News

UK defense contractor deploys digital menu boards in on-post dining facilities

Signagelive SoC digital signage software ensures compliance with current pay-as-you-dine services implemented in the armed forces.

November 13, 2014

Sodexo Defence Partners, a worldwide supplier of facilities management services to armed forces, has implemented a Signagelive-powered digital menu board solution in two new restaurant facilities in Merville Barracks, Colchester, in the U.K., according to an announcement from Signagelive. The new solution helps ensure compliance with pay-as-you-dine, or PAYD, services implemented by the military.

The digital menu board system, based on the Samsung Smart Signage platform and powered by Signagelive’s cloud-based technology, has been supplied and installed by Digital Messaging Company Ltd., a provider of digital signage solutions and digital menu boards to public and private sector organizations in the UK. Digital Messaging Company is also one of Signagelive’s strategic channel partners.

PAYD services offer soldiers a number of different meal options, ranging from a staple menu (comprising a balanced meal to provide soldiers with a pre-determined calorific intake) to commercial menus, comparable to high street casual dining offers to create a broad range of food choices.

The newly installed digital menu boards have not only helped to resolve compliance issues, they have also improved the visual appearance and aesthetics of the dining facilities, the company said. In addition, digital signage has helped streamline menu management processes by removing the need for printed menus, which are costly and time-consuming to maintain.

Digital Messaging Company has supplied and delivered an end-to-end digital signage solution that comprises 16 Samsung Smart Signage LED displays installed in military dining areas in two different locations. The Colchester site uses three portrait entrance screens to display the opening times and showcase daily promotions, while the remaining 13 screens are used to display menu content above the counters in the diners.

The onscreen menu display is split, with the left hand side showcasing imagery of the dish items and seasonal promotional offers, while the right hand side displays the menu specific to that counter, day of the week and time of day. Using Signagelive’s intuitive menu management software, Digital Messaging Company is able to ensure the correct menu items and pricing information is displayed on the different screens. Menus are also scheduled to dynamically update, saving significant time and enabling Sodexo to focus on delivering their own core services.

"Strict legislation governs catering services in the Armed Forces. Menus must include certain information and pricing has to be completely transparent," said Ian Gabbie, commercial director of Digital Messaging Company, in the announcement. "Signagelive’s menu management software ensures that menu boards are completely synchronized and offers the facility to amend menu items on the fly, should the need arise.”

Since the restaurant facilities went live on Sept. 1, the feedback relating to the screens, the content and the service provided by Digital Messaging Company has been positive, the announcement said. Sodexo Defence plans to roll out further sites with the DMC solution before the end of Q4 2014.