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Proven Ways to Weather Any Storm Using Digital Signage

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Storms come in many shapes and forms. But whether it’s a meteorological event, a security breach, or a global pandemic, there are proven ways for your business to weather the storm.

As we have seen recently, businesses of all sizes have been required to think outside the box to stay afloat. From shuttered movie theaters converting empty parking lots into temporary drive‑ins, to restaurants and retail stores offering free delivery—dramatically increasing use of buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup—companies must find a way to adapt in times of hardship.

While these strategies are all innovative, businesses are also recognizing the areas where digital signage can provide peace of mind to both customers and employees. Outlined below are a few examples of these efforts.


As retail stores shelves become barren wastelands, it has become increasingly important to deliver relevant communication to both customers and employees. For example, a company executive could use digital signage to deliver important company updates—such as changes to store hours, information on product limitations and/or availability, and answers to commonly asked questions—live and on‑demand. This is vital. Nothing destroys loyalty and employee engagement more than an employee shrugging their shoulders, especially in times when accurate information is critical.

Employee Empowerment

Additionally, HR and L&D leaders can use digital signage to train associates in a more dynamic way. Now that social distancing is paramount, rather than having an associate sit in front of a computer, leaders can deliver training through digital screens, allowing groups of employees to sit apart during the process.

By integrating digital signage into your corporate communication strategy, you can ease the pain during any crisis. When an employee provides additional insight into a problem or offers discretionary effort, loyalty from both the customer and employee increases.

Elevating the Customer Experience

As consumers, we have become accustomed to not only reading about an item, but also wanting to see it, touch it, and experience it in real-time. When storms make such demands virtually impossible to realize, digital signage can fill the void. By strategically placing digital signage in high foot-traffic areas, even with social distancing in mind, customers can see information about product locations, availabilities, substitutions, and promotions or tips on clean living—all geared toward easing customer frustration.

Retailers are not alone in this. If we look at quick-service or fast-casual restaurants, they too have been forced to rethink their strategies. A digital signage solution can offer many options to solve their problems. For example, to prevent customer frustration before it occurs, they could place digital screens in the front windows of their restaurants, detailing the new, albeit temporary, way to place orders and receive food.

Additionally, restaurants can let customers know which items may be temporarily unavailable by removing those items from their digital signage. Restaurants can also deploy digital menu boards to provide better clarity on their product ingredients. Customers will then have a higher level of assurance that they are actually ordering what they want. Customers will also feel more comfortable with the restaurant’s consideration of the new social distance measures, having had their questions answered without ever touching a printed menu or speaking with an employee.

How Hughes Can Help with Digital Signage

These examples merely scratch the surface of how digital signage can help businesses thrive, especially during complicated circumstances. But it’s imperative that your business understands the reasons for making any major technological change. Though digital signage technology can be deployed swiftly and is undergoing constant innovation, a business must know its intended goals, otherwise the return won’t be there, the experience won’t be there, and the initiative runs the risk of total failure. Hughes can help guide your business on digital signage with our experience and expertise, and ensure your business is ready to navigate this and any storm that may come.