Gone are the days when video walls were found only in control rooms and corporate lobbies. From small businesses to educational environments and transportation, we now see video walls serving new purposes across a variety of industries. Video walls and digital signage create new experiences for customers, whether for wayfinding or communicating vital information. Advertising is migrating from traditional media to digital media and moving away from static content to becoming multipurpose, multifunctional immersive experiences.
Not only are video walls finding their way into new environments, but the technology is evolving and growing in exciting ways. Direct view LED (dvLED) video walls deliver seamless images that can be scaled to any shape or size. Video wall software offers transparent temperature monitoring for businesses.
The Digital Signage Event gathered AV professionals to connect, collaborate, and discover the ever-expanding world of digital signage. Read our in-depth coverage of the day's panel discussions.
Even as the technology advances, more affordable options allow more SMBs to take advantage of the opportunities. Video walls and digital signage afford great opportunities for boosting engagement while maintaining a safe, social distance for customers.
The wide array of choices can seem overwhelming to customers and make it difficult to assess the best option. It’s easy for them to get caught up thinking they need the latest technology. Smaller companies often want to buy the latest technology without needing an engineer or IT staff manage it. In assessing the best solutions, it is critically important to focus on the customers’ needs and capabilities. Do they really need seamless technology? In what environment will the technology be deployed? What is their budget?
A basic digital display doesn’t need to be LED just because it’s available. Asking the right questions can help resellers understand the customer’s needs and ensure they’re provided a complete solution that includes connectivity, installation, service, etc.
As customer demand grows, so too do the number of resellers jumping into the space. Due to the increase in adoption of video walls by SMBs, resellers have a great opportunity to build on their relationships with customers and add video walls it into their portfolio. Although it’s easy to get caught up in the latest trends in video walls, we still receive inquiries about basic digital signage needs from resellers that aren’t currently offering these solutions. Resellers new to the market can ramp up quickly and scale their businesses. Many manufacturers are willing to assist with the engineering, implementation, and training to help reseller partners close a deal. These resellers are important to the growth of the industry. It makes sense for distributors and manufacturers to provide guidance by helping educate resellers determine the next steps to foster that growth.
Regardless of where the technology goes moving forward, it is important to capitalize on the opportunity that exists today. By focusing on the resellers and, in turn, their customers, and by providing guidance and education, we can help grow the business. There is a wealth of opportunity in video walls and digital signage, and I am excited to see where this takes us and how we can be a part of that future.
Parker Dingler spoke at The Digital Signage Event on the Wonder Walls panel.
