Digital signage to deliver the company line was on display two weeks ago when a group of digital out-of-home industry members and corporate communication professionals convened in Indianapolis for the inaugural Digital Signage for Corporate Communications event.
Held at Indianapolis' Eli Lilly & Co. headquarters, which also happens to be the location of the successful LillyTV digital signage network, the event featured discussions surrounding strategy, implementation, content and funding for corporate digital signage deployments.
Throughout a day's worth of discussions, the cumulative group of about two dozen came up with a list of opportunities and obstacles for implementing digital signage in an employee-facing corporate environment. Along with Chuck Gose of MediaTile, I 've tried to provide some insight into how each of these opportunities can be effective:
The Top Opportunities (in no particular order)
People focused (bringing home the message) – You will commonly hear this described as a captive audience. Screens positioned in waiting areas, lunch rooms and gathering areas mean that you can communicate to employees with relevant content when they are most receptive.
Flexibility – Forget cluttered bulletin boards and printing flyers. Recognition messages, HR updates and daily notices can be changed instantly and often through digital signage software. Also, you can play a variety of content, including static images and video.
Wider reach – Digital signage gives companies the ability to reach more of their workforce through effective placement. Determine where high-traffic areas of the building are and consider them for install points.
Gives content depth & context – Through the use of images and/or video, messages from digital signage screens can resonate better with workforces than flyers, whiteboard messages or company memos.
Advertising tool – There have been instances where local restaurants, bars and retailers have partnered with a company for space on their signage network to advertise to employees in exchange for money or services. This can also mean advertising internal events, such as company picnics, meetings and visitors.
Interactivity – The network's messages will resonate better with an engaged user of digital signage. Interactive screens on the user level can also be used to access the company website or perform HR tasks, such as requesting days off or checking 401k statuses.
Dayparting messages – Digital signage gives companies the ability to change the messages to its employee throughout the day. For example, a morning message could say, "Blood drive today on the second floor," while later that day it could read, "Traffic backup on I-64, avoid if possible."
Break news to a non-wired workforce – Believe it or not, there are still members of the workforce not on e-mail all day. These groups can still be informed via update messages through digital signage.
Passive channel - E-mail can be very intrusive to an employee's work day. Digital signage places key messages in the environment and lets employees digest the communication at their pace.
Networking options – No longer is digital signage an IT event. Because there are several options out there, corporate communicators now have choices of whether to connect through cellular, Wi-Fi or the traditional LAN.
Reinforce & redirect – Digital signage can provide basic info and redirect employees to communication channels better suited to deliver the full message.
The Top Obstacles (in no particular order)
The group also shared hurdles they have encountered when implementing digital signage in a corporate environment. Whether or not you classify your network as "corporate communications," these obstacles seem to be common with anyone installing or looking to install a network.
Money – We are still feeling the effects of a recession, and the initial non-reoccurring cost (capital expenditure) of a network is not something companies are eager to be shelling out.
Executive buy-in – This is along the same lines as the money example. CEOs have to have the final signoff on the network and are generally concerned about the bottom line. Executives have to be presented with a detailed cost/benefit comparison in order to get them on board. It's best to do this early in the planning process.
IT – Successful digital signage is a collaboration between IT and marketing departments. Often times, IT staffs are strapped as it is without the responsibility of managing operations of a digital signage network.
Risk & security – Because operation of the digital signage network often lies on the company's LAN infrastructure, proper IT security measures need to be put in place to ensure there is no misuse of the network.
Finding content – Content must be kept fresh, which can put an added responsibility on marketing departments. I suggest companies select someone to "own" the network. This person will be in charge of changing the messages, dayparting and scheduling.
(Photo from the AV Point/Navori corporate communications network for DSM Resolve.)
