Shoppers who have seen a D2 kiosk probably don’t know it. That’s because each one is built to reflect a particular brand. Whether that means building a kiosk of a different color, or building one shaped like a tree, D2 does it. Owner Sandra Nix said that’s where the company’s success lies. She founded D2 in 1992 on that core principal: branding. Previously, Nix worked in IPOs, been an IndyCar and Formula 1 race official. Now she’s driving one of the lead cars in the kiosk industry.
What were you doing before you became involved in the kiosk industry?
Most of my career has been in the marketing field. Prior to working in the display/kiosk industry, I owned a company that did sales promotions and customer support, primarily focused in the automotive and technology fields.
What attracted you to the industry and made you want to get involved?
I believed – and still believe – that interactivity is the key to capturing customer attention and empowering customers to create their own experience within the parameters of a brand. It is the next logical step from both a marketing and basic transactional perspective.
Describe your first kiosk project.
My first project was a wheel selector kiosk for The Tire Rack in 1995. It was a perfect application of kiosk technology, allowing customers to choose aftermarket wheels from a database, sorted for their make and model, and then see the wheel applied to a picture of their car. It was a really smart application - the company was forward-thinking.
Describe the most significant recent changes in the industry.
This is a technology-driven industry. As functionality is enhanced, new functionality is created and price points drop for implementing that technology, we are now able to offer a dazzling array of affordable and practical performance options. When I did my first project in 1995, computers were slower and bigger, screens were smaller and peripherals were hit or miss – and the whole package was comparatively very expensive. Today, kiosks are an easily obtainable, affordable option for most businesses. And the lower cost means better ROI, which only further adds to the value.
Where will the industry be in five years?
I think there will be a blending of segments and we will no longer see a vertical just for “kiosks”. I see a convergence of technologies across the board – kiosks, ATM’s, POS, digital signage, exhibits and displays, etc. I think the verticals will be more defined by function – transactional, informational, marketing, etc. – rather than physicality as they are now. I also think this means we’ll see some consolidation as providers look for economies of scale and begin to offer a range of offerings within a specific functional group.
Who was most influential to your career, and why?
To my professional career overall, I would say my grandfather. He was a fearless visionary and a tremendously charismatic person. Within the industry, I would say Frank W. Mayer. His customer focus was absolute – he inherently understood that every aspect of every project begins and ends with the needs and wants of the customer, period. It’s a perspective that most companies tout, but he lived it and it embodied how he ran his business.
What has been the biggest “missed opportunity” in the industry recently?
Lack of collaboration. The whole is always greater than the sum of its parts, but our parts just seem to be a bit fragmented right now and therefore not realizing that benefit.
If you could grant any wish for the kiosk industry, what would it be and why?
A really great marketing campaign for the industry as a whole. We don’t have a clear product or identity in general. We need to find a way to simply articulate our product and its benefits to the business community if we want interactive devices to proliferate at the rate they could be deploying.
