The Quick Guide to Digital Signage Implementations Across Multiple Locations

By Gulaiym Agbal

Implementing digital signage over multiple locations requires careful planning. You have to get it right the first time, and there’s no reason why you cannot. Each site may present a unique challenge. You have to foresee the challenges and be prepared because if you’re not, the costs will overshoot the budget because of delay and repetition.

First understand how your business can actually benefit from a multi-location DOOH rollout. Restaurants save on the costs of brochures, pamphlets, and flyers that have to be distributed every time there’s an event or a menu update.  

Corporations that have multiple offices can use digital signage to share new processes and codes in a flash. Last-minute alterations to a plan can be shared immediately. Businesses running franchisees can deliver relevant information all over the world in a segregated and customized manner. The digital signage also delivers a wealth of data to the business about customer reaction, dwell time, interactions, shares, etc.

Retailers can use DOOH to coordinate the sale of different products across various outlets. It helps them get rid of time-sensitive inventory such as fruits and other perishables. Discounts to be offered can be coordinated. Last-minute offers at the point of sale can be compared for best results.

If you choose to use digital signage across multiple locations, you can achieve scalable marketing at a rate that you see fit. You can add more screens, diversify into VODXS faucet screens, or use kiosks…you can expand depending upon your needs.

A large-scale deployment is affordable. Constantly having to deliver promotional content online and offline is a huge cost on resources. You can virtually eliminate the cost of paper, plastic, and OOH hoardings when you opt for DOOH. Content updates are far cheaper to carry out. Cost of information will never be a constraint in implementing even a small procedural change.

You achieve consistency with your branding. You control the messages that go out to different locations. You can time the messages according to local requirements, such as time of the day, footfalls, store openings, etc. Consistent branding and messaging has a huge effect on social media communications that follow.

Document the support and planning required for each site. This will inform you of the costs and obstacles unique to a site. Site surveys must be carried out. Hardware choices must be explored depending on the needs of the location – indoor, outdoor, topography, weather, etc. The challenges in setting up infrastructure must be identified.

Once the scope of the project has been defined, you need to have a digital content strategy in place that will enable you to communicate in the most effective manner. The content mix should be such that it enables you to fulfill marketing objectives in the most effective and efficient manner.  

Localization of content is a consideration in multi-site digital signage rollouts. For example, VODXS is a very powerful and innovative medium for leveraging digital signage in washrooms. If any of the sites have washrooms, then VODXS deployment is a must. Plan accordingly.

Digital signage across many locations requires continuous management. The system has to run smoothly and you must plan in advance to ensure robust support. Support includes technical management, scope risk, network maintenance, hardware maintenance, best practices, strategy for upgrade, etc.

Identify steps that you can benchmark for the various stages of the process. Factor in regular reporting, capturing analytics, and stakeholder management.
Software upgrades must happen on time. You may commission program management services to manage the entire process.

With a project management firm taking care of the multi-location deployment, you can carry it out in a phased manner such that the needs of individual locations are met and not overlooked.

Choose a firm that knows about the best hardware and software combinations for your needs and is willing to take on responsibility for upgrades and updates.

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