5 Mistakes in Hospitality Digital Signage You Should Avoid

In a world of a micro attention span, it gets increasingly harder to captivate your customers. This is true for the hospitality industry. Hospitality digital signage is a powerful tool for capturing the attention of your clients when handled correctly. We’ve prepared a list of common mistakes you should avoid when acing your digital signage game.

1. Failing to set up the objectives of your digital signage

Digital signage can’t drive your sales per se. It will only work if you know how to use it and you set up clear goals you want to achieve. The common mistake many hotels make with digital signage is not thinking about the value it will bring to their business and their clients. Every display you mount at your hotel should have its purpose. This way you will be able to easily analyze its performance. For example, Sofitel Paris Baltimore hotel integrated digital signage in the lobby to increase engagement with guests by broadcasting the guest-created content and showcasing the latest promotions. The Embassy Suites by Hilton Akron Canton Airport, on another hand, installed the displays around the hotel to show the flight times thus creating a personalized guest experience. Both hotels had a clear purpose for implementing digital signage solutions and were able to successfully transform the hotel experience.

2. Choosing software that can't provide the results you need

It all starts with a global goal you need to achieve. Then you follow to choosing the digital signage software solution. If you choose right, the process of creating and displaying the content will run smoothly and you'll save lots of time (and money) on digital signage. One thing to keep in mind when it comes to setting up a digital signage software for hotels is that it's a long-term investment. We, at Kitcast, focus on giving powerful creative possibilities to the users through customizable widgets that are very easy to use. For example, if your hotel is focused on business travelers you can use Kitcast app to show them the airport timetable, currency exchange rates or stock market numbers in real-time. Also, you can easily turn displays into works of art, for example, by showing the famous paintings or decorating your venue with picturesque visuals. Often hotels opt for digital signage solutions without checking their capabilities. Be sure that the provider you’re choosing can deliver the results you need by confirming all the operational details beforehand.

3. Not thinking strategically about the location of displays

You've got your digital signage software up and running, now it's time to think about the displays. Whether it is a lobby digital signage at a gigantic hotel or a cozy B&B – the location of the screens matters. f you don't place them correctly you can end up with a completely ineffective digital signage network. And you definitely don't want that. So plan the display mounting beforehand. According to Statistic Brain Research Institute, the average attention span is about 8 seconds. Analyze how much time people spend in various areas of your hotel, distinguish the zones that involve more attention and more waiting time. A great example of it may be what BrightSign did in The Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Francisco mounting the huge video wall 20 feet above the lobby area of the hotel. Your screens should be placed in locations where people spend more time like the lobby area, fitness hall or even a hotel room.

4. Purchasing screens that can't deliver great image quality

Your content may be the most engaging in the world but who actually cares if your LED screen is dull, the image is blurry and anything is hardly seen because of the sunrays. Don't let this happen. Analyze the market of the screens, read reviews, watch the unpacking videos. Hear what the industry is telling and choose the providers that will fit your hospitality object. Great sources of knowledge about the screens would be Digital Signage Today articles on choosing the screens and the Digital Signage Connection web resource for the in-depth industry analysis like this one. Regarding a digital signage player – Apple TV would be the safest and most reliable one on the market. Also, don’t forget to look at what other players in the hospitality industry are using, read the case studies, check out the websites of companies that provide digital signage solutions for tips. Screens represent your brand. So make sure that this representation is of the highest quality.

5. Producing dispensable content

Value is the ultimate goal you should aim for when it comes to engaging with your customers. The hospitality industry is all about surprising guests and making them feel like home… but better. One example of it can be the room booking network implemented by Loews Annapolis Hotel in Maryland. The hotel used detailed digital information boards to facilitate the room booking process. Ensure that your content is thought-through, well designed and timely. Never stop exploring the needs of your customers, know their interests and their pains. Often hospitality digital signages lack passion and creativity. If you have a promotional deal to share don't just inflict it on your customers, do it subtly and at the appropriate time and place. For example, Spanish traditional hotel La Fonda Barranco implemented a digital signage solution to connect with guests through smartphones giving them customizable information 24/7. When choosing what content to show take note of what works and what doesn't. Study the reactions of your guests when the content is shown. Don't underestimate the power of content data analysis. This way you'll be au courant with all the successes and losses of your hospitality digital signage. Also, it will give you a clear picture of measures to apply in order to make your whole system more efficient.