NCR to step up their self-service presence

A few months ago Self-Service World did an article about NCR's position in the kiosk industry, and whether they were expected to improve or decline in the market under the command of CEO Bill Nuti. While those who proffered opinions on the matter (myself included) were on the fence as to how and when NCR would make their move at the time, BusinessWeek picked up a story from the company last week indicating that they're definitely starting to focus more tightly on the self-service industry. The article notes:

Nuti hopes self-service terminals will be used by consumers to pay bills, renew driver's licenses, and buy bus and lottery tickets, gift and phone cards and even casino chips.

"There are legs for that business for the future," Nuti said.

He sees retailers expanding from self-service checkout scanners to self-service kiosks that offer multiple transactions. Retailers see it as a way to bring more customers into their stores, cash in on impulse purchases and create customer loyalty, he said.

Whether Nuti's workaholic style and attitude will allow him to drive NCR as a leader and innovator in the self-service field remains to be seen, but judging by his words (and some small actions so far), he certainly considers it to be a strategically important area for the company. Makes sense, given NCR's foothold in many of the world's top retail locations, as well as their expertise in tangential technologies like ATMs and POS systems.

Tags: NCR, kiosks, self-service

NCR to introduce competitor to IBM's Anyplace Kiosk

While I can't find any news or information on NCR's website, SelfService.org has a short blurb suggesting that NCR is about to refresh their EasyPoint kiosk line with something that could be a better competitor to IBM's Anyplace Kiosk. Dubbed the EasyPoint Advantage, the unit has "a depth of less than three inches and a weight of 11 pounds," which would make it at least roughly the size of an Anyplace. Hopefully, it will also copy some of the Anyplace's hardware innovations, including a self-contained IR touchscreen, touch-based BIOS controls and integrated presence sensor.

While the Anyplace is a great unit, there certainly have been times when we've encountered customers (certain retailers in particular) who prefer not to use IBM hardware, usually because they're using POS systems supplied by other companies, like NCR. If/when the EasyPoint Advantage becomes available, it could prove to be a great alternative.

Apparently NCR will be formally introducing the Advantage at the National Retail Federation's 96th Annual Convention and Expo, Jan. 14-17, in New York (booth # 1637)

Tags: NCR, EasyPoint, IBM, Anyplace Kiosk, kiosks