Are we living in a world where people won’t engage unless it is done on their phones? Who
knows, but the fact that most digital signs have mobile-friendly options is a big plus. You can use
everything from Bluetooth connections to QR codes to get people to engage with your digital
signs. Here are a few thoughts on enhancing the way people engage with your digital signs.
Offer Way finding Advice
There are several ways you can do this. You can turn your digital signs into regular signs that point
the way to places, perhaps having them rotate their directions to different places. Alternatively,
you could treat your digital signs like mall maps with the “You Are Here” sign. You could go a little
more advanced and have your signs connect with people's phones so that they point the way as
people approach them. You could also use them as in-house interactive sat-nav system, which
may be suitable in very large and complicated places like hospitals.
Running Suitable Scheduling Software
You can draw a lot of attention by running the right content at the right time. You can use
software like Kitcast.tv to manage and control your content. Above all else, you can schedule your
content to suit your target audience. You can run content in the early hours of the day that suits
people going to work and taking kids to school. The shoppers appear at around 11 am, the lunch
period folk at 1 pm and so forth. You can target people simply by running your content at certain
scheduled times.
Multi-Language Support
Since most Western countries are now full of all types of people from all types of places, it pays to
have signs in different languages. In many places in North America, you see content in Hispanic
and in English. In the United Kingdom, you see lots of content in Urdu and English. You can make
your signs multi-lingual the same way that modern train ticket dispensers are multi-lingual. People
can press the button that changes the content into their language, or they can connect through a
suitable app, or you can have the content flip from one language to another.
Virtual Receptionists and Gatekeepers
We saw several varieties of digital-sign gatekeepers during the pandemic lockdowns. People were
being told when to enter a building, how many people were present in the building, and how
many may enter the building. Similar devices are in place now with virtual receptionists. We are
not yet at a point where voice control is reliable enough, but virtual receptionists are becoming
more and more touchscreen driven, which is a pretty good idea in some circumstances. We are
seeing gatekeepers at tills and changing rooms. Digital signs tell people when to approach the till,
and they tell people which of the changing rooms are free to use.
Giving People an Alternative
The fact that people can approach the employee or use the digital sign is a great leap forwards and
is perhaps something that the Smartphone revolution has been leading up to. People are so
accustomed to using their phones for just about anything, so it is no surprise that a big digital sign
with a touch-screen interface is more appealing and enticing than having to talk to a human. Plus,
if people are dealing with issues that do not require thought, sales or interpretation, then why not
use digital signs instead of people? It eliminates a certain type of job, but these are the types of
job that people complain about anyway, so they will not be missed. Going more automated and
more streamlined is almost always a good thing.
