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Nov 06, 2024

Digital Signage and UCC: How Integration Enhances Communication and Collaboration – rAVe [PUBS]

Suffice it to say, digital signage has evolved into a mainstream communication medium. Retail is still the largest segment, but other applications are on the ascendancy. The wow factor and experience

Suffice it to say, digital signage has evolved into a mainstream communication medium. Retail is still the largest segment, but other applications are on the ascendancy. The wow factor and experience generated on a large screen (or video wall) by a well-designed signage content spot speaks for itself. But the fastest growing segments of digital signage are corporate/business and education. What you hear most loudly in these venues is the need for unified communication and collaboration (aka: UCC). The interesting thing is the confluence of digital signage and UCC, and the complementary nature of the relationship. Win/win? You bet!

This topic began with a conversation with Charles Freedman, the president of a new AV company called Need Technologies. The company may be new, but for those of you who don’t know him, Charles has a rich history in the AV business. He saw the need (pun intended) to focus his latest efforts on the “actual needs” of the client far beyond what they say they want, and the cursory needs analysis we are all familiar with. To Charles each client is a “bespoke effort” and once he understands the client, their business, their culture, and ultimately their needs, then how to meet those needs would become clear. He is also a strong proponent of digital signage and UCC. We had to talk and talk and talk about our favorite topics… let’s look at each segment as standalone entities and then see how UCC and digital signage fit together.

Unified Communications and Collaboration is defined “as the integration of real-time communication services such as instant messaging (chat), voice (including IP telephony), video conferencing, data sharing and presence information, with non-real-time communication services like email, voicemail, and SMS.” At its core lies is the ability to provide a unified user interface and experience across multiple devices and media types, thereby enabling users to communicate and collaborate more effectively and efficiently. As one expert points out, “It encapsulates a variety of communication tools and platforms, all coalescing into a singular, streamlined experience that supports the dynamic needs of today’s digital workforce.”

UCC is not just about technology unto itself. It is a comprehensive strategy to enhance organizational communication, eliminate information silos and promote a more connected and productive work environment. Unlike stand-alone technologies, it harmonizes and humanizes technologies and as one expert notes, “it facilitates a more natural and intuitive interaction among team members, regardless of their physical location. It embodies the future of communication, where connectivity, collaboration, and flexibility are paramount, empowering businesses to navigate the complexities of the digital era with confidence and agility”.

The essence of UCC lies in its core components, which include:

What makes UC into UCC are the collaboration tools it embraces:

Digital signage is the visual/digital offspring of the marriage of static signs and electronic communication. Digital displays use technologies such as LCD, direct view LED, projection and e-paper to display digital images and content of all types. They are used as a network of electronic displays that are centrally managed and individually addressable for the display of information in multiple forms including text, images, video and animated messages for advertising, information and entertainment to targeted audiences. Digital signage can be found in an expanding number of applications including retail stores, hotels, food service, corporate buildings, education, healthcare public spaces, transportation systems and more. Digital signage is all about content, call to action and recall on any device, anywhere and at any time.

To understand the impact of digital signage, in an article reported in the New York Times on average we spend 8 hours a day in front of screens of various types. Research also shows that nearly 80% of the population of the USA encounters digital signage in one form or another every day. Research also shows that digital signage improves message recall by 70% over other means of communication.

Take the aspirations and objectives of individual UCC applications and then add three factors from the digital signage playbook:

The proven impact of digital signage coupled with UCC can result in a true symbiotic match.

Suffice it to say that digital signage can and will play a significant role in UCC. This dynamic duo enhances communication efficiency and the fostering of collaboration in various environments, such as buildings, offices, conference rooms, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities to name a few.

The benefits are real. Here are just a few to consider:

Incorporating digital signage into UCC strategies enhances information flow, improves team collaboration, and contributes to a more engaged workplace. By leveraging these technologies, organizations can create a more connected, efficient, and productive environment for their employees. This is the truest of definitions of collaboration in the technological age.