Over the past year, most IT strategy and investment decisions have been based on one question: How do we maintain operations and customer service while minimizing person-to-person contact?

Digital Signage has emerged as a powerful tool in this effort. Long used to welcome visitors and market products, Digital Signage can convey information quickly and clearly and help meet consumer demands for “frictionless” transactions. As such, digital signage has become a critical component of day-to-day operations for organizations in a wide range of industries.

Given the mission-critical nature of today’s digital signage solutions, it’s more important than ever to select the right components and ensure that the IT infrastructure can support them. Partnering with a solution provider who has specific expertise in A/V components can help organizations maximize the value of their digital signage investments.

Sign of the Times

The COVID-19 pandemic saw a rapid rise in the use of digital signage to communicate mask mandates, social distancing requirements and other company policies, and to explain procedures for curbside pickup, returns and other transactions. The technology also provides maps and other wayfinding tools to guide visitors through a facility. Touchscreen and “touchless” kiosks create an interactive experience and facilitate self-service.

Unlike static printed signs, digital signage enables organizations to use video to create more relevant and engaging content and to change content as needed to meet rapidly evolving requirements. Large-format displays can be easily viewed from a distance, helping to discourage people from congregating in lobbies and other common areas.

Digital Signage Components

Displays are the most visible element of any digital signage solution. A wide range of sizes, form factors and resolutions are available for various applications. The key is to choose a commercial-grade product that provides the performance and reliability needed for 24×7 operation in demanding environments. 

High-quality audio can help create an immersive, multimedia experience. Nobody likes blaring speakers — nearby employees will often turn them off — but directional audio technology can focus sound toward those who are viewing the display.

Perhaps the most critical component is the content management system (CMS) that enables the creation, scheduling and distribution of content based on user-defined criteria. While older CMSs required a server and storage to host the application and content, cloud-based solutions eliminate the need for this on-premises hardware.

Media players are small computers that deliver the content to the displays. These range from HDMI sticks to high-performance systems with server-grade processing power. Some displays incorporate System-on-Chip technology that embeds media player capabilities in an integrated circuit.

How Rahi Can Help

Rahi’s dedicated A/V practice is here to help you design, implement and manage your digital signage solution. Our team stays abreast of the latest products and evaluates available solutions to eliminate much of the guesswork. We also handle configuration and integration of the components so you’re assured of an easy-to-use solution that meets your specific requirements.

Digital signage requires robust network connectivity. Our A/V team works in concert with our network engineers to ensure adequate performance and bandwidth to handle multimedia content. Security is also important — hackers have been known to hijack systems and display inappropriate content.

Ensuring the reliable delivery of content requires ongoing monitoring, maintenance and management — tasks that can quickly overwhelm in-house IT teams as the digital signage environment expands. Rahi overcomes these challenges with our managed services and rapid problem resolution, delivered through our 24×7 network operations center.

Digital signage has become a mission-critical component of the IT infrastructure. Rahi can help ensure that your digital signage system providers the operational efficiencies and customer service capabilities your business demands.