While the exuberance and passion for deployment of digital signage continues unabated across many businesses, vendors and trade pundits are already anticipating the next wave of innovations , and how these will fit into their scheme of things.

In recent years however, innovations, new developments and upgradations in digital signage has been fast, without giving much breathing space to the many businesses they serve. Perhaps this was a synergistic parallel with fresh upgrades in mobile phones with its burgeoning  ‘Apps’ culture and the frenzied embracing of social media sites by people worldwide.

Having discerned the present, let’s now endeavor to delve into the future. While it’s true that digital signage screens and menu boards have (and are) playing a pivotal role in enhancing sales, profitability and customer engagement across many businesses, there is space for fresh innovations too.

The report revealed that end users across the board have already deployed digital signage or plan to deploy additional digital signage in 2019. 

• 54% of restaurants planned to deploy digital signage to more locations
• 40% of retailers planned to deploy digital signage in the future
• 63% of banks have deployed digital signage or plan to deploy it

Fresh Screen Shapes Apart From The Rectangle

So far the rectangular screens have ruled the roost in digital signage. But round, convex and curved LED screens will also be in huge demand in the coming years. They will enlarge the viewing angle, attract attention by their unconventional shapes and merge better with the architectural designs.

While its all about screen structures, panels, vertical resolutions , 4k Ultra High Definitions, and many other such technical innovations which are at play to make viewing better and better…..at the end of the day, most businesses should be happy to have invested in this new form of digital signage which will reap rich dividends in the form of enhanced sales and profitability.

As LED Technology matures, it poses fresh challenges to hardware and software engineers alike. Now that huge outdoor screens with a 360 degrees view have been customized on commercial buildings like hotel chains, educational institutes and banks, this will be extended to many other businesses with economical costs.

Artificial Intelligence And Digital Signage : 

As digital screens and menu boards are doing their work, it has become imperative to measure and quantify the results. This particularly relates to the retail and the restaurant industries wherein the sales dynamics are a direct function of customer preferences.

This is where Artificial intelligence comes in. AI software will evolve further to group customers based on their psychographics and demographics and will be of invaluable help to all relevant businesses where profiling of customers is imperative for marketing strategies. Better analytics also assists advertising derivatives.

Personalized experience to customers. This new and novel service will engage customers to the business like never before. As human beings we all have emotions and it’s not really strange that most often we react to a robot and see him as a human being. When we enter a retail store a well-attired robot will greet us ‘hello, good afternoon’ and proceed to show us on a screen what all is available on that day. Further ‘seeing’ our attire he will analyze our profiles in a second and display the products that we are likely purchase.

AI puts data in context or creates personalized advertising, both of which are invaluable to the retailer.

Hardware Upgrades With Affordable Prices

It’s all about the relentless human endeavor in seeking to create the best visual impact on a digital screen. The latest in LED technology includes MicroLED, CrystalLED, 4K, HDR, HFR, Cloud, Software integration, API’s and Modularity. All these for facilitating that incremental sales at the end of the day. A few more companies along with the existing ones such as Samsung and LG will be motivated into manufacturing and marketing menu boards and screens, with the ever-enhanced resolutions most appreciated by the human eye. These upgraded screens will be available in the market and will meet the end-users’ needs given their budget and capability requirements.

In another development,computerized design imprints and textures will steadily give way to digital signage taking these illustrations to greater levels. The signage will create more light ,shading and movement on the screen to make it more vibrant.

Interactive Kiosks And Video Screens

Today customers demand technology,personalization, empowerment and freedom.

Interactivity on digital screens has become a mandatory part of advertisement campaigns today, particularly in retail stores. And this will grow further. Touchscreens play a pivotal part in engaging the customer and elicits his product/ brand preferences and his purchasing trends.

The healthcare industry has in recent times received a boost due to adoption of videos in various disciplins to enable specialized and reliable patient care. From invasive surgical procedures in endoscopy and laproscopy to surgeries and personnel training, live video steam from network cameras have immensely assisted the medical fraternity. Today, even remote assistance from experts during surgeries are possible. No need to invoke the support of God, one may assume on a lighter note !

Interactive kiosks are already in vogue and prevalent in many retail stores and restaurants. These essentially play a part in the purchase/ ordering process. At retail stores video screens run advertisements for brands expecting to catch the customer’s eye and engage him further and leading him to purchase . Now digital screens will go a step further by profiling the potential customer based on demographics and run advertisements suitable for him. This way unplanned purchase or impulse purchases will take place and enhance the sales of the business.