In last week’s blog, we began discussing the specific types of kiosk companies currently in the marketplace, starting with the worst of the bunch -- Kiosk Pretenders. Today, we’re moving on up the ranks to the next type of company on our list -- Kiosk VARs. As the name states, Kiosk VARs (Value Added Resellers) make their money by adding some sort of value to the sales chain and/or kiosk manufacturing solution. However, the type and quality of service they offer and the value the service provides can vary widely. VARs generally include:
After VARs, Kiosk General Contractors are next. KGCs are in most cases a significant step up; they provide a service in the same way a VAR does, but they also act as a general contractor for the project as a whole. They are both a part of the kiosk manufacturing process, but also responsible for managing the overall process, and all of the players involved, at the same time. KGCs can be any of the firms or providers listed above, under VARs. And with that, we’ve made it to the to top of our list -- the pinnacle of kiosk company types: Turn-Key Kiosk Providers. TKKPs have vertically integrated as many processes as possible into the manufacturing solution they offer. In this way, they are able to control most, if not all, aspects of kiosk production, from design and engineering, through fabrication and even maintenance, keeping as much as possible under one roof. RedyRef, understanding that TKKPs provide the best quality, value and service, has worked tirelessly over the last 100 years to build a kiosk company that is able to provide just this type of cost-effective, cohesive solution to our customers, with capabilities including:
Once an analysis of the types of kiosk companies has been completed and a choice made, the process of elimination to narrow down the list of potential candidates of that type to the most promising ones should be fairly simple and fast. Unfortunately, the next step is not quite so quick and easy. In our next and final blog on this subject, we discuss which questions to ask and what kind of research should be done to ensure that the best kiosk company for the job is the one that is ultimately hired. Already done the research, asked the questions and come to the conclusion that hiring a Turn-Key Kiosk Provider is the best choice for your business? The professionals at RedyRef are ready to assist you today with all of your kiosk design and fabrication needs. Submit a request for proposal online or call (800) 628-3603 for more information.
At REDYREF, we understand that the odds of successful kiosk deployment increase greatly with proper planning. That process begins with asking the right questions in the right order:
Need help answering these questions or want to know more? Read the white paper, available at KioskMarketplace.com.
In our last blog, we talked about red flags -- things to look out for when assessing a kiosk manufacturer for a project. This week, we begin discussing the different types of kiosk companies we’ve run into in the past, or heard about from our customers: the good, the bad and the ugly.
At RedyRef, the way we view the different types of kiosk companies is by breaking it down into four parts: Kiosk Pretenders; Kiosk VARs (value-added resellers); Kiosk General Contractors; and Turn-Key Kiosk Providers.
So, let’s begin at the beginning.
Kiosk Pretenders: By far, the worst of the bunch and the ones to watch out for. They may look or even sound like a manufacturer, but they rarely have anything to do with actually making any type of product whatsoever. Generally speaking, the only thing these kiosk companies are making is money off of people who think they are getting a good deal, because at the end of the day, Kiosk Pretenders are really just marketing firms who are out to sell an idea -- often at an unrealistically low price -- to an unsuspecting buyer.
So what do the Kiosk Pretenders get out of the deal? That’s simple; money! Being a Pretender means you don’t actually manufacture anything, therefore you have no real investment; no “skin in the game,” so to speak. All they need to do is advertise to bring customers in, get them to sign a contract and then wash their hands of the entire thing. They have no control over any of the kiosk manufacturing or sourcing processes that go along with actually building a kiosk; instead, they use reseller agreements to sell what are often low-quality enclosures, at prices that are cheaper than what the general public can normally buy directly themselves.
As Pretenders, they don’t have any of the value-added reseller resources that would generally define a company as a VAR, either; in fact, most of the time, they have no real capabilities at all, other than salesmanship. In other words: no industrial designers, mechanical engineers, electronics design specialists, fabrication facilities, integration expertise or ability to design kiosk software.
Sounds like a pretty pointless type of organization to get involved with, doesn’t it?
In our next blog, we’ll talk about the next level up from Kiosk Pretenders -- Kiosk VARs. But if you can’t wait until next week to find out more, our professionals are happy to help you now with all of your kiosk design and manufacturing needs. Simply submit a request for proposal online or call (800) 628-3603 today for more information.