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ICX Symposium: Maximizing the value of digital signage

The customer experience is no longer as much about product, price and promotion as it is about place, process and people — and digital signage can help brands and retailers make that transition.

"Big Data is the ability to provide interpretation and act on that interpretation." Lyle Bunn

November 5, 2015 by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

Today's consumer is a visual consumer who expects interactive communication and has about an 8-second attention span — and the customer experience is no longer as much about product, price and promotion as it is about three other specific terms: place, process and people.

So said Lyle Bunn, principal and strategy architect at BUNN Co., in explaining the massive shift transforming the customer experience. Where once it was all about point of sale, customer relationship management and enterprise resource planning, Bunn says, it's now about clicks and bricks and linking the in-store with the online store engagement opportunity.

The core element needed to make digital media viable and valuable is data, especially today's Big Data, explained the independent analyst, advisor and educator in the digital place-based media sector.

Bunn, along with Richard Dirstein, principal and EVP, design and innovation, at Shikatani Lacroix, spoke at one of five sessions during the ICX Association's fall ICX symposium, "Inflection Point: The Future Tech of Customer Experience," held Oct. 27 and 28 in Atlanta. Each event in the ICX Symposium series focuses on a single topic, and the Atlanta event offered attendees practical steps for using emerging technologies to secure success for the future. Bunn and Dirstean's session was entitled "What's guiding your digital media value?"

Dirstein has driven creative design for clients such as the Toronto Blue Jays, Cineplex Entertainment, Cox Communications, The Source, TD Bank, Second Cup, Pepsi QTG, Labatt, Tetley and Moosehead. Bunn has assisted more than 300 end-user organizations with digital media projects and is one of the best known analysts in the digital signage space. The duo provided insight on how to gain maximum value from digital place-based media, offering up tips and successful case studies.

The speakers noted that of $200 billion spent on paid media, just .5 percent is digital consumer focused, and most isn't up to par in terms of attaining high scores when it comes to brand messaging, influence, vitality or ambiance.

But that scenario can and will change, and one big reason is Big Data.

"Data will lead to wisdom and context. Big data is the ability to provide interpretation and act on that interpretation," Bunn said. The data will boost digital media's influence and value.

When it comes to successful digital media brands must present a consistent message that ties to brand fidelity and relevance and incorporates nimble media.

Bunn gave an example of a cruise ship operator losing money on internal staterooms that customers did not want to stay in, instead opting for those with a water view. The company deployed 4K digital displays in those room, providing vibrant compelling images of the sea and sea life. Those same rooms are now nearly in demand as the external rooms, he said.

Dirstein provided insight on capturing the "purchase moment" and defining the engagement model, which he said is tied to four aspects: attract, transact, engage and retain. He presented the example of a brand name athletic wear manufacturer and their effort to compete in the golf shoe space. Essentially their shoes were getting lost in a crowded field of products at independent stores.

So the brand deployed a "lift and compare wall" display that lets shoppers get instant knowledge and insight on not only the shoe but the game and sport of golf.

"The screen immediately shares product data with the shopper," he explained, citing it as a prime example of determining customer need and delivering on that need.

Such digital media boasts tremendous promise, overall, for retailers in the brick-and-mortar space as most are not able to display all product options due to limited shelf space — in fact most retailers can only expose 80 percent of product to store traffic. That means about one quarter of product is stuck in back rooms and storage areas.

"Retailers can get that 20 percent of product in front of customers using digital media and solve that issue," Bunn said.

Attaining maximum value from digital place-based media requires planning on strategic, tactical and operational levels, according to the speakers.

"When you can assess the needs of customers and have digital media satisfy those needs," Dirstein said, "it's very powerful."

About Judy Mottl

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Judy Mottl is editor of Retail Customer Experience and Digital Signage Today. She has decades of experience as a reporter, writer and editor covering technology and business for top media including AOL, InformationWeek, InternetNews and Food Truck Operator.

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