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5 Good reasons to use dynamic digital Signage for a Factory

Dynamic digital signage in factory represents a flexible and fast tool of communication. Further more, it can also automate the communication. Since the messages are easily modifiable, you can adapt them to the time of day, work shift, or the screen’s location. We therefore ensure that the right information is sent to the right people at the right time. This article present 5 good reasons to use dynamic digital signage in a factory.

Here is a demo that shows what can be displayed on a screen

Real-time performance and quality indicators

The use of digital signage allows organisations to embed any of their database, from ERP for example, then automatically display real-time information that is relevant and easy to understand. For instance, it can display:

More on why it’s important to display your key performance indicators to your employees.

The figure below shows a concrete example of what could be displayed on a screen.

ARCELORMITTAL CASE STUDY WATCH FULL VIDEO NOW

OHS prevention

Dynamic digital display can help your company improve its occupational health and safety (OHS) by displaying dynamic digital sign, prevention videos and important messages. You can:

Inform about risks and dangers.
Convey safety rules.
Call for vigilance.

Since the messages are easily modifiable, you can adapt them to the time of day, work shift, or the screen’s location. We therefore ensure that the right information is sent to the right people at the right time.

More on how dynamic digital signage can improve health and safety at work (HSW).

With a touch screen, you can signal sudden and temporary risks directly on the screen and quickly inform everyone of the danger. For example, if a worker sees an ice slick, he can immediately flag the danger on the screen to share the information with his colleagues.

The image below shows a concrete example of what can be shown on screen for prevention purposes.

Human resources communications

There is a lot of important information to communicate in factories, which is why there is often one or more bulletin boards. Those are overloaded.

With digital signage and a good content strategy, you can display your information attractively and efficiently:

New positions to fill;
Birthdays;
Upcoming events;
Union information;
Company history;
Internal culture;
The cafeteria’s weekly menu.

More on how dynamic digital signage can improve employees commitment.

Training

To ensure that your employees remember their last training properly, you can use digital display for simple reminders.

For more interactivity, it is also possible to setup touch screens so employees can receive training or consolidate their learning. For example, through videos that show how to use specific tools.

Communicate changes and spontaneous information

Communicating a change in a factory can be a perilous task for many reasons, since the following situations will probably happen:

Employees don’t have access to their email;
Employees don’t have access to phones;
Employees are not working the same shifts;
Employees are not looking at the bulletin board.

Poor communication leads to issues of efficiency and security. Incidentally, poor communication during a period of change tends to increase unwanted behaviors by 42%. [1] Dynamic digital can broadcast information quickly, visibly and instantly. You are certain that everyone is up to date and aware of the latest modifications to regulations and goals at the same time.

Finally, dynamic digital signage simplifies and reinforces your communications.

More on how dynamic digital signage can improve internal communication.

[1] http://www.slideshare.net/ldickmeyer/cost-of-poor-internal-communications-912

Should you choose free or paid digital display software? (Part 2)

Digital signage Software Free vs Paid

You know about digital display, but are having some trouble picking the best software for your needs. Free or paid software? What should good software offer? What are my needs? In the second part of this article, we will present 3 other factors that must be taken into consideration when choosing a digital signage software, whether free or paid.

Read the part 1 of this article

Ease of use

The software’s ease of use is the most important point to consider. It brings together all the other points of this article.

Free or paid, your choice of digital display software will let you do many things, but how easy is it to use? Will you enjoy or dread using it?

What constitutes easy to use software? It’s software that:

Is intuitive and user-friendly, which lets you make changes quickly and easily (in less than 3 clicks and less than 30 seconds). This means you don’t need to be a professional in computer technology to use it.
Offers the features you need and sometimes even some that you didn’t know you needed but that make things much easier for you. For example: previewing and integration of different data formats.
Automates your on-screen content. Which lets you automatically display any data you possess effortlessly.
Is not intimidating.
Offers the support you need when you need it.
Offers an IT structure (server) that is complete and secure.

In summary, easy to use software frees you from the stress that managing a network of screens could cause.

Support

Regardless of your software provider, you may have questions or face problems during your project.

While it is common to offer support, some companies do not, or offers it only partly. Paid software usually offers good support. However, free software often charges fees to access help. In some cases, it is e-mail-only support or phone support at very specific times.

Since we never know when a problem can occur, it is preferable to have a service that can help you when you need it.

Hosting server

An other important factor is the hosting server. Some free software does not always offer this service or does not offer an adequate level of security. It is very important to double check this since if hosting is not offered at all you will need to build your own dedicated server, the cost of which alone justifies the price of paid software. If security is lacking, your data can be at risk or some unwanted content can appear on your screens.

Finally, free software has its advantages and can be a good digital display solution. It can be an interesting option in the beginning, you can then move on to a paid solution as your needs evolve. In any case, it is always preferable to get information before choosing software, whether free or paid. I would like to close by saying that the best solution is the one that will lend an impact greater than efforts (time and money) that you spend on it.

Should you choose free or paid digital display software? (Part 1)

Digital signage Software Free vs Paid

You’ve been hearing about digital signage and you know it could benefit your organization. You start shopping and get:

Screens
Multimedia players
Content management software

You quickly realize there is a lot of digital signage software available. Unlike screens and media players, you can find free or paid software. At first glance, the choice is simple, a free solution seems better.

As with any purchase, you first need to assess your needs. Even though free software may seem more attractive, are you sure that it has everything you need?

This two-part article presents 6 factors to check for when choosing your software.

Display automation and management time

The first factor to take into consideration is the automation of your screen and its relation with the time required to update your content. Two points to consider:

Display automation
Manual changes

Display automation is not possible with all software and is even rarer (never) on free software. Automation is the process of retrieving existing information from several databases (ERP, CMS, Intranet, Website, News, Weather…), then displaying it easily on the screen.

Manual modifications deals with changes that cannot be automated, such as displaying a new job opening, for instance. Free software can make those changes, but they tend to be less user-friendly and harder to use, especially since they rarely offer training. For those reasons, management takes longer and is more demanding.

To assess your needs, ask yourself the following questions:

Will I have to make lots of changes to my content?
Is automating my screens important?

In some cases, free software can be adequate, in others, the paid software will quickly justify its cost.

Features

A free digital signage software offers many features, but this is where paid software stands out. Make sure to check the following items to see if it meets your needs:

Number of software access keys
Access management
Number of templates and template editor
Emergency messages
Limited or unlimited media storage
Regular updates
Compatibility
Data integration (in different formats)
Display automation
Message programming (scheduling)
Previewing
Branding for your business
Remote management

Subscriptions and extras

Most free software on the market also offers one or more paid variants, generally in the form of a premium subscription. The free version usually offers limited features and services. Depending on your needs, you will sometimes have no choice but to subscribe or pay for extras to properly undertake your project.

You should be wary, some software that is free at first can end up being much more costly than paid software.

The three other important factors will be published in the second part of this article.

How to increase employee commitment using digital signage (Part 2)

Are you engaging your employees during their shifts ? If you are here, it probably causes a few problems. In this second part, we will look at 3 other ways to increase your employees’ commitment using digital signage. To see our other tips, click here to see the previous article: How to increase employee commitment using- digital signage? (Part 1)

Democratize information

In order to be committed to your work, you must make sense of what you’re doing. Meaning not only repeating your tasks but understanding their essence and why you’re doing them.

A well-informed employee that is aware of the objectives and challenges of his or her business is more likely to be motivated to help the organization (entity and colleagues) to reach and surpass their goals. It is impressive to observe that only 40% of employees are aware of the goals and objectives of their company.[1]

How do you democratize information ? Through downward communication<. In other words, ensuring that messages from the top management reach the ears of employees in the field. This seems simple on paper, but it is very hard to implement. Often, company goals and policies that are well known to management are unknown to factory workers. How do you increase your employees' commitment if they are not made aware of the company's strategic decisions ?

The consequences are often greater when internal changes occur. Since communication is lacking, information is shared poorly and often causes problems. According to a study, poor communication during changes increases unwanted behaviours by 42%[2].

Digital signage can be an effective solution for avoiding this type of problem. It has the advantages of capturing people’s attention and of adapting the message in real time (even automatically). Thus, this technology allows easy downward communication of pertinent business information such as:

Objectives
Explanations of procedures
Progress reports on projects
Reasons for recent changes

In short, digital signage fosters the emergence of a collaboration culture. We share and adapt information to get everyone working towards the same goal.

Listen to your employees

We just saw how digital signage greatly increases downward communication within a company. It allows facilitates upward communication, from employees to the administrative staff. To get more employee commitment, they must feel listened to by their executives. Moreover, they want to feel like their opinion is important and taken into account in the decision-making process. Here are some examples of questions that an employer could ask his or her employees:

Do you agree with those new practices ?
Would you like to take this training ?
Do you have ideas for new products ?
How do you innovate in this service we are offering ?
Are you satisfied with your work tools ?

It is not enough just to ask those questions, they also need to know who to send their responses to (name, contact details, title). After all, they are the ones on the field, seeing what is happening, we must therefore encourage them to take action and communicate with the administrative staff. Take an interest in your employees, their interests, their ideas, their problems. In return, they will take an interest in the success of your business.

Digital signage does not let employees communicate upward directly. On the other hand, it lets you show them that what they think is important for the organization’s success. 39% of workers do not feel appreciated at work[3]. So show them that they are important.

In short, digital signage improves communication both ways (upward and downward), which favours collective intelligence.

Repeat, repeat, repeat

There are no secrets to internal communication. Often, for the message to be understood, it must be repeated. A company with 100 employees dedicates, on average, 17 hours per week clarifying information. This represents hundreds of thousands of dollars per year[4].

You have now been reading this article for a few minutes, but tomorrow, you may have forgotten all about it. Hence the importance of repeating a message in order to ensure that it is well understood.

Compared to other medias, digital signage lets you repeat messages easily, effectively, and for a low cost:

Recognition
Objectives
The importance of employees’ work
Messages that encourage a sense of belonging

No need to have a supervisor on the floor repeating the same things over and over. It is also a media that turns out to be much more effective than traditional posters, bulletin boards, or internal journals, since it is much more dynamic and visually appealing.

Finally, this booming new media is an opportunity for you to communicate effectively with your employees in order to increase their commitment.

[1] J.P Blackard in the Daily Infographic

[2] The Holmes Report

[3] Market Tools Inc.

[4] Siemens Enterprise Communication

How to increase employee commitment using digital signage? (Part 1)

This two part article offers solutions to increase employee commitment using digital signage. If you are not familiar with this method of communication, I invite you to visit our digital signage page on our website. This page explain clearly what is digital signage.

Sadly, many employees show up at work day after day without any real motivation. Worse still, some are there only to do their hours and collect their paycheck. We can easily affirm that they are not committed to the success of the the company that employs them.

In 2016, commitment has become a major management concern. Incidentally, it is the number one human capital priority for 91% of Canadian companies [1]. A committed employee:

Performs better and is 43 % more productive [2]
Is 87 % less likely to quit his or her job [3]
Returns up to 2,5 times more benefits [4]

This first part presents two of the five digital signage tips that will increase your employees’ commitment:

Show gratitude
Develop a sense of belonging

Show gratitude

If you are having doubts about the importance of gratitude in generating employee commitment, here are a few numbers that will convince you:

77% would be willing to work more if they were shown more gratitude. [5]
Employees that feel valued by their employer are 60% more motivated to do good work. [6]

The problem is that only 24% of employees are satisfied with the level of gratitude they receive. [7] Thus, it is important to communicate with employees in order to recognize their good deeds. Here are a few examples:

Emphasize good performance
Highlight important events, a new record for example
Be grateful for actions large and small that move the company forward
Display encouraging words
Highlight social, sports, or community involvement
Highlight when objectives are reached
Highlight promotions and years of service

Moreover, digital signage lets you show your employees gratitude quickly. As soon as the good deed is accomplished, it is possible to communicate congratulations. It is therefore not necessary to wait until the next reunion to underline it. Digital signage lets you communicate with the right people at the right time.

In the figure below you’ll find a concrete example of what could be displayed on a screen in order to recognize a good deed.

Develop a sense of belonging

Teamwork is a good way to get employees to commit to their job. It’s a way to develop a sense of belonging, not only towards the company, but also towards colleagues.

Digital signage is a good tool for sharing information about employees in order to get to know the people with whom we work, and therefore form bonds more easily. For instance, we can display:

Employee birthdays
The hobbies of some employees
Congratulations for some type of victory (sports, talent contest…)
Invitations to events

Translation of the text in the image: «More than 160 ArcelorMittal participants in the Festival de la Gibelotte race. Congratulations to all runners and walkers that took part in the event this last July 8th!»

The 3 other ways to increase employee commitment will be published in our next article. In the meantime, we’d like to know what you think. Share your impressions in the comments below, we’d love to read them.

[1] Heather Stockton, Deloitte, Human Capital Trends 2016
[2] Hay Group
[3] Paulson Training
[4] Hay Group
[5] (Market Tools Inc.)
[6] American Psychology Association Harrison Interactive
[7] Market Tools Inc.

2016-2017 Digital Signage Trends

The largest event in the field of digital signage took place this March 16th and 17th in Las Vegas: the Digital Signage Expo 2016. More than 6000 experts from all spheres of the industry were there to present their brand new technology. It is a must see event where all the players in the market learn about the latest trends.

Richard Fortin, chairman and founder of ITESMedia for over 11 years, was of course present and he will now share his impressions on the upcoming trends for equipment, software, and content management in this article.

ITESMEDIA is a company that has been working in the field of digital signage for more than 11 years. It deploys interactive terminals, digital signage equipment, and interactive kiosks, in addition to having its own content management softwareITESLIVE.

The Digital Signage Expo 2016 is without a doubt the must see event in the field of digital signage. Here is the convention, by the numbers:

More than 4100 people visited the convention
Visitors came from 69 different countries
The convention takes up over 84 000 square feet
More than 200 exhibitors, 45 for whom it was their first show

Source: David Haynes, http://www.sixteen-nine.net/2016/04/04/dse-reports-slight-upticks-in-2016-attendee-exhibit-space-numbers/

OLED screens emerging, LEDs growing

Source: http://www.digitalsignageexpo.net/

Large businesses like LG, Samsung, Panasonic, NEC, Planar, and a few manufacturers were well represented during this gathering. They showed off all the latest innovations in computers, monitors, and supports.

OLED screens were part of these innovations and have as their main advantages a thinner size and richer colours. This technology, for which we have been waiting for a long time, is now seeing more availability on the market. However, their high price and their poor performance in well light areas will limit their growth in certain markets. This type of screen is therefore only used in places where there isn’t too much light, for now.

LED technology, on the other hand, finds a new vocation. This technology, which was mostly used for very large size exterior screens due to its excellent performance in well lit conditions, is now used indoors for the implementation of video walls. Therefore, all the largest monitor manufacturers have started using this type of product aggressively, which will reduce its cost in the near future. It’s good news for consumers.

Display systems

Source: http://www.digitalsignageexpo.net/

As for display systems, on-board systems, or “on-chip systems”, have once more received a lot of attention at the convention. These systems, that have now been available for a few years, use a proprietary system unique to each manufacturer that allows the use of the screen’s internal system instead of having to buy an external computer. It is therefore a significant cost reduction for the user.

Another technology that is receiving attention: Android-based display systems. However, many players in the industry have their doubts on those types of systems, since they present some data security risks. Despite this problem, there is most probably a market for embedded systems since the material costs are relatively low.

Software developers

According to David Haynes, editor of the 16:9 blog and an influential player in the field, there are only about 40 serious companies left in software development for digital signage. It is a sobering assessment, albeit a realistic one. Health care businesses are the ones with a specific niche. According to David Haynes, it is only a matter of time before a hundred businesses, differentiated only by their low price, disappear. The companies that stand out not through the quality of their product but by their smaller margins will have a hard time investing money into improving their software.

Therefore, we can conclude that companies that will have developed very effective software in a specialized market have a much better chance of succeeding.

Content creation

Digital signage is of course leaning heavily on the visual aspect, but, strangely, few firms were present for the convention. One thing is for sure, there were fewer than last year. The very high cost has certainly discouraged many content creation companies from participating in the event.

Moreover, we notice that creators are now a part of software integration teams. The implementation of a multidisciplinary team (creator, developer, integrator, designer) allows a business to offer a turnkey service to its clients.

Visiting this Expo has allowed us to take the pulse of the market and has given us many hints on what will happen in the next months for digital signage.

New Partnership with Olympe

ITESMedia is proud to announce a new partnership agreement with Olympe , a company specialized in the improvement of quality of life at work. Throughout the years, that company has stood out in the field of prevention for occupational health and safety through its communication tools and its custom made content for businesses. It counts several large Quebec companies as its clients.

See a live example of dynamic digital display (desktop computers only)

This partnership will allow both businesses to offer their clients specialized content on occupational health and safety through a digital display network that will be visible at all hours of the day. Thus, with a good content strategy, your communications reach employees wherever they are located in the business.

“It is excellent news for our clients” mentions Richard Fortin, CEO of ITESMedia, “since it will improve the quality of broadcast content and therefore minimize work injuries, reduce SST costs, and improve employee motivation.”

13 years of experience have allowed ITESMEDIA to develop a unique offer in the corporate field. Its content management software will let companies communicate effectively with their audience, regardless of geographical location or worker schedule. Moreover, this new partnership agreement with Olympe will grant ITESMEDIA’s clients access to very high quality specialized content.

In summary, here are the advantages that this new partnership brings to clients:

Improved message quality;
Reduced work injuries;
Reduced SST costs;
Improved employee productivity;
Modifying messages quickly and easily.

5 Myths About Dynamic Digital Signage

The digital signage industry has been growing quickly in the last few years. Big players in retail and large companies have both adopted this method of communication. It is regardless a fairly young industry that evolves rapidly and this creates misconceptions. We have therefore decided to dispel 5 of the most frequent myths about digital signage.

Myth #1: Digital signage is difficult to install

With the evolution of technology, it is now simpler and simpler to enjoy a digital signage network. The cost of equipment, including monitors, has significantly decreased in the last few years. Simply think back to old CRT monitors that had to be installed overhead. Nowadays, monitors are often very thin and relatively light, therefore much simpler to install. As for the signage system and external peripherals, they are also fairly simple and quick to install. Most companies will assign a specialist that can complete the installation in less than a day.

Myth #2: Creating graphical material is expensive

This is important for any company that wants to benefit from the advantages of signage by showing off the company’s colours and graphic standards. There are of course costs related to this service, but they are not necessarily expensive. In most cases, a graphic designer will take inspiration from existing graphical models on your website or sales documents in order to build unique signage templates for each client. Each project is different and prices are defined based on the work to be done, but, on average, the content strategy and the creation of personalized templates cost about $3000 per project.

Myth #3: The costs are exorbitant

For many years, the field has been growing exponentially. Most of us now have a cellphone, a laptop, many televisions, and a tablet. This strong demand in the field of technologies has driven fierce competition, which greatly benefits consumers. This competition between companies has of course brought a reduction in price and great technological advancements. The digital signage market is no exception. The costs of equipment have significantly decreased, as have the management fees since the software is simpler to use. Once more, to give an idea of average costs, a turnkey project with content planning, content strategy, and two monitors should cost you around $10 000. This includes equipment, installation, content strategy, graphics, and the content management system.

Myth #4: Modifying content on a screen is long and complicated

If you are using effective and user-friendly content management software, a change should only take you a few minutes. After training, which should be included in your project’s implementation, persons in charge at your company should be able to modify or add a message in less than 30 seconds. A good practice is to have your signage templates built by a specialist at the start of a project. This way, you have all you need and the modifications will be much simpler.

Myth #5: The impact on your audience is minimal

Without planning, your screens will probably just be a decorative fixture in your office. Good planning and a good knowledge of your target audience are crucial before undertaking such a project. First of all, determine what the goals of your monitors are. Then, in order to ensure that the monitors are watched and that they have an impact, there are many factors you need to consider. Their placement, the signage templates, the interests and needs of your target audience, the duration of your animations and messages, to name a few, are all aspects to analyze in order to ensure you reach your intended results.

In summary, digital signage is now a simple and relatively inexpensive way to reach your company’s communication goals. Of course, there are several pitfalls that should be avoided for a good return on investment. We encourage you to read our article: 5 Biggests Mistakes to Avoid in Digital Signage to improve your reflection.

5 biggest mistakes to avoid in digital signage

Have you ever seen digital signage monitors that aren’t working, or are completely ineffective? With more than 11 years of experience in the installation of digital signage solutions, we have seen many situations that have often led to screens being turned off. We have therefore decided to show you, in this article, some of the mistakes to avoid if you plan on using this technological tool.

Mistake #1: Underestimating your audience

It is very important to keep your audience in mind during your content planning. An in-depth analysis of your target audience must be undertaken to ensure your screens will have the desired impact. Whether your audience is clients, suppliers, or employees, you must know their information needs and interests in order to grab their attention. For instance, for a company that is mostly made up of men, it would be a good idea to display some news about the Montreal Canadiens to encourage workers to look at the monitors.

Mistake #2: Not automating data

We live in an instant gratification world where everything needs to be known very quickly. Why not automate the data displayed on your screens? Every company nowadays has a many data systems that are often scattered over many programs. Why not centralize this data and broadcast it in real time on your screens? Maintaining your display system must require as little effort as possible from your communications team. Thus, with the technology now available, make sure the data displayed on your screens, such as performance indicators, is automated for better efficiency.

Mistake #3: Forgetting to assess the placement of monitors

At what height must the monitors be installed? Where? Is it a sunny room? All of those small details can make a big difference and must therefore be considered when analyzing the placement of screens. By placing monitors in an area that’s too bright, the screen’s visibility will inevitably suffer. Screens therefore need to be used accordingly. Moreover, the duration and quantity of content to be broadcast will be influenced by the time your audience spends in front of the screens. To reach your communication goals, the placement of your monitors is crucial.

Mistake #4: Not having a content strategy

During your planning, it is important to analyze the content and type of information that you want to broadcast. After putting down all the messages on paper, they need to be organized. First, they need to be grouped by category and then to be prioritized. You do not want to broadcast all your messages at once. It if preferably to show less messages in order for them to be better understood. At ITESMEDIA, we have developed 4 great categories that define the different broadcasting axes to help our clients with their content strategy: “ Health and safety at work (HSW) , productivity, training and internal communication“.

After categorizing content, it is easier to position messages properly in our display template.

Mistake #5: Neglecting training and customer service

Most digital display solutions require very few manipulations to ensure their proper functioning. Nevertheless, some operations are necessary depending on the type of content you publish. For instance, if you would like to wish an employee a happy birthday, you must know how to operate the display management software. This is why you need to make sure that your digital display provider offers a complete training program at the beginning of the contract. Moreover, good customer service is often important to help you use your equipment properly.

In conclusion, installing a digital signage system is more complicated than simply choosing the size and model of your monitors. It is therefore absolutely necessary to plan properly to ensure that your investment yields the expected benefits. Ensure that you are surrounded by experts in the field that will know how to help you develop a strategy that will fulfil your objectives.