Now more than ever, the retail space is increasingly competitive as online shopping and franchises fill the market. Therefore, it is important for smaller independent retailers to recognise and seize the opportunities digital display solutions offer to their businesses including enhanced customer experiences and interactions as well as encouraging footfall in store.
Notably, digital solutions are no longer just for the major retailers as we’re seeing more and more smaller businesses beginning to embrace digital technology within their business model. As everyone seeks to attract a wider customer pool, bringing in digital displays are necessary for smaller businesses to flourish and survive. One way SMEs can benefit, if it’s a multi-brand business, is by getting subsidised from the larger brands and advertising the brands on digital signage. This is a way for the smaller retailers to actually promote certain brands and get that subsidised from their suppliers.
My biggest advice when it comes to integrating display technologies, for SMEs in particular, is to keep it simple. For instance, to help encourage and drive footfall, you can implement a fairly basic high brightness displays in the window to capture customers’ attention. We’d also recommend a Kiosk solution in the store. Not only do they offer an interacting point of sale, they are also easy to deploy and doesn’t require much project work to get up and running.
Additionally, we know for SMEs, there are limitations with space, and it can be a challenge to showcase their full product range in-store. However, display solutions such as a screen in-store, customers can view and directly access the store’s site to browse the full catalogue of products available. What’s more, Kiosk solutions can be used to manage online orders and customers can register once they have arrived and pick up products.
Equally, for in-store, retailers can make use of smaller sized displays at the counter and tills. These are greatly beneficial in engaging with customers waiting in a queue and ultimately can encourage last minute buying decisions.
Something, which I feel is also important to note is that installing displays within your retail space, doesn’t require multiple day closures. With proper planning, deployment of display technologies should be within a day, or typically less as it is a fairly simple install.
Despite the advantages SMEs can gain from integrating display technology into their business, we’re aware that not all have the support to do so. Compared to larger businesses, SMEs are less likely to have support from in-house or third party marketing and IT teams to help advise on choosing the right display system or making content to advertise, thus, the decisions upfront are more challenging for them as a result.
For how to get started, it’s quite simple, but I can’t express enough, the need to use a well-known integrator and brand to ensure the execution is going to benefit them as a business. Something we pride ourselves in is providing retail owners a trusted service and guidance to help them find and integrate the most effective display solutions for the investment in their business.
