Internet kiosks are vandal-resistant information/payment terminals placed at different state and commercial organizations of Samara region.  In fact, kiosks could be reviewed as collective-used computers, connected to Internet.

 

Internet kiosk is an easy-to-use unit; it has been equipped with a touch screen.

 

Using Internet kiosk, any person may receive information:

- about services provided by the state structures, including medical, social, educational, housing and communal services, small business support, etc.;

- about available benefits and how to apply;

- about procedures of application’s processing;

- about commercial organizations and services provided by these companies;

- about social and culture actions;

- about local area.

 

Citizen can appeal to representatives of executive authorities, both regional and local, and to get an answer.

Internet kiosk also is being equipped with an internal printer, so citizen can get a ‘hard copy’ of received information.

The same possibilities provided by any PC connected to Internet. But network of Internet kiosks has a lot of advantages such as:

- availability for all;

- charge-free services;

- easy-to-use device;

- embedded printer.

 

Generally, development of the Internet kiosk’s network is useful both for citizens and state/commercial organizations.

Advantages for the citizens:

- opportunity to establish direct dialog with the authorities;

- transparency of the authorities activity;

- saving of time;

- opportunity to get information from various sources at the same place;

- opportunity to get complex information important to certain person, in easy-to-understand form.

 

Advantages for the authorities:

- implementation of the social important projects (this possibility is especially important during current crisis in economics);

- monitoring of the public opinion;

- registration and forecast of demand for the social important goods (food, clothes, etc.), and services;

- consolidation of the information related to activity of the various state/local authorities and commercial organizations;

- improving of the quality of services.

 

Advantages for the service providers:

- charge free promotion of goods and services;

- good image in society;

- more high loyalty level of the existing clients and acquisition of new clients;

- more high loyalty level of the current suppliers;

- less marketing expenses due to operative information from the Internet kiosks.

 

Social card grants access to additional features of the Internet kiosk. Using electronic social card, citizen can:

- receive personal information about benefits he is eligible for, and really gained;

- make appointments with social worker, doctor or manager;

- interact with authorities directly;

- receive personal offers from various organizations;

- pay for goods and services.