Digital science could spell end of paper posters

In fact, signs controlled by on-premise computer servers like those installed at BAY, the fifth-largest bank, have been around for a couple of years. But the digital-signage industry is now readying for a real takeoff, thanks to the arrival of cloud-based computing technology, which helps eliminate the up-front cost of installing digital displays, starting at Bt100,000.
Customers can now subscribe to the screens starting from a mere Bt4,000-Bt5,000 a month, Wichai Wanavit, chief executive officer of Hatari Wireless, said yesterday.
Hatari Wireless, part of a Thai conglomerate famous for its electric fans, delivers the digital-signage services based on solutions provided by Cisco Systems, a global information-technology networking company. The two firms recently unveiled the first launch in Southeast Asia of their cloud-based digital solutions.
Adul Borisut, sales director of Hatari Wireless, said digital signage offered many advantages including rapid deployment and the ability to adjust the content and broadcast content frequently on a “real-time” basis across multiple screens at multiple locations.
For example, the company took only one day to put up a digital signage system for Aeon’s branch at the new Digital Gateway Ekamai.
Since the system can be remotely controlled from a centre, it also offers operational efficiency for users, who can centralise their sales force or “experts” at one place and shrink the size and employment at their branches.
Hatari has dispatched seven or eight staff to work full-time at BAY, which found it could save Bt40 million a month in paper-poster printing and other related operating costs.
“Importantly, you can segment your customers,” Adul said. “You can customise your content at the Samui branch to be different from other branches. You can post a welcoming message at a particular branch. Deployment is also easier than with posters if you have to put it on hundreds of locations throughout the country.”
Because of the high security control required by banks, BAY and Kasikornbank, which is another Hatari customer, still use the more expensive, server-based digital-signage system.
SCG Experience is the only major cloud-based customer of Hatari at present. Thanks to the interactive feature, SCG uses Hatari’s digital signage for organising onsite games and lucky draws for visitors to its outlets, collecting customer-feedback information, such as which products customers scroll through the most, and following up on these customers.
The next wave will be the “virtual expert” digital signage technology that firms can use to connect their pool of experts, such as specialised sales and technical staff, to customers seeking consultations via the digital screens installed anywhere with an Internet connection, Adul said.
Wichai said Hatari expected its digital-signage sales to reach Bt400 million next year, with 80 per cent derived from cloud-based systems. Its primary targets are chain stores or firms with at least five branches.
The retail industry has been slow to adopt the technology since the products displayed at stores do not belong to the retailers but their suppliers. Retailers are also hesitating to shift from paper leaflets to paying for Hatari’s digital-signage system, since they earn money from charging their suppliers who advertise on the leaflets.
Hatari has also offered Smart-Q terminals for the banking industry. BAY has deployed the machines at its branches. Besides a basic automated queuing function, Smart-Q allows bank customers to avoid writing paper deposit or withdrawal slips by simply swiping their passbooks and/or keying in some needed information, such as how much money they would like to withdraw, on the terminal’s screen.
Adul said digital signage had a long way to go here.
“Where there is a printed poster, there’s the opportunity” for digital signage to replace it, he said.

[email protected]