The Top Five Reasons Retailers Deploy Digital Signage POS Solutions
By Wil Putt, [email protected]
As the founder and owner of a digital signage company, I can list all kinds of reasons why digital signage really is the future of point-of-sale advertising. Because my company, Vital Media specializes in the development, deployment and management of digital signage programs for independent retail channels, I get to meet a number of independent retailers and see firsthand how their digital signage programs are implemented, and what they see as the most valuable aspects of the program. The following are what I have personally observed as today’s top five.
1. Augmenting sales staff
We have placed hundreds of digital signage programs into automotive tire and repair centers. These are busy stores, with a mix of both drop-in and by-appointment customers. The counter staff stay busy, and between checking on repair status and active selling, are not always available to answer questions or to immediately assist a walk-in. Digital signage has a mix of both brand offers as well as dealer specials and seasonal promotions. This achieves a huge measure of pre-selling, where the customer’s first interaction with sales staff is often along the lines of “I see you’ve got a special on shocks this month.” That’s big.
2. Incremental revenue
Customers generally visit an independent retailer for more information on, or to purchase, a specific product. Their awareness of additional products or services offered by the retailer may be limited, or simply not top of mind. With a digital sign, retailers find measurable increase in incremental revenue associated with products and services displayed on the digital signs — even more so than traditional printed POP displays.
3. Wait time
In many considered purchase product showrooms, such as outdoor equipment and tire dealerships, there is a wait time that may be associated with a service being performed, samples being assembled, or being early for an appointment. For the retailer there is a lot of relief knowing that there is a topical, interesting and entertaining message communicated via a digital sign to the waiting customer. A creative message on a well-positioned digital sign makes the wait seem shorter and keeps the customer informed.
4. Message management
As one retailer pointed out, the problem with traditional printed POP is that it is what it is, and can’t be changed without physically replacing the pieces. The beauty of digital signage is that the message can be modified at any time, to reflect special, seasonal or even weather-related offers. As one retailer said, “There’s nothing like having a wiper blade replacement offer in front of customers during our rainy season. It really makes an impact.”
5. Customer expectation
In a world where almost every consumer is channeling more and more of their buying information via their computer, tablet or smartphone screen, a digital sign simply aligns more tightly with customers’ expectations of where and how they are going to receive product and service information.
Wil Putt, is president and founder of Vital Media, which has grown from its start in 1998 as a local media production facility to a nationally recognized leader in digital signage solutions with active customers in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. He can be reached at [email protected].