Fully-Custom Kiosks vs. enGAGE Standard Platform Kiosks

At RedyRef, we have many customers who come to us seeking design and manufacturing assistance for fully-custom kiosk enclosures -- a process that can turn out to be shockingly expensive to even the largest and most successful companies.  Why? Well, the paradox is that metal kiosks are both very simple, and yet highly complex.  While interactive kiosks are, at the end of the day, just another type of enclosure, and all are built to do the same basic thing -- provide access to information or deliver a product/service -- there are many specific requirements that need to be fulfilled in order to manufacture one that does its job well, including:

• Ability to house many different types of often-delicate screens and components, including computer hardware
• Durability and longevity
• Ergonomic design within a reasonable footprint, while remaining aesthetically pleasing
• Compliance with all regulations, including ADA and UL

This dichotomy between the simple and the complex is exactly why RedyRef launched the enGAGE line of standard-platform kiosks as an affordable alternative to a fully customized build. Featuring typical kiosk design features, enGAGE is ideal as a starting point for almost any interactive application, with a range of standard options to suit most common kiosk requirements.  

So what’s the cost difference between fully-custom and enGAGE standard-platform kiosks?  It is often surprisingly significant.  Take the following example:

Phase 1: Design

• Company A chooses a fully-custom build. Starting with the conceptualization and design (2-3 weeks), this first phase can cost anywhere from $5K to $25K.  
• Company B chooses an enGAGE kiosk. Because they aren’t starting from scratch, customizing the standard design takes only 3-5 days, and $2K.

Phase 2: Engineering

• Company A will need to set aside an additional 3-4 weeks and $15K-$75K for an engineer to take the design from concept to reality. 
• Company B chooses any additional components or wraps it may need to customize the look of their enGAGE kiosk over the course of 7-10 business days, with costs that run between $3K and $6K. 

Phase 3: Set-Up, Fabrication & Assembly

• Company A waits 8-12 weeks for their fully-custom kiosk to be finished. The cost is likely between $8K-$12K, depending on the final design, components chosen, and amount of production units. 
• Company B waits 4-6 weeks for their finished kiosks and the cost is likely $4K-$6K. 

Phase 4: Delivery

• Company A has invested 12-19 weeks + a minimum of $28K (running as high as $110K in some instances)
• Company B has invested 6-9 weeks + approximately $10K

Based on the above, it’s easy to see how choosing a standard-platform enGAGE interactive kiosk can potentially save both time and money, while speeding time to market or to product deployment at the same time.  

Want to know if the enGAGE line of RedyRef interactive kiosks is right for your company?  Submit a request for proposal online or call (800) 628-3603 today for more information.