If at any time, before Covid-19, the importance of digital communication had been questioned, now there is no doubt. Thousands of examples in all the sectors strengthen that the immediacy and reaction capacity are essential in an environment that is more than ever more VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous).
All the supermarkets, food stores, hospitals, pharmacies, hotels, residences and health centres… that are still opened, need to communicate the security and prevention methods. Even the retailers, that are closed and have digital showcases redirect the small number of pedestrians to their sites and inform them of offers through the digital screens.
The digital signage plays an important role in difficult times like these ones. Sharing, important information about heath and security in a fast and immediate way and with real time updates is necessary to keep the employees and client’s safe.
These days while you wait in the supermarket line, the screens with digital signage that yesterday informed about offers and promotions now instruct clients through videos about how to put on and take of the gloves in a safe way, the screens of queue management and single line queue inform about the importance of social distancing, displays located and the entrance of the stores indicate in a dynamic way the new opening hours and other hygiene recommendations while going shopping.
With the coronavirus outbroke, the new technologies have become important players in this sanitary crisis without precedents. The digital signage can play an important role in spreading contents about the security and public health, keeping the population informed and fighting the fear.
Transmitting relevant data and important instructions, like the guides and advice in a clear and visually attractive way to fight against the pandemic, requires an efficient digital signage. The message diffusion in a simple, agile and comprehensive way can mark a difference in a crisis.
Given that, at the current moment, the visual language is essential to mitigate the fear. The messages are being transmitted through the screens of digital signage, located in the supermarket and pharmacies, hospitals and hotels reconverted into sanitary centres etc… helping assimilate the ideas and reducing the feeling of fear and uncertainty.
The same way, at the working environments that are still operative, the possibility to transmit contents to their employees through screens with recommendations to wash their hands, keep the social distancing and not to touch the face for example, it can be of great help to keep the employees informed and that they can feel safe and comfortable.
Constant reminders
In situations like the ones we are living, repeating the message is the key to success. The different establishments that are still open remind the public what they must do to protect themselves and to stop the propagation. But, given that the situation is changing constantly, it can be hard to keep the contents updated.
Today, millions of digitalization screen decorate the lobbies of the different public spaces around the world. A lot function with management systems based on the cloud, which allows the content editors to send updates from any place in real time, transforming into an informative channel to the level of the television, or the radio/ or and the web.
These platforms also have the flexibility to give specific messages, allowing you to configure the reproduction lists to control what content is being reproduced in each screen, floor, establishment, building…
Another interesting application in this context are the queue management tools integrated in some digitalization platforms. This allows different establishments the control and optimize the client flows, avoiding crowds in never ending queues, in a context were social distance is of obligatory compliance.
Many of this apps also inform about the weather and estimated waiting time through the virtual ticket, meaning that the client can move freely within the store or outside while it waits for his/her turn. Apart from informing about the social distancing and integrating live up to date information through the widgets of any medium or social network.
Thinking about tomorrow
One way of currently giving value is to think about the return to normality. As people resume their routines and movements, the digital signage will be again in the forefront of all the areas to transmit information to people with the power of an audio-visual medium.
Therefore, it is a good moment to develop content strategies that will be relevant when the situation normalizes and prepare digital signage campaigns with offers so that they can start thinking in the re-opening.
As administrators of digital signage networks, it is possible to send relevant, precise and up to date messages. This information can help people know what they should do to be protected and among all, slow down the coronavirus pandemic.
For all of that, at Netipbox we wanted to give our support to all the companies that need to transmit the information and that have problems in doing so ( supermarkets, hospitals, transport services, morgue, pharmacies, corporate channels..)
We have created official content about Covid-19 adapted to digital formats, with free access for those who manage digital signage networks in any sector, for its immediate broadcast. You can access them freely from our omnichannel communication platform www.nsign.tv
It’s clear that digital signage will not avoid the propagation of the virus, but it can be an ally to educate the population. We are in an exceptional situation and all the tools that we have available are welcomed to spread the message in the best possible way. This information can help educate in general the public about what they can do to be protected.
Together we can help slow down the coronavirus pandemic.
