Retailers line up to join BT in kiosk trial

McDonald’s, Threshers and the Halifax Building Society are to be the first retailers to link up with BT to launch its multimedia interactive kiosk called Touchpoint.

The company will test the scheme in 200 sites across London and the South-east from next Monday. The machines will be located in areas such as travel terminals, as well as shopping and leisure centres.

The Touchpoint kiosks will have colour screens, printers, and phones and will be able to provide local information about restaurants and entertainment plus specific company information.

Tim Difford, the distribution and development manager at the Halifax, says the kiosk will allow customers to see general information about the institution’s accounts before phoning from the kiosk to Halifax Direct, its telephone banking arm.

Difford adds: “Customers will be able to pay bills and make orders from the kiosk. However, the screen will not display personal banking details, this will be done over the phone.

“New customers who pass by the kiosk will be able to see what we offer and then can pick up the phone and apply for an account.”

The kiosks work using Intranet technology developed by IT company ICL.

BT will trial Touchpoint for several months before meeting the companies involved and deciding whether to roll out the scheme nationally.