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MARKETS » NFV Pandemic Tech News
July 01, 2009
Black Box Introduces Affordable Digital Signage Program for Small BusinessesBy Amy Tierney, TMCnet Web Editor Black Box Corp., a provider of voice communications, data infrastructure, and product solutions, has launched a program to help small businesses improve sales and communications by leveraging affordable and effective digital signage technology.
The company’s digital signage solution gives small businesses the tools to promote their business, various services and product offerings in an engaging and compelling way.
Officials at the Lawrence, Pa.-based company said its digital signage system gives small businesses a great way to communicate with current prospective customers. It can be used to communicate daily specials, cross-sells and up sells. Business can also incorporate live TV, local weather, and RSS feeds into the display. Customers can also use the dynamic, real-time messaging system to generate ad revenue from suppliers and other local businesses.
“Digital signage is a great way to turn prospects into customers and good customers into even better-spending customers,” said Mario Calabro, Black Box’s (News - Alert) multimedia products manager. “Delivering the right message at the right time is a proven method to up sell, cross-sell, and effectively engage and influence customers. It can become a great silent salesperson without the ongoing salary and benefits costs.”
iCOMPEL has been developed with the novice end user in mind. The software is intuitive and requires very little training. Customers can be up and running within a few hours by choosing one of many pre-designed layouts that are included, or they can build their own.
iCOMPEL also features drag-and-drop layout tools and a number of advanced content-management and scheduling features for playing stored and live media in multiple zones. Users can also combine 1080p video or live TV with scrolling text, photos, flash, HTML, RSS feeds, and other media, the company said.
The iCOMPEL player can be used for a single screen, or for multi-site deployments with thousands of units playing different content at various locations. The technology supports changing content on the fly ad hoc via a standard Internet Web browser, the company said.
Digital signage has a variety of uses, Brian Kutchma, director of marketing for Black Box, told TMCnet in an interview. In the retail sector, for example, companies use it to drive spontaneous revenue, cross-merchandise or to advertise, he said. In a corporate setting, the technology is ideal for customer or employee communications. A restaurant may use it to feature daily breakfast specials in the morning, lunch specials in the afternoon, and dinner specials in the evening. It can also promote drink specials and additional services, like private parties.
What’s the appeal? For less than $5,000, a small business can reap the benefits of digital signage. They can start with one or two screens and expand as needed. And unlike many other digital signage solutions, iCOMPEL is a one-time cost with no ongoing licensing, or software maintenance fees.
Black Box’s iCOMPEL products are part of the company’s line of digital signage solutions, which include media players, extenders, splitters, converters and switches. Each is supported by free, live around the clock support. The company’s line of digital signage solutions includes media players, extenders, splitters, converters, and switchers. Details about iCOMPEL are available here.
For more, check out the Digital Signage channel on TMCnet.
Don’t forget to check out TMCnet’s White Paper Library, which provides a selection of in-depth information on relevant topics affecting the IP Communications industry. The library offers white papers, case studies and other documents which are free to registered users.
Amy Tierney is a Web editor for TMCnet, covering unified communications, telepresence, IP communications industry trends and mobile technologies. To read more of Amy's articles, please visit her columnist page. Edited by Michael Dinan |
