Design: the silent ambassador driving kiosk innovation

In today’s ever-evolving commercial landscape – dominated by ambitious shareholders and the relentless pursuit of revenue – there’s a constant risk of polarisation. Without a focused product offering and strategic business development, even the most promising ideas can quickly be lost in a marketplace that demands originality, innovation, and bold design thinking. Fall behind, and the industry won’t hesitate to swallow you whole.

Design acts as a brand’s silent ambassador. It leaves lasting impressions that resonate far beyond initial interactions. Whether through a product’s physical form or the subtleties of colour, logo, and texture, design plays a vital role in how a brand is perceived. To stay relevant, introducing fresh design into the market is just as essential as posting strong financial results. Innovative design sparks consumer curiosity. It fuels engagement. It builds loyalty.

Consider the fashion industry. Without the constant cycle of seasonal shows and fresh trends – new cuts, colours, and creative flair – the industry would stagnate. Models showcasing the latest designs don’t just sell clothes; they sell identity, aspiration, and emotion. The same holds true for the self-service kiosk industry. Design, in this space, is more than skin deep – it’s a business tool.

In 2019 KT Group partnered with US‑based United Tote to introduce its Whizz series to the American market. The Whizz kiosk quickly gained traction as a leading self‑service sports‑betting terminal. Its sleek cabinet centres on a 32″ touch‑screen display that presents users with a clear, expansive menu of betting options.

With over 20 years at the forefront of kiosk design, we’ve seen first-hand how thoughtful, customer-centric design transforms businesses. We’ve worked with both scrappy startups and century-old enterprises to help bring their kiosk strategies to life – and to market.

A few standout examples:

• In 2010, Nordisk Film launched its digital cinema ticketing with our Simplicity kiosk.

• In 2011, TravelersBox deployed our design for its foreign currency deposit solution.

• In 2012, NCR enlisted our help to launch the SS90 self-checkout kiosk.

• We partnered with Belgium’s Sagevas to reimagine the Betfirst retail sports betting terminal. Our redesign—Beast SSBT—helped scale their network from a few hundred units to nearly 2,000.

• Then came Snaitech. The launch of the Whizz Betsmart SSBT grew to nearly 4,000 terminals. This not only revolutionised Snaitech’s business but helped parent company Playtech secure a €2.3 billion sale to Flutter Entertainment. That’s a legacy we’re especially proud of. And it didn’t stop there: Whizz made its North American debut following the legalisation of sports betting in the US (PASPA). Our client? None other than United Tote, the leading Tote operator and a Churchill Downs subsidiary.

Our continued success is built on a relentless commitment to design evolution.

• NCR’s final design took two variants to perfect.

• Whizz went through three iterations before achieving its benchmark finish.
  Design excellence is never static – it responds to real-world use, customer feedback, and market demands. Each installation teaches us something. We observe, refine, and rework – always pushing for a better version.

At KT Group, this process is embedded in our DNA. We call our elite team The Masters – engineers and technicians with thousands of combined hours crafting kiosks that perform beautifully in the real world. Their expertise is the hidden framework behind our aesthetic achievements.

Because design, ultimately, is not just how something looks. It’s how it works. It’s how long it lasts.

Our kiosks are engineered for longevity, typically serving public spaces for five or more years. While proactive maintenance and stocked spare parts are part of the strategy, the real key lies in our engineering rigour. Machines built on poor-quality components or rushed construction may look the part—but they’re destined for failure. And failure costs. We’ve seen customers forced to restart entire programmes because the original provider didn’t deliver reliability or resilience.

When clients come to us for a second chance, they’re looking for more than a supplier. They’re looking for a trusted partner—a global proxy for excellence.

The silent ambassador of design is more than a surface detail. It’s a reflection of a company’s values and its dedication to excellence. When combined with the client’s vision and application, a thoughtfully designed kiosk becomes more than a terminal – it becomes an experience.

That silent voice? It’s the satisfaction of a smooth interaction. It’s the quiet confidence a user feels in a product that works exactly as expected. It’s the unspoken “thank you” that ends every session.

And for us, it’s the unrelenting drive to earn the chance to say: we hope to serve you again tomorrow.