3 Pitfalls to Avoid With Digital Signage Deployment In Your Dealership

A digital sign program is a great way to improve communication in your dealership. However, many dealers don’t think about the strategic aspects of deploying digital signage.

In this article we will examine three pitfalls of digital signage deployment to help ensure your success in deploying a digital signage program.

1.     Deploying it and leaving it

Deploying digital signage at your dealership can easily increase your bottom line and improve customer satisfaction if you are involved in every stage of its life cycle. Don’t just deploy a digital signage solution and leave it alone. For one, the solution will likely quickly become outdated without the proper updates and support.

On another level, you will also run into major maintenance problems if you roll it out and ignore it. It is easier to perform preventative maintenance such as monitoring the system's health remotely or regularly cleaning the screen, than to fix a broken machine.

2.    Lacking an invested content contact

It takes effort and people to run the visitor communication (ie, digital signage) properly. You need someone updating the content, managing maintenance and handling the system management. Without an invested contact who takes charge of the project, you will have a very uneven effect on your target audience and the project will not reach its full potential.

Too often, dealerships assign this to the marketing or advertising department.  They are often world class at getting customers INTO the dealership, just not as knowledgeable in how to communicate to them once there.  When added to their workload it is lacking in attention required to make it successful.

The best chance for success is when an expert in this area is brought in to manage the operation.  The spending will be more focused on dealership communication strategies and be more flexible on making changes by the season, month, week or even day.

3.    Failing to take the environment into account

The environment can be the greatest enemy for a proper digital signage deployment for a variety of reasons.

One key issue might be the weather itself if you have an outdoor menu board in your service bays. To deal with this issue, dealers should get their digital signage "dressed for the weather" with tools such as fans, AC units, and anti-glare glass.

On the indoor side of the equation, you need to make sure your digital signage is an ideal spot for customers to notice it.

Making sure the solution is placed in the proper location is important.  If the signage is located where the public is unable to interact with it, it will undoubtedly fail.

One way to deal with this issue is to carefully study customer's paths throughout the store to pick the ideal spot to reach them with your message.

An often overlooked infrastructure area is internet connectivity.  The modern day visitor expects high-speed internet at your dealership.  This is extra important for a proper digital signage system.  When its content is not updated with current sports, news and financial information it reflects badly on your attention to the customer experience.

At the end of the day, digital signage is all about sending a message. You just have to avoid the pitfalls that can distract from your communication with potential customers.

Let us help you to set new standards for digital signage deployment in your dealership. We will create solutions that will not only impress but will put the right message in front of your customers at the right time, giving you the opportunity to educate, inform, and build the trust and confidence that leads to optimal customer satisfaction.