Advances in technology have made it possible for airports to offer more than just a waiting lounge for passengers, and today’s travelers expect a lot more than just a seat at the terminal. Glen Ryniewski, assistant commissioner of Concessions for the Chicago Department of Aviation, explores the importance of self-service solutions for food and beverage services and what his airports are doing to meet customer needs.

Currently, Glen is the Assistant Commissioner of Concessions for the Chicago Department of Aviation with oversight of the O’Hare and Midway Concessions Programs which has annual sales exceeding $600 million. He has held other positions within the City of Chicago that have included the Chicago Park District as Lakefront Director and Sponsorship Director for the Mayor’s Office of Special Events.

Talking With: Glen Ryniewski, ‘O’Hare on the move with self service’

Join us at the start of the Summit for a chance to network with attendees, speakers and sponsors over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

Busy consumers no longer need to sacrifice high-quality food for convenience, thanks to a variety of technologies on the market. One of those pioneers, Farmer's Fridge Founder Luke Saunders, explains how he created a new business model using state-of-the-art vending technology to serve freshly prepared meals to on-the-go consumers. He'll discuss not only how he got into the business but what he's doing to stay ahead of the competition in which his innovation and creativity paved the way.

Talking With: Luke Saunders, founder of Farmer’s Fridge

Mobile-based scan, pay-and-go technology offers incredible convenience for consumers using smartphones, which may lead to retailers questioning if kiosks are necessary. Because many shopping experiences, however, require extensive information, visual presentations or dispensed physical products, self-serve kiosks are here to stay and work in tandem with mobile technology.

Hear from retailers who use kiosks and mobile ordering to provide the ultimate self-service experience.

You’ve heard it over and over, consumers are going cashless, but that doesn’t mean cash is gone.

One of the fastest growing retail industries today is gaming, which has expanded beyond the traditional casino into mainstream retail stores. And as every gaming operator knows, for many customers, cash remains king.

Beyond the skyrocketing gaming industry are the masses of unbanked and underbanked Americans who rely exclusively on cash for everyday purchases.

Fortunately, today’s payment technology allows retailers and equipment operators to accept cash along with cashless payment. A panel of experts offers their insights.

Five years after Amazon Go made headlines, automated stores are now one of the fastest-growing retail channels. Retailers and restaurateurs face many challenges in how to utilize this expanding technology, and as with all new technologies, one size does not fit all.

Speakers on this panel will discuss how and why brands must have a game plan that includes a full understanding of customers’ shopping habits, an assessment of necessary technology expertise, an understanding of available technology products, clearly defined goals, a budget and a timeline.

Improvements in data-collection technology have allowed retailers and convenience-services operators to fine-tune their product category management. These advancements have helped them determine the most profitable mix of products for every retail channel they use, be it physical stores, e-commerce, vending machines or micro markets.

Our experts will discuss all of this as well how category management is also powerful in combination with digital advertising and marketing.

As organizations strive to become more competitive by extending their customer reach, 5G offers innovative opportunities previously unattainable with wired or other types of connections.

Join Cradlepoint, the leader in 5G for business, and learn about companies transforming their industries and leading their competition. Further, understand the critical aspects of 5G — the speeds, the rollouts, and the deployment to help you transform your customer's business. 

The pandemic forced thousands of retailers to invest in buy-online-pickup-in-store platforms in response to lockdowns. As a result, technology providers have introduced a wealth of BOPIS hardware and software products, which can be confusing.

Our experts, however, will answer a variety of questions, including: How does an established business integrate BOPIS with their existing operation and what determines a successful retailer/BOPIS partnership?

Technology providers keep rolling out new capabilities, but which of these innovations – such as artificial intelligence, computer vision, biometric identity verification, machine learning, virtual reality, augmented reality, cryptocurrency – has proven to boost efficiency and improve customer experience in a cost efficient manner for convenience services operations?

A panel of experts weighs in.

Outdoor- and indoor-wayfinding kiosks that provide up-to-date information 24 hours a day have become an integral part of retail shopping developments, tourism centers and urban planning projects.

Wayfinding has also become a standard feature of public kiosks that also allow commercial advertising and public service directories. Such kiosks are also increasing as local governments embrace “smart city” initiatives to better manage public resources and improve public services.

Panelists discuss the pros and cons of wayfinding technology and how to get the most from the investments.

Artificial intelligence, computer vision, machine learning and other technologies are offering convenience services operators new tools to improve operational efficiencies as well as the customer experience.

While innovation brings new opportunities, identifying what technologies to add and when to introduce them has become more challenging than ever. Operators must be educated about technology and their staffs’ capabilities to choose the right technology.

A panel of operators who have traveled this journey will offer insights.

In its third year, the Self-Service Innovation Summit recognizes the products, organizations and individuals that play important roles in improving the self service experience worldwide. Join us as we honor the most innovative use of kiosks and vending.

Categories include:

• Innovation of the Year (B2B)
• Innovation of the Year (B2C)
• Accessibility Award – NEW in 2022!
• Best COVID-19 Solution
• Reader’s Choice Award: Innovator of the Year (Person or Company)

Nominations have closed for this year. Click here for a description of each award category.

VIEW 2022 FINALISTS

After a full day of informative and inspiring sessions, take a journey to the tropics at this one-of-a-kind event located in the hotel’s South Palm Court overlooking the ocean. Interact with speakers, sponsors and fellow attendees over cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres.

You’ll enjoy unique performances by Down to Earth Aerials with some of the finest aerial performers from around the world, who combine remarkable strength, extreme flexibility and creativity. Watch as performers “hang out” above you and right next to you in this immersive entertainment experience.

Kiosks have been around for decades, but a variety of industries are embracing them now more than ever. Brands and retailers are finding self-service kiosks offer an effective and efficient way to improve the customer experience for a variety of products.

A panel of businesses and entrepreneurs that deploy self-serve kiosks discuss why they’ve turned to kiosks and how they make their operations more profitable.

Convenience services has become more competitive than ever with more service channels reaching out for the consumer’s business: e-commerce merchants, delivery services, food trucks, convenience stores and more. In order to survive in today’s hypercompetitive environment, vending, coffee service, micro market and pantry service operators need to expand their product and service offerings.

A group of panelists will describe exactly how they expanded their business to remain competitive and succeed in today’s challenging business environment.

As we wrap up the Summit, this heavy-hitter panel of industry thought leaders will comment on a variety of topics.