Questions to Ask Digital Signage Companies

With the ongoing development of digital signage both from a software and hardware perspective, it has become increasingly difficult for consumers to determine which company and it’s solution would be best for their business.  From our standpoint we openly recognize that “we are a lot of things to a lot of people, however, we are not everything to everyone.”

Put another way, our platform doesn’t meet the needs of every business.  The reasons as to why vary; budget, capabilities, more than what they are looking for, etc.  We get calls every day with people who simply saw digital signage somewhere (i.e. McDonald’s as part of their nationwide roll-out) and think it looks cool… which it does.  There sometimes seems to be a disconnect between what they are looking at and what it takes to develop that content, manage that content, and schedule that content.  This is what tends to overwhelm customers.  In most cases, it is more than just a nifty design plopped on a screen that plays on a continuous loop.  There is a lot going on “under the hood” which drives the system.

So where to begin?  How do people know if they’re getting something that will work for them?  We’ve compiled a list of questions that should help them navigate the ever-deepening seas of digital suitors.  This list certainly isn’t the be all and end all but it will serve as more than a good start.

Company background

• What vertical do you consider to be your area of greatest expertise?
• How many releases have you had of your software?
• Is your primary focus in the food service industry?  How long?
• Were you a hardware first company or software first?
• Who developed your software?  When?

Design and Maintenance

• What do you do for content development?
  • Extent?  Number of transitions per screen?
• Do I own the design files after they have been developed?
• How much do you charge for menu, price and promotional updates/changes?
  • Turnaround?