WICHITA, Kan., Nov. 19, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imagine walking into a busy retail store where a friendly customer service specialist awaits — helping shoppers choose the best solution for their needs, and enabling in-store retail marketers to engage powerful new marketing strategies.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8352
Meet the Autonomous Sales Kiosk (ASK) from Integrated Media Group. ASK is a fresh, entertaining, touchless, gesture-driven, sophisticated marketing platform designed to engage customers, drive sales, measure (anonymous) consumer behavior, and make customers happy.
Shoppers interact with ASK by pointing or waving, choosing products, services, store maps, detailed information and more.
Bridging the divide between data and humans
"Databases are used every day," says IMG managing partner Jason Opat. "But in a store, hospital or museum setting, how do you engage humans — how do you get people excited about interacting with a database? They need an easy way to access data — and a reason to do so.
"That's why we created ASK," he says. "Gesture-driven technology and ASK's 'personality' makes it even easier — and fun."
Opat demonstrates ASK in this short video (1:16 min.)
How do they do it?
Each ASK personality is created with an actor, green screen and digital audio and high definition video. IMG integrates sounds, images, animation and special effects — creating a life-like virtual assistant.
ASK features a large transparent screen supported by the kiosk platform. The interactive display can also be projected on exterior glass walls. Menu selections are made by pointing and waving at the screen. In effect, the customer's hand and fingers become a (computer) mouse.
ASK is so engaging that nearby customers often gather to see what's happening.
The Autonomous Sales Kiosk can promote a product, brand or service and virtually limitless information:
Pricing
In-store specials
Rebates
Warranties
Individual departments
Store maps and directions
Customer loyalty programs
Services
Product videos and images
Wayfinding – maps and directions
Rich data for marketers
Each customer action is memorized, providing data such as:
What brands are searched most — or least — often
How product information searches compare with actual product sales
Which promotional messages are working best
Consumer preferences for product features
Product images, video, store maps and other information are incorporated. The images and data can be refreshed as needed to reflect weekly sales, holiday specials and other promotions.
About IMG
ASK (Autonomous Sales Kiosk) is a product of Integrated Media Group, with headquarters in Wichita, Kan. IMG's specialty is creating technology interfaces that make sense to humans. Its Autonomous Sales Kiosk combines a touchless interface, holographic-like screens, gesture-driven technology and robust databases in one package. ASK can serve big box and mid-size retailers, hospitals, museums, sports and entertainment venues, and more.
Schedule an ASK demonstration.
The photo is also available via AP PhotoExpress.
