networked media player

Touch screen displays provide the opportunity for something that will become increasingly important to digital signage in the coming years; interactivity. Touch screens now give retailers the scope to connect with their potential customers in ways and settings that have never been possible. This allows them to make the shopping experience more customer-centric. Instant tactile control keeps the ever dwindling attention span of the customer for longer, establishing a stronger communicational connection making for a more likely return on investment. There are other applications for touch screens outside of the retail environment. A popular use for touch screen digital signage is wayfinding. Public maps can often be very large without presenting any additional information about the featured locations. Touch screen digital signage provides the potential not only to navigate and direct, but also inform the user on an interactive level. Touch screen digital signage can also be used for infotainment. Hospitality venues such as hotels, theatres and concert halls can capitalise on touch screen digital signage by displaying seasonal, weekly and up to the minute event information in an engaging manner. For more information please email info@crystal-display.com or call our main office on +44 (0) 1634 327 420

Make Life Easier with Digital Advertising Displays / Menus If you are the owner or operator of any kind of eatery then you should be aware of legislation that came into force last year, dictating that food businesses selling any food unpackaged must supply allergy information. Just this one piece of legislation could force an eating establishment to reprint all of their paper menus, which would obviously be a huge, and unnecessary cost. This issue is not just limited to restaurants and bars though. Any business with a high printing rate should recognize the considerable savings they could make after making an investment in a Digital Signage Solution. Easily update-able via either a Plug and Play or Network Solution the cost of updating your Digital Menu Board is minimal when compared to the price for reprinting paper menus. Plus by switching to Digital Menu Boards you are further future proofing your investment against any further legislation that may come in requiring changes to your menu. Digital Menu Boards are part of the future in the restaurant business thanks to their fantastic visual appeal and the variety of content they can deliver compared to static backlit boards or printed materials. Don’t be left behind, or out of pocket, by failing to adopt this technology today. The bullet points below explore some of the benefits of using Digital Menu Boards: 8 out of 10 consumers have entered a store because a sign caught their interest. 75% of consumers told someone about a business after reacting to the stores signage. Over 90% of buying decisions are influenced by visual factors. 74% of customers say an easy to read menu is their top priority. Digital signage reduces perceived waiting times at checkout by as much as 35%. Digital signage creates a 31.8% increase in overall sales volume. To check out more of our products for advertising, visit our Advertising Displays Page. For more information please email info@crystal-display.com or call our main office on +44 (0) 1634 327 420

There are many arguments which suggest that inward facing digital signage solutions are a more valuable tool for public information dissemination than any other. Digital signage solutions are beginning to replace memos, bulletin boards and many internal emails in office spaces across Europe and globally. As well as digital signage solutions being more direct, dynamic, attention grabbing and providing more candour than traditional internal communications they also present the chance for businesses to make a real connection with their employees. Although digital signage solutions use LCD panels to achieve a bright and alluring display, narrowcasting internal messages with the correct approach allows businesses to communicate with employees as participants. Office based digital signage solutions also have the advantage of being constant and current. By giving employees updates on company activity and indicating the direction that the company is taking the employer can let their staff feel like a part of the company and give them ownership over their role. This, in turn, helps employees make better decisions for the benefit of the company. Office based digital signage solutions allow employers to disseminate a wide range of information, such as sales figures, production status, mission statement, upcoming company events, alerts, safety and compliance notifications and educational messages. For more information please email info@crystal-display.com or call our main office on +44 (0) 1634 327 420

When it comes to Digital Signage there are two very different ways to upload content to a screen; ‘Plug and Play’ via a USB stick or cloud based Digital Signage platform which offers a host of extra features but requires more advanced technical knowledge. Not every Digital Signage screen needs to be connected to the cloud so here’s an explanation of when it fits. When a ‘Plug and Play’ solution is best Ideal for places that have a handful of Digital Signage screens, very simple and easy to do – uploading content to a USB stick and then manually inserting the USB into a screen so the content can display. Perfect for places where people with limited technical knowledge are in charge of the display. More cost effective than connecting to a cloud based platform but you are only restricted to displaying images and videos. When a cloud based solution is best When you have a number of screens across multiple locations – can upload content to all your screens in literally a matter of seconds. Futureproof – Say for example you purchase two standalone Freestanding Digital Posters for your first store that you upload content with via ‘Plug and Play’. In a couple of years’ time when you now have six screens in three different stores in operation, the original two Freestanding Posters can be upgraded to use the cloud technology and become part of a network. Greater features are also available once you have upgraded including the ability to create your own custom layouts with multiple media zones, including live webpages for example. Cloud technology may be the most advanced form of Digital Signage but its features are simply not applicable to every project. You have to assess each situation based on certain variables including how many screens you are purchasing, the level of I.T. knowledge your company has and your budget.  Then you can decide if a cloud based Digital Signage network solution is for you. Take a closer look at our digital advertising display range here. For more information including pricing and a data sheet please email info@crystal-display.com or call our main office on +44 (0) 1634 327 420.

We have found our Digital Signage displays are becoming more and more used at exhibitions all around the world and in hot demand! Digital Signage has been establishing itself as an indispensable selling tool in retail locations for the past decade. It is no surprise then to see this translate itself into exhibitions. Digital Signage is ideal for events and exhibitions as they are only run for a limited amount of time so rented displays are ideal. Digital Signage is so versatile it can be used by those running major exhibitions and by those holding individual stands. The benefits to both are the same. Displays are much more adaptable and efficient then print. Space is usually limited at events and by going digital you can make a much more effective use of floor space. Our displays act as a powerful presentation tool which is hugely beneficial as getting potential customers to a stand is normally one of the more difficult aspects of exhibitions. Digital Signage is designed to get people to stop and view the screen. Salespeople can then use the screen as a starting off point. Think of your Digital Signage as less of a screen and more as a virtual salesperson. Take a closer look at our digital advertising display range or contact us to discuss our rental displays. For more information including pricing and a data sheet please email info@crystal-display.com or call our main office on +44 (0) 1634 327 420.

Digital signage doesn’t have to just be used to advertise products and services, there are many other uses. Communication boards within businesses is one idea which has taken off. Effective Internal Communication can keep employees motivated and engaged with their work and no workplace is immune to the benefits, from businesses, factories, retail shops, schools and public sector buildings. Bulletin boards and mass emails to everyone are outdated. Having a dialogue with staff can now be streamlined into just one source thanks to a new strategy for HR departments by using Digital Signage screens to communicate with their staff. There are lots of different applications for office / work based Digital Signage; Showing general announcements to presenting a new corporate video Re-active to current events with real time publishing features Showcasing targeted messages to make an employee not just feel like an audience member but an active participating member of a team Key Performance Indicators and real time safety records League table of who was performing best in the sales team – encourage team members to perform even better Factories could show how many days since an accident had occurred to promote its value and focus on safety Our digital signage products present such a good range of solutions for communication; it can scale to any size organisation thanks to its networking capabilities. Take a closer look at our digital advertising display range here. For more information including pricing and a data sheet please email info@crystal-display.com or call our main office on +44 (0) 1634 327 420.

Print signage has been there from the beginning and many retailers and vendors alike still use the tool of print signage to advertise and get their message across which they find works for them. However, communication tools have dramatically been revolutionized since the fast evolving digital signage sector which leaves print signage on a back burner. A market which is rapidly and constantly changing and ameliorates print signage as a way of grabbing the consumer’s attention. Obviously the main reason for many not moving past print signage is the initial investment of digital signage displays, however we have created a list of advantages and abilities of these displays which eliminates the issue of the initial costs.   See below a list of why we feel Digital Signage is the route to take; Easy Updates – Digital Signage really shines with its ability to offer real-time updates directly to an entire network of screens. Print involves manual labour, cost of reprinting distribution and going to each location to change content. Digital provides a much brighter and vibrant display that can allow images and videos at its bare minimum, the lifelessness of print signage really shows. Going digital also allows another layer of interactivity for users if you decide to add touch functionality to your screens. The cost of commercial touch screens is coming down all the time as the technology usage grows, adding a commercial touch screen allows your customer to become fully engaged in your message while also increasing brand and product awareness. Digital Signage can be recycled after their use. Print is a more fleeting form of communication and is not meant as a long term solution. There are a lot of environmental issues surrounding the ink used in traditional signage. Digital Signage is a more permanent fixture but is a lot more environmentally friendly during its lifetime like our Slimline screens that have a power timer that switches the display off when it is not needed. For more information please visit our digital advertising displays webpage or simply contact us directly and call our UK office on +44 (0) 1634 327420 or email us on info@crystal-display.com.