The lack of manpower, the increase in operating costs and the need to provide a different experience to the customer, led retail and organizations towards intelligence-based solutions. Terna System, which started its activity with the production of store equipment, tried to provide a new definition of customer interaction by introducing “Holobox” and “Holomin”. Products based on transparent 3D displays and artificial intelligence avatars that cover from advertising and sales to guidance and live communication.
From store equipment to smart kiosks
Hamed Dadres, the assistant CEO of Terna System, said that Terna System was a store equipment manufacturer before entering the field of artificial intelligence avatars. He explained that before the production of Holobox and Holomin, they produced equipment such as store cash registers, barcode readers, and fish printers, but in cooperation with large and small stores, they reached a common challenge; Lack of manpower to provide better customer service.
The judge added that this issue caused the development of products to change towards ordering and payment kiosks; Kiosks where the customer could order, pay without the need for manpower and be used to display advertisements during the quiet times of the store. However, he said, the main challenge remained and customers still had questions.
He continued that even big customers like the municipality or Astan Quds asked what this device is and how to use it, and in the end, the hardware only shortened the ordering and payment process, but the real interaction with the customer was not formed.
The birth of Holobax; Responding to the interaction gap
Dores said that Terna System, after examining foreign samples, concluded that it should go towards the production of Hellobox; 85-inch transparent kiosks equipped with artificial intelligence avatars. He explained that the first version of Hellobox was released with limitations such as a smaller question bank and limited capabilities, but warm tests of this product were done with First Companion and Mammoth Group.
According to Judges, the positive feedback made some organizations buy Hellobox or rent it for exhibitions, and this proper communication with users made Terna enter the next phase of system development.
Holomine; A smaller version for banks
Dores explained that, following the path, Terna System went to the production of “Holomin”; The smaller version of Holobox, the need for which was raised more by banks and branches. Holomin is lighter, desktop and wall mountable, easier to move, and offers the same functionality as Holobox at a lower cost, he said. According to him, the prototype of Holomin has been unveiled in this exhibition.
Hardware and software challenges
Judge pointed out the challenges of the development path and said that some customers believed that the database of the early versions was not strong or that the avatar was not graphically attractive enough. He added that Hellobox is a big device and its transportation and installation require great care and attention. These challenges, he said, led to a greater focus on Holomin and software development.
Judge explained that in the software department, they went in the direction that if an organization has its own artificial intelligence or avatar, it can use it, and if there is no such possibility, Terna offers an avatar system that fits the needs of the organization.
The first domestic producer
The judge emphasized that the first producer of this product in Iran was the Biomax brand, and many competitors who were even present at this exhibition, have not yet been able to put a similar product into operation or operational demonstration. He added that updating models such as ChatGPT and Gemini played an important role in expanding databases and increasing the responsiveness of avatars.
Applications of Halobox; From advertising to live communication
Salman Dawoodi, director of market development and representative affairs of Terna System, said that Holobox is a device that simulates 3D images without the need for glasses and displays the real depth of the image with transparent technology. He explained that one of the main uses of this product is advertising; From the 3D display of clothing to the display of large products such as cars.
Davodi added that in addition to advertising, there is also the possibility of remote communication and live streaming, and a speaker or salesperson from any other country can be presented in 3D and live at a conference.
artificial intelligence avatar; Seller and brand ambassador
The avatar can act as an information desk at airports and business centers, answering in different languages, explaining directions and even taking on the role of a salesperson, Daudi explained. He added that the avatar is able to remember previous customer interactions and create a personalized experience.
According to Dowdy, the “Max” avatar used in Terna’s Hellobox is designed almost exactly like one of the company’s real-life sales force and acts as a brand ambassador.
Transportation, localization and after-sales service
Dawoodi considered the biggest challenge of Hellobox to be its transportation and said that in the new models, protective wheels and boxes were designed to solve this problem to a large extent. He added that some samples of this device were even transferred to TĂĽrkiye and UAE.
According to Davodi, the competitive advantage of Iranian products is localization and after-sales service. The Terna system offers a one-year warranty and 10-year after-sales service throughout the country, and its repair costs are much lower than foreign models.
Income model and commercialization
Davodi said that Terna System’s revenue model includes the sale of devices, avatars, and content, and emphasized that this company sells solutions and undertakes the implementation of 0 to 100 projects if the customer needs them. He added that commercialization started at the beginning of this year and mass production was underway.
digital posters; The new generation of advertising
Irfan Rostagaran, Terna System’s product manager, said that the era of banners and tracts is over and the new generation of advertising is based on digital displays and centralized content management. He explained that the system allows content scheduling, remote management of displays, software control and updates, and the use of trained artificial intelligence to answer frequently asked questions.
The future of smart retail
In the end, Davoudi described the future of retail as moving towards machine sales, more secure payment and reducing human error, and said that the Iranian people’s interest in technology has paved the way for the development of these tools.
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