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Furniture retailer delivers robust CX for the holidays

The holiday season is one of the most difficult times for brick-and-mortar retailers, as they have to compete with one another and online retailers for customers. Digital signage can help boost both sales for beleaguered retailers, as long as they integrate it with the larger customer experience, such as one furniture retailer did.

December 20, 2018 by Bradley Cooper — Editor, ATM Marketplace & Food Truck Operator

"Retailers that use digital signage as part of the broader customer experience will find a much greater opportunity for return value when it comes to improving holiday sales," Hicks said in an interview with Digital Signage Today, a sister publication of Retail Customer Experience.

Making life easier

Customers can often feel overwhelmed during the holidays, and retailers can use digital signage to actually help improve their moods while shopping. Business intelligence platforms, for example, can trigger advertisements based on customer moods and emotions, Hicks said. These platforms can utilize camera analytics to analyze customer's faces to see if they are happy, sad or tired.

"The intelligence of these systems drives response from content management and inventory systems as to trigger content tailored for that individual. By reacting to buyer behavior and preferences instead of just pushing out information, digital signs work to engage customers in the store with more timely and relevant communications," Hicks said.

Hicks also pointed out that retailers need to deliver relevant information and not simply push constant self-promotion and "visual noise."

Engage customers and employees

In order to maximize digital signage's effectiveness, retailers should use the technology to engage both customers and employees. Jordan's Furniture, a furniture retailer in New England, uses digital signage not just to push sales but also to offer key information to customers and employees.

"We have used the technology for institutional messaging ranging from company anniversaries and new hires to insurance open enrollment date information —and everything in between," Peter Clark, vice president of information systems, Jordan's Furniture, said in an interview. "It has reduced our reliance on paper memos and emails."

When it comes to customers, Jordan's Furniture varies its digital signage message depending on the location.

"In some cases, we display the same messaging on multiple displays using one Visix media player, and in other instances, we use multiple players to present multiple messages on different TVs. We use the technology to convey promotional information in some cases and product information in others," Clark said.

Use immersive experiences

Retailers need to engage with customers on a deeper level than just sales pushes. Retailers can stand out from the digital noise by is offering immersive and interactive experiences for their customers.

"Personalized content and interactivity offer two winning strategies for shopper engagement. A touchscreen with layers of product choices, a video wall with selectable clips, or a thrilling VR experience where shoppers can try before they buy are three ways that a retailer can drive a customer experience through digital signage," Hicks said.

This can be as simple as delivering cheerful imagery around the store. AtmosFx, for example, allows companies to integrate digital decorations into TVs, displays and monitors. Retailers can display 3-D animations of Santa Claus soaring on his reindeer throughout the store.

In the end, the key to successful digital signage during the holidays, according to Hicks, is to "captivate" customers' imaginations and "immerse them in the retail environment."

Image via Istock.com.

About Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper is the editor of ATM Marketplace and Food Truck Operator. He was previously the editor of Digital Signage Today. His background is in information technology, advertising, and writing.

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