From retailers to universities, cities to restaurants, doctor’s offices to entertainment venues, digital signage is not just playing an increasingly important role in customer and visitor experience — it’s becoming integral to revenue and branding strategies. Accelerated by the pandemic, digital signage became an ideal source for touch-free interactions that kept critical information and business functions flowing remotely.

Now businesses are upping their digital signage game to stay ahead of competitive trends, increase the efficiency of transactions and win over customers. But keeping signage operating smoothly requires smarter software and reliable IT capability.

New Digital Frontier

Step inside your favorite fast-casual restaurant and you are more likely than ever to encounter glowing kiosks filled with brightly-lit pictures of menu items and an order system that no longer requires human interaction at a register.

Effective use of digital signage and digital menu boards for branding and promotions are improving in-store experience and boosting revenue. Fast food giant Popeyes unveiled a digital-only concept in New Orleans anchored by self-order kiosks and a connected kitchen equipped to handle delivery, mobile orders and payments. These digital innovations are designed to attract customers with enhanced convenience and experience.

As the cost of LED signage has come more in line with budgets, restaurants are using these attractive displays to promote menu items, easily switching from breakfast to lunch offerings depending on the time of day.

Campus Connections

Meanwhile, at the University of Connecticut, digital signage installations have popped up across campus. Through cloud-based content management, the university can better distribute important information, enable class scheduling, and promote special events and student activities. Importantly, digital signs can also push emergency alerts essential to student safety.

Standardizing digital signage systems has meant a more streamlined content delivery system and the university now manages hundreds of signs, smart displays and devices following an integrated software deployment.

Screens outside of classrooms display scheduling information, while department-specific displays run announcements related to scholarships, internships, and different work opportunities. Student groups also have access to some displays so that they may post advertising about upcoming events, or even want ads for those seeking roommates.

Better Buying Experience

Dominating the showroom floor inside car dealerships, dazzling motion video displays and interactive signs lure customers in to test drive premium offerings. High-end dealerships, in particular, are leaning more heavily on technology to reflect a cutting-edge brand and lead customers through a memorable experience they hope will be as persuasive as it is impressive.

Similarly, airports are battled back from COVID-restricted travel with bright LED signage providing travelers with departure and arrival times, as well as other vital information such as delays or boarding gate changes, upping conveniences in an effort to win back ticket sales.

Retailers are having their moment as well, using digital signage to enhance customers’ shopping experiences, and creating additional advertising space for promoting particular items, collections or brands.

Inside concert and event venues, sports arenas and even church, kiosks and digital displays guide visitors or serve as a backdrop for visual effects.

Doctor’s offices likewise have turned to digital technology to improve patient flow for appointments, ease the burden of paperwork and easily distribute important health information and education.

Digital Signage Remote Device Management

As fast as digital signs go up, software and technology partners are rolling out more sophisticated systems for remotely managing digital signage systems and devices.

Businesses depend more and more on technology, but they struggle to expand IT departments to manage that technology. Meanwhile, when devices like digital signage malfunction, businesses face significant increases in expensive service calls. Remote monitoring and management software (RMM) has become crucial to keeping digital systems fully functioning.

Canopy makes the remote monitoring and management of digital signage simple. Canopy was designed for connected products of all types. Canopy can connect all device types across a network of signs, displays and devices into one system that collects data, troubleshoots and sends alerts. Updates and fixes can be pushed to devices remotely without the need for a physical visit.

Canopy has several device integrations already built in and customers can leverage additional integrations, including payment terminals, card readers, barcode scanners, touch monitors and video cameras. Canopy is a modern connectivity solution with real-time data capture, automation and analytics so there’s less downtime and more revenue.

As industries and businesses continue to embrace the benefits of digital signage systems, software solutions and finding the right technology partner will be a key to reaching the full potential of signage investments.

If you would like to learn more about the Canopy platform, let's talk. Or learn more about how Canopy supports remote digital signage management.