One of our recent initiatives has been more regular video content updates across our website and social media pages. I am happy to report that we are making great progress in this area! In addition to updates and tweaks to the website, we’ll be publishing new videos to explain the services we provide. Additionally, customer case studies will be added, and we’re discussing the idea of making pre-canned training webinars available through our Portfolio.
What Is The Vision?
Importantly, our vision is to offer a glimpse into the personal touch that we provide to our customers. Video allows for clear and personal communication, and we look forward to expanding our use of it. So, make sure to continue to follow these exciting updates. We look forward to receiving any feedback you might have!
All the best, Matt Krebs, Founder of Creating Margin
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Creating Margin provides Digital Signage Needs Assessment and Audit Services. No, this isn’t a post about the IRS. The word “audit” may drive fear into our heart, the last thing anyone wants to see in their mailbox is the foreboding letter AUDIT!
Luckily, our audits are much more positive and helpful!
So What’s The Difference?
Digital Signage Needs Assessments and Audits are two vital parts of the services that Creating Margin provides to our customers. In this article, we will discuss the similarities and differences between the two engagements. After reading this article you’ll be able to anticipate which one fits your company, and some of the ways that Creating Margin excels at each task.
Needs Assessment
Needs Assessments are typically a presales task. Most times, we are just getting to know a customer and are learning more about their environment. We also evaluate their anticipated use of a particular technology and any acute pain points that we may be able to solve with the customization of that technology. During a Needs Assessment, Creating Margin excels at providing input from an unbiased perspective. Our approach helps end-users feel more comfortable moving forward with a particular technology during the consultation.
For certain projects, a Needs Assessment may call for a Statement of Work (SOW) to be drafted. This clearly aligns the vision for the project and the specific services to be provided. Included in the SOW may be an estimated cost for services. Read more about our approach to implementing software and creating content.
AUDIT
Digital Signage Audits are conducted after implementing the software solution, and often times after it has been installed for several years. We find that after years of running digital signage networks, companies can benefit from an audit of how the solution is working.
Creating Margin takes a thorough approach to these audits, with a 30-Point checklist ensuring that all aspects of the wiring, hardware, software, network, and content are all working and professional in appearance. Creating Margin is also different in that we can provide services after completion of the audit to rectify any issues that have been noted during the process.
We have discussed where Needs Assessments and Audits are useful to Digital Signage end users. Creating Margin provides unique value for both types of engagements due to our focus on content and our technical knowledge and experience in the industry. Do you see a fit for these services for your organization? Contact us now!
Content creation is a critical component of the implementation and maintenance of any digital signage network. As that first sentence suggests, it’s not a one-time requirement at kick-off, but an ongoing responsibility in order to ensure that a company’s investment in digital signage pays off.
At Creating Margin we regularly work with companies on all points of the spectrum – networks that are floundering and need a ground-up content creation project, all the way to networks that are in good shape, in need of some tweaking of the content update process. Many healthy digital signage networks can still benefit from a Digital Signage Audit, which Creating Margin can perform in addition (and often prior) to our content creation services. Learn more about our Digital Signage Audit services here.
Let’s consider our approach to content creation for a network that needs a restart. Creating Margin always begins with a needs assessment to be as specific as possible about where a network is succeeding and where it’s failing. While each project is different, a Needs Assessment is normally accomplished through a series of conversations to define a strategic vision for the digital signage investment.
The next step is to plan phased updates according to reasonable delivery times and budgetary constraints. For example, does the client require 6 or 10 content updates each month, and can they afford them? In our experience, digital signage projects are iterative and take time, and customers prefer payments based on delivery, so planning phases of the project are natural.
Now resources can be assigned and the work of creating content commences. During the creative kickoff call, we discover the customer’s brand identity and their creative vision; if these factors are still foggy, we make sure to document this clearly and lend our experience to sharpen the vision. From here we create User Interface (UI) wireframes to plan the method of interactivity, the layers of interactivity, and to facilitate a discussion of the User Experience (UX). Digital signage is influenced by web and mobile UI/UX design, and the CM team often draws from our experience in those projects.
As the engagement evolves from wireframes to creative design, to mockups and then development, we engage the customer team early and often. We have seen that delays can occur when decision-makers are late in getting involved, because new input may alter the creative direction. As a result, we encourage all decision-makers to be involved as early as possible in the engagement.
Hand Drawn Wireframe
The development of the working applications can begin once sign off on the design is received. Having agreed on the placement of buttons, the look, and feel of the template, we can break down the pieces and build in transitions, triggers, timings, and more. This is where our experience shines again, as we specialize in digital signage.
For example, have you considered that the majority of users of digital signage are right-handed? Statistics show that 90 percent of the greater population is right-handed, so we factor that into our work with digital signage. Not a problem that you’d normally think about with mobile or web applications, but on large format screens for digital signage, where you place interactive buttons and triggered content can have a huge impact on usability.
Or have you considered ADA accessibility of your digital signage for those in wheelchairs, or with color blindness? We understand these concerns and always factor them into our design concepts and working applications. You’d be surprised how many end-users we speak with who have visual content and even hardware not created to accessibility standards. Failing to meet accessibility standards can expose companies to legal liability and we encourage all of our customers to take these standards seriously.
After completing the working build of an application, we give end users an opportunity to observe, interact with, and otherwise test (QA) the solution. We ask for the end user team to write a list of changes they’d like to see, along with any bugs they have found (unlikely, as we have QA’d the solution ourselves before passing it along). This process may repeat one more time before we implement the software and content solution along with any hardware that may be involved. As discussed, we partner with A/V Integrator partners nationwide. While this may be our first time to mention them in this article, we involve our integrator partners as often as possible during projects to prepare them for what to expect on-site and to be very familiar with the hardware solution that we’ll jointly put into place.
Project completion allows Creating Margin to transition our involvement to ongoing Managed Services, where we provide a bucket of hours on a monthly basis to help in a variety of ways. Continued training at the customer’s pace, help riding out staff turnover, tier 1 and 2 support, and support for content updates are a few of the benefits included in Creating Margin’s Managed Services. Read and learn more about our Managed Services.
In this extensive article, we have walked you through the steps that we take to ensure a satisfactory experience for each and every one of our customers. “It sounds pretty standard” you might say. What really differentiates our services? It is our depth of experience in this industry, our focus on digital signage, and our ability to communicate throughout the process in order to mitigate problems that can all too easily arise in these types of projects.
Dave Haynes at Sixteen: Nineshows how platform-agnostic digital signage providers can conduct audits for businesses that seek to optimize their performance, compliance, engagement, and ROI.
Let’s say your firm invested in 1 video wall and 3 wayfinding kiosks in the atrium a year ago. They work well…right? But part of you wonders if they should change next year…new content, new placement, or anything that could better serve your clients and coworkers.
So you call the digital signage provider, and it turns out they are understaffed, or they cannot/will not send anybody to take a look. Or maybe you understand A/V and set it up yourself, but realize that it would help to have some experts give you the lowdown.
Video Wall by Creating Margin
Now, what changes should you consider? A platform-agnostic provider may ensure network performance using routine compliance checks, site surveys or post-installation hardware tests, key network component configuration – and any repair or troubleshooting you may need. Not to mention any critique of the content and written copy on display so your company can increase ROI and workplace safety/efficiency…each company has different needs and different methods of using their digital signage.
For example, we at Creating Margin are longtime partners with BrightSignoffering training, products, and services in addition to whatever audits you may need. While you may or may not use them already, it could benefit you to make the switch to some of their players if your current products do not properly suit your needs.
It also helps that we create any type of content that you can imagine on a digital sign. With a full team of content creators we offerVideo Production, graphic design, map design, UI/UX storyboarding and design, and over 15 years of experience in the digital signage industry we have the ability to take your digital signage content to the next level.
Interested? Creating Margin offers its own platform-agnostic digital signage audits lead by our expert team. Visit our digital signage audit page or call us today at 844-273-8464.
