Digital Signage Done Right

Employee Engagement Trends in 2021

EPISODE 59 | Guest: Debbie DeWitt, marketing & communications manager for Visix, Inc.

Employee engagement has been greatly affected by the upheavals of 2020. Internal Communications, Human Resources, the C-suite, managers and workers are all adjusting to the new work-from-home culture, the technology that makes it possible and the challenges of communicating remotely.

In this episode, we discuss employee engagement trends highlighted in a new Gallup report. We cover where organizations are doing better than before, and where there’s still work to be done, and take a look at some of the reasons why the numbers are what they are.

- Hear the latest stats for engaged and unengaged employees

- Discover how HR and IC are adapting to the new normal

- Understand the risks of disengagement and burnout

- Learn why meaningful feedback and wellbeing are top priorities

- Explore how the C-suite and managers fit into engagement

See the full transcript HERE

Want more tips on communications for employee engagement? Download our Masterclass Guide 2: Digital Signage Communications Planning

Hardware Considerations for Digital Signage

EPISODE 58 | Guest: Joe Murray, systems engineer & architect, Visix, Inc.

Communications today are increasingly virtual, but still require physical hardware to work. Although we often remind people that digital signage is about the content, you can’t reach your audience without the infrastructure. And maintaining your digital signage hardware and software is essential to a reliable, scalable and user-friendly system.

Joe Murray talks about what digital signage hardware you need for a digital signage solution, and how to shop smart so you don’t end up with items you need to replace in the near future. He also walks us through why and how you can update your software and hardware to keep your system running smoothly and take advantage of new features.

- Walk through the basic hardware in a digital signage system

- Understand what a content management server is and what it does

- Explore on-premise versus cloud hosting for servers

- Learn how to choose the best media player for your communications

- Hear why updating both hardware and software is essential

- Discover the advantages of remote and scheduled updates

See the full transcript HERE

Want the nitty-gritty technical stuff? Download our AxisTV Signage Suite networking guide.

Work From Home: Tech, Trends & Benefits

EPISODE 57 | Guest: Jonathan Blackwood, editorial director of Commercial Integrator and editor-in-chief of My TechDecisions

How we work is changing, partly because of circumstance and partly due to technology. The pandemic has forced us to conduct the largest workplace experiment in history, but work from home was already a strong movement in the labor market, and has shown positive results for both organizations and their employees. Now that we’ve been forced to adapt, things will never be the same again.

Jonathan Blackwood shares some insights into what will change, what won’t, and even more importantly, why. He also talks about how productivity, health and safety and education are all being affected.

Remote working and learning technology are certainly at the forefront of these changes, but it’s also affecting everything from how managers approach goal setting to talent attraction and retention, to scheduling and collaboration, to space configuration and management.

- Learn about business agility and why it’s key for today’s workplace

- Discover how work-life balance benefits both employer and employees

- Hear how flexibility and hybrid schedules are increasing productivity

- Explore how to leverage in-office and out-of-office technologies

- Consider how digital signage fits into the new, emerging workplace

- Understand why surveys are essential to successfully adopt WFH practices

See the full transcript HERE

Keep up to date with the industry, technologies and more at My TechDecisions and Commercial Integrator.

The Client Onboarding Process & Why It Matters

EPISODE 56 | Guest: Jill Perardi, director of professional services, Visix, Inc.

Software companies are using the HR term “onboarding” to describe the process of familiarizing clients with their products and services, and helping them become proficient enough to achieve their goals. Digital signage is a unique medium, so establishing a partnership between client and vendor is vital to a successful deployment.

Jill Perardi takes us through the client onboarding process at Visix. This gives clients an idea of what they should expect when buying AxisTV Signage Suite software. It also provides a roadmap that clients can use with other software vendors to ensure they get the most from their investment.

- Learn what onboarding is & why it’s important

- Walk through the steps of the Visix onboarding process

- Understand who needs to be involved at each stage

- Discover how success measures shape each step of the process

- Know what to expect and what to ask any company you deal with

See the full transcript HERE

For more help planning your digital signage success, download our Digital Signage Best Practices Guide.

How (Not) to Communicate Effectively

EPISODE 55 | Guest: Dave Haynes, founding editor for Sixteen:Nine, host of the 16:9 Podcast & digital signage consultant

Dave Haynes began in newspapers but started focusing primarily on digital signage and marketing 15 years ago. His refreshing take on how to keep communications honest has made Sixteen:Nine one of the go-to sources in the industry. In this episode, he shares some tips on how to communicate effectively with an audience and how not to screw up your press releases. 

Clear, concise communication is essential in all mediums, so you can apply this advice not only to your press releases, but also your digital signage content, social media and other messaging. Get suggestions on how to communicate both efficiently and effectively: 

- Learn what not to do if you want your story published

See the full transcript HERE

For more insights see Sixteen:Nine: All Digital Signage, Some Snark and the 16:9 Podcast

How Digital Signage Technologies Are Adapting to COVID-19

EPISODE 54 | Guest: Bradley Cooper, Editor for Digital Signage Today

2020 presented a number of challenges, but also a lot of opportunities. Organizations of all types are finding new and improved ways of getting their message out to audiences. New digital signage technologies are being adopted and adapted to meet post-COVID needs, and will point the way forward far into the future. Agility, versatility and integration are key to navigating the new communications landscape.

In this episode, we talk to Bradley Cooper of DigitalSignageToday.com about how companies and retailers have already adapted, and what we might expect in the coming year.

- Learn about new touchless solutions for interactive screens & kiosks

- Gain insight into how communications are becoming more targeted & personalized

- Discover how digital signage is using AI, IoT &facial identification

- Understand the emerging omnichannel communications method

- Explore how organizations are using digital signs for safety & to control traffic flow

- Hear real-world examples of dos & don’ts

See the full transcript HERE

Get updates on news, events, trends and people in the digital signage and digital out-of-home industries at Digital Signage Today.

It's Time for a Digital Signage Content Refresh

EPISODE 53 | Guest: Debbie DeWitt, marketing communication manager for Visix, Inc.

With the start of a new year, this is the perfect time to give your screens a makeover: try a new layout, pep up your message designs and get your user accounts in order. Even a limited content refresh can increase engagement.

Remember that the goal is to cut through the noise, grab people’s attention and get them to take your call to action. Since your digital signs are competing with a lot of sensory input, changing things up from time to time is an easy way to entice more viewers. However, any successful content refresh strategy has be done in a methodical, measurable way, so you can tell what is and isn’t effective.

In this episode we’ll give you some quick tips on what to refresh, how often and how easy it can be:

- Hear about the cocktail party affect and how the brain filters information

See the full transcript HERE

Need some content inspiration? Grab our infographic with 100 Digital Signage Message Ideas.

AV & Digital Signage Trends for 2021

EPISODE 52 | Guest: Brian Galante, president & owner of Dimension PR

At the end of 2020, we’re looking at future AV and digital signage trends in the new work-from-home and hybrid culture. As large corporations work to integrate with the home office, AV and IT technologies are adapting at an unprecedented rate.

In this episode, Brian Galante of Dimension PR gives us his predictions based on his work with top vendors in the broadcast and professional AV industries. We also explore how PR fits into a comprehensive marketing and digital signage strategy:

- Understand public safety messaging for 2021 & beyond

- Learn about the convergence of DS & security solutions

- Hear how AV & IT are bridging in-office & at-home meetings

- Explore infrastructure & equipment for effective collaboration

- Get tips on how to work PR into your onscreen messaging

See the full transcript HERE

Learn more about Brian Galante and Dimension PR at www.dimensionpronline.com

A/B Testing for Digital Signage Content

EPISODE 51 | Guest: Debbie DeWitt, marketing communications manager for Visix

Measuring success is critical for modern communicators, and experimenting with A/B testing gives you data that you can analyze for actionable results to improve your workflows and audience response. 

- Learn about the different digital signage elements you can test

See the full transcript HERE

Get more tips in our Masterclass Guide 2: Digital Signage Communications Planning Guide

ADA Guidelines for Digital Signage

EPISODE 50 | Host: Derek DeWitt, communications specialist for Visix, Inc.

Professional communication is about inclusion. The number and type of disabilities are more prevalent and varied than you might think, and include everything from physical to visual to hearing impairments and more. And with an aging population, it’s more important than ever before to ensure everyone can access and engage with your communications.

The Americans with Disabilities Act lays out steps for how you can ensure your facility, and your visual communications, are accessible to everyone. In this episode, we focus on tips for ADA guidelines for digital signage, specifically:

- Learn about how and where to mount screens

- Explore guidelines for keypads, kiosks and touchscreens

- Consider voice-responsive technology and EZ Access devices

- Discover how contrast, color, fonts and icons can help color blind viewers

- Get lots of links to helpful online resources

Get the full transcript HERE

Learn more about this topic in our Masterclass Guide 4: Digital Signage Design