible. Even in such locations however, attention needs to be given to other factors such as ambient light, pedestrian pathways, accident risks, availability of communication links, proximity to other kiosks, etc.
  7. Monitor use
    One can never be absolutely certain in advance that the right system and content choices have been made. Moreover circumstances may change the criteria on which such choices were initially based. Keeping track of how interactive kiosks are actually used also means safeguarding your investment. Attention needs to be given to the screens, products, settings, localities, and innovations that users most prefer and action should be taken accordingly.
  8. Maintenance
    The useful lifetime of an interactive kiosk investment and the returns that the investment generates will depend on the continued support and maintenance that the system receives. Each and every aspect of support and maintenance-be it concerned with hardware, or software, or physical cleaning, or anything else-is equally important.
Uses and locations
Interactive kiosks are used for a wide range of purposes depending on their functions and features. A list of some of the most important ways that interactive kiosks are used is presented below. This list is by no means exhaustive however. Furthermore, kiosks can easily be-and are-designed to carry out more than one of these functions at the same time.
  • Information access points
  • Product information points
  • Service points
  • Product sales points
  • Electronic commerce points
  • Web access points
Listed below are some of the places where interactive kiosks are frequently installed to carry out their functions. Like their purposes however, the potential locations for interactive kiosks are limited only by one's imagination.
  • Shopping centers
  • Banks and financial institutions
  • Airports, bus terminals, subway and railway stations
  • Fairs and exhibitions
  • Hotels, post offices, hospitals
  • Internet cafes
  • Cinema, theater, concert hall lobbies
  • Business centers
  • College and university campuses
  • Museums, entertainment centers
  • Municipalities
Information access points
In addition to being sources of information, these interactive kiosks can also be used for training purposes. Frequently they contain the answers to routine/standard questions that front office/field personnel encounter. They are usually installed in centrally accessible locations and operate on a 24/7 basis. Although they are easy to undertake as investments and to install, the benefits created by these systems are the most difficult to quantify. Principal places of use: Shopping centers, museums, hospitals, public buildings, hotel lobbies, places where there are guides and maps, factories, companies, business centers, wherever there needs to be a help/information desk.
Product information points
Product information points serve two different but complementary groups: consumers and producers. For the former they represent the best source of information about a product's features, prices, etc. For the latter they represent the surest way of delivering that information to existing and potential customers and reducing sales personnel workloads and costs. Principal places of use: Stores, factory outlets, hotel lobbies
Service points
Service points are interactive kiosks that deliver services in places like public agencies, universities, etc. The services may be free of charge or delivered against payment. Although these kiosks do not necessarily generate sales or turnover increases, they do have benefits such as reducing personnel workloads and costs and improving service quality. Some service points are now equipped with more advanced features such as a phone or video hotline connection to a customer representative. Principal places of use: Colleges and universities (registrations, tuition and fee payments, campus maps and information); Hotels and public places (e-mail, internet access, fax, and similar services); Public agencies (applying for licenses, querying application status, displaying tenders etc); Banks and financial institutions (nearly all products and services not involving the handling of cash items).
Product sales points
An interactive kiosk acting as a product sales point can be thought of as a store that occupies only a square meter of space. Today's product sales points can perform a complete range of activities from collecting items in an electronic shopping cart to passing through an electronic checkout, paying for purchases, and arranging for home delivery. Product sales points rank among the most complex of all interactive kiosks but in their most basic form they can serve as simple vending machines that sell tickets, prepaid phone cards, tokens, pharmaceuticals, cigarettes, and other items that are limited in scope and type. Principal places of use: Theaters, cinemas, concert halls, transportation centers, train stations, and just about any other place where tickets need to be sold; Post offices, telephone companies, collection companies (accepting utility payments etc); Any place that sells large numbers of items that are limited in variety and small in size.
Electronic commerce points
Electronic commerce points are interactive kiosks that are directly linked to one or more commercial websites. They offer a wide range of products and services, are equipped with electronic shopping carts and checkout counters, require payment by credit or debit card, and have purchases delivered to designated addresses. Electronic commerce points frequently incorporate features satisfying the user's particular needs such as special campaign and product information, stock information, and so on. Principal places of use: Stores and shopping centers, places that make sales from catalogues
Web access points
Web access points are interactive kiosks that can be used to browse the internet. They are usually equipped with touchscreens. Two types of web access point are in common use: those that permit general access to all internet websites and those whose access is limited in various ways.


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