Customer Experience

3 digital signage lessons from 2020 to remember

We are at long last closing the books on 2020, and what a wild year it was. From pandemics to contested elections, we have gone through a lot in 2020. However, as we open the doors to 2021, we need to look back to remember a few key lessons in the digital signage space that will help us going forward into 2021 and beyond.

Image via iStock.com

December 29, 2020 by Bradley Cooper — Editor, ATM Marketplace & Food Truck Operator

Use flexible solutions

When COVID-19 hit, many technologies saw a shift in their uses. For example, customers were now turning up their noses at interactive kiosks that required touch, but were embracing contactless apps.

Some solutions, however, were able to adjust to new shifts in the market. For example, digital signage vendors began supplying signage that could display social distancing guidelines, or act as gatekeepers to let customers know when it was safe to enter a store.

Some businesses also began using digital signage for queueing purposes as well. Digital signage had to shift more heavily towards its informational side to act as a contactless communications device for customers.

The lesson here is to choose solutions that are flexible and can handle a wide variety of use cases, because you never know how the market will change.

Interact with customers on their terms

On the kiosk side of the market, retailers needed a new way for their kiosk investment to reach customers. As a result, many vendors began adopting various forms of touchless solutions.

KioWare for example introduced a solution that allowed customers to pull up a touchpad on their own phones and interact with the kiosk that way. Other companies also introduced gesture control features for kiosks.

If you want to reach customers, you need to reach them on their terms. If they aren't responding to your interactive elements with your displays, kiosks or any medium, you need to change up those elements to meet customer's expectations.

Celebrate your customers

2020 has been an isolating year for all of us, as traditional events such as graduations, weddings and concerts have all been postponed or cancelled. For essential workers, this year has been especially challenging as they have had to work overtime and then some to keep society running smoothly.

This year, digital signage stepped up to the plate to celebrate people and communities in many small ways. For example, many DOOH vendors donated space to show off graduates in their regalia, thank essential workers or to thank people for social distancing.

It is important when using digital signage to remember that it's not simply a tool to boost sales, it is a way to communicate with your customers. If all you do is push sales messages on your customers they will eventually tune it out, you need to celebrate them as well, during good times and bad times.

We at Digital Signage Today hope you have a safe and happy New Year.

About Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper is the editor of ATM Marketplace and Food Truck Operator. He was previously the editor of Digital Signage Today. His background is in information technology, advertising, and writing.

Connect with Bradley: