Easily and efficiently sending out a memo or a change of procedure document to ALL employees - at a company - is no small task.
Keeping a large amount of factory employees up-to-date with pertinent information is very overwhelming. Printing out hundreds of pieces of paper, for employees, becomes quite expensive. Plus, most plant floor employees do not have a computer in front of them, so that eliminates email as an effective means of communication. More and more manufacturers are turning to fresh, digital signs to improve morale, increase overall safety, and assist in productivity.
Digital displays capture over 400% more views than static displays.*
Banks and financial institutions are progressively installing digital signage to not only reinvent their brand, but to improve the overall banking experience for their loyal customers. Digital signage is an important element in modern banking and can be used to enhance communication between the customer and the bank’s ever changing message. With more and more customers banking remotely on mobile devices, it is imperative that financial institutions take advantage of the middle ground created between virtual and physical, when visiting the drive-thru lane.
Upscale outdoor shopping malls seem to be popping upeverywhere in suburbia. The popular trend for deploying digital signage runs parallel with the growing number of outdoor retail outlets.
From wayfinding to advertisements, digital signage plays a major role at outdoor malls. Celia Anderson, in her article for Digital Signage Today, describes how digital is influential, “Sixty-three percent of people report that digital signage catches their attention. This percentage is significantly higher than TV, Internet and billboard advertising. Retailers are choosing digital signage due to its low cost and flexibility, but high impact is the key advantage.”
A big decision when planning an outdoor digital signage project is to determine if the environmental LCD enclosure or kiosk should include a touchscreen. The answer is not as easy as one would think. Some retailers may actually need a combination of non-touch and interactive touchscreen directories.
Considering an outdoor digital deployment in the New Year?
As prices slowly fall on enclosures, LCDs and content, more and more Quick Service Restaurant’s (QSR) are deciding that it is finally time to “go digital” both indoors and out. As Ben Sillitoe discussed in Essential Retail, “Research group IHS released a study in the summer, which predicted that digital signage revenue is set to grow by 10% year [to] year in 2015 and a further 7% in 2016. The organization's Digital Signage Industry Market Tracker indicated that, as the total cost of the technology, continues to decrease each year, expanded deployment is becoming more feasible for a variety of industry sectors.” Starbucks is a great example of a company that will be getting into the game… in a big way! The coffee giant plans on adding 2,400 outdoor digital menu boards in the next year.
With already proven indoor digital signage at many QSRs (McDonald’s, Wendy's, Burger King, Dunkin’ Donuts, KFC, Taco Bell) across America, outdoor signage does not have to be a tremendous mountain to climb. In fact, some enclosure fabricators are now offering outdoor enclosures that are landscape oriented, which makes the transition from indoor to outdoor that much simpler. The content does not have to be reimagined, resized, revised, and reworked. It is already completed! Content is just one area that must be explored when planning a digital strategy. What are the five most important aspects of digital to consider from the very beginning?
“Workplace digital signage can be a highly effective communication channel for reinforcing key messages and influencing behavior.” Digital Signage Today
More and more companies are turning to eye-catching digital signage to easily and efficiently display essential messages to employees. The NanoLumens blog describes how digital displays are easier to use, when compared to other standard forms of communication, “With a large format digital display, there’s no need to bombard staff with emails across a room. Instead, put your group messaging up on a screen that everyone can see.”
From posting production figures to data feeds to HR memos to important safety information, there are many pieces of pertinent content that employees need to review on a daily basis. “With digital signage, sales information can easily be shared with the rest of the staff. Charts, graphs, and spreadsheets can easily be created on the computer and shared on communal screens to validate company-wide efforts and also, to encourage and motivate growth. Marketing teams can showcase current campaigns and promotions with co-workers who in turn get inspired and contribute their own ideas and thoughts. Creativity and inspiration can come from anywhere,” states Alyx Lofton from FriendMedia.
Digital signage solutions are a natural fit for healthcare related industries that wish to improve communications within their communities or professional offices.
Digital signage can engage, communicate, direct, and, above all, educate patients. With new technological and innovative advances like all-in-one systems and integrated touch-screen displays, digital signage can be easily and securely added and supported throughout a care-facility. However, the overall protection of patients, visitors and employees is extremely vital. Many institutions source LCD enclosures for wayfinding, advertising, lobbies, hospital hallways, cafeterias, and waiting rooms. Dirty, germ-filled magazines in waiting rooms can be a thing of the past!
In most cases, electronics overheating will ruin chances for their survival and effectiveness.
In order to work properly, most commercial grade LCDs need to reside in an environment that is between 40° F – 104° F. Conversely, there are also LCDs available - in the ever-increasing marketplace - that are referred to as “In Plane Switching” (IPS) panels. IPS displays boast a much higher heat tolerance on the front of the screen, which allows for a less complex cooling scheme. However, when deploying LCDs outdoors, one must also take into consideration the other electronics that will be installed inside of the enclosure. What heat will they give off? In addition to the LCD, thermal management mustbe adequate enough for the media player, because it is the heart and soul of the entire electronic arrangement.
As Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) install digital menu boards across the country, one might say, ‘It is cheaper to install interior digital boards at our restaurants. We do not want to deal with sourcing special, brighter, LCDs and environmentally sealed enclosures.' This could be true, but it is also true that approximately 60-70% of QSR customers are buying their chicken sandwiches, fries, and medium Coke at the drive-thru. If a restaurant only has digital menu boards on the inside, they are simply not influencing the majority of their customers (over two-thirds). With digital, the options are endless and with static, the options are limited - unless new menus are printed every time that the restaurant makes a change to their prices or food choices (wow, that is a lot of menus!).
When commuting around a metropolitan area, people often check the schedule board before taking the train or subway to get to work, sporting events, and Sunday brunch. Plus, if one needs to travel across the country for an important business meeting, it is essential to know if a flight is delayed. While having the train or flight schedule on a smart phone is always handy, it is also great to take a quick glance at an updated digital board to see what time the train is coming and going. With vibrant digital boards, the schedule can be programmed to automatically update, because being punctual for a job or catching a flight is a priority.
Can a touchscreen be added to an outdoor LCD enclosure?
The simple answer is a resounding YES!
Touchscreen interaction and capabilities go hand-in-hand with wayfinding applications. Many retail stores, restaurants, college campuses and transportation terminals are using touchscreen displays outdoors for their innovative digital signage projects. However, most traditional touchscreen displays do not have the ability to withstand various harsh outdoor environments (hot and freezing temperatures, along with rain, sun, snow, sleet, etc...).
