Outdoor screens – ideal for rapid communication
Public buildings such as schools, colleges, libraries, museums and religious institutions have a need to communicate with the people that they serve. Often, this means using all sorts of traditional messaging systems from the trusty old noticeboard to sending out literature such as parish magazines. The problem with these traditional forms of communication is that they either only serves those people whose details are on mailing lists, or that they require manual updating of information, which takes time and can mean delays before important information reaches the consumer – outdoor screens can help solve all these problems.
From educational institutions to public galleries and churches, outdoor digital signage provides many advantages for communicating with the general public, congregations, students and local people.
Visibility
Perhaps the most obvious advantage of using outdoor screens is the visibility they offer. Moving images, traditional captions and bright, HD technology mean that outdoor screens are highly noticeable. While many people will walk past a noticeboard and not pay it much heed, an outdoor LCD or plasma screen will grab their attention, making it more likely passersby will read the messages.
Because of the ability to use moving images, stream video and even provide sound, an outdoor digital signage screen also has the ability to provide content that is far more dynamic. Also, unlike noticeboards where notices can get ripped torn or become faded, messages on digital signage remain vibrant throughout their use.
Ease of Communication
Unlike noticeboards that require somebody to go around and paste up new content, a screen placed outside can have messages uploaded remotely. This is really beneficial for those organisations where buildings are scattered around a city or large area. Universities for instance, which may have several campuses, can upload the same information on networked screens no matter how far apart they are.
For religious buildings that often run appeals for donations, an outdoor screen is also able to relay progress in real time, helping congregations understand how much more fundraising is required for the church, synagogue, temple or mosque to reach its target.
Immediacy
Disseminating information quickly is another advantage of using outdoor screens. Often, especially in emergency situations, getting the information out to people as quickly as possible is crucial. This was never so evident than during recent campus shootings in the United States, where students stumbled into the emergency, because the institution had no way of warning students of the impending danger. With a digital signage display, as soon as news of an emergency is received, the information can be uploaded immediately, warning anybody arriving at the site of the situation.
This also means that public buildings can react to changes of information. If a building has to alter its opening hours, change schedules, information is able to be disseminated instantly, preventing frustrations from the service users.
