A Digital Discourse: Best Practices and Common Pitfalls of a Digital Signage Program

A Digital Discourse: Best Practices and Common Pitfalls of a Digital Signage Program

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It’s been said over and over again, a successful digital signage program consists of more than playing broadcast TV in waiting areas, and yet, it is common to fall into this mode of operation when adopting a digital signage program. Content becomes stale and stunted — much like old print promotions — when management of your digital program stalls out.

When developing a digital network system, buyers tend to get swept up in hardware and infrastructure semantics. What screens should I buy? How will they be set up? Often, it is only after the screens have been bought and installed, does the question of their purpose hit home: how am I going to make them sell?

Digital signage has proven its abilities to attract customer attention, but many financial institutions with a digital signage program are still trying to figure out how to make it profitable.

“Digital signage is no longer considered revolutionary. It’s proven its capabilities and value. Now the evaluation shifts to balancing the investment in internal support, and measuring the reliability and performance of the digital signage resource,” says Jim Kueneke, Executive Vice President of Retail, NewGround.

Content management is cited as the biggest challenge of a digital signage program by most financial institutions. Experts agree that buyers often over estimate the ease of keeping content fresh and under estimate the time it will take to make updates.

Financial institutions have three options when it comes to content management. The first being a network that is hosted by your network provider, in which the system is monitored and maintained, and content is scheduled, updated and verified by the vendor. The second option is to have your network system managed, updated and supported on all levels by your own content designers

The Content Conundrum

and network administrators. And the third option is to have a combination of both, with content management services coming from your strategic digital partner and from your staff. Many financial organizations often add their advertising agency in the mix for content support.

The best method of management can be determined by examining your creative resources and the staff available to dedicate to your digital signage program. When starting out, experts say that you should begin with a blend of staff and vendor management. As your program develops and employees become more comfortable with the new technology, an organization can re-examine the make-up of content management support.

In-house marketing departments often take the lead in the management of the digital signage program, which is ideal.

“Digital content should be thought of as an extension of your marketing campaign. It should be considered another form of communications within your marketing plan, right alongside print, television, website and social networking activities. Messaging running in print or broadcast campaigns should also be running on your screens,” says Kueneke.

But what most financial institutions don’t take advantage of is the fact that content on digital screens can make a much deeper connection with customers than print and television communications.

“The best approach to reaching customers is focusing on and speaking to the customer’s different life stages. Customized lifestyle marketing excels in the digital format. Messaging can be targeted to your specific market base and the specific life events of your customers,” says Kueneke.

Financial institutions know from market analysis the specific market segmentations their branches attract.Retail experts are using this information to tell stories

that appeal to these different segments on digital screens within the branch environment.

“They are reaching out to customers by speaking to the life events their customers are undergoing, like becoming a first-time home buyer, sending a child off to college, or retiring. This lifestyle approach makes content more meaningful and effective. Consumers are engaged through the emotional tie it creates to products and services,” says Kueneke.

Taking it a step further, some institutions are also developing digital campaigns that customize the experience to a higher level where the customer is participating in the point of experience. Touch screens can be linked to digital players and will activate when a customer that is intrigued by messaging on a screen touches it to find out more about a topic, product or service. And RFID technology is beginning to be integrated into the branch environment to activate customized messaging on digital screens to greet and meet the profile of the customer that has just walked in the door.

Retail experts are also customizing the branch experience in methods of timing. Messaging can be programmed to play at times within the branch that are common for certain customer segments to visit, like stay-at-home mothers or small business owners. Playlists can be tailored to time of play and branch location. All of these elements must have the common thread of your organization’s brand running through them. It’s important to make a visual statement with your logo and brand colors. Screen templates are often the vehicle for showcasing your brand. These frames allow you to format the look and feel of a standard home base that can display feeds on news, weather, sports, stocks, etc.

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Local sponsorship and community events can oftenbe displayed within these templates, as well. It is critical to connect on a community level through the digital screens. Demonstrate that you are part of the community and are working to support it.

Keep in mind that graphics also need to be active to capture and hold onto the customer’s attention. Digital signage should always be working to animate the space.

Creating Strategic Content

• Brand all messaging.

• Reflect marketing campaigns.

• Speak directly to target audience through

lifestyle issues.

• Integrate community news and events.

• Incorporate news feeds instead of TV

programming.

• Use professional graphics.

• Keep content active.

“There is an optimum amount of merchandising messaging for any given retail space. Knowing which media to use and where to use it is the key to a successful sales environment,” says Kueneke.

Digital signage alone does not make a retail environment. It is only one element of the retail space, albeit a powerful tool within this setting when it’s used correctly. It’s important to remember that for digital signage to be effective it must connect with the space design, merchandising components and staff within the retail environment.

First, placement is key to a successful program. The best approach is to begin with a site assessment. Not only will you discover the operational needs for installation and activation, but a site analysis will also give you a perspective on the right placement for screens.

The Digital Environment

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Designers will create visual lines of sight and promote open views in selected product areas and customer touch points. Screens should be strategically positioned, using various heights and angles to encourage certain sight patterns.

Digital signage must be incorporated into an environment designed to engage customers for maximum effectiveness. Screens work best in high traffic areas, such as behind teller areas or a cash bar, but they should also be placed in areas dedicated to specific products and services like a home loan center or an investment area. Digital signage must have a relationship with its surroundings. All merchandising components should work together to create a livelier customer experience.

“Messaging on screens can be customized to these different areas within the branch. What is playing behind the teller line doesn’t have to be the same content playing in the home loan area, and shouldn’t be. Again, customization is key,” says Tim Wheeler, Vice President of Technology and Design, NewGround Retail. “Although, all content playing within your branches should reflect the look and feel of your brand.”

Strategic retail centers allow financial institutions to speak directly about a product that appeals to their target audience. Of course, a retail center won’t showcase the same product or service at every branch. Merchandising and digital messaging should pertain to each branch and the target segmentation of that specific community. Which is another benefit of a

digital signage system — messaging can be customized to each branch location.

Another element of the branch environment whose interplay you should consider is your staff. It’s critical to get employee buy-in when instituting a digital signage program. All employees should use digital signage as a sales tool.

“If customers are looking at the screens, they are getting the message. It’s about what you do after they receive the message that closes the sale,” says Kueneke.

Employees need to understand the purpose of using digital signage in the branch environment, and how it

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can help them engage customers through the messaging. Staff need to be fully aware and schooled on the promotions and messages being displayed on the screens. Otherwise, if a customer asks about a particular message playing on a digital screen and the employee is unable to answer, the customer experience could turn negative, leaving an impression of confusion and uncertainty.

One of the benefits of digital signage is how quickly promotions and marketing campaigns can be changed, but if employees aren’t aware of these updates, awkward situations will also arise.

“It’s important to hold weekly meetings to update employees on the messages being displayed on the screens — whether that’s a new rate, a promotions package, or a local sponsorship,” says Wheeler. “Some sort of communications addressing the new messaging on the screens, whether it’s verbal, a memo or email must be delivered to every employee.”

Staff should also be trained to pick up on cues customers give when they are interested in a subject that has flashed on the screen. They need to become visually aware of a customer’s stance, position on the floor, body language, and become pro-active in approaching the customer when a signal of interest is presented.

“Digital signage provides a simple and direct way to start a dialog with a customer, especially through lifestyle messaging. It can help deepen the employee/customer relationship if an employee engages a customer about a specific life stage message the customer is interested in,” says Rebecca Doepke, Director of Culture, NewGround. “Within a few seconds, the employee could learn a useful detail like the customer has a son about to leave for college and he is worried about the financial strain it will cause. This type of information is critical when it comes to building a relationship with the customer.”

Digital content should be used as a prompt by staff. It can break down barriers and allows employees to persuade customers to learn more about a product or service, or talk to a financial representative about their concerns.

A digital screen has the ability to provide much more than entertainment. With the right messaging and

placement, and staff who understand how to use it, digital signage is a profitable sales tool.

The Digital Environment The Digital Environment

Seven Basic Functions of Digital Signage

• Increase brand awareness.

• Improve customer understanding of

products and services.

• Facilitate sharing of knowledge between

employees and consumers.

• Connect with the community through the

display of local news and events.

• Promote philanthropies and sponsorships.

• Extend marketing campaign by promoting

special offers on screens.

• Entertain and engage customers.

Future Digital Signage DesignLive feed survey tools, user generated content, mobile tagged content — your organization may not be ready to adopt these features now, but in the near future financial institutions will need to implement these components to survive in the high-tech landscape of financial services. That’s why it’s important to partner with a digital service provider that is at the forefront of new technological advances. Several firms are going beyond the digital applications we know today and are exploring wireless deliveries such as RFID, Bluetooth, SMS and Wi-Fi in an effort to permanently put customers at a point of sale through interaction with cell phones and other mobile devices.

“In the next 3 years, over 40% of the display screens sold for use at retail stores will be able to interact with a customer’s cell phone. This has the potential to create interactive selling experiences right at the point of sale,” says Kueneke.

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Most of today’s popular innovative technology and platforms are also centered on the concept of lifestyle marketing. Trendy platforms, like Twitter and Facebook, connect people with similar likes and social concerns. These networking platforms, along with a constant flux of new technology hitting today’s market, will continue to find new ways to connect people within similar social spheres, and the branch environment will continue to find new ways to take advantage of technology that speaks directly to customers.

For a successful digital signage program, make sure your digital provider can achieve your strategic objectives by improving the effectiveness of your digital network. Good vendors will know enough about the financial industry and digital signage to ask the right questions, find the right solutions to fit your needs, and will develop a partnership with you to provide the best management for your digital endeavor.

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Digital Signage: A Vital Component in Personalizing the Branch Experience

BB&T was operating with over 1,500 financial centers that varied in design, layout, physical condition, age and branding components. They represented an aggregation of acquired banks, created with a traditional design format; and they presented to the market mixed messaging and a disjointed image of BB&T. To stay competitive in the market, they needed a retrofit strategy that would unify their branch network, and personalize the customer banking experience.

BB&T partnered with NewGround to create and design a “branch experience” for BB&T’s newly built and existing branches. They began with a market evaluation model of 50 branches and then proposed what level each of these branches needed to be renovated. NewGround’s strategy was to create a holistic retail experience that would embrace and engage the customer while helping to deliver “The Perfect Client Experience,” defined by BB&T.

NewGround developed signature BB&T elements to distinguish the branch experience, a branded merchandising approach, and a digital signage program to create a fresh and contemporary look that could be incorporated at different levels throughout the entire BB&T branch network.

Merchandising elements like ATM wraps, wall coverings, soffit treatments, and casework graphics unifies each branch within the network. The trademark burgundy color is strategically used throughout the merchandising content to create a unified visual connection to the brand. The theme and messaging is conversational, inviting, and people focused. Additional unifying elements are a Heritage Wall highlighting BB&T’s beginnings, and a Hot Spot Hospitality Center, which allows customers to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee while learning about BB&T’s latest products and services.

One of the most unique elements in BB&T’s retail design is the digital signage program, which targets customer segmentations to deliver more targeted and personalized messaging. A small touch screen sits in,

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or near, a retail center. As a customer touches a lifestyle event on the screen, like “retirement” or “college,” it triggers messaging on a larger LCD screen hanging on a nearby wall. Messaging on this screen is kept informal, listing tips and strategies on these lifestyle events. For instance, touching the college button brings up information on buying a laptop for easy travel and handling, and whether students should buy or rent books for classes. At the end of this messaging segment, products and services offered by BB&T specific to this lifestyle appear. In addition, NewGround also designed and wrote content for LCD photo frames displayed at the check writing desk, programmed to prepare customers waiting in line for their transaction. For instance, topics like “Identification needed,” “Are your checks signed?” and “Do you have a deposit slip filled out?” are listed on these small screens. To align and complete the screen system in the branch environment, content and graphics were also designed for computer screen savers in the Online Center.

Through personalized attention to the customer’s lifestyle and specific needs, NewGround designed a branch experience that has heighten sales and service levels throughout BB&T’s entire branch network.

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Integration of the Digital Signage System: What you need to know before you purchase a digital system

1. Assess and survey sites. A strategic site analysis must be conducted to determine tactical implementation. Determine the quantity and location of the video displays in each location. Consider how to handle viewing range, ambient light and structural challenges for screen mounting. Through this analysis, your strategic digital partner should be able to determine which type of video display is appropriate for the defined point of experience for the customer. 2. Determine hardware sourcing. Some financial institutions buy digital screens and hardware on their own and only retain a strategic digital partner for installation and management. There are risks in purchasing hardware on your own. First, it eliminates the option for customizing the hardware to your branch environment. Second, issues surrounding the warranty is a common problem. Who will be responsible for warranty service? System longevity, operating temperatures and performance standards must also be carefully examined.

3. Find out what infrastructure is needed for setup. Does the digital signage network system work as a stand-alone system with your branches? The network system should be designed to take advantage of the speed and flexibility of the Internet. Low bandwidth requirements should be used to transmit sophisticated graphics to any number of locations and screen designs. Avoid solutions that stream video or rely on large file sizes. External internet connections, existing network architecture, or a Virtual Private Network are all connectivity options that should be available to communicate with secure servers. (See diagrams on page 10.)

4. Learn what the end to end deployment process is for system installation from your provider. Question who and how the digital network will be

installed. What type of testing will be conducted? It’s critical to ensure proper content playback and connectivity architecture are in place. Also, develop an installment schedule with your strategic partner. Disruption to daily work in the retail environment should be kept at a minimum. Experienced installers understand how important this is to your business, and know to implement and activate technology with little disruption to your work space.

5.Evaluate the network’s security functionality.Find out how the players connect and what they are connecting to. How secure are the servers? Is the content encrypted? If your system is being controlled by a local controlled website, how secure is it? Most digital systems are built to have specific access and user controls configured prior to installation. If you’re using an outside source for content, confirm that content is encrypted when transferred to your players. Also find out how the local control website is secured. Ensure that hackers can’t intercept data transfers or access your username and password for malicious purposes.

6. Research monitoring capabilities.Does you vendor have a monitoring system and does it work at the branch level? Do your screens have a self monitoring system to diagnose themselves? Typically, self monitors immediately correct problems that occur and generate a log report. This data and information on connectivity and functionality should be relayed to the digital signage vendor.

7. Find out what content file formats the digital system supports.At a minimum, a digital system should support these standard files: mpeg1, mpeg2, mp4, avi, wmv, mov, jpg, png, bmp, and swf. In addition, your system should be designed to be expandable in order to meet the needs of new player codecs and technology.

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8. Ask if the application has its own proprietary content editing and formatting tools.How many channels of information does it secure? More channels allow you to target specific messages on individual screens throughout your branch. Custom screen formatting for each individual channel should be available. And there should be no limits to the number of content frames that can be displayed on one screen.

9. Examine the system’s scheduling capabilities.It’s important to understand how updates and uploads are handled. Digital signage is unique in that it has a fast design to distribute time when it comes to market messaging, but there is more to it than a few clicks on a keyboard. Many firms have processes in place to pre-load content on a Player PC prior to scheduling. In order to maximize network efficiency, content is usually delivered during branch off hours.

10. Employ a vendor who is experienced in dealing with technical support and the logistical challenges. Experience is the key to finding a strategic digital signage partner that is the right fit. The best approach is to find a partner that is not only knowledgeable about digital signage, but is also experienced with the industry you work in. This plays an important role when it comes to content, placement and management. Financial industry experts understand what is going to attract customers, peak their interest, and engage them within the financial services environment.

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System Connectivity: How is Content Being Distributed?

A digital signage partner should offer several connectivity options. The following diagrams represent the most common configurations for a digital signage network.

©2009 NewGround. All rights protected and reserved.

About NewGround

NewGround is a leading international design and implementation firm. For nearly a century, NewGround has been a premier provider of growth solutions, helping organizations advance by focusing on the design and delivery of customer and employee experiences. NewGround provides strategic solutions through the integration of their core offerings, which include: Brand, Consult, Design, Build, Retail and Culture.

The company’s headquarters are in St. Louis, MO, and corporate office in Chicago, IL; with principal offices in San Francisco, CA; Atlanta, GA; Portsmouth, NH and Toronto, Canada.

To learn more about NewGround, call 888.613.0001, or visit www.newground.com.