Digital signage is a name given to any number of methods used to display multimedia content in public venues Alternatively known as dynamic signage, electronic signage, multi-media merchandising or narrowcasting, networks of digital signs are becoming commonplace in financial institutions, malls, airports, retailers and corporate headquarters, to name just a few places  Whether they are captive audiences or passers-by, people from all walks of life enjoy t he informative and entertaining content that is presented on these screens.

The increasingly fragmented nature of broadcast TV and the advent of the DVR have made the traditional mass medium of television less efficient and often a crapshoot.  Digital signage offers a very efficient means of bringing the message - the financial institution`s message is there for the "last mile" of the consumer cycle.  They get the message while they is in the branch, with your staff available and your product in arm`s reach.  Compare that with a message delivered to a consumer who is lying in bed, armed with a TiVo remote in their hand.

In its most basic implementation, a digital sign consists of a playback device (such as a computer, VCR or DVD player) connected to a display Depending on the branch’s particular application, the display might be a small LCD screen at the teller line itself, a plasma display panel behind the teller line, or even a video wall in a waiting area composed of a number of connected screens With this diverse range of affordable options, even the smallest bank or credit union can benefit from a digital signage installation.

Every bank and credit union is familiar with typical in-branch advertising methods such as posters, rate boards, table toppers and brochur es, but now a new day is dawning in electronic communications True dynamic signs first came into popular use with the advent of in-store closed circuit television networks in the 1970s With the wide spread availability of affordable VCRs, retail stores and corporate headquarters were able to play back pre-recorded content to their patrons and employees, providing timely information and entertaining content Soon, closed circuit networks would be augmented with (and in some cases, supplanted by) affordable TV/VC R combination units for smaller displays, and projection screens and video walls for eye catching, large format presentations With satellite distribution, it even became relatively affordable to syndicate the same content to thousands of sites at once.

In recent years, several factors have combined to make digital signage a more powerful, eye-catching, and affordable display medium than ever before – contributing to its wides pread adoption All of the pieces h ave fallen into place for progressive banks and credit unions to get on board with digital merchandising: there is ubiquitous availability of high-speed Internet access, new large format displays like plasma screens and LCD panels are quite affordable, and new video formats can compress large amounts of content into small file sizes.

A modern digital sign adds several additional components to the traditional setup described above The controller, typically a powerful computer or media playback appliance, uses a digital connection to deliver a crisp output s ignal to a digital display, like a pla sma screen or LCD panel The playback device uses a digital storage medium (such as a hard drive or solid-state flash disk) to store content locally, ensuring smooth playback Players can be remotely managed over the Internet to allow for content updates, schedule changes, and compliance reporting This frees the credit union’s marketing staff to focus on creative issues and allows their IT staff to "set it and forget it."

Because of these factors, every digital signage network can benefit from remote management Aside from offsetting the costs of producing, replicating and distributing VHS tapes or DVDs, Internet-connected signage provides administrators with the ability to closely monitor playback, ensuring that the desired content is being displayed Delivering content over the Internet ensures that the cont ent arrives and gets played according to the proper schedule, eliminates errors in shipping and handling, and removes reliance upon on-site personnel to change tapes or DVDs Staff members are typically not very motivated to perform such tasks, plus they need to focus their attention on serving customers in the branch.

Sophisticated remote management tools also give network operators the ability to perform near real-time adjustments to every display`s playback schedule, enabling real-time marketing experiments, emergency announcements, and even live content feeds (such as showing cable or satellite TV in a specific area of the screen) Additionally, banks and credit unions are naturally concerned with compliance reporting, and remote management gives them a complete record of what each screen has displayed.

Smaller banks and credit unions with a limited budget may want to consider implementing low-cost LCD panels in conjunction with traditional product displays Larger organizations may choose to opt for more impressive displays such as rear projection TVs, large LCDs, plasmas, DLPs, wall projectors, and video walls Messages can also be delivered via touchscreen kiosks, which add an interactive component to an otherwise non-interactive display medium Today’s modern software packages can be used for digital signage and touchscreen kiosks alike, so progressive banks and credit unions may elect to deploy a combination of both.

Every organization should plan their digital signage with an eye to the future A network of a few screens may be easy to manage by shipping and swapping DVDs However, if that network grows to 25, 50 or 100 screens spread across numerous branches, this type of content management becomes much more cumbersome Additionally, features that may not seem relevant during the early stages of a deployment might prove to be essential later on For example, the ability to easily add or delete a piece of content on short notice might not seem important at first, but if rates are changing frequently this can be a very important feature to even the most modest bank or credit union.

Perhaps an even bigger issue is the choice of delivery method: in-house server hardware versus a hosted web service That is because the availability of turnkey, hosted digital signage software can actually make it less expensive to deploy the initial systems with full remote management capability - providing a solution that is affordable for today and scalable for tomorrow And since hosted systems are designed to work seamlessly and securely with your existing network, no additional infrastructure is required.

Bank and credit union marketing directors have found that they really appreciate the flexibility of digital merchandising because they can easily change the content and keep it fresh The goal of a digital merchandising system at the teller line is to inform members of the organization’s products and services while they are waiting If the member has a question, the teller can then refer them to the appropriate staff member, such as a loan officer or new accounts MSR.

There are also tremendous marketing opportunities for digital signage in any waiting area Anyone can attest that time goes by much faster with something to watch Members enjoy watching news, stock information, custom promotions and other high-interest data directly on multimedia displays There really is no better place to market to members than when they are in the branch – the bank or credit union truly has a captive audience.

Any bank or credit union that wants to keep their communications dynamic and compelling can benefit from digital signage This technology improves the member experience while promoting brand campaigns, new products and services, current rates and upcoming events Forward-thinking organizations can quickly change their message to meet new challenges, and implement it in multiple locations - all with the click of a mouse.

At the end of the day, digital signage increases revenue by engaging customers at the point-of-decision and simplifying the sales process for branch employees When all of these factors are considered, digital signage clearly represents an excellent investment for in-branch merchandising.

Smaller locations, with a limited budget, may want to consider implementing low-cost LCD panels in conjunction with traditional product displays.  Larger organizations may choose to opt for more impressive displays such as rear projection TVs or screens, large LCDs, plasmas, DLPs, wall projectors, and video walls.  Messages can also be delivered via touchscreen kiosks, which add an interactive component to an otherwise non-interactive display medium.  Today’s modern software packages can be used for digital signage and touchscreen kiosks alike, so progressive banks & credit unions may elect to deploy a combination of both.