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Observations from ISA 2013 International Sign Expo in Las Vegas

May 8, 2013 by Barry Pearman — VP, Clarus Communications

I recently returned from ISA 2013 Expo in Las Vegas and wanted to share with you some of my observations. The show was a huge success and broke several records for attendance, exhibit hall space and number of exhibitors. For anyone following the dramatic growth in the digital signage industry, this certainly should not come as a surprise. The LED sign industry has grown tremendously in recent years, due in part to the fact that the cost of LED signs has dropped considerably in the last five years. As a result, we have seen LED sign manufacturers popping up all over the place.

This huge influx of manufacturers has never been more evident than at the ISA Expo. There were several newcomers attending and exhibiting. With this flooding of the market, how can sign companies and businesses choose the right LED sign manufacturer? Based on several conversations I had at ISA, this question was also on the mind of many attendees.

Several of the attendees I spoke with had horror stories about LED signs. I heard about sign cabinets filled with two inches of water after a simple rainstorm, destroying the electronics. There were LED signs purchased online from oversees manufacturers that just months after installation were already out of service and the manufacturer had vanished into thin air. There were several stories about simple parts that took weeks to replace, leaving signs inoperable and owners infuriated. Not to mention 3 a.m. overseas phone calls trying to troubleshoot problems with a sign and the frustration of dealing with significant language barriers.

If you are looking for an LED sign manufacturer to partner with, or are considering an LED sign purchase, there are several questions I urge you to ask to avoid a nightmare story of your own. I was pleased that several of the questions came up during my discussions at the Expo. In fact, there are dozens of questions you should ask about sign durability, software and color calibration, but for today I would like to focus on customer service and warranty.

These questions are often ignored, probably because no one wants to think about something going wrong. Even the most well-constructed and high-quality LED signs will likely need a part replaced at some point in their lifetime. You need to know that for any issue, large or small, you will have the response and support you need to address the issue quickly. With a good manufacturer, many issues can be addressed within minutes, parts can be shipped overnight and the process is painless.

Here are just some of the questions you need to ask:

Does the manufacturer have a service department? Where is the manufacturing facility based? If the company is overseas, how long will it take to have replacement parts shipped? In addition, if the company is overseas, what are the hours for the customer support line? Will you have to make a service call in the middle of the night to talk to someone live? How long does the manufacturer keep spare parts in stock? What kind of warranty do they offer and how long does it last? What is and is not covered under the warranty? How long has the manufacturer been in business? Sadly, we have seen many companies disappear overnight, leaving customers with no recourse. How easy is it to reach a live person over the phone or in a live chat session?

For sign companies, these questions are critical. Choosing the right LED sign manufacturer is critical to the success of your business and the satisfaction of your customers. These questions are also important for businesses considering an LED sign purchase. Even if you are purchasing through a sign company, the answers to these questions will give you a good sense of the quality and reliability of the manufacturer you are considering.

About Barry Pearman

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