Conversations Matter

Technology has a key role in creating customer engagement that can lead to a greater business success, as David Fields explains.

As a conversation unfolds we learn a lot about each other. As we listen we determine what is important and what is not. In the financial industry, conversations with potential customers lead to more business. How can technology help create the opportunity to engage your customers in conversation?

Advertising should create customer engagement and not just customer amusement. The goal of advertising is to create a contact with a potential customer, engage them in a conversation about products and services, and close a deal in a new business partnership. Technology helps make advertising programs more effective by understanding what is important to customers and creating messages that help educate, inform and engage. Success in advertising can be measured by the number of customer engagements. The messages and services provided can be tailored and continuously improved as a result of these engagements without the ongoing expense of printed media.

Digital sign technology is an emerging advertising medium that can lead to effective conversations with your customers by delivering information that is relevant, timely and interesting. David Fields, President of Signera was asked how digital signs lead to effective communications.

At Signera we believe that a digital sign in the financial industry should accomplish five things.

Grab attention through informative displays
To grab a customers attention there needs to be something of value and interest for them outside of the product or service you might be selling. For instance , the weather, a news ticker, stock information or the ever-popular trivia questions are a great way to capture the attention of your customer.

Displaying information that is of general interest, and is educational and informative shifts focus away from a “sales pitch” and creates curiosity ; it is that curiosity that draws the audience to read other information on the sign.

Create trust with a consistent message
Trusting relationships break down when communications are inconsistent or conflicting. Digital sign technology helps improve message consistency by ensuring that content is drawn from the same source for all displays making it both timely and accurate. The content may be changed on the fly, but the message remains consistent and is continuously refined. Also, digital signs will engage your own customer service staff and ensure everyone has the latest message to convey to the customer.

Enhance perceived value through community involvement
Financial institutions reach a larger market when they are actively involved in the community. Digital signs are a great method for displaying current community events and posting volunteer opportunities. Institutions with strong community ties benefit from better community recognition, and subsequently, more business.

And to improve customer contact, recognizing customers and employees for their hard work in the community shows that the bank really cares about their customers as people.

Generate follow up with dynamic targeted messages
Digital signs have an uncontested advantage in providing the right information to the right customer at the right time. There are definite cycles to the types of customers that walk through the doors to do business – business customers, personal banking, payday only, military customers, etc. A digital sign can be programmed to change the message at pre-determined intervals to provide the most relevant information to the customers in the bank at different times. These unique messages are designed to create interest in specific products or services that would benefit that demographic. Digital Signage can even be used for employee messaging during off hours.

Show openness with contact to decision-makers
A distinguishing factor for many small business and personal banking customers is the ability to speak straight to the decision-maker. Content on the digital sign can list the names of the decision-makers for products and services in an inviting, open and friendly way. Using digital signs to create targeted messages creates a comfortable and welcoming environment. This feeling of understanding is what leads to customer engagements, which is the goal of advertising.

Communication in the world continues to evolve into a highly electronic format, but we need to not forget that people still value the human touch. In sending out messages to customers you must create an emotional connection while continuing to enhance your brand. Digital signage is one solution that enables customer engagement and can influence customer actions. Your digital signage solution should be flexible enough to deliver appropriate information to specific customers, yet be extremely easy to implement and use. Success should not be measured with ratings, but rather in conversations about advertised products, services or community events. Each conversation builds that important relationship with the customers and it is that trusting relationship that creates satisfied customers.

David Fields is the President of Signera, a leading provider of smart and adaptable content driven digital signage solutions. Prior to Signera, Fields spent 18 years in the satellite telecommunications industry. Most recently, Fields was VP, Technical Operations for SES Americom in their Americom Government Services Subsidiary.