How Tech Companies Like Apple Can Use Digital Signage

A staggering 76% of companies invest in emerging technologies, such as digital signage, according to Pickel. It is no doubt that digital signage solutions are key for businesses to communicate successfully and efficiently in 2022. Because visuals get 94% more views than text-based information, employees, customers, and overall audiences retain the communicated message and perform the intended output action from the business.

While it may seem common sense for tech companies to deploy smart digital signage as it is an IoT (Internet of Things) technology, not all companies see the importance or the impact it can have. Whatever the specialty products and services the company offers and the size or scale of operation, tech companies stand to benefit greatly when they use digital signage. Especially Apple.

Apple is one of the biggest technology companies with more than a billion people using an iPhone today. With the simplistic, modern, and sleek brand aesthetic, Apple can leverage its business even more with the use of digital signage in various viewpoints outside of its storefronts.

Here is a list of how tech companies, like Apple, can use digital signage solutions and receive an increase in sales of 33% and an employee information retention rate of 83%.

1. Promote Products and Offerings to Customers Through Digital Signage

The ability to provide valuable insights will set you apart from other tech companies in the industry. These insights can be directly related to what products and services you offer or not. Therefore, use digital signage to clearly outline the features and value-adds of your various tech product and service offerings. Interactive screens and kiosks will also allow you to do product demos.

In Apple brick-and-mortar stores, a video wall displaying various product features of MacBooks, IPads, Apple watches, and more are displayed and captivates guests while they wait for employee help. They show engaging animation about how their products can be used and what separates their products from others. Businesses can create a similar model with their digital signage by displaying product information and features to catch customers’ attention.

Additionally, find out from social media, customer community forums, and other platforms, about FAQs around your products and provide the answers on your digital signage solution. Furthermore, through infographics and other tools, let customers know the best practices for getting the best out of your offerings and the do’s and don’ts to ensure longevity. Apple places emphasis on using technology to convey its message and other tech companies can do the same to achieve their success.

2. Communicate Important Information to Staff with Digital Signage

Your digital signage system isn’t only for communicating with guests but also with your staff. Workdays for a tech company are undoubtedly quite packed for your team members. As your staff goes about their day, it isn’t uncommon to miss notifications of communications sent to the team. In fact, according to a study, up to 35% of emails are unread. This missed communication may be anything from company updates, news, and announcements to reminders about upcoming events.

Tech companies, like Apple, constantly have updates with new product testing, compliance regulations, company updates, KPIs, and more. Not only that, but some tech companies require their employees to lock up their personal or work technology, which can interfere with product testing. Placing digital sigange in those areas where communication is lacking or views where employees need to be properly informed will ensure they are kept in the loop. Therefore, get ahead of these statistics, and ensure your staff gets the message when they aren’t at their desks through breakroom signs.

3. Build Relationships with Guests by Deploying Digital Signage

The type of content you choose for your digital signage screens will significantly impact your capacity to build a relationship with anyone who interacts with your business. While everyone is certainly interested in all your amazing tech offerings (for example, everyone is truly invested in Apple products and their showcases), they also want to truly interact with your company as a brand. They want to know more about the founders and learn how the business began.

Use digital signage to tell your brand’s story and give it personality. Display content around your origins and critical motivators for getting into the industry. Tell the story behind-the-scenes of your business and share across your video walls and other digital signage displays a glimpse of what you do. Steve Jobs is an industry innovator and leader and Apple can take full advantage of highlighting his legacy. Not only do guests want to learn more about him, but employees as well. When you communicate your story, your audience trusts you and begins to invest.

Similarly, you can use digital signs to introduce your people to clients and other guests. Put up staff bios on the display screens in your waiting rooms and meeting rooms to help guests know and connect with your staff.

4. Provide Infotainment to Visitors

Away from technical specifications and other product information, digital signage can be used by tech companies to provide entertaining information to visitors. Use templates to share social media pages, blog pages, testimonials, and more. Additionally, you can add a great playlist, news feeds, or weather updates. Apple loves to share how its customers use its products. For example, they display pictures iPhone users take to show the camera quality with the caption “Shot on iPhone”. If you are a tech company, consider showing how your customers are using your products, or a social media wall to share what your customers are saying about your company.

Also, don’t forget wayfinding information which will make it easier for guests to find their way around your premises. The strategic location of screens with this information at entry points, the elevator, or where there is an intersection can help make wayfinding much easier. Again, instead of static displays and layouts, you can go for the dynamic and interactive kind that provides more details when the user taps on the touchscreen.

Interestingly, this type of digital signage content helps to reduce perceived wait time. Actually, according to one study, digital signage helps reduce perceived wait time by 35%. In this regard, using digital signage helps improve the customer experience greatly as they will not feel too frustrated as they await their turn

5. Showcase Honors and Awards

Use digital signage to positively highlight your company’s awards and honors. After all, these awards are a recognition of your values as a tech company. This recognition inspires confidence in clients, staff, and business partners alike.

For instance, Apple continues to add to its bag of accolades and honors. From its award for the Best Global Culture to the Best CEO, Best Engineering Team, and Best Company Outlook, Apple has no shortage of accolades.

Indeed, whatever award or honor you win as a company, be it at the local, regional, national, or even global, it’s something to be proud of. While people are likely to miss the framed certificate hanging on your wall, it will be challenging if you display the awards on electronic signage.

Getting Started with Digital Signage

Before implementing and getting started with digital signs, the first step is understanding what digital signage is. This covers knowing the digital signage software and hardware components of your system. The digital screens are the main hardware components, but you will also need mounts and wiring. Additionally, you will need software for your media player, as well as a content management system (CMS) and software for device management.

Also, consider the networking framework; that is how your digital signage system will connect to other systems. You may use Wi-Fi or wired connections. Lastly, consider the kind of content to display on the screen. You can create content from available templates or leave the content design to the providers.

Based on your business model as a tech company, your needs, and your budget, among other things, answer the following pertinent questions.

• How many LCD screens are you looking to install?
• What type of content would you like to display?
• What is your budget for implementing digital signage?

A Job For the Experts

As a tech company, you no doubt recognize and appreciate that not everyone can do what you do. Whether you are in the business of developing apps or, like Apple, are involved in designing and manufacturing smartphones, PCS, and more, it all requires expertise.

In the same way, you can look forward to the best results when you leave the project planning and execution of digital signage systems to a digital signage expert. You will get all the resources you need, including training on how to use digital signage once everything is in place.

Deploy a Digital Signage Solution to Communicate Effectively

The bottom line remains that digital signage works. As outlined, there are many benefits for tech companies. There is no shortage of case studies of real companies within this industry, in Silicon Valley and beyond, that use digital signage. There is no doubt that utilizing digital signage like Apple will take your business to the next level.