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The technology you use to do business impacts how people such as prospects and clients view your business. If you are not working with up-to-date technology, you can fall behind your competitors. One of the ways that you can take advantage of the latest technology is to use digital signage for your business. If you’re not already taking advantage of this technology, you are missing out on a great way to reach your customers, potential customers, visitors, guests, and employees through technology. Here is what you, as a business owner, need to know about digital signage.

What Is Digital Signage?

Digital signage is a display that typically has an LCD, LED, or projection screen to display images to your customers, visitors, etc. Think about all the images and signs that you see when you enter a business. When in a fast-food restaurant, you see a digital menu on display. When you walk into a retail store, you see signs informing you about pricing and sales. When you’re in an airport, you see electronic displays of information and promotional ads. And when you walk into your favorite coffee shop or brewery, you see a sign with all of that day’s seasonal offerings and specials. These screens are displaying information the owners want you to see, and they’re using this technology to disseminate their message.

What Can It Be Used For?

Digital signage can be used for a wide array of purposes and can be beneficial for several different reasons. As a business, there’s almost no limit to how you can use digital signage to improve the way you operate. Learning how and why to use digital signage will ultimately help you understand why this technology is right for your business. Here are just some of the ways that digital signage is used.

One of the most common ways that digital signage is being used is to help customers figure out where to go. Facilities such as malls and shopping centers typically have a large digital sign that displays all of the retailers in the mall or shopping center. A customer can then click on the name of a specific store on the touchscreen and a map appears, telling the customer what direction to go to find the shop they are looking for.

Another way that this technology is being used is to display menus in restaurants. More and more proprietors are putting up digital signage instead of traditional menus. A large display is a much more efficient way for numerous people to decide what to eat than handing out laminated paper menus. A digital menu can also be changed much quicker, easier, and cheaper than a printed sign or individual menus, which require using a print shop. You can change the items on your menu or change prices with a few keystrokes. You can also add images or photos to your display to help customers see exactly what they are getting when they order.

Retail stores are also loving digital signage. Their digital messages can be quickly updated say, when a sale is over, or when a new sale begins. The days of swapping signs or banners or manually changing letters on a message board just because a 25 percent off sale has been upgraded to 30 percent off are long gone.

Finally, doctor’s offices, dental practices, and salons are also utilizing this new-aged signage. You can walk in and using a touchscreen, sign yourself in for an appointment. A receptionist no longer needs to greet you and take your information. The digital signage may also be able to tell your customers how many people are ahead of them for a haircut or eyebrow wax and how long their wait may be.

What Do You Stand to Gain By Adding It To Your Tech Lineup?

As a business owner, you want to know what you have to gain by investing in any type of new technology. New technology can be costly at first, and as such, you want to make sure it is right for your business, and that your investment will pay off. Here is what you stand to gain from digital signage.

One of the primary benefits associated with digital signage is that these displays are eye-catching. Digital signage is more likely to catch someone’s eye simply because it is illuminated compared to a paper or banner-style sign. Digital signage is also easy to update. You aren’t stuck with the inflexibility of a fixed sign that you cannot change. You can constantly update and change your message to reflect new sales, new products, new menu items, or new information. Digital signage also allows for client interaction. Your clients can click on a menu item and see all of the ingredients or nutritional information, see a map that helps them locate stores in your mall, or check-in or schedule a follow-up appointment, right from the display screen. Lastly, digital signage allows for more than just numbers and letters. You can display realistic images, create flashing displays, and have access to a wide range of colors and fonts. Ultimately, you can truly get creative with your message using digital signage, ensuring it is eye-catching and grabs the attention of your customers.

Digital signage is changing the way people do business, from sign-in sheets at beauty salons to menus at restaurants to marquees at movie theaters. It has many features that allow you to truly customize and quickly update your message, something that was challenging, if not impossible to do in the past. If your Houston company would like to take advantage of this powerful technology, contact Stargel Office Solutions today to learn more or schedule a demo.