Corporate
System Planning Corporation gets an attractive digital signage solution under a tight deadline
Posted on Thu, December 11, 2008
Of course we all try to avoid them, but sometimes, a Rise success story starts with a problem. We were pleased to hear, for example, how Rise Display software and hardware saved the day for the System Planning Corporation (SPC), who sought us out after their previous display system let them down right before a big Open House. SPC’s Rich Griffin, Network Administrator, tells the story:
“System Planning Corporation provides research and development, systems engineering, and technology support services to a wide variety of government and commercial clients. We had been using static signage to provide our conference customers with information on where to find the conference room locations for their meetings, but the building owner had become unhappy with our signs being placed all over the elevator lobbies.
So we were looking for a very modest digital sign alternative: dual elevator lobby monitors on three separate floors here at our corporate headquarters, as well as larger monitors in reception areas on the same three floors. As for content, our elevator lobby monitors would be used for corporate PR, new and existing employee spotlights, conferencing schedules for our internal users, as well as conference services we provide for external users, the occasional in-house produced video, and cable TV.
When we first discovered Rise Display, we were essentially trying to find an acceptable digital display solution for a failed implementation provided by a previous vendor. We had contracted with a local digital signage provider, but after all the paperwork had been signed, it was determined that their solution would be wholly inadequate for our purposes.
There was a great deal of urgency, because the fact that the previous vendor’s signage product was completely unacceptable forced us to scramble to find another vendor who could meet our now compressed deadline. Basically, we needed to have our digital signage up and running in time for our Open House – which included a walk-through by our CEO to show off our newly remodeled corporate headquarters – that was scheduled for June 18, 2008.
I did some quick research and determined that Rise’s internet-based solution would meet our needs and that Rise could implement it within a very tight deadline that we were working under. After trying the Rise Display Network demo before we decided to purchase it, I felt confident that it would be an easily manageable solution.
We liked that it’s internet-based. We felt the combination of the Rise-created templates with our own in-house content, as well as the web-based management approach, was the easiest solution for us.
So we had Rise do the full installation of all monitors and monitor mounts, including three 42-inch monitors we had purchased from another vendor. They got it all done in time for our Open House. Rise was able to provide us with an attractive web-based solution with low overhead under a very tight deadline.”
SPC’s managers and employees alike have been very pleased with the look of our Rise digital signage. The ability to integrate the subscription features, such as the weather, sports, news or stocks, has been a hit. And the overall look of our current templates is exactly what was envisioned when a digital signage solution was first proposed here at SPC.”
Grace Point Church adds LCD displays to their communication strategy
Posted on Mon, April 20, 2009
“Without people, our ministries are not very effective. We can’t meet people’s needs if they don’t know what ministries we offer, or how they can be involved to help us meet the needs of others.”
That’s Steve Weir, Director of Technology Services for Grace Point Church in Newtown, Pennsylvania, explaining why he recently lead a drive to update and improve his Church’s methods of communicating with its members, which he views as a crucial ongoing function. “We wanted to further communicate the needs of our church to our attendees. We also wanted to further advertise the various ministries, and promote them, in hopes of getting more people involved here at Grace Point.”
His specific recommendation was to add digital signage to Grace Point Church’s communication strategy. “We had been relying on a weekly paper bulletin and PowerPoint announcement slides before each service. But not everyone is able to view those. This also meant that we were missing our mid-week visitors, and those who don’t receive a weekly bulletin.”
To ensure that Church messages and announcement are seen by everyone throughout the week, Grace Point hired Rise Display to install three new digital LCD signs. “We now have a new display in each of the entranceways to our church,” Mr. Weir explained, “and a third display on our Missions Wall. This third screen displays Missions-specific content, including missionary profiles and thought-provoking missions-related videos.”
The fact that they can include video and other rich content makes this new approach very useful to the Church and attractive to its congregation. “The more ways we can get information out to people, the better,” he said. “The displays are visually attractive and grab people’s attention as they walk past them. Information is getting out and we aren’t relying solely on the paper bulletin. ”
Mr. Weir said that reaction to the new media has been very favorable. “Thus far, our attendees have been rather impressed with the overall look of the displays. They do look great out in the lobby! The displays have really enhanced the aesthetic look and feel of both our lobby and our Missions area.
“The church staff have also been pleased with the new displays and the potential for ministry development and member participation. All of the feedback has been positive. Everyone loves the appearance of the displays, and appreciates the additional media through which they can now receive information.”
And demand is growing for additional uses for the signs. “I frequently receive requests to add more content to the displays. Our ministry leaders especially see the potential positive impact the displays can have for their respective ministries. They’re consistently asking to have their ministry featured on the various displays.”
To meet that demand, Mr. Weir uses Rise Display Network, the online digital sign content management software supplied by Rise Display that makes it easy for Church officials to change the messages on their own signs themselves. As he explained, “The website for uploading content is easy to use and very convenient.”
Overall, Mr. Weir says that his church is very pleased with the sign project’s outcome. “I have already recommended Rise to others as a premier digital signage solution. They seem to be at the forefront of the digital signage movement. With their impressive client list, I knew I could rely on Rise to deliver.”
Learn more about LCD Displays provided by Rise Display.
Interactive Building Directory Content
Posted on Sun, October 25, 2009
In many of the new buildings being constructed today interactive digital signage is becoming a requirement. Instead of paying a person to sit behind a desk and direct traffic companies are using technology to efficiently allow visitors to search for the appropriate person and have it draw them a map to that department. When the display isn’t in use it provides a great source to share information such as the weather, headline news, or details about the property management firm or the “green” features of the building.
The graphic in this post illustrates an example of a design produced by our creative services team to show how live data can be integrated into the design to make the building directory interesting and engaging.
Digital Signage Example Gallery
Posted on Wed, October 28, 2009
One of the most common requests I hear from clients is for photos of installations. While they aren’t always easy to get, we push our installers and sales team hard to make sure they have cameras with them and get photos whenever possible to show digital signage in action.
We have been steadily improving our website over the past few months and we now have over 500 images of actual installations and content examples for visitors to browse through. If you have a moment visit our Examples section and send us feedback, or better yet if you are an existing Rise client and have a great picture you would allow us to share please email it to us at sales@risedisplay.com.
Commercial Grade LCD - why?
Posted on Sat, October 31, 2009
Cheap prices on consumer grade LCD TVs have helped drive record growth in digital signage, it has also created headaches for digital signage integrators trying to provide the best solution for an application. Every week we run into a customer that just put the latest 1080P, HD LCD in his/her home at a ridiculously low price from Best Buy and they don’t understand the price difference.
A study from Pacific Media Associates found that less than 40% of the monitors in corporate boardrooms were commercial grade and that over half of the companies surveyed were just planning to purchase their next flat panel from Wal-mart or Best Buy. While a company can get away with putting a consumer grade product in a boardroom since they likely only use it a few hours a day, taking the same strategy can be a costly mistake with digital signage intended to run longer hours.
The main issue with consumer displays is they are designed to run 4 to 6 hours a day verses 16 to 24 for most digital signage applications. Commercial grade displays from leading manufacturers such as NEC Display Solutions are designed to dissipate heat and use higher grade components to act more reliably during the more intense usage. As a consumer grade display continues to run it gets hotter and hotter thus increasing the likelihood of failure.
When (not if) you encounter a failure, this is where the real difference between commercial and consumer grade comes to the surface. With a consumer grade product you typically get a 90 day warranty but in most cases if you read the fine print the warranty is void when you use the display in a commercial setting. A commercial grade product typically comes with a 3 year warranty and with some manufacturers that includes on-site service.
If you would like to learn more about the comparisons between commercial and consumer LCD products please visit the links below:
Pro AV Magazine
NEC White Paper
Overview of LCD Video Walls
Posted on Tue, November 24, 2009
Are you interested in learning about LCD Video Walls? If you have 10 minutes watch this video overview showing different configurations, content options, and client applications for Video Walls.
Rise Display Installation: Horsehead Corporation
Posted on Mon, January 11, 2010
Enclosed is a photo of a LCD screen installed by one of our partners Global Sign. Nice simple project requiring displays in 6 locations to keep employees and guests entertained with the latest news, weather, and information while mixing in corporate announcements.
If you want to learn more about digital signage for corporate communication systems visit our website to learn more.
Creating a Financial Boardroom Setting
Posted on Wed, February 10, 2010
Do you need to create an financial atmosphere in your boardroom? Whether you are a business school creating an environment for visiting businesses or a financial firm enhancing a boardroom to impress clients, the addition of a LCD TV and a LED Ticker can create an impressive environment.
The enclosed picture shows one of the executive meeting rooms at Marywood University in PA. In addition to utilizing displays for their trading lab, they also choose to implement signage in this conference room to provide a business setting for meetings with guests.
Outdoor LED Stock Ticker Provides Maximum Visual Impact
Posted on Wed, May 12, 2010
Customer Overview
The numbers are certainly impressive. 2,800 locations in 49 states. 10,300 registered representatives. $655.6 billion in retail client assets. $4.2 billion in annual revenue. In fact, Wachovia Securities is the third- largest broker-dealer in the United States. The firm’s representatives provide a range of advisory, brokerage, asset management and other services to help their customers achieve their long-term financial goals.
Project Summary
To be successful, Wachovia traders and advisors require up-to-the-minute financial data to inform their trades and recommendations. In two offices in New York and North Carolina, Wachovia decided to obtain and display this information on their trading floors using electronic display solutions from Rise Display.
In New York, their goal was to create an atmosphere that’s energetic for their traders and impressive for visiting clients. “We wanted to have live markets on display,” explained a representative of Wachovia IT in New York City. “We needed the ability to send live data across a ticker board, and to add markets as we desired.”
The Rise Solution
Though Wachovia had previously purchased display boards from another vendor, they were frustrated that the software needed to control them was not supported by the same supplier. As a result, their first boards were always displaying “stale data,” as Wachovia IT put it. “When we investigated Rise Display as an alternative provider, we were very happy to hear that they not only provided the hardware, but also owned the software that drives it. It really helps to have only one vendor to go to for both the display board and the software when there are issues.”
Impressed with the company’s “Complete Display Solutions,” Wachovia installed Rise’s tickers on three floors of their brand new trading center in New York City. Each floor has a specially designed ticker that starts with a 25-foot section on one side of a wide walkway, and then continues with another 25-foot section on the other side of the large gap. Each 50-foot ticker runs as one complete unit, constantly displaying live Reuters market data and news along with other customized messages.
When the Charlotte office was being planned, Wachovia stayed with Rise Display for its signage needs. Its outdoor ticker wraps around the entrance of its new building, incorporating three custom-designed curves to provide maximum visual impact from every angle of the building from the busy Charlotte street. The 20-foot-tall indoor tickers provide at-a-glance information for visitors, customers and financial advisors inside the office.
The Final Result
Wachovia IT says they are very happy that they switched. “We received a better price, a better contract, and better software from Rise. And everyone is very pleased with the new boards — we’ve received nothing but good comments. They really enhance the look of our trading floor.” As for their experiences with the Rise team, “Both the install team and the sales team were very professional and knowledgeable. It was a very pleasant experience all around.”
Speaking specifically about the new office in Charlotte, Ken Thompson, Wachovia chairman and executive officer, is thrilled. “It reminds me a little bit of Times Square in New York, but only better,” said Mr. Thompson.
To see press coverage by Shawn Flynn of News 14 Carolina watch “Ticker tape adorns Wachovia building”
Ben Franklin TechVentures uses Digital Signage to Facilitate Communications
Posted on Tue, May 18, 2010
Customer Overview
The award-winning Ben Franklin Technology Partners (BTFP) is one of the nation’s longest-running technology-based economic development programs. For more than 25 years, BFTP has provided both early-stage and established companies with funding, business and technical expertise and access to a network of innovative, expert resources. BFTP is positioned throughout the state with regional headquarters in the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and State College.
Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania recognizes the extended benefits of digital signage. At its TechVentures facility in Bethlehem, BFTP has installed a network of sixteen 46” LCD displays throughout the building, with the specific goal of using them to support the center’s role as an incubator community for early-stage technology companies.
Project Summary
The incubator network is an important element in BFTP’s strategy for developing its technology infrastructure.
“Our original business incubator, a one-story building on Lehigh University’s campus, was filled to capacity and we needed to grow,” explained Laura Eppler, BFTP’s director of marketing. “A vacant three-story building across the street on Lehigh’s campus became available, so we renovated and updated it completely and relocated. We didn’t want to lose the camaraderie and sharing of experiences that helped so many firms in the earlier incubator, and we were concerned about that since our new facility is multi-story. We needed a method to encourage a sharing of ideas and synergy among the resident companies in the business incubator. We used digital signage to address that challenge.”
The Solution
BFTP worked with Rise to create a network of digital bulletin boards that are interspersed throughout the facility, including a 2×2 video wall in the front lobby and 12 LCD displays placed in other common areas. All locations were strategically chosen “to facilitate interaction among resident companies, to keep them informed of business news throughout the day, and to provide information to visitors of the facility,” said Ms. Eppler.
Appearances were also important. “The displays present a high-tech image to visitors and resident companies that reflects on the entire facility.” Calling their display network “the best solution to our communication development and brand-building goals,” Ms. Eppler said that digital signage can indeed help to foster community in a large facility. “News travels both electronically and via word-of-mouth. With our displays, we have been able to maintain the synergy that is such an important element in a business incubator.”
The Final Result
As for helping to contribute to their high-tech brand, Ms. Eppler confirmed that the signs at Ben Franklin TechVentures are not only informative, but also impressive. “Both resident companies and visitors have raved about the ingenuity of the solution.” Overall, she said that BFTP is very happy with its sign network at TechVentures.
“Our role is to link companies with experts, universities, funding and other resources to help them prosper through innovation. Communication is key to accomplishing that. The digital displays have helped us facilitate communication and collaboration at Ben Franklin TechVentures.”
