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'Now Serving' gets eyes; how do you get viewers?

When it comes to communicating with digital signage, are you the tortoise or the hare?

October 14, 2014 by Daryl Stokes — Media Solutions, Hughes Media Solutions Group

I am reminded of the old story about the tortoise and the hare. As we all know, the hare expected to beat the tortoise so easily that he did not take the race seriously and missed out on what should have been an easy win.

Because I am in the industry, I am always watching how entities communicate with their patrons. Recently I had the opportunity to compare two government agencies.

The Social Security Administration and the Department of Motor Vehicles have many similarities. Both are government service outlets that usually have a very long queue of patrons waiting for service. Both provide services that patrons must have and therefore cannot ignore or go elsewhere to receive. Both have adopted the process of organizing patrons into queues based on what services they are seeking. 

But the SSA did something that the DMV did not. The SSA placed their "now serving" display along the bottom of a digital signage screen. They now have a captive audience and they have a reason for putting eyes on the screen. While the patrons wait for service they are very interested in watching the queues to see when it is their turn. But while they are watching, they are also being informed, guided, influenced and entertained by the digital signage content running on the same screen. This will improve the service delivery and reduce perceived wait times. 

While in line at the SSA, a patron will receive information about additional services available to them, forms and documents necessary to complete their transaction and other things that could improve their experience. And they receive this information in multiple languages.

At the DMV on the other hand, the patron stares at a red LED board hoping that the numbers change more quickly than they have been. When the patron reaches the counter at the DMV lacking all the proper documents, the experience goes from bad to worse.

Not every organization has a long queue or needs a "now serving" solution. What else could drive eyes to the screen? 

It certainly depends on the location and the activity happening. Quick-service restaurants have digital menus; no need to attract eyes to that screen, everyone who comes in will look at the board to decide what to eat. The property management company that has a digital signage screen in the lobby needs to come up with compelling content and a reason for lobby entrants to view the screen. Wayfinding might be one, but what other things would create interest?

This is a serious component of any digital signage program or plan. How will you get eyeballs looking at the screen? Don't be the hare and take this important component lightly. Be the tortoise and plan carefully; execute with precision; then test and modify to improve. If patrons are not viewing the screen change it and draw the attention necessary. In a location where patrons pass the same screen every day, simple changes such as background color, logo placement and layout will attract the eye. In places where the daily patrons are different, you need to provide service or display information that is relevant to the audience. Locations near airports display flight schedules, businesses along the freeway display weather updates, and convenience stores display promotions and specials that will save the patron money right now.

Social media is another prime source of attraction. If the digital screen is tracking relevant, trending information from the public, this will cause patrons to pause and see what is on-screen. 

Work with your trusted service provider to develop a plan and a process for incorporating external data into viewer grabbing content for the digital signage screen. Select a solution that will give you flexibility in using external sources and the ability to change up the way it is displayed. 

Just because you build it, does not mean they will come. You must build it and decorate it with relevant information and provide important service. Be the tortoise; don't be the hare.

About Daryl Stokes

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