Overview
Every semester, thousands of students walk through the doors of the University of Amsterdam’s Faculty of Economics and Business seeking guidance from study advisors. Career questions. Course selections. Academic challenges. Personal circumstances affecting studies. Each conversation matters – but the administrative burden of managing these appointments was drowning the very advisors meant to help.
The solution? A complete transformation of their student services infrastructure, powered by ProDVX’s APPC-15XP Android Panel PC. The result: advisors reclaimed their time, students got a seamless experience, and the faculty gained unprecedented visibility into service delivery.
The Challenge: When Manual Processes Fail at Scale
The Faculty of Economics and Business isn’t a small operation. As one of Europe’s most prestigious business schools, it serves a diverse student population with complex needs. Study advisors are the frontline support system – helping students navigate everything from course registrations to personal crises affecting their academic performance.
But the appointment management system hadn’t evolved with the institution’s growth. What worked for hundreds of students couldn’t scale to thousands.
The Pain Points Were Everywhere
For students: Arriving for appointments meant hunting for the right office, interrupting staff to announce their arrival, and sitting in uncertainty about wait times. No confirmation their advisor knew they’d arrived. No visibility into delays.
For advisors: Every knock on the door was a disruption. Reception staff constantly relayed messages. Tracking no-shows required manual logs. Understanding service patterns meant spreadsheets and guesswork.
For administration: How long do advisory sessions actually take? Which time slots see the highest demand? What’s the no-show rate? Without data, optimising staffing and resources was impossible.
- Manual check-in processes consumed valuable advisor time and created bottlenecks
- No real-time visibility into appointment status, arrivals, or wait times
- Inconsistent data collection made service improvement initiatives guesswork
- Physical monitoring required – staff had to watch reception areas for arrivals
- Variable student experience depending on timing, staffing levels, and individual processes
- No performance metrics on conversation duration, peak periods, or resource utilisation
The faculty needed a solution that would automate the mundane, capture meaningful data, and preserve the personal touch that makes advisory services effective. Technology that would disappear into the background while transforming the foreground experience.
The Solution: ProDVX APPC-15XP Self-Service Check-in Kiosks
The university partnered with three specialists to build an integrated solution: Reflex Online for appointment management software, DIZ Informatiezuilen for professional kiosk enclosures, and ProDVX for the hardware that would bring it all together.
At the heart of the deployment: ProDVX’s APPC-15XP, a 15-inch Android Panel PC engineered specifically for high-traffic, always-on environments like universities, hospitals, and corporate campuses.
Why the APPC-15XP Was the Right Choice
Not all touchscreens are created equal. Consumer tablets fail in commercial environments – they overheat, can’t handle continuous operation, lack mounting options, and require constant charging management. The APPC-15XP was purpose-built for exactly this use case:
- 15-inch high-resolution display – Large enough for comfortable interaction, compact enough for reception areas
- Responsive capacitive touchscreen – Instant response for quick check-ins, even with multiple daily users
- Power over Ethernet (PoE) support – Single cable for power and data eliminates cable clutter and simplifies installation
- Commercial-grade reliability – Engineered for 24/7 operation in high-traffic environments
- Flexible mounting options – Wall mount, desk stand, or integrated into custom kiosk enclosures
- Android operating system – Easy app deployment and remote management without Windows complexity
The Complete Integration
| Component | Solution | Key Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware Platform | ProDVX APPC-15XP Android Panel PC | 15″ responsive touchscreen, PoE power, robust construction for high-traffic educational environments, fanless silent operation |
| Software System | Reflex Online Appointment Management | Student ID and QR code check-in, branded interface with faculty colours, advisor photos, automated real-time notifications, comprehensive analytics dashboard |
| Physical Housing | DIZ Informatiezuilen Custom Kiosk | Professional-grade enclosure, ergonomic height and angle, vandal-resistant design, easy maintenance access panels |
The Student Experience: Frictionless Check-in
Students arriving for appointments now encounter a sleek, branded kiosk in the reception area. The process takes seconds:
- Identify: Scan student card or enter student number. QR code option available for mobile-first students.
- Confirm: See appointment details on screen – advisor name (with photo), scheduled time, any preparation notes.
- Check in: Single tap confirms arrival. Clear confirmation message with estimated wait time.
- Wait comfortably: Student takes a seat knowing their advisor has been notified instantly.
No hunting for offices. No interrupting busy staff. No uncertainty about whether anyone knows they’ve arrived.
The Advisor Experience: Focus on What Matters
When a student checks in, their assigned advisor receives an instant notification on their device. The notification includes:
- Student name and photo (where available)
- Appointment purpose and any pre-submitted notes
- Previous interaction history for context
- Arrival time stamp
Advisors can finish their current task, review the incoming student’s context, and step out to greet them – all without a single interruption from reception staff.
The Results: Measurable Impact Across Every Metric
The deployment transformed student services from an administrative burden into a data-driven operation. The impact was immediate and measurable:
Operational Efficiency
- Zero reception staffing required for appointment check-ins – staff redeployed to higher-value tasks
- Real-time advisor notifications eliminate manual monitoring and message relaying
- Reduced appointment overruns with automated time tracking and gentle reminders
- Streamlined no-show management with automatic flagging and follow-up triggers
Data-Driven Insights
- Conversation duration analytics reveal which appointment types need more or less time
- Peak period identification enables smarter scheduling and resource allocation
- No-show rate tracking highlights patterns and enables proactive intervention
- Advisor workload visibility supports equitable distribution and burnout prevention
Student Experience
- Consistent, professional experience regardless of time, day, or staffing levels
- Reduced anxiety with clear confirmation and wait time visibility
- Branded touchpoints reinforce faculty identity and professionalism
- Accessibility through multiple check-in options (card, number, QR code)
“Our advisors now spend their time where it matters: helping students navigate their academic journey – not managing paperwork and watching the door.”
— Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Amsterdam
Why ProDVX for Education Environments
Universities operate differently from retail stores or corporate offices. They have unique demands: high student traffic, diverse user technical abilities, strict budget cycles, and the need for solutions that work reliably for years without constant maintenance.
ProDVX’s commercial-grade Android displays are engineered for exactly these environments:
- Always-on reliability: Designed for continuous operation, not occasional use
- PoE simplicity: Single cable deployment eliminates power outlet requirements and cable management headaches
- Android flexibility: Deploy any Android app without Windows licensing, updates, or security patch complexity
- Remote management: Update content and monitor device health from anywhere
- Total cost of ownership: No moving parts, fanless design, and commercial-grade components mean years of reliable service
From student check-in kiosks to lecture hall wayfinding, library self-service stations to campus digital signage, ProDVX panels help educational institutions modernise their operations without the complexity of traditional PC-based solutions.
Explore ProDVX Solutions for Your Institution
The University of Amsterdam’s deployment demonstrates what’s possible when the right hardware meets thoughtful implementation. Whether you’re looking to streamline student services, modernise campus wayfinding, or deploy interactive information points, ProDVX has a solution engineered for educational environments.
AVD is Australia and New Zealand’s authorised ProDVX distributor. We don’t just supply hardware – we help you specify the right solution, support your integration partners, and ensure your deployment delivers lasting value.
Ready to transform your student services? Contact AVD’s solutions team to discuss your requirements and discover how ProDVX can modernise your campus operations.
