Where Are They Now? Meridian Kiosks (Aug. 2009)
By The Business Solutions Network
We haven't covered kiosks as much as we've covered other technologies in the magazine over the years. If I had to guess, I'd say that many VARs are put off by the enclosure portion of the solution. As you might know, there's way more to doing kiosk enclosures than people would expect. In 2009, I spoke with Chris Gilder, CEO of Merdian Kiosks, a company that specializes in kiosks (if the name didn't give that away), including the fabrication of enclosures. In short, kiosks from soup to nuts. With the self-service trend only gaining popularity since 2009, I was excited to see where his business stood today.
How has your business fared since we last spoke with you?
Gilder: Very well, still growing each year and made North Carolina's Fast 50 and just applied for INC 500/5000, this year has been our strongest ever 1st two quarters.
What has contributed most to your success since we last spoke?
Gilder: Finding the right people to help us manage the growth. Additionally, our software technology and partnerships are contributing to your success.
Are there any new technologies/solutions you're offering which are impacting your business?
Gilder: Yes, we are offering an SDK for our MAP (Meridian application platform) which allows others to create self service applications on top of our platform and not have to worry about the security, management, monitoring, and device connectivity.
Are there any other tips/tactics that you think are worth mentioning that are contributing to your success?
Gilder: Not saying yes to everything that comes to us has allowed us to focus on more viable opportunities with long term gains.
How have payment processing and/or video surveillance contributed to your company's bottom line?
Gilder: We are developing several transactional-based solutions that include PCI-compliant payment processing. We have been using cameras in a lot of our outdoor deployments to deter against vandalism or other misuse of the kiosks.