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September 02, 2009
Digital Signage Offers Retailers Low-Cost Option to Grow Sales
 By Amy Tierney,
TMCnet Web Editor
In an era when cell phones and smart phones are quickly becoming modern day necessities, more and more businesses are turning to technology to communicate their messages to consumers.
As traditional paper signs become less dynamic, organizations are turning to digital signage to capture people’s attention. While the technology appears to be popular in hospitals and universities, small retail stores and department chain outlets are slower to adopt it.
In fact, a recent report from Recent Retail Systems Research found that retailers and manufacturers need to act more cooperatively to plan and execute in-store promotions, including the funding of new technologies like in-store video and mobile coupons.
The nation’s weak economy seems to be playing a key role in the slow adoption of digital signage at retail. The reason? The retail industry doesn’t appear to have the money to invest in high-end communications technology, despite the potential impact it could have on sales, according to a Cincinnati Business Journal report.
Yet, officials from a Lawrence, Pa.-based provider of voice communications, data infrastructure, and
product solutions, said its company offers budget-conscious businesses an ideal option with its
so-called “ iCOMPEL.”
Black Box Network Services’ iCOMPEL appliances to make it simple for companies to assemble and manage HD-quality digital signage content into an all-in-one solution. The solutions are designed for standalone or multi-site applications, the company said.
Digital signage can be used to increase sales, improve communications, as well as alert, or notify a target audience – key uses in a retail environment. Specifically, the iCOMPEL system can be used for content management, scheduling, distribution, and system monitoring. In addition, content can also be changed on the spot, the company said.
“Black Box ( News - Alert) has recognized the diminishing budgets and difficulties with large capital expenditures in the retail segment,” Brian Kutchma, director of marketing for Black Box, told TMCnet in an interview. “Large scale investments are being tabled and in some cases canceled. The Black Box iCOMPEL solution gives retails a low, up -front solution that is scalable and can grow as resources and budgets become available.”
The solution gives any size retailer the ability to quickly and easily leverage the benefits of digital signage without having to commit to a major up-front and long-term expense, Kutchma said.
"When we developed iCOMPEL, we wanted to provide customers with a flexible, affordable and most importantly a scalable solution that they could grow into," Josh Whitney, senior product manager, for Black Box Network Services. "The countless studies and statistics clearly make the case for digital signage."
Follow ITEXPO (News - Alert) on Twitter: twitter.com/itexpo
Amy Tierney is a Web editor for TMCnet, covering unified communications, telepresence, IP communications industry trends and mobile technologies. To read more of Amy's articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Amy Tierney
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