Digital communication in times of coronavirus

If at any time, before the Covid-19 pandemic, the importance of digital communication was questioned, now there are no doubts. This is how Marta Fernández analyzes it, CMO de Netipbox Technologies, Spanish smart digital signage solutions company.

Thousands of examples in all sectors reaffirm that immediacy and the ability to react are essential in this faster environment. Vuca (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) that never.

All supermarkets, food stores, hospitals, pharmacies, hotels, residences, health centers,… that remain open need to communicate security and prevention measures. Even retailers that are closed and have digital storefronts redirect the few passersby to their websites and inform about their offers through digital screens.

Digital signage plays a more important role than ever in difficult times like this. Share important health and safety information, quickly, Immediate and real-time updates are absolutely necessary to keep employees and customers safe..

These days, while the population keeps their distance in the checkout line at a supermarket, Digital signage screens that yesterday communicated offers and promotions today instruct customers on the best way to safely put on and take off gloves..

Queue management and single queue screens show the minimum safe distance between person and person, and other systems located at the entrance of the establishment dynamically indicate the new center hours and other hygiene recommendations when making purchases.

With the coronavirus outbreak, New technologies have become protagonists of this unprecedented global health crisis. And digital signage can play a very important role in disseminating content on public health and safety., keeping the population informed and fighting fear.

Convey relevant data and important instructions, as well as guides and advice in a clear and visually attractive way to fight the pandemic, requires efficient digital signage. Diffusion of a message in an agile way, simple and understandable can make the difference in a crisis situation.

And it is that, in a time like the present, visual language is essential to mitigate fear. Messages conveyed through digital signage screens, located in supermarkets or pharmacies, Hospitals and hotels converted into health centers help to assimilate ideas and reduce this feeling of fear and uncertainty.

In the same way, in work environments that remain operational, the possibility of transmitting content to employees through screens with recommendations for washing their hands, keep your distance and do not touch your face, For example, It can be of great help if they are well informed and feel safe.

Constant reminders

In situations like the ones we are experiencing, repetition of messages is the key to success. The various establishments that remain open remind the public what they must do to protect themselves and stop the spread. But, because the situation is very changing, it can be difficult to keep content up to date.

Hoy, millions of digital signage screens adorn the lobbies of public spaces around the world; many run on cloud-based content management systems, allowing editors to send updates from anywhere in real time, becoming a television-level news channel, the radio and/or the web.

These platforms also have the flexibility to target specific messages, being able to configure playlists to control what content is played on each screen, planta, establishment, building…

Another interesting application in this context are queue management tools., integrated into some digital signage platforms, that allow different establishments to control and optimize customer flows, avoiding the crowding of people in endless lines and in a context in which social distance is mandatory.

Many of these applications also report the estimated waiting time on the shift ticket., so the customer can move freely inside or outside the establishment while waiting for their turn, as well as offering updated information in real time through a social network.

Think about tomorrow

One way to give value to this moment is to start thinking about a return to normality.. As people resume their routines and movements, Digital signage will once again be at the forefront in all areas to transmit information to the population with the power of this audiovisual medium.

For this reason, Now is a good time to develop content strategies that will be relevant when the situation normalizes, as well as preparing digital signage campaigns with the launch of offers for those who may be thinking about reopening..

It is clear that digital signage will not prevent the spread of the virus, but it can be a great ally to raise awareness among the population. We are facing an exceptional situation and all the tools available will be welcome to disseminate information in the best possible way..

As administrators of digital signage networks it is possible to promote relevant messages, accurate and updated in real time. This information can help the population know what they should do to protect themselves and, between everyone, stop the coronavirus pandemic.

For all this, At Netipbox we wanted to extend our support to all those companies that need to transmit information and find themselves in difficulty doing so. (supermarkets, hospitals, transportation services, pharmacies, funeral homes, corporate channels…).

We have created official content about Covid-19 adapted to the digital format, Free access for those who manage digital signage networks in any sector, for immediate dissemination. They can be accessed for free from our omnichannel communication platform www.nsign.tv

Marta Fernandez

CMO de Netipbox Technologies