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It seemed so far fetched as Tom Cruise peered into the future and rearranged image snippets of a crime that hadn’t happened yet and later was identified by an eye scan as he fled past an interactive sign in the Hollywood blockbuster ‘Minority Report’. But, as I am finding out these types of technological advancements are not only in development – they are being used all around us.

Touchscreen technology has actually been with us for a long time and no I’m not talking about Steve Jobs’ baby the iPad, I’m alluding to the humble bank machine. Most bank machines have touch screen terminals and, if you look up, you’ll notice a small circular hole – smile you’re on bank cam.

The next point of commonly used digital signage is fast food. McDonalds’ has interchangeable display screens which, I hate to admit, are rather eye-catching. In a similar area, Subway seems to be leading the charge with touchscreen ordering machines, chargeable loyalty cards and iPhone applications. Not only do these machines take your order, they can also process your payment and upload your reward points – no more waiting in line if you don’t have to. Speaking of this, are you familiar with the self-service terminals in your local supermarket?

Information and advertising at your finger tips

Also while we’re on the subject have you had a go on Microsoft Xbox’s Kinect system or the rival Nintendo Wii? These are controller-free devices that recognise hand, feet and facial expressions – not to mention being able to judge depth and speed. Currently they are being used to serve games and entertainment.

So, the more you think about it, these types of technologies are being applied all around us and are becoming more commonplace. But this is only the very tip of the iceberg.

Development of interactive signage which include body type recognition i.e. a 20 something female walks past an interactive sign, it recognises her body type, weight, height, age and serves her the appropriate advert or promotion for her age group. Also imagine walking past a drink machine and hearing the sound of a drink opening and someone taking a nice refreshing gulp, followed by an ‘ahhhhhh’ – you’ve just triggered a motion sensor sound advert. Getting used to signs talking to us is one thing, but imagine being able to talk back to these devices.

Microsoft’s Kinect System is also being developed for television. Imagine a television system which recognises your face, knows all your favourite programmes, is hooked up to the Internet and can perform searches for you by voice command e.g. “Kinect, find out how much those shoes are that are in that Nike advert”. Various providers such as Samsung have also unveiled Smart TV‘s which behave very much like a smartphone.

No matter what your viewpoint on this, consider this from a business perspective. The way you have been communicating up until this point with consumers is set to change forever and is changing all around us. Whilst some of the innovations I’ve mentioned are in development, most are in use in certain sectors. The options that are now at your finger tips are only as limited as your imagination (or your agencies). If you’d like to find out more about various point-of-sale innovations, contact COO’EE today.

Running from the future

Just like Tom Cruise, we can’t run from the future forever. So let us help you embrace these new technological innovations and come join us on this exciting journey.

COO’EE Crew

Digital Dining...are your consumers left hungry for more?

The other day my friend made an interesting analogy about the differences between Western and Eastern dining that I never noticed until now. He remarked that Western restaurants are a “one-service entity” which generally offer food and seating, basically what you’d expect to find in a restaurant. Whereas Eastern restaurants (particularly the one we were seated in at the time) had sofas, a huge magazine stack and a TV. At the end of the day they were encouraging the customer to spend more time in their business and soak up the environment. One would argue that if you walk past a restaurant and see it full of people that it intrigues passers-by to come in and check out what all the fuss is about.

After drawing this parallel, now, I’d like you to think about your current website. Does it offer the user the opportunity to spend more time enjoying the environment or is it a “one-service entity”?

A lot of websites out there are one-sided “business card-type” websites. They display information one way and do not have room for user interaction, which also gives the user no incentive to return. Imagine a tumble weed blowing across a desert here.

Stale Website

Social Media has changed the way we interact with each other but also what we expect from brands, services and business* (See this post for more information on this). In regards to website evolution it is increasingly important for websites to offer more opportunity for consumer interaction, i.e. let’s take the user social media experience and tie that into what your website offers. I’m taking about social media plug in’s, ‘like’ buttons, share options, comment options, games, forums, blogs and polling options.

Something for every taste

Let’s encourage user interaction with your brand or service by giving the user every opportunity to interact rather than a one-sided conversation.

Every user is different: some prefer to tweet; some like to watch online videos; some like to engage in lengthy discussions, via forums. The key is to cater for every taste and make sure you don’t exclude anyone.

Encourage interaction with more user options

Why should you offer this service? How does it help you reach your bottom-line?

Just like the Eastern restaurant, it is more appealing for consumers to see that others have ‘liked’ your activity and are engaged in your brand. It presents up-selling opportunities and fosters lasting brand/consumer relationships. You will grow a niche audience that is highly receptive to your particular offering and will become strong brand advocates. Also other than initial start-up costs and investing time this is the most cost-effective and engaging experience you can offer potential customers. Constant blogging and site interaction also drives S.E.O. (Search Engine Optimisation) which is key to new customers discovering your web space and will put you ahead of your competitors.

Doesn’t this sound fantastic?! Well if you’re interested in finding out how you get on the board and make leaps and bounds into this exciting new frontier, look no further than COO’EE. We have a number of options in our arsenal to help you meet your targets.

Watch this space for more digital learning every week.

COO’EE Crew

Tag Archives: Interaction

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