Dubai:
The rapid emergence of new technologies, as well as increased interaction between existing solutions, is changing the way we do everything. Part of this evolution has seen us transition from the information age into the age of signage, where we are constantly interpreting digitally presented data to help us in our decision making. Indeed, large professional display (LPD) tracker in the first quarter shows that the professional displays industry, which includes digital signage, has grown more than 400 per cent over the past three years in the Middle East region alone.
This phenomenal growth is being spurred by the way we teach our children (through the use of tablets and interactive whiteboards in education establishments), the way we work (through digital 3D presentations and conference capabilities), the way we advertise our businesses (through digital signage screens), the way we receive treatments in hospitals (through the use of display screens by surgeons to ‘see where they are going’) the way we shop (through interactive touchscreen mall directories), and even the way we order food in restaurants (through the use of menu screens with enticing and changing images of the food available).
As information is so easily accessible and the competition for our attention so fierce, companies are continuously trying to think of better and more innovative ways to capture the audience, and digital signage is the latest trick. However, now that the novelty factor has worn off, IDC believes organisations must raise their game in order to grab their target customer’s attention. Simply having digital signage with HD video and dynamic content is no longer enough; organisations must now take the next step and formulate comprehensive digital signage strategies that truly engage customers in an interactive, one-to-one basis.
Accordingly, we have identified four key trends that shaped discussions at the Digital Signage Expo 2014, held earlier this year in Las Vegas. Firstly, signage now comes in all sizes, and organisations are increasingly playing with screen size to win the game. One approach in this respect is the use of giant screens, either a single large display screen or multiple large screens put together as a video wall. Other organisations are choosing to go the other way by employing smaller professional display screens next to products and checkout stations to entice customers with content on products that they may wish to know more about. Either big or small, they all have the second trend in common — signage is becoming more interactive.
Interactive displays entertain customers and offer access to information that is relevant to them. Touch and gesture-controlled screens allow users to choose what they want to see, and the latest facial recognition technology is increasingly being used to create a more personalised customer experience by automatically catering the content displayed to the individual customer. Meanwhile, augmented reality allows users to virtually ‘see’ how the product being advertised will look at its final destination, be it on the customer’s body if it’s an item of clothing, or in their living room if it’s a piece of furniture.
Actively involving and engaging customers can have a powerful impact on them, which leads nicely onto the next major trend identified by IDC — signage is now integrating with your phone. Near-field communications (NFC) technology is enabling customers to transfer content from a digital sign directly to their mobile device. This content can include everything from coupons to a menu to a product catalog for placing orders, and it all plays a key role in ultimately making products more appealing.
The final trend for forward-thinking organisations to bear in mind is that signage is getting smarter and more analytical. Digital signage screens now have the capacity to carry anonymous video analytics (AVA) technology that tracks their real-time performance. Unlike older analytics solutions that only measured how many people walked past a sign, AVA tracks how many looked at it by using embedded cameras and software to detect when a human face has turned toward the sign. The technology cannot identify an individual — hence the ‘anonymous’ moniker monomer — but performance is quantified and analyzed within minutes, providing organisations with instant feedback and enabling them to quickly respond to underperforming experiences, merchandising efforts, and digital signage promotions.
While it certainly pays to be up to date on the latest and greatest trends in digital signage, organisations must also be wary of the potential pitfalls. One such issue that is particularly prevalent in this region is the eager adoption of technologies that are ‘cutting edge’ and ‘impressive’, but not really beneficial to the bottom line. For example, the use of gesture-controlled digital signage makes perfect sense in a hospital operating theatre, where surgeons need information from screens but cannot touch them for reasons of hygiene. However, such advanced technology is not really necessary in a retail or restaurant environment, where less-expensive touch technology would do the trick.
It is therefore critical for organisations to develop a strategy that helps achieve the objectives of a digital signage implementation by identifying what the system should do and how its success or failure will be measured. Too often, instead of identifying the requirements first, companies are anxious to first implement and show off a ‘shiny new’ technology and only then figure out what they actually want it to do. They must remember that it’s not all about the software and hardware.
With this in mind, IDC believes that the key to success in this industry, for vendors and customers alike, comes down to identifying an integration partner that not only stays on top of the cutting edge of technology but also understands the need to develop the correct strategy and identify what combination of display technologies will deliver the greatest ROI.
— The columnist is group vice-president and regional managing director for the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey at global ICT market intelligence and advisory firm International Data Corporation (IDC).
