Happy Holidays!

We did it again! Check out our new end of the year holiday video. Santa's belief numbers are down a lot this year. How will he boost awareness and spread his holiday cheer all across the world? You'll need to watch to find out.



Did you like the video? Please comment.

Happy Holidays from the Captive Indoor Media team!!

What's the ROI of 'here' or 'there'?

Does screen placement effect digital signage ROI? For example, is it fair to measure the ROI of a screen placed in a retail environment the same way as a screen placed in an office cafeteria? The answer is obvious - No. It's unfair to measure their success, or failure, the same way. Think about it - the objective, or goal, of these screens are completely different. One serves the purpose to promote, advertise, and sell while the other is there to inform, remind, or entertain.

Measuring digital signage effectiveness is not a simple task, but before trying to monetize any return, make sure what you're measuring even makes sense. Start with measuring the objective - whatever that may be - Because the return on objective, most of the time, will often show whether or not you are getting what you expected from your digital signage system.

Screen placement is one thing. Deciding an objective is another. But content is the thing - and knowing when and where to schedule it can make a big difference. Let's say you have a beautifully placed screen in a bank lobby with the objective of entertaining and lowering the perceived wait time for customers. The screen is at eye level and anyone who sits down in the lobby looks at that screen. But, one thing is off - The content is not entertaining. Instead the screen is pushing information about bank products bank product and services with the occasional word scramble. If the objective is to entertain, then the majority of the content must be entertaining (TV,trivia, fun facts, etc). When you go to measure your return on objective, odds are you won't receive the return you expected. So, not even the best placed screen and clearly defined objective will save anyone from poorly designed and placed content.

In conclusion, YES, screen placement does effect digital signage ROI along with many other attributes. However, sometimes it's not the ROI that should be measured, but rather the ROO (Return on Objective). Digital signage is still a young marketing tool with a lot of grey area in monetizing return. As time goes on more and more formulas will form to help attach dollar signs to digital signage. That said, one thing will never change - the objective!

Tips from a Designer

Need some assistance designing content for your digital signage? Well, below are 5 best practices that Captive's very own Creative Director, Brandon Bass, uses when designing content. Hope this helps to get you started. Happy Designing!

1. Size it up

It may seem obvious, but it’s critical to begin with a composition that fits your screen! Widescreen LCD monitors are sized to a 16:9 aspect ratio—and when you turn that same screen “tallways”, that portrait orientation now has a 9:16 aspect ratio. We design our typical content at a pixel dimension of 1366 x 768, but to create content at “Full HD”, you can size your composition to 1920 x 1080 pixels. Images should be at least 150 dpi (dots per inch), and animated graphics (SWF) should be set to 24 fps (frames per second).

2. Create a billboard

Digital signage screens are like billboards—a lot of people will look at them, but they might only have a short period of time to make an impact. Keep this in mind as you design content, making text large, legible, and on-screen for a comfortable amount of time to read and comprehend. It’s also important to keep your message simple and succinct. Chances are, you’re audience isn’t going to read the fine print on a retail digital screen, so it’s more important to hit the high points with big headlines, bulleted details, and a compelling call to action.

3. Catch glances

Using striking imagery and animation is another key facet of good digital signage content. The most effective graphics are recognizable instantly, hitting you with an immediate punch, but subtle images can get results, too. Aim to use photos that leave room for your text, so that the copy and image work together to occupy the ad space. When possible, use interesting animation effects on text to bring words to life and draw attention to the information, but avoid making images move too much while displaying text that you want your audience to read and digest.

4. Stick to a palette

The best brands in the world associate themselves instantly with a distinct color palette. When designing content, try to reflect the look of your logo or website, sticking to a restricted color scheme that viewers can begin to identify your company by. You might decide to tie a specific color to certain products or services so that, for instance, a content file with lots of red always advertises auto loans. The most important thing to remember is that consistency creates long-lasting connections between visual and mental functions, while inconsistency breeds confusion.

5. Make a storyboard

When it comes to any kind of design process, careful planning and organization never hurts. Make a storyboard of what you’d like your ad to contain, including ingredients like an introduction or headline, a main message or key points, and a conclusion or call to action. You can use thumbnail sketches of what each portion of the ad should look like to determine the best placement of images and text, making an effort to keep each section of the ad visually interesting and compositionally unique.

Best In Show

Just getting started with Digital Signage? Having the freedom to play multiple pieces of content lets you provide more information to your audience but can also increase the likelihood of Visual Overload or missing important messaging. Here are some tips to maximize the effectiveness of your digital signage without going overboard.

1. Determine Your Message

Before you create a show or start to look for screen content, determine your message. Are you focusing on a certain product or service this month? Are you trying to reach a specific type of customer? Once you’ve answered these questions, you can build your show to promote specific services and schedule it to target specific audiences, helping you meet your goals.

2. Create Playlists of Similar Media Files

For the most captivating digital signage show, dedicate zones to play a specific type of media. That way,your audience will gain familiarity with the zones and will become comfortable watching specific zones. Building playlists is the easiest way to keep similar files together in groups. For example create a playlist with similar files such as a video message from your CEO and a TV commercial. With files grouped together as a playlist you’ll be able to keep them together regardless of what zone you drop them into or what show you’ve created. Also, because video and highly animated files can overwhelm some audiences, it’s a good idea to create a playlist of low-impact static JPEG images which could still include advertisements and announcements.

3. Choose a Layout That Fits Your Needs

Choosing how to layout your show is important. Create a simple 2-zone layout that allows you to display a scrolling ticker of community events, stock tickers or news feeds as well as a larger zone to focus on your services and promotions. Choose a 3 zone layout to display even more information! By determining your needs prior to creating the show, you’re more likely to have engaging and informative show that will provide consistent messaging, potential cross selling and the ability to educate your customers; keeping them coming back in the future!

4. Watch Your Aspect Ratios

Aspect Ratio refers to the shape of your screen or content, based on the measurements of the width and height, respectively. LCD screens typically have a 16:9 aspect ratio when displayed in landscape mode. Screens can be rotated 90 degrees for placement, style, or functional purposes. When this occurs, the numbers in the aspect ratio are reversed and the orientation becomes portrait.

5. Working with 2-Zone Layouts

As a rule of thumb, avoid letting your zones compete for attention with an overload of movement. For instance, use a larger zone for important promotional information and community events within the ticker zone or play new feeds, stock or a custom text ticker. A two zone layout with a ticker at either the top or the bottom accomplishes this goal.

6. Switch to Full-Screen for Emphasis

Sometimes you really need to get the full attention of your audience, so switch the layouts of your shows for emphasis. Create a new show with a full screen layout. When changing layouts for emphasis it’s important to include your current promotions, timely announcements, upcoming events and anything else that you want to occupy the whole screen. Schedule this kind of show for peak traffic times or switch to it at various points through the day or week.

7. Working with 3 or More Zone Layouts

The more zones you have the smaller each zone is, making it harder for viewers to focus. Avoid putting too much information into the smaller zones as they are often harder to follow. Shift the focus to larger zones that are playing marketing messages, services offered or community events.

In-Flight Entertainment

People are traveling more than ever these days. We go from taxis to airports, airports to shuttles, shuttles to taxis, taxis to subways, from subways to; yeah, you get the point. Throughout our modes of daily transportation, it's no secret that advertisers are looking to reach us when we are most "captivated". Digital screens have been popping up in taxis, trains, subways, and planes for a while now and won't be going away anytime soon. They try to cross-sell products/services, keep us informed of travel information, build brand recognition by displaying branded content, or even allow their audiences to order in-travel refreshments. Most important, the digital screens help to lower the perceived wait, or travel, time of the trip. But, in my opinion, digital signage does something even more - add to the customer experience!

Let's take a look at your typical airplane trip. You board the plane looking for "Row G Seat 2." You struggle through the other passengers putting the luggage in the overhead compartment, and after a few minutes of "excuse me" you find your seat. After getting your luggage situated you look forward to see a digital screen in the headrest of the seat in front of yours. On the screen you see "Welcome (Enter name here), thanks for flying..." within the airlines branded content. Once everyone is settled, the Captain does a live broadcast from the cockpit and then the in-flight safety information video plays on everyone's screen. Although the video also explains what else this screen will do for you during your 12 hour flight. This touch screen allows you to call flight attendants, order food and beverages, even check whether the bathrooms are occupied - reserve a spot - and alert you when it's your turn.

Not only does the screen serve as your personal flight attendant, but as your in-flight entertainment as well. The screens make every seat a window seat. With the push of a button your screen shows the view from a camera on the outside of the plane. So if your on the right side of the plane and your Captain says "and to your left you will see the Las Vegas strip", you won't have to crawl across anyone to see it. If that's not enough, you can also watch satellite TV, purchase movies, or surf the web. No more watching boring in-flight movies. You chose what it is you watch. You chose how you are entertained.

Passengers aren't the only ones who benefit from the digital screens, but the airlines and in-flight staff do as well. The airlines benefit from the multi-zone content - In one zone you have the movie that a passenger may have purchased (which is revenue for the airline), but in a smaller zone on the right side of the screen are the ads of the airline, Sky Mall, or other paid advertisements. This would add a new and much needed revenue stream for the airlines. Then there's the in-flight staff. Being able to communicate with passengers via the screens would make their lives a lot easier. Attendants could take beverage or food orders, requests for extra pillows or blankets, etc and save themselves the hassle of making two trips. Airlines could then possibly reduce the number of flight attendants on each plane resulting in less overhead.

There's countless benefits for digital signage in transportation, but as I mentioned all these benefits really add up to just one thing - The customer experience! As many transportation companies are already implementing such technologies, I hope they remember to think about and plan around the customer experience. Goals and metrics should be measured by attributes such as perceived wait time - Measure the actual time of trip v.s. the perceived time, Expectations and Performance - Measure what was expected and how the company performed compared to those expectations.

If companies concentrate on the customer experience, I firmly believe that those customers will become fans of the brand and tell the world about their experience with a company. And today, that's what it's all about.

The High Cost of Wayfinding

The Mall, According to Wikipedia, is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version of the traditional marketplace.

I kind of chuckled at the word "easily". Honestly, it's not so easy to navigate from point A to point B anymore. There's kiosk shops, carts, photo booths, rides, and other hurdles all over today's mall. But, if I look at the back-lit mall map, I don't see any of these obstacles. Just a clear, easy path to my destination. And sometimes the map is so outdated that when I get to where the Radio Shack supposed to be on the map, I see the new cookie shop that replaced it. Turns out the Radio Shack moved to the other end of the mall for more space. So, why not update the map?

It seems like at least once a month our local mall has a one store closing and another one opening. That would call for a lot of map updating, which could potentially be expensive. Think about it - There is usually several directory maps in the mall and continually printing new graphics is costly. Add in the labor expense to replace the old one and it's easy to see the potentially high cost in updating the ever-changing mall maps.

So, what can be done to keep the mall patrons informed of new stores and store closings while keeping costs down? Simply go digital! By replacing these traditional back-lit maps with screens and designing a digital version, patrons would be able to get clear directions to the shops they are looking for, and the content could easily be updated using a web-based software. No need for printing or labor intensive replacements. Just edit the design and press 'submit!

Not only are digital maps easier to update, but patrons could interact with a digital screen. Let's say I'm looking for Foot Locker. Using my finger, I press Foot Locker on the screen. It shows me how to reach my destination, but also informs me of other shoe stores in the mall and tells me which shoe stores are having sales. Let's see that old kiosk directory do that!

Lastly, digital signage just looks better and brings life into the mall. Using animated or interactive graphics is a lot "cooler" than a boring static images. It's like a fresh coat of paint in your living room. Just ask any company that's replaced static posters with digital signage. They will tell you that more people are attracted to the screen than the poster.

Evolution of the TV

Scrolling through my Twitter feed this morning, I found a great blog post from the always interesting Mashable.com. Their salute to the TV and it's evolving size, quality, and price got me thinking. Can you imagine hanging a high-end CTR on the wall of a retail space and displaying ads or way-finding content to your customers? Ha.

It's because of the evolution of the TV that digital signage was born. It's the continuously shrinking size and price plus the improvement in quality that allow the digital signage industry a chance to survive. So, not only am I saluting the TV for the endless hours of information and entertainment, I'm giving the TV a bear hug for providing me with a fun, and fulfilling career.

Cheers!

Using Digital Signage Internally

By now, the usage and benefits of digital signage are clear to marketers. When I ask "what are your goals?" or "why indoor digital signage?", the most popular answers have been "to display ads to our customers at the point of purchase" or "to increase cross-selling opportunities." Every so often someone tells me they want to entertain their customers with news or trivia while they’re waiting. Almost all answers are customer-centric, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, there’s a huge potential benefit that companies often overlook when planning digital signage use: Employees!

How many companies have push-pin bulletin boards hanging in a break room, hallway, or lobby that employees use to communicate departmental progress or personal achievements? I've worked in a few places that used this easy-to-ignore method of communication, and most of the time documents would just hang there unnoticed until someone took them down. Another issue that I've noticed with companies is the lack of interdepartmental communication. If you are in Marketing - What's going on in Accounting? If you are in Accounting - What's going on in R&D? You get the idea. Things change so fast that there's not enough time (or space) on the bulletin board. Using a digital sign for a company bulletin board is far more eye-catching than papers hanging on the wall and provides more flexibility. At Captive, we have a screen in each department. Each week, department heads send updates to the project administrator. So, right now, I can tell you what each department did last week, what they’re working on this week, and where we stand YTD on company goals just by turning around.

I found a really great blog that talks more about using digital signage for internal communication. Check it out. Let me know what your company does to communicate? Newsletters, bulletin boards, digital signage? What methods are you using today and how could it improve?

Face 2 Facebook with Digital Signage

Recently, I wrote an article that discussed combining digital signage with social media. In the video above, Coke Cola uses digital kiosks at one of it's summer festivals so those attending the event would share their experiences with friends and family via Facebook - Before they even leave the event!

This benefits Coke in a couple of ways:

Coke is encouraging people to tell their friends about the "good time" they're having in hope to attract more people to the event.

Plus, the post to Facebook will be there until the user takes it down - So, Coke is turning their customers' Facebook page into a Coke billboard

Digital Signage + Social Media = Very Smart Move

Digital Signage Projections

Now more than ever, marketers have more choices on how they will promote their brands' products or services. The internet has given birth to a wide variety of marketing avenues such as corporate websites, web advertising, email, social media, QR codes, and more. The emerging internet technologies have clearly had an impact on the amount of print materials marketers are using in their strategies. Why use print when you can go digital? Digital marketing is more dynamic, easier to change, and often has a smaller price tag.

Since its inception, there's no question that digital signage has made itself into one of the fastest growing marketing mediums on the planet. In March 2009, Digital Signage Magazine published an article that quoted MultiMedia Intelligence saying that “the digital signage market will more than double in size by 2012, having grown by 34 percent from 2007 to 2008." And here we are in August 2011 and DigitalSignageToday.com published another prediction by Global Industry Analytics Incs. They say that "the global digital signage market should hit nearly $14 billion by 2017."

With the growth of new interactive marketing strategies, what do you think will happen with print marketing? Can print survive in a digital world?

Next Top AE Model

American Eagle Outfitters recently launched a Bank-to-School campaign that asks customers to upload photos of themselves wearing their signature AE denim. Customers can upload photos either by visiting the AE website, Facebook fan page, or by downloading the smart-phone app. Each photo is classified into one of four categories, and the winners are selected by customer vote each week. Ten grand prize winners will receive a nice sum of cash plus a spot in a future AE photo shoot. Two hundred people will receive a little cash, but their photo will be featured on the 25-story LED screen outside its flagship store in Times Square. Read more .

Putting your customers' face on the brand-- Amazing strategy! What could engage their main demographic more than that? The AE brand targets 15 to 25 year old boys and girls. I can already see high school students, in the store with their friends, modeling in front of mirrors and uploading pictures from their cell phones. The coolest aspect of this campaign is that the winning pictures will be displayed on the BIG screen in Times Square. Not only is AE engaging their customers, but using the pictures as part of the ad campaign. I'm sure they're saving tons of money by not hiring actual models. It's a win-win.

I am curious as to why they chose to limit the amount of photos shown on the Times Square screen. I say more screens, more photos! AE should add screens in their retail locations that customers could interact with as well. Customers could be in the store uploading photos and see themselves in a matter of minutes. The photos could also be used for ads running on the screen during the campaign, as well as future campaigns.

Although there are a couple of things I would add to this campaign, I wouldn't change a thing. I'm highly impressed with the strategy AE built and I predict great results from the promotion. If anyone from American Eagle Outfitters reads this article, please let me know how the campaign plays out! Anyone else have thoughts?

Checking In

You know at sporting events when they display the attendance on this big screen? Imagine if, throughout the game, the screen displayed the names of people who had checked in at the stadium using the popular mobile app Foursquare. Pretty cool, right? You might spot the name of a friend you didn't know was at the game—which could lead to a phone call and drinks after the game.

With the emergence of Foursquare, your friends, family, and followers can know exactly where you are and what you’re doing. Many businesses are integrating Foursquare into their marketing plans, often with great success. With a simple check-in, which advertises your commitment to the business you’re patronizing, you could earn reward points at hotels or free food at restaurants as part of a promotional contest. Foursquare promotions encourage customers to spread the word to their online communities, helping businesses bring in new business on a referral basis while increasing brand awareness. But how else can businesses take advantage of this new and upcoming marketing tool? Can combining Foursquare with DOOH media benefit your business?

I see Foursquare as more than just a lead generation or brand awareness tool—it’s a way to create that “wow” experience for customers. For instance, we've all had to wait for a table at a restaurant— Imagine if, while waiting, you check in on Foursquare and within seconds the digital screen in the waiting area shows this message "Welcome to Ruth Chris Steakhouse, #yourname#. Your table will be ready in 5 minutes." That sure beats waiting for the pager to vibrate and red lights to blink, right?

What are your thoughts? Share with us how you would implement Foursquare into a marketing plan.

2011 Captie Content Awards

Captive Indoor Media put out a casting call across Codigo users nationwide to find the best digital signage content our customers had designed from scratch. What we got was an exciting glimpse into the various ways our customers are using the Codigo system to boost their in-store marketing efforts. The awards were chosen by Captive's Creative Department on the basis of professional aesthetics, creativity, purpose of message, and their ability to design using the SWiSH animation tool.

Many submitted entries, but one one could be crowned the first ever Captie Content King. Congratulations to the winner and thank you to all our wonderful customers for your entries. We already can't wait to see what you have in store for next year.

See Captie Content Contest Winner and Runner Up here

Back to the Future with Customer Service Part II

About a month ago I wrote about using holographic images to improve the customer experience. I discussed how a holographic image could contribute to the WOW experience for the customer and mentioned being greeted by Sam Walton, himself, at your local Wal-Mart.

Well, it may not be quite Sam Walton, but Lawrence, A Tensator Goup Co, has deployed what they call the "Virtual Assistant". Placed previously in London and Birmingham airports as greeters, these "Virtual Assistants" are making their U.S. debut in the retail environment at Duane Reade in New York City.

The "virtual assistant" takes the form of a female greeter and has different scripts about the store. The next version apparently will be more interactive with customers. But for now, I guess customers will just have to settle for a script reading holographic image welcoming and cross-selling you products.

I know if I was a Wal-Mart greeter, I'd be a little worried. Imagine walking your kids into Disney World and boom, there's Walt Disney! Or, taking a tour the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and performing a Scream duet with Michael Jackson. I'm WOWed by the idea. I hope to see this technology really take off - I'd like to see how far it can go.

Digital Display : Finding Payback

In their July-August issue of Bank Marketing Magazine, The American Banker's Association profiled 4 U.S. bank's usage of digital signage in the branch. They highlighted the reasons these banks chose to implement digital displays and the results they have achieved. A special thanks goes out to Cheryl Hershner with First Financial Bank in Cincinnati, OH for speaking so highly of Captive and the products it provides; as well as to Walt Albro with ABA for the opportunity to be in such a prestigious magazine.

Below is a short excerpt from this article with a link to read it in it's entirety. Post a response, let us know what you think!



It’s a no-brainer: Digital display is a powerful new platform for merchandising the bank’s products and services. So why are so many financial institutions still hemming and hawing over the digital decision? The answer may be that the upfront investment in hardware and software is typically hefty. And with today’s tight budgets, marketers want hard evidence of the actual marketing return on investment before trying to sell the idea to their managers.

Does digital pay off? Is it worth the investment? ABA Bank Marketing magazine talked to four banks of varying asset size that had achieved some kind of success with a digital installation. We asked each institution how the investment had panned out. Click here to hear their stories

The Flipside of Social Media

If you work in marketing, chances are you’ve heard this cautionary tale: “customers who had an awful experience will share their negative incident with an average of 12 other people. In turn, each of those 12 people will mention the occurrence to six others.” This statistic was culled from a website published in August 2009 (Just two years ago). Today, due to the amount of people using Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites, I feel confident that those numbers have skyrocketed. For example, if I tell my 1,000 “friends” on Facebook about a negative experience I had in dealing with a company, according to this stat, collectively they would go on to tell another 6,000 people; totaling 7,000 people who heard about my experience. Clearly these are rough estimates, but my point is that a person’s voice has far more reachnow than it did a few years ago-- and companies not only need to monitor what’s being said about them, but embrace it!

Social Media is a great way to see what’s being said about any company. But on the reverse, it’s even better as a way for a company to tell customers how they feel about them. Imagine this – you just finished depositing a check at your bank and you receive a Facebook or Twitter message on your smart phone. It’s from the bank, and they’re thanking you for doing business with them today. Or, you’re opening an account at a credit union-- The representative asks if you use Twitter. You provide your user name and within a few minutes, the digital screen in the lobby displays a twitter feed from the credit union directly to YOU. They are welcoming you to the credit union and thanking you for your business. Both situations would let the customer know they are appreciated and add to the WOW experience companies strive to achieve.

Most companies use Social Media as a method of monitoring negative comments. What if your company used it to create positive word-of-mouth on the internet? By speaking to your customers via Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites, thousands of people will potentially see that communication. So, instead of thousands of people reading about a bad experience, they’ll read about their friends’ or family’s great experiences with your company.

Be A Manikin For A Day

We've all walked by a clothing store and seen a manikin wearing the newest, trendiest styles the store is offering. Manikins have been standing in windows and sales floors for centuries, grabbing the attention of shoppers. These "life-size" figurines are supposed to resemble you, the buyer, yet they always seem to have skinny, model-like bodies, and, of course, no movement. Unfortunately for the clothing industry, not all people can relate to these lifeless statues. People come in all shapes and sizes, so how can a retail store customize a manikin to fit the needs of every buyer in their shop? Perhaps manikins aren’t the most effective way to sell clothes.

Imagine the window of a clothing store lined with digital screens. As you walk past, your own image pops up on the screen-- but you’re not wearing what you're wearing. You are wearing new jeans, shirt, shoes, and jacket. Not only is the screen showing you how you could look after leaving the store, but it also line-items the price of each product. Just by glancing at the screen, you can decide whether or not it's worth it to go into the store.

This idea would eliminate a lot of the pain points of shopping (at least for me). Instead of scouring through racks of clothes, just stand in front of the screen. The screen would take your picture and allow you to choose the sizes you need. Based on the criteria entered, the screen would display clothing it feels would be a nice fit for your body type and style. From here, you simply drag and drop the clothing to the mirror-like image on the screen using touch-screen technology. Once you find something you'd like to actually try on, simply press a "Try It On" button, and a representative would bring the clothes to you. As an added bonus, why not be able to post the picture of you with the clothes to your Facebook or Twitter accounts? You could gather feedback from your friends and family instantly - even if you’re shopping alone.

Based on your selection, the screen would also give you style recommendations, inform you of current sales promotions, or provide you with buyer reviews of chosen products. The digital screen would serve as a personal stylist and could eliminate a lot of overhead due to excessive staffing. The digital screen would also help with inventory control-- So many times I've seen shirts on racks that don't belong because someone picked it up and put it down on a different rack. By having the store representative bring the clothes, inventory would be easier to control.

Ultimately, I see this idea adding to the customer experience. For those who don't enjoy the traditional shopping experience, this could serve as a great way to attract new customers and sales.

Back to the Future with Customer Service

Remember in the movie Back to the Future Part II when Marty McFly goes into Cafe 80s? The first thing you see is a woman sitting at the bar placing her order with Michael Jackson. Well, not the real Michael, but a screen that allows the customer to interact with the late musician. When Marty goes to order his Pepsi, he doesn't talk with a waiter or waitress. Instead, he orders with Ronald Reagan and Khomeini-- or better said; their avatars.

I'm taking you down memory lane because of a recent article I read. The article got me thinking: Is the idea of using avatars in customer service bad for business? My initial thought was that customer service should be hands-on-- a person-to-person interaction with a friendly smile or a hand shake. Customer service should involve a representative that can’t break down. But then I started thinking of how many times I've gone into a retail store, airport, or hospital only to find that there was no one around to help, employees were too busy, or I received bad information. I guess humans can break down, too.

Imagine walking into Wal-Mart and rather than seeing a friendly, elderly man as the greeter, you are welcomed by a holographic image of Sam Walton himself. Actually, that doesn't sound too far-fetched. We already have interactive digital signs, 3-D animation, and holographic images-- why not combine all of these technologies to enhance our customer service? In my opinion, it would be cool to ask the founder of Wal-Mart which aisle the orange juice is in.

Now, I'm not saying I want holographic avatars to take all of the Wal-Mart greeter jobs. But it would be functional and captivating to see this technology. Instead of kiosk directory outlining how to get from point A to B, the avatar could simply tell you (or print it for you). I can see this concept being used for way-finding in the near future, but believe its capabilities are limitless.

Adding to your customers' experience with digital signage

Imagine being stuck in your car for hours with two kids screaming in the backseat and nothing to do. Sounds terrible, right? How grateful would you be if you and your passengers had some entertainment to pass the time? Let's say, popcorn, a movie, and a Coke.

Coca-Cola recently took a highly congested traffic area and transformed it into an impromptu drive-in movie theater. Making a traffic jam into a vehicle for brand recognition, loyalty, and ultimately, an uplift in sales. They saw a need for entertainment and seized the opportunity-- A very smart and innovative marketing strategy.

In a recent poll of banks and credit unions, we asked them what their main priority was for using digital signage in the branch. 87% said they use digital signage to cross-sell products and services, 10% claimed the main purpose was branding and only 3% professed that it was purely for entertainment. Coke would be in that minority. They recognized that using a digital screen to entertain would give the person in traffic a great experience with the brand and that would result in sales uplift and brand loyalty.

What if your bank or credit union took a page from the Coke playbook? Here’s a scenario: While a customer is waiting in line, the digital screen is entertaining them with trivia, video, or maybe even a movie. A representative from the institution offers them a cup of coffee, soft-drink, or a small snack. Then, when it's time to process the transaction, the teller or font-line employee talks with them about their financial goals and introduces them to products that fit their needs.

Instead of using digital signage as a "sales representative", try using it as a part of the in-branch experience. Lowering perceived wait-time could have a very positive impact on the experience a person has with your financial institution. More positive experiences can result in greater loyalty, trust, improved word-of-mouth exposure, and ultimately more accounts and customers.

Don't be content with your content

When there are so many possibilities that will target customers more effectively and increase your ROI, why be satisfied with the same old, boring digital signage show? There's no right or wrong answer to what you should be displayed on the screen, as long as what you're playing aligns with your overall goals.

I would assume that most people want to see some dollars, ROI, from their signage. Does the content displayed attract the viewer's attention? If they aren't looking, then you aren't getting anything in return. So, what's the best way to ensure that people look, pay attention, and then act on what they see? The answer is Compelling and relevant content.

First, what exactly is considered "compelling"? Use words that will grab the viewers attention such as "New", "Free", or "Easy". For help choosing the right word, reference some copywriting websites for some advice from the pros. Once you have their attention, give them adequate time to view and absorb the information before transitioning to new content, making sure the copy is readable for the average viewer (this is relative to your audience). And, of course, give them a call to action -- Encourage them to "ask for details", "text this number to..", "or "mention this ad and get.." Not only are you moving them towards an action, but you're able to measure results more easily, too.

Secondly, how is it possible to make content more "relevant"? I think the real questions are, "Who is my audience? And, "When?" Understanding your audience is critical to maximize relevancy. Look into your transaction data and research the demographics during different time intervals. Based on your research, what kind of person are you targeting and at what time of the day or week? What products or services are they most interested in? Answering these questions will help you to decide what content will work best on the screen. Most digital signage systems give you the ability to "day-part" - which lets you schedule multiple shows to play during specific times of the day. Schedule applicable shows to target these specific audiences with the products you've chosen to promote.

With content that is though-provoking, timely, and relevant, you'll capture more attention and ultimately capitalize on cross- or up-sell opportunities.

Captive Indoor Media: Customer Interviews

Find out what Captive's customers say about our products and services on our new web commercial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs614niS37k. .

We would like to thank you for your time, effort, and kind words. We promise to use your feedback and continue to innovate and improve more and more each day.

Audience Education

Bank and Credit Union employees are faced with several challenges, particularly with today’s unpredictable legislation changes. One of the big hurdles in the wake of Regulation E revolves around making up for fee revenue lost by those who chose not to opt-in to the program. A recent article published on TheFinancialBrand.com, suggests that this gap can be closed using your salespeople’s ability to educate the audience. There are a few issues with that— Most frontline employees don’t have much sales experience, and most people in your retail space don’t have time to listen to another sales pitch. So, what can you do to educate people on new products in a short amount of time and make it easier on your frontline employees?

Digital signage helps communicate with your customers or members during in-branch situations. In one of our case studies, we found that 99% of bank customers noticed the screens in-branch and 91% could recall the exact promotion they had seen.

Digital signage can be used to assist with cross-selling opportunities, too:

1 - Design your content to target the foot traffic in your branch.
Having a good understanding of who is in your branch at various times throughout the day, you can schedule advertisements for products that fit these demographics.
2 - Use a call-to-action to reel customers in
By reminding your customers or members to “ask a teller about...” or “mention this ad and receive…” you’ll set up the frontline for easy sales dialogue. It’s selling without actually selling.
3 – Use content to train
You’re on-screen media can also be used to educate the frontline about products and services. Giving them the knowledge to sell will inevitably give them the ability – without having to spend a lot of money on training courses or books.