DSE: Digital Signage Expo

One of the key benefits of digital signage is the perceived reduction in wait time, as in this teller line at the Cyprus Co-op Bank. Photo courtesy Scala Inc.

A carefully planned digital signage deployment, coupled with relevant, contextual content, can pay dividends beyond boosting sales.

By Richard Lebovitz

Companies and institutions weighing the pros and cons of investing in a digital signage network would do well to consider the many customer benefits in addition to the usual financial considerations.

“Digital signage can be instrumental in creating positive customer experiences,” says Drew Fleming, a Digital Signage Expo (DSE) advisory board member and senior director, sales promotion and communication, for San Francisco-based Premier Retail Networks (PRN).

In answering DSE’s August Question of the Month, Fleming is joined by more than two dozen advisory board members who agree. Most also would agree that signage for signage’s sake is neither a wise investment nor a guarantee for a positive customer experience.

“It’s worthwhile to point out that even the most state-of-the-art digital signage is only as good as the content it displays,” Fleming notes. “If the content is timely, compelling, relevant to the customer and linked to the specific venue’s surroundings, it can be very effective in improving customer experience.”

That said, there are a surprising number of ways in which digital signage can contribute to a positive customer experience, the most common being the reduction of perceived wait time.

Wine Market Assistant’s interactive digital kioks in BevMo! stores educate customers and help them make knowledgeable choices about wines. Photo courtesy Wine Market Assistant.

“A key benefit for our venues is reducing the perceived wait time for their customers, turning what can be a negative experience (a long line for lunch or coffee when you’re in a rush) into a positive one (getting useful information and entertainment while you wait),” says Donna Boyer, VP of product & programming for San Francisco-based Reach Media Group (formerly Danoo).

Another key benefit is in-venue navigation. “Digital signage can play a key role in making sure that two goals are met: Showing the customer exactly where to go and showing the easiest way to get there,” says Paul Flanigan, a Minneapolis-based partner of the newly formed Preset Group. “But,” he warns, “you don’t get a second chance at a first impression. Poor navigation techniques, or making the customer work too hard to locate his destination, will disengage a customer before he is even at the destination.”

Education is another key aspect of digital signage, and not just product education. “Most customers enjoy learning something, so if they get a cool how-to tip from a hardware store, or even something as simple as a trivia tidbit, that’s positive,” says Gary Halpin, president
of Castle Rock, Colo.-based Agency 225.

Beyond the key benefits described above, there are numerous other ways in which a carefully planning digital signage deployment and content strategy can provide a positive customer experience. Here are some additional examples culled from the DSE advisory board’s answers to the August Question of the Month:

1. Reduce perceived wait time while in line for dwell areas.
2. Show where a shopper is in line and when he or she will be ready to be served.
3. Connect consumers with opportunities outside of the venue.
4. “Localize” a venue by providing community information.
5. Provide useful product information.
6. Serve as a bridge between store associates and customers by providing useful information about store layout, special promotions, etc.
7. Solve immediate problems (e.g., what’s for dinner tonight, what movie to see this weekend).
8. Serve as a homepage for the venue by showcasing various aspects about the venue and its offerings
9. Promote in-venue/in-store events such as live workshops, classes, concerts and such.
10. Take a product “out of the box” and demonstrate how it provides solutions.
11. Provide customers a takeaway such as a cool how-to tip or even something as simple as a trivia tidbit.
12. Give shoppers an easy-to-access notification on hot, new products that they might want (or might not have known that they wanted!)
13. Provide shelf-level information such as the small interactive screens that help people go just a bit deeper with product information to determine if a product is right for them.
14. Help train associates.
15. Use interactive digital signage as a decision tool to help shoppers quickly find the product for their needs.
16. Use digital signage for PR to inform customers about the venue’s good will, charity efforts or community giving.
17. Welcome customers into an environment/shopping experience.
18. Set the stage for a return visit and/or follow up the current experience by urging customers to go online when they return home, thereby becoming a true brand advocate.
19. Help the customer find a particular section or department, which is another aid to getting the customer in and out of the store quickly.
20. Provide variety and excitement through changing digital content, which can lead to a great brand experience and positive customer experience.

Has the board overlooked anything? To weigh in with your own examples, simply comment below.