Digital signs have been around for a long time, but they have evolved quite a bit. As the technology gets better, these signs have become a lot more interactive, opening up all kinds of possibilities for connecting with your customers. This can be done in a number of ways, so let’s discuss some of the most common methods. Bear in mind that we are not talking about EMC (Electronic Message Center) signs, which are generally used outdoors. Those are digital, but the signs we discuss today are more like interactive terminals.
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Customer Check-In
If your business makes use of appointments for any reason, a digital terminal can be used to streamline the check-in process. Instead of having a person behind a desk doing the work, you can simply put up a sign instructing customers to “check-in below”. Medical offices are obviously a good fit for this technology, as are any businesses that provide special services on an appointment-only basis.
This is also much more efficient than a paper check-in form. You will have to retain these registration records for a certain amount of time, so storing all those paper forms is going to be a serious pain. When you use a digital interactive sign, on the other hand, all that information goes straight to a hard drive which is obviously a lot more space-efficient.
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Guide Maps
You’ve probably seen those cool interactive maps that are used in video games? Well, some businesses are now able to provide those in a more physical form. This will normally take the form of a large touch-screen sign that will display routes, information, and a broad overhead map of the area. This is very useful for larger places like college campuses and large office buildings.
Not only does it help people to find their way around, but it also creates a nice atmosphere and demonstrates a higher level of class. You just don’t see these kinds of things at the local strip mall, so they will tend to impress. These maps also have the advantage of being much easier to update than traditional map signs.
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Information-Based Promotion
Most people will not simply make a purchase without evaluating its value. Unless it is a product that you have bought many times before, it makes sense to try and get more information before you pay for anything. In the past, this has usually meant hunting down a salesperson who will have only the most general idea about the products in question. Needless to say, that’s not a particularly good system.
Interactive digital signs, however, can easily be equipped with barcode readers. These can then be used by the customer so as to scan the product and get detailed information about its features. You can’t realistically expect a human to memorize every detail of every item in the store, but a digital sign system can do that easily.
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Entertainment
This might not provide a direct benefit to your financial bottom line, but it can definitely improve a customer’s experience. If your business requires a customer to wait for more than a couple of minutes, you might place a digital interactive sign in the waiting area. It can then be used to show entertaining videos, play games, or something of that nature.
The benefits that you receive from this kind of sign are less obvious, but still there. The biggest one is that it provides you with an opportunity to connect with your customers and make them associate your brand with good things. The more they enjoy their experience, the more likely they are to come back…it’s that simple.
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Interactive Product Catalogs
This relates to the product information system that we described in section three. If you’re going to create something like that, you might as well expand the idea and turn it into a full-blown catalog.
This allows customers to browse your products without having to walk all over the store, so these are a good fit for businesses with large premises. Of course, it is very important that you keep the system up to date. Otherwise, the catalog will not reflect the availability of actual items, rendering it much less useful.
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Employee Communication
Not all digital signs are placed in the public area. These interactive terminals and screens can also be used to good effect in employee-only areas. We could go on for pages and pages about all the ways in which one could use such signs, but all of the tricks come down to one common factor: Improved communication.
Most jobs require a certain amount of teamwork and all teamwork depends on good communication. For instance, restaurants will often use digital signs of the non-interactive sort to communicate orders to the kitchen. Now imagine how much more effective that system could be with interactive digital signage.
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Product Demonstrations
One of the big problems with in-store business is the fact that you can’t usually see an item “work” before you buy. Stores generally won’t break things out of the packaging just to demonstrate them to a potential buyer. Why? Because, if you don’t buy, they will no longer be able to sell the item at full price. However, a virtual product demonstration is the next best thing and can easily be provided by digital signage. For maximum convenience, these videos can be incorporated into your virtual catalog.
Conclusion
Admittedly, digital interactive signs are a little more expensive than most. That being said, they offer a much greater array of potential uses, which can be a great trade. You can really get creative with this type of signage and use it as an effective way to interact with your customers. Ideally, this sort of signage should streamline human interaction instead of replacing it completely. If you would like to learn more or discuss some possibilities, you can contact us at 302-322-1600.