DSE: Digital Signage Expo

Margot Myers
Manager, In-store Programs
US Postal Services

What are the key issues someone should consider before investing in digital signage? 

Things to consider in the planning process include:
• What are your objectives? What do you think digital signage can do for your business? Take the time to think this through because it's got to be more than just "Hey, that looks really cool. I want it too!"
• You need to build a business case. Get all of the stakeholders involved upfront. In my case, that included IT, Advertising, Customer Service Operations, Safety, and Retail Marketing. Make sure you'll have a sufficient level of support in the organization so you can meet your objectives.
• Toe in the water or into the deep end? Will you start with a test in a limited number of sites and then decide whether to expand? That's what I recommend because every business is different and it's difficult to predict just how your customers will react.
• Develop metrics. How will you know if your digital signage installation is a success? Was there revenue lift for products you promoted on your screens? Did wait time in line decrease? Do you have customer satisfaction measures that you can use to gauge the impact of digital signage on your customers?
• Plan for research. It's best if you can pre-test to establish a baseline of customer attitudes and expectations before you ever install a screen. We did that as well as observational research and customer exit interviews once the equipment was up and running awhile.
• Hardware/software. There are more and more options all the time as the industry grows.
• Plasma or LCD screens? Which software provider will you use for scheduling, content management, reporting? Is that software acceptable to your IT folks if it's going to be connected to your intranet?
• Where will you put your digital signage sites? Consider geographic dispersion, customer demographics, facility space issues. We looked at additional factors like under-served markets, lower-than-average customer satisfaction scores, and higher- than-average wait time in line. We wanted to test in places where, if we were successful, we'd have the greatest impact.
• Content is critical. How long will spots be? Who will create content? How will you make up your play lists? How often will you update content? How will you distribute new content -- over an intranet or other network, via satellite, sneaker-net?

How scalable should such a plan be at the outset? 

• Think the plan needs to be infinitely scalable. If your test is a huge success, you don't want to have to rethink hardware/software because what you have tested only works if you have, for example, 25 sites or fewer.
• Obviously, unit costs go down as you add more sites. Someone will make you a smokin' deal if you are buying 500 LCD screens; the cost per screen will not be such a good deal if you're buying five.
• Content costs you the same to create whether it's showing on five screens or 500.

Jason Feldman
Sr. Director, New Concept Development
Home Depot

What are the key issues someone should consider before investing in digital signage? 

Success is only possible if senior leadership understands the investment objective and the intended outcome in terms of return. Program ownership (never a part time job) must also be established to be the single point of leadership for strategy, operational execution, content development and delivery. Speaking of content management, it is also very important to have an established template for the collection and standards for any electronic editorial programming. Since digital media lends itself to doing almost anything dynamic or static, without a formalized plan for communicating, messaging can be diluted to the point of being ineffective. The last key element before investing in digital signage is to understand the concept of an endemic vs. non-endemic funded initiative. Depending on your strategic branding initiatives, the investment is either fully self-funded or funded through third party capital.

How scalable should such a plan be at the outset? 

Test, learn, test and learn some more. Don't assume you have or know the answers to every question. Make an initial investment in a proof-of-concept to understand process, programming and investment. Scale comes from the infrastructure requirements, human and capital investments required. Customer acceptance and response is a critical element of the cost/benefit. Knowing the answers to those questions are, at best, a guess until a pilot test can be thoroughly evaluated.

John Karlesky
Director of Marketing Support
Lowe's

What are the key issues someone should consider before investing in digital signage?


What shopper problem are you solving?
What business problem are you solving?
What internal and external barriers exist?
What "big ideas" do you have utilizing each technology?

Are any of them "quick wins"?

How will they integrate both in-store and out of store?

What is the development roadmap for each technology vendor chosen? 
Can they scale with your strategic needs?
Do you have an ROI that can be proven to your decision makers?



How scalable should such a plan be at the outset?

You need to plan for full scalability but remain flexible in your pilot efforts so that you can make strategic changes based on field insights.

Chris Borek
Sr. Manager, In-store Digital Marketing
Target

What are the key issues someone should consider before investing in digital signage? 

Key issues one should consider before investing in digital signage are strategy/ objectives, funding expectations/potential, as well as the overall roadmap of digital technology trends. Before embarking on an investment, be clear of what you are trying to accomplish. Is it extending the brand into the environment? Is it for the purpose of generating incremental ad revenue? Or a combination of the two? Having a clear direction of the strategy and making sure all the stakeholders are in agreement is critical. If the strategy includes funding the content through advertising, be clear on how much money everyone expects to raise. Do some research, talk to other networks that have installed screens and pursued funds. Make sure the number everyone is expecting to raise is actually reachable. Before spending potentially millions on a digital signage system, make sure you are not choosing a solution that would prohibit you from expanding your technology in the future. If you anticipate the possibility of incorporating interactive two-way devices – or mobile functionality – ensure that what you are building would be able to integrate those future technologies as efficiently as possible.

How scalable should such a plan be at the outset?

While no one may be able to accurately predict the future – including how many locations / screens may be needed years down the line – make sure that you are pursuing a scalable technology. This means not only looking at the technology itself, but also the technology provider(s). How many screens has that vendor deployed? What do their clients (past and present) say about them?

Mike Hiatt
Director In-store Media Networks
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

What are the key issues someone should consider before investing in digital signage? 

First, clearly establish the objective you are trying to accomplish. Digital signage, when done correctly, can be effective in a variety of ways, but the objective must be aligned with the hardware design and the content development.

How scalable should such a plan be at the outset? 

It depends. For a retailer the size of Wal-Mart it must be scalable. But in many circumstances, a digital signage network could be less scalable, more rigid, and quite effective.

Kevin Culp
Director of Information Technology
Gaylord Entertainment

What are the key issues someone should consider before investing in digital signage? 

Planning for a digital signage project will need to involve many SMEs (Subject Matter Experts). Besides which software to use and what size screens there are many other issues to solve. Two big issues that could sky-rocket a DS project cost are connectivity and content. On the connectivity front it should be reviewed both from a network standpoint as well as the electrical power it will require, a cost element that is often overlooked. In depth site surveys should be part of any project. During these surveys you must ask yourself several questions.

Connectivity:
1. What conduct will be used to update content?
2. Will it be wired or wireless?
3. Does my network have the capacity?
4. Is there electrical power in the areas, if not is there capacity on our electrical plant or will it require a huge build out? 

Content:
1. What type of content will I run on my network? Photography, static ads, flash, video from files, live video?
2. Will my DS network require sound capability?
3. Will I have any type of interactivity such as touch screens?
4. Most importantly: Who will provide the content. Do I have the talent in-house? Will I outsource to an ad agency? Will I use freelancers?

In my opinion these two parts are can easily be overlooked but could be the difference between a good implementation and a “wow” DS network or a bad implementation with a “no impact” network.

How scalable should such a plan be at the outset? 

In planning a DS network one should be forward looking. Think of the many different ways this technology can be used not just the standard advertising, way finding, etc. Trying to think in this manner will open up ideas you have never thought of with digital signage. After thinking build the “Dream”. Plan the network with all the bells and whistles you dreamed and if that does not fit into the plan physically or financial you can start backing up from that point. While planning look for technologies that will allow you to easily scale your network. Review both the hardware and software and look for those little things such as hardware reliability. On the software side is it “enterprise?” Is it written (developed) on an enterprise, robust platform? If you would like to scale is there a simple upgrade path or does it require a “fork lift” upgrade. At the end of the day the proper planning of a DS network is the most important part of the project. Done well you will have a great DS network for years to come. Done without the proper planning you could face many uphill battles to the adoption of the technology.

Jane Stricker
Market Innovation Manager
BP America, Inc.

What are the key issues someone should consider before investing in digital signage?
 
-It is critical to clearly define the goals of the digital signage program and ensure that everyone in the organization is aligned around those goals. Knowing the purpose of the program is the most critical element in delivery of a successful program and will drive the investment decision process. Do you want the program to enhance the brand experience, drive additional sales, communicate product benefits, or something else? That will frame the digital strategy and guide the rest of the process.
-Know the long term scalability of the program including how many screens will be deployed, prior to moving forward. If the large scale rollout of the program is too costly or to difficult to implement, it is better to know this prior to investing in any pilot program
-Understand the technology and equipment requirements for your digital signage application. If the technology that exists cannot work in your environment or does not deliver a compelling offer for the consumer, you will not be able to move forward.
-Understand the capabilities of the vendors in the marketplace. Ensure that there are a range of vendors capable of developing and delivering a program at the scale you need and in a way that delivers on your goals.
-Don’t be afraid to use multiple vendors to create a custom solution. Just because one vendor cannot deliver a full solution, it does not mean the right cannot be delivered. Find the right vendors to work together in delivery of your digital signage program.
-Understand what teams within your business need to be involved in the ongoing digital signage program and whether the existing capabilities and workloads will enable this program to be well managed long term. If the business cannot support the management of the program effectively at rollout and scale, it is best to know this before making the investment.

How scalable should such a plan be at the outset? 

It is best to have a long-term view of scalability at the outset. This does not mean that the program has to be fully scalable from day one, but it should be somewhat clear (even in very general terms) how the program will bridge from pilot to scale. If certain aspects of the program are going to require single site or single screen management, it should be taken into consideration early with regard to how manageable the program will be at scale. Ideally, a roadmap showing the steps required for scale with a digital signage program should be created and potential vendors should be asked to provide a view as to how they will manage this process through a rollout.

Steve Griffes
General Motors

What are the key issues someone should consider before investing in digital signage? 

How are you going to feed the beast? New content equals engaged viewers/users
What metrics will be used to measure its success? How do you know you got there?
Time to install takes longer than any bid stated. There will be local issues with each install…one screen at a time.

How scalable should such a plan be at the outset? 

Depends on the application. Internal or corporate facing, think small; customer facing, think big.

Pat Hellberg
Director Brand Design Media Group
Nike

What are the key issues someone should consider before investing in digital signage? 

I firmly believe the potential network operator has to clearly define the network’s purpose and the expectations of the network before spending a dime. 

Key planning issues to consider include: 
  What will be the purpose of the network? 
  Does the organization wish to… Generate revenue through ad sales? 
  Enhance the in-store experience? 
  Help customers find their way around the space more efficiently and/or reduce wait time? 
  Provide product information? Blend of all of these and perhaps others?

How scalable should such a plan be at the outset? 

Scalability will take care of itself. Most potential network operators will...or at least they should...work hard to find the most efficient and effective combination of hardware, software and content generation models for their pilot. If that combination works for four screens, it should also work for 400.

Jack Sullivan
SVP/Out of Home Media Director
StarCom Worldwide

What are the key issues someone should consider before investing in digital signage? 

Questions to consider in the planning process include: Does if it have legs? What are the legs? Am I attracting the right demos? Do I have solid research the backs up the delivered impressions? Are the impressions "effective impressions?” Meaning did I reach the right demo, at the place at the right time ... TV may deliver a great deal of impressions but are they of the right demo? is reaching them in their living room the right place? is reaching them at 9:00pm the right time?

Make sure that the screens are of good quality. Are they place in the right place of the venue? Are they of the right size screens? Does audio help or hinder? Is the content relevant toward the venue?

Review the sales team. Do they know what they are selling? Do they know the market place, the strengths of the medium, and how to suggest the right creative so that it sells well with the medium and placement?

How scalable should such a plan be at the outset? 

Tough to answer ... if not national, then make sure you have penetration in the top 10 markets. If you don't have the top 10, then do your competitors have the top 10 and beyond? In other words, while you as one vendor may not have scale do your collective competitors have scale? If not then I may not be interested. I can't go to a client with a great digital OOH idea where only a scattering of markets are covered. I'm not concerned that anyone vendor has scale but I am concerned if I can't sell the venue (across multiple vendors) to the client.

Another way to review this question is "do I have scale across similar venues or demos"? In some cases some vendors may have several distinctively different venues that play to the same demo. That to me is a demo scale. Some vendors want to stay within the same venue if so then make sure you have enough to generate enough penetration across the top 10 markets.

George Nauman
Partner/CMO
Chute Gerdeman Retail

What are the key issues someone should consider before investing in digital signage? 

a) First become a student of the industry to better understand what digital signage is (go to our show) and what it has the potential to achieve
b) Study best practices/visits stores that are utilizing digital signage and judge for yourself the effectiveness of the media as you watch customers interact with it
c) Next determine what you want digital signage to achieve within your store environment (e.g., 1. attraction/awareness – get people across the lease line, 2. education - explain F&B of products/services to inform customers, 3. close the sale, build transaction size, educate store personnel, etc)
d) Then set up interviews with key digital suppliers who understand breaking down the “customer journey” and help you determine what can be effectively communicated in each step (taking into account customers maybe walking, standing, sitting) and that we have to compete for their attention.
e) Next we recommend building financial model one step at a time…meaning selecting a location or small group of stores to test the effectiveness of digital signage. It is always best to utilize exiting stores with sales history to compare the effect of digital signage on consumer behavior. The other key criteria is make sure management understands all the ways you are testing and quantifying the benefit of digital signage beyond just increased sales (obviously that’s the most important) but other key attributes in changing consumer shopping experiences can be just as valuable (e.g., dwell time - real and perceived, awareness of additional services not apparent in the shopping process, add-on sales, prompt the use of the internet to shop for additional products/services after they have left the store, education for both associates and customers, etc). We believe using a wider net of issues to justify the success of digital signage is the key to achieving success.

How scalable should such a plan be at the outset? 

Very scalable – reason being as you effect customer perception and/or perspective depending on where in the “customer journey” you have place digital signage you may discover based on reaction you need additional points of contact with different content because of how effective the first installation went.

Warren Harmon
Head of Section, Media Support Services
Mayo Clinic

What are the key issues someone should consider before investing in digital signage? 

At Mayo Clinic, we require the following criteria be considered before a customer commits to digital signage: 
1 -  Do they have viable messages that need to be communicated to their target audiences?
 2 - Do they have the human resources to ensure that the signage is updated on a regular basis (who is the steward of the message?) 
3 -  Will they regularly measure success of their digital signage system with respect to audience reaction, understanding and response?
 4 - We also urge all customers to understand that digital signage should not be their only channel of communication; that it should compliment other channels, like print and their Intranet site. 



How scalable should such a plan be at the outset? 

At Mayo Clinic, we encourage a limited scope pilot to begin with - starting with one digital signage player and limited flat panels in strategic areas. We ask for three and six-month reviews of progress based on the above criteria. If the pilot is successful, additional features and panels are discussed. Changes, if necessary, are made, and we proceed.

Christopher Burtt
Global Signage Production Manager
Thomson - Reuters

What are the key issues someone should consider before investing in digital signage? 

1. Goal of digital signage deployment: branding, advertising, ad revenue, entertainment
2. Sign Content - how content supports goals, can it be created in house or will it require external consultancy? Is live data required?
3. Refresh rate of content - how often does screen need to be updated, both data elements and overall design?
4. Support requirements - what is acceptable down time? What are hours of operation? What physical access is required for screen repair?
5. Location of screens - global, foreign language required?
6. Screen audience - what are demographics of audience, what is dwell time?
7. Size and type of screen required - need to ensure it has the right impact for the space, determine cost for kit required (indoor, outdoor, LED, LCD, mounting, etc.).
8. Internal or external infrastructure - How much control do you have over sites?
9. Ease of installation - How difficult to get new screens set up
10. Interactivity - will audience be encouraged to interact with screen? What input device will be used? (touch-screen, mobile, internet, etc.)
11. Internal support for project - will additional budget be available? Will design, technical, legal and other resources be available?
12. Level of innovation - what does digital signage deployment itself say about your organization, does it need to be cutting edge or will proven technology be enough?

All of this comes down to the cost of the solution, and whether you can put together a solution that fulfills the above at an acceptable cost.

How scalable should such a plan be at the outset? 

The infrastructure should be extendable to many types of signs, even if individual design and screen contents need to be tweaked for each location. As much as possible, each element above should be constant for each solution, otherwise sign owner will need to manage large network of suppliers leading to an overly complex solution. In most instances, there are additional locations that will require digital signage, and signage owner should plan for it.

John W. Armiger
VP of Marketing Development
Wyndham Vacation Ownership

What are the key issues someone should consider before investing in digital signage?

There are several issues that should be considered before investing in digital signage:
.
. Return on Investment
. How is the digital signage integrated with marketing programs
. What is the expected action to be achieved (Call to Action)
. How will the results be measured and reported
. Is it for Brand Awareness
. Implementation
. Vendor selection
. Technology selection
. Installation, maintenance and support
. Warranties
. Content Development
. Creative Development
. Brand Management
. Technologies utilized
. Message (Marketing)
. Effectiveness
. Content Management
. Systems and Technologies
. Maintenance
. Personnel
. Database Management (Interactive Displays)
. Connectivity
. Database Systems
. Maintenance
. Personnel

How scalable should such a plan be at the outset?

The scalability is really a factor of many of the items listed above. If the project is planned properly, there should be consideration from the onset for the total scope in the future. A test case could be configured initially with limited scalability in order to gather data and establish parameters for a full scale implementation. Otherwise, I would begin with a system capable of scaling to any level within the scope of the enterprise.