New Model Selfie Payment Terminal

KTGroup latest innovation borne from a decade of experience in design and requirements for self-service machines the Selfie Pay brings several unique characteristics to its design that makes the overall machine the overall winner of KT Group best achievement design in 2015.

Selfie Pay features a head unit that offers cashless payment by card or contactless modules, a printed receipt and scanning of bar codes which make up core basis in any self-service transaction terminal.  Its powered by a mini ITX pc and interaction is via the 19-inch touch monitor installed that also comes with toughened glass for additional safety.            Selfie Pay offers to those retailers requiring to accept cash a pedestal base that offers integration of a host of different cash options from note accepters, coin validator to note and coin recyclers which all our inbuilt into its prefabricated UL certified safe for accredited security. 

Robust safe is manufactured from 12mm gage steel plate, and incorporates a UL electronic safe lock meeting banking and retail security features.  Selfie safe is housed within the free standing pedestal and is hidden by pedestal exterior enclosure and front door access makes for ease of accessing into the terminal.

The Selfie Pay is available upon request contact KT Group for more information on product and pricing. 

Self Service Print Kiosks

Nowadays it is both green environment issues and fashionable that our technology sectors are moving away from use of paper but unlike other tech savvy industries the self-service kiosk industry still has a large requirement for printing paper from a self-service solution in an array of sizes.

Large format printers
We have today three means to offer a large format print solution in size of A4 which is either by ink, laser or thermos heat transfer print solutions.  The latter two are definitively the most popular as they are both quickest to complete print task when ordered and speed of print is very important in field of self-service printing.

Digital Photo printers
Kiosks have been sinuous with photo printers since the first dry lab dye sublimation printers launched on market. Industrial giants such as Kodak, Fuji have launched ten of thousands of these into retail space globally and KT Group launched its OEM version the K4.

Receipt printers
Receipts have been synonymous since launch of very first cash registers into retailers stores,  and there are certainly no stranger in a standard configuration of payment kiosks and ATM,  KT Group has a broad spectrum of payment kiosk designs such as APP, AMA and CUSB1 available all equipped with receipt printers.

Betting printers
Betting requires in most setups a print of receipt as well as a paper copy of the physical bet placed on a betting terminal,  KT Group range of betting terminals such as Beast, Whizz and Apollo all come equipped with a receipt printer. 

Health printers
Health kiosks that have seen recent exponential growth in numbers in self-service kiosks for medical and health purposes on most occasions come with a form of print function that allows patients and medical staff to print out diagnosis, prescriptions or analysis’s of medical reports.  KT Group recently launched a health kiosk that prints out results for blood pressure, fat content, height and weight measurements.

Printer company
There are several large established printer manufacturers who specialise in area of kiosk printing,  such brands as Citizen, EPSON being most likely some of the largest but notable others include Zebra, SNBC, Custom engineering are all very popular brands for kiosk deployment.

Bill Payment Kiosks Cash & Contactless Kioskterminals

Self service is a broad sector were we as citizens of world can interact with machines for a purpose,  one sector that creates immediate satisfication and interest is ability to pay for a service or a product and KT Group has been for past 6 years since we launched our very first foray into payment terminals created a full range of terminals that are designed for payment,  a quick reference link to some of the latest models. 

SFI was the very first terminal we entered into market for payment kiosks,  designed by award winning kiosk designer Jerry Sweikart and since sold to several private commercial enterprises both in Europe and North America the unit shown below was created for a German enterpise back in 2010.

The following machine design KT manufactured labelled VFS was a slightly less bold design due to clients requirement for a cheap inexpensive box but none the less many hundreds were shipped in period of 2011 to the client based in Vietnam.

The VFS model proved a successful design for many other business engagements throughout 2011, 2012 and 2013 with further clients having invested in Malaysia, Mexico, Czech Republic, UK.  

In 2013 KT Group changed its designer to a new fresh talent based in Slovenia our new designer began with changing our stance on design to bring fresh new ideas to the design portfolio of KT Group.  We have in past 3 years launched our current range of payment kiosks which you will see on our product page linked here and also a few custom designs we have prepared for special one off projects such as D8TB terminal shown below and are installed into airports.

Other noteable designs include latest machine designs CUSP1 and CUSB1 which are launching 2015 and are exclusive to KT Group customers.

The expansion of payment kiosks into all types of different retail locations and accepting both cash, coin and cashless or contactless payments all have to pass several processes for security, userability, safety and conformity all of which KT Group provid as a full turnkey service provider for kiosk hardware.

Our references include many well known brands and corporations globally stretching from Asia, Europe, Middle East & Africa and North America.  Our 10 years in the business of specializing have given development in product industrial design on par with leading companies worldwide and nowadays we manufacture for companies as well known as NCR and who see us the rapid manufacturing partner they require to launch new solutions into marketplace with speed and carftmanship for quality and fast customer service response.


 

Digital Advertising integrated self service kiosks

Self Service Kiosk Terminals can take many shapes and sizes,  are designed to entice users to interact in all kinds of mannerisms whether for purpose of providing information, vending, payment, directional way finding, providing health statistics, ordering, retail check out the list expands each year as new concepts launch but one primary factor that we see more and more is the importance of adverstising digital monitors that are integrated above or on sides of enclosures.

At KT (www.kioskterminals.eu) our designers have worked on hundrends of projects all requiring addittional monitors of all varying sizes, the above image of a ref model we designed for a UK client we labelled X10 had in fact 10 monitors of which 6 were purely for purpose of advertising displays.

More basic versions as the one above shown labelled Aura could purely be a touch monitor with a slightly larger monitor above providing information on services the kiosk itself offer in this case for cinema ticketing dispensing.  It can for example display movies being shown or coming,  short promo clips of the movies at cinema and special offers on tickets or snacks. But there are also those as shown below

which are designed for outdoor public use, in this case at bus stops that provide a touch monitor for user to source relevant information on his journey and the main monitor displaying advertising which are managed by large outdoor firms such as JCDecaux, ClearChannel, Capital as some examples that manage brand elites of retail worlds advertising forey into public space ads.

Other versions can include health kiosks such as KT model i5,  being currently deployed in the Middle East in pharmacies and hospitals have simple advertising monitors installed that display latest pharmaceutical products that big brand medical companies wish to promote while the terminal itself provides vital health stats to consumers instore or in waiting rooms in hospitals. 

In fact according to sources at pqmedia revenues in 2012 were at $7.88 billion for advertising out of home a label they call DOOH.  Now that may not seem a high figure but if you cast yourselves back to turn of century their was very literally no digital signage advertising in market so in past 12 years to grow from a nurturing business to a multi billion dollar industry shows immense growth and the markets are expanding by each year as is deployment of self service kiosks.

Height Adjustable Kiosk Terminals

Self service in a word is for everyone,  and that includes persons or individuals who may find it difficult to interact with a free standing kiosk terminal due to a disability that prevents them from being able to reach surface of the touch monitor which typically is preferred mechanism to interact between person and machine.
In fact many countries nowadays employ governing bodies and regulations that are embodied to ensure that everyone must be allowed to access the information provided and this is no more prevalent than in government and public money expenditures related to self service.   A useful tool when a body is researching into the set of requirements laid out could be sourced from following the kind information provided by ADA-Kiosks.

The picture below which was kindly provided by KioskIndustry 

Illustrates the general guidelines for fulfilling most criteria s set out by governing bodies,  and in this case the solution is based on designing the terminal from need of fixed position.  But at KT Group we discovered that by implementing a motorized arm,  these are similar to the type of motorized arms being used by for example table top manufacturers we can in fact create a versatile machine that will adjust its height to the users needs.  This terminal is based on our unique designed model M1.

Transport Flight Cases For Kiosks

An undisputed fact for any firm that exports 99% of its produce is shipping, and with shipping comes the importance of choosing packaging to freight your goods in.   A kiosk although commonly is designed and built in metals to be robust and protective to the inside delicate components housed inside is still a machine that requires tactile handling which as most are commonly aware of sadly transporters are not known for.
In case of air freight which is our experience is the toughest handling due to countless points it is man handled on the way to its destination and with many having to ship it to several locations we at KT Group suggest to ship using a transport designed specialist flightcase. 

Are flight cases are designed for multiple use, with hinged easy but strong metal closing mechanisms that can be locked if needed,  internally are units are housed inside hard foam cases which protect the units from weather conditions such as dust, humidity and moisture as well as rough handling as cases are mounted on lockable wheels that make it easy for moving when needed.   Cost wise when purchasing a machine that costs a few thousand dollars the few hundred dollars the case cost makes sense to most so we have found that investment is prudent and advisable especially if the unit is a sample terminal that is needed to be flown to multiple destinations.  Unlike the mass produced units we produce that are shipped almost always by sea freight containers these are packed in wooden shipping crates that are ideal for 1 time use from Destination A to B.

Ask your sales rep next time your considering such a investment it is worth every penny these flight cases cost,  plus when it turns up it creates a professional look as well to any formal business presentation to investors to boot.

New Mini Bank Terminal Launches Safe Depositing and Payment

Mini Pay the latest design and creation from self service kiosk manufacturer KT Group has just been packaged up to depart to our client for its inagural presentation.  The prototype terminal is a launch into a new sector for KT related to retailers who wish or have a need to bank safely instore the days cash accumulated but as a secondary module of recycling in the devices equipped inside the terminal also offers retailers to use the Mini Bank to fully automate ability to create daily cash drawers coin and note requirements for cashiers.

Mini Pay has integrated coin recyclers and cash note recyclers internally stored inside its UL291 approved 6 inch steel safe box.  The coin recycler based on MEI BCR unit can hold multiple coin denominations of most international curriences in its coin hoppers,  furthermore at the top of the main cabinet safe we have designed a coin drop box that allows user to simply drop handfuls of coins simulatenoursly into the coin feeder for coin sorting automation thus automating coin sorting cycle quickly and efficently.   The terminal is also equiped with a MEI BNR which means that unit can accept bulk note acceptance and quickly and effiecently sort bulk note feeding and automate the process and store these notes inside in the strong cash box fitted inside 6 inch safe box.

The top secondary case holds the industrial fanless computer and thermal printer,  the operator can either choose to use the touch screen operated 12 inch monitor either as at Mini Pay Station or simply lift it up and remove it and place it remotely from safe in case of space problem this makes Mini Pay a safe terminal for all spaces.

The Mini Pay will now be taken for further testing before expected roll outs begin in latter half of 2015 as in normal circumstances a prototype will always require some modification and tweeking after real life use has put the machine into testing.

500th Beast Terminal Departs to Betfirst

KT Group Limited has just recently completed production of another round of Betting Terminals Beast ordered by our client BetFirst.  Betfirst located in region of Benelux situated in heart of Belgium have since launching their betting shops expanded vertically quickly to become one of the leading firms providing Sports Betting Cafes.


KT has just finished what now totals 500 Beast terminals,  with challenging beginning back in 2012 when the client had initially placed an order it soon became apparent that what was needed was a evolution in design for customer to raise the level as a serious competitor.  Betfirst unlike many of its competitors who utilize traditional suppliers of gaming machines like TAB, Scientific Gameses or Novomatic placed its trust with KT Group a small but dynamic business that has evolved in its short 10 year history as provider of unique designs and with this in mind KT design team created the BEAST. 

The short video typifies a Betfirst sports betting shop of which there are now dozens spread across Belgium and its parent company hard at work to expand its market share into new locations.   KT Group has already begun its development for Betfirst newest terminal solution based on a small compact model which is expected to launch soon.

Product Spotlight Digital Signage 3 Sided Payment Kiosk

KT Group Ltd a company specializing and internationally renowned in manufacturing specialized kiosk terminal solutions and digital signage machines has developed on behalf of Travelersbox a terminal that combines payment acceptance as well as digital signage advertising a must when your client is working in some of the most prestigious airport locations in the world.

The model still under its factory label D8TB has a impressive footprint measuring 1.5 sq meters which if you consider that the pylon has 3 large screen electronic monitors, as well as a interactive touch monitor plus all the payment components the footfall is quite compact. 

The terminal has further been designed for future safe integration of adding a printing device such as a VKP80II thermo printer from Custom if required but the standard default comes with a MEI SCseries note validater, coin acceptance is handled by the robust and reliable G13 from Crane in this version we have managed to integrate dual G13 validators to expand the acceptance of different coin currencies.

The kiosk also utilizes old fashioned print media advertising by having on each side an area were a poster print can be inserted in a special designed LED light box to enhance the poster print advert. 

KT staff kindly call our terminal the Christmas tree of kiosks as it has an array of functionality and lights.  It has more importantly increased our customers profit retention by increasing the attention of the terminal in situ.  

Digital Signage Indoor vs Outdoor

The market exploded some ten years ago with digital signage and there was a clamor for innovation to be pursued both in software and hardware, the likes of Four Winds Interactive, Working Solutions, Scala were all feverishly working on launching their DS platforms to present to the global retailing markets.

The hardware sector saw the development of large style pylon enclosures being launched from companies like Friendly Way, Rosendahl ConceptKiosk, Protouch and KT Group.  The real challenge for hardware manufacturers was to develop a completely hermetically sealed terminal that could be used in harsh outdoor conditions and especially challenging when it is plus 30 Celsius outside.

KT Group working with US based design corporation Shweikart developed its own unique designs in form of model Essence, these were robust curved enclosures with ability to stand both internally inside and with optional weather pack be suited for outdoors as well.   The enclosures were designed for large monitors not 42 inches but 55 or 65 inch panels as big was bold and beautiful then.

The outdoor version was manufactured in a thick steel plate and had outdoor powder coat textured paint finish for a robust shell,  inside the unit boasted its own air-conditioning and heating system that was automatically thermostatically controlled so that enclosure could operate in both climate below zero Celsius as well as plus thirty Celsius. 

Several options could be combined if required such as WIFI, RFID and Bluetooth all popular for several marketing purposes and the large monitor panels were fitted with special developed projective capacitive touch panels. 

These units can be found both in North America, Europe and in Middle East and many of them are now well into their 7^th and eighth year and still running without critical failures.   Digital Signage has slowly declined since its heyday but there is still a tremendous interest in all sectors of commercial private business markets for interactivity and advertising.  

Product Spotlight Evoque

There is a general consensus amount leading industry experts that sports betting also better known as FOBT terminals are the latest gambling sector to be hit by an epidemic and KT Group was quick to realize this and develop its own range of terminals for sports betting.

One such model is our basic package labelled Evoque an allround metal cabinet enclosure which is able to support both contactless, cash and coin operations.  Dispense receipts and betting slips from a installed thermo printer and with KT expertise customisation is easy to redefine new cutting edge options that may present itself on market.

Evoque was designed by KT Group exclusive design partner Ziga Gorjup of Gorjup design and the partnership between designer and kiosk manufacturer is developing grown breaking concepts.

The terminal is designed so that it can be easily serviced from front access door and upwards lift monitor frame. Making the terminal ideal to be placed up against retail wall locations.

Product Spotlight Apollo Betting Terminal

Mother Teresa was quoted to have said "Be Faithful In Small Things Because It Is Them That Your Strength Lies" and in world of terminals the Apollo was designed to have a small compact foot print so as to fit into small locations but deliver a complete solution as a one stop source for betting.

As retail space costs spiral upwards and sports betting is on rise the market is primed for a compact terminal designed to facilitate payment by cash or coin and provide receipt and betting slip and is able to read bar code labels the 15 inch touch monitor provides a complete solution.

Price of a full solution is far more competitive than its free standing alternatives and price has always been a important defacto for retailers of any sorts and it is no different for betting companies.

 Designed by KT Group the Apollo is engineered so that it can easily be serviced as well as having ease of removing stored coins and cash inside making this an ideal compact workhouse for any establishment with cramped space availability.  Earn more and spend less a winning combination.

Design vs. Price

It has long been KT Group ethos to be a company with design before cost and it has been one of the major contributors to our 10 years of growth we have been privileged from support of the clients who have bought into our designs. 

Most of our clients as our competitors as well know the company utilizes manufacturing in China to stay cost effective,  and together with our primary metal manufacturing partners who are experts in field of metal manufacturing known for also working with likes of IBM, Flextronics, Samsung but to name a few giants our metal partners also manufacture enclosures and cabinets for KT Group has shaken off any question to the quality that we invest into our products which is critical to gain customers respect as well as support and with most of our clients being at least midterm relations which last anywhere from three to six years that does encourage us to further our expansion to be a dominant market leader in custom design work we manufacturer. 

One of the biggest challenges we face is hurdle of initially getting clients to fully understand what it is they receive in value of price when they compare an offer based on say a Sports Betting Terminal like Beast or Whizz in comparison to say a competitor’s model.    In a global commerce that is linked by World Wide Web we as a company deal with business owners and appointed technical management teams for their companies on a regular basis and when we work with technical savvy CTO and Technical Directors ask them cost of developing software, implementing equipment API into their software and YES there technical astute to level of knowing costs but when we deal with cost of engineering and mechanics of a metal enclosure most clients have very little knowledge in costs to manufacture a metal enclosure.  

Cost of metal manufacturing is relative to several steps that are required to manufacture a finished enclosure, broken down they include

A.      Cost to develop a unique design, more talented your designer is the higher price he or she will charge for their work.

B.      Cost to take a design and turn that design into a 3D modelling file,  more challenging enclosure the higher cost the engineer will charge as not everyone is able to

C.      Cost of BOM (Build of Materials) required

D.      Machinery required to manufacture design,  not all metal production places have necessary equipment so the more advanced equipment location has available cost increases

E.       Amount of labour required,  here it is related primarily to welding and polishing process

F.       Powder or Spray Paint finishing,  what type of painting finish can be applied at location

G.     Cost to assemble enclosure,  more complex more resources hence cost increases

H.      And even quantity of machines required to build, here it is not commonly thought of if your assembling 25 terminals contra 200 terminals in one production does the company have manpower and resources to complete job in reasonable time period say 4 weeks.

So when sales team at KT Group face buyers from different locations all over world we are prone for labelling certain autonomous regions with buyer tag of Easy to Hard because it is commonly perceived that for example Buyers from Middle East or Former Soviet Republics are price conscious buyers to extent it is opinion of KT CEO that they can in turn hurt their own business enterprises because fight for each dollar spent per machine.

In a recent example given KT was appointed by a firm looking for Sports Betting Terminals, they themselves had prepared a sports betting terminal design which they presented to our team. Design was very much what I would term a BOX enclosure which we politely undertook the job to manufacture initial 50 machines for them but we had proposed to prepare one of our own unique sports betting terminal designs which they felt was not needed.  After delivery had occurred we were called to meet with them to follow up for future orders and although initial shipment was approved both from aspect of metal manufacturing and technically that they were positive to proceed to step 2 the next order what feedback from our clients customers were that design had to be in fact redesigned as it was dull and boxy as they put it.   KT created BEAST and after the initial second order was delivered I come to point of the story our customers sales increased so much so that they not only continued to order they in fact went from buying initial 200 terminals they had in mind to deploy to more than doubling the figure to 500 because users were attracted to play on BEAST betting terminal contrary to other installed machines from other vendors.

Design has especially in past 20 or so years as technological advances in manufacturing have improved whether you buy a fashion conscious handbag label from one of the world elite designers,  or put yourself behind wheel of a Ferrari super car,  decide to take a premium holiday in an establishment known for its reputation or buy a design that steps out of mainstream and into a whole new genre it stands out and that creates emotions in us as socialholics to wanting something different and the return given outweighs cost on most occasions.