- Navori Labs has helped the YMCA of Greater New York establish a multi-layered and universal communications strategy across its 26 locations, leveraging a Navori QL digital signage engine for corporate and campus messaging.
- The YMCA of Greater New York turned to Navori Labs’ QL solution upon experiencing limitations with its previous digital signage system. The transition to Navori Labs’ web-based solution gives the organization a scalable out-of-home network that provides local control at each location, and the ability to deliver content across Windows and Android platforms.
- Karl Christianson, IT systems manager for YMCA of Greater New York, noted that QL’s multi-user design has strengthened the organization’s ability to disseminate both company-wide and local information. All branches can create and deploy content relevant to local staff, members, and visitors, reducing the costs and labor associated with printed materials. The user permissions feature ensures that staff at each location has access to their local players, while IT and administrative staff can access players across multiple sites.
- “A main focus of ours in IT is to support marketing and communications as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Christianson. “Turnaround time is highly important, and we simply could not achieve our goals before transitioning to Navori Labs. The QL solution eliminates the support headaches, from hardware and software compatibility to overall content management. Additionally, its web-based architecture completely obliterates the need for end-user support across installations and training at local branches. We no longer have to concern ourselves with installing specific software components on every end user’s workstation. The ability to walk into a new location, plug in a player, and be live on the network is very appealing.”
- The “hardware and software compatibility” that Christianson referenced has much to do with interoperability across different operating systems. Navori Labs’ multi-platform capability enables YMCA of Greater New York to support both Windows and Android systems from a single interface, with content playing out across widescreen HD displays and mobile tablets. The Android tablets are positioned around elevators at the organization’s corporate headquarters in Manhattan, where real estate limitations prohibited larger screens. Since QL is hardware-agnostic, the organization could leverage existing tablets instead of purchasing new equipment.
- Gavan Vogler, marketing and advertising manager for YMCA of Greater New York, believes that transitioning to Navori Labs has enhanced the quality of communications across all 26 locations, noting that staff and members rely on the screens for up-to-date information.
- “We just completed a membership campaign on our signage network that replicated our city-wide advertising, using many pieces of association-based creative content that the network delivered with outstanding visual quality,” said Vogler. “The Navori Labs system also ensured we could work in new content in as little as 15 minutes, as opposed to having it created, printed, and shipped over several days. This is a real-time information source, with consistent content that is relevant to members. Local facilities have found it effective, and are building the network into their marketing and communications plan for events and other informational needs.”
- Ellen Murphy, vice president of communications for the YMCA of Greater New York, echoed the sentiment that Navori QL has strengthened how they communicate their message across the entire organization, while increasing dwell times around the screens.
- “The YMCA of Greater New York serves over 500,000 people,” said Murphy. “The Navori Labs system helps us inform them of our programs and services, and keeps them up to date with the work we do in the community. It is an essential part of our strategy, and we reach more eyeballs with more of our messages because of it.”
