by Kevin Coupe
A friend of mine sent me the video above, and it immediately intrigued me as technology uniquely suited to the moment.
It is a high-tech sanitization station, created by a company called MetroClick. It apparently is currently being used in Europe in places like airport terminals and railroad stations, and has the ability to not just dispense hand sanitizer, but also to take a person's temperature.
That's no small thing, especially these days.
And the display screens can communicate all sorts of messages, from information about staying safe and healthy during a pandemic to, if one chose, promotional and marketing announcements.
When I see it, though, I see even more possibilities (which the company says are technologically possible). For example, the kiosk also could be programmed to detect whether the person is wearing a mask or not … and if not, suggest to the person that if he or she wants to shop, they should stop by the service desk and pick one up. This would be a wonderful way to avoid confrontations between employees and customers, I think.
I also think it is possible that retailers might be able to get brands such as Procter & Gamble's Purell or Clorox to sponsor these kiosks - it certainly would be on brand for either company. (Though I'm not necessarily sure that this is the best way to go.)
The kiosk in the video is a basic model - MetroClick's website has some models that look like they are right out of Minority Report - and I think this is the Eye-Opening way in which retailers ought to be thinking as they try to own the moments in and around the pandemic.
Embrace the possibilities.
