As of late digital signage companies have been popping up everywhere you turn, each one with unique capabilities. With the plethora of options, it can be very difficult to make a decision about which company to go with. But, you should always keep in mind – you get what you pay for! It really depends on what you are looking for, but you can’t expect to get something for nothing. On your search for the perfect digital menu boards there are multiple things to consider:
Digital Menu Boards – Solutions-A-Plenty
5 Signs that You’re Dealing with the Right Menu Board Company
There is no question that the world we live in is a lot different than even 5 years ago. The freewheeling, big spending days are long gone. Add to that, resources are more available than ever so that, when it comes to buying something, you can quickly and easily get a lot of options. Needless to say, the salesman’s idea that “they are buying me and not the product” has taken a bit of a hit. Not that this statement is entirely untrue, because the person on the opposite side of the table/phone has a lot to do with what you ultimately decide to do, but there are so many more factors to consider.
Micromanaging the Menu Board Process – A Big No No!
Just because you own a TV, doesn’t make you an expert on television programming. Just because you have been a football fan for years, doesn’t mean you qualify to coach your favorite team. And just because you own a restaurant, doesn’t mean you should layout, design and sometimes build your own menu boards. In all of these cases there are people with years of experience that are tasked with making decisions that will benefit their viewers, fans and clients. The problem on the menu board side is a lot of people fail to turn over the majority of this process and try to manage it all themselves.
Cheap Menu Board Options – They DO Exist!
We all know that when it comes to buying anything in life, certain people fall in to certain buckets. There are some that can afford the Mercedes, whereas some have to go the used Sedan route. The car industry doesn’t discriminate and in most cases one (car) finds another (buyer). The saying, “there is some-thing/one for everyone” rings true in this scenario and in many others in life. The same goes for menu boards, however there seems to be an issue identifying the sedan – the practical and functional solution – of the industry. Most companies go to market with their standard product line that highlights various backlit, front-lit, or non-illuminated options. What most people don’t realize is that a lot of these companies have professional looking, economical menu board systems that may be tucked in different areas of their website or catalog. Put another way, they could be found in categories such as, accessories, display fixtures, POP signs, etc.
What to Consider When Buying a Menu Board
When the search begins for your location’s menu boards there are many elements that should be previously thought about, that quite often are not. The Internet, with its bounty of information, allows folks to search, find, price and cross reference companies and their menu boards so they can make what they feel are informed decisions. I am not suggesting that this is a bad thing; in fact I encourage those I speak with to perform their due diligence because they will inevitably gain some knowledge along the way. It is what is done before all of the Googling and surfing that can be polished a little bit. By taking the following five factors in to consideration, you will be better positioned to make informed decisions that will have a greater impact on your business.
Menu Boards: Strips & Digits or Full Graphics?
Having been involved in the menu board industry for as long as I have, you get to know the questions that are going to be asked well before they actually are. “What sizes do you have? Do you do the design work? How long will it take for me to get the menu boards? (and obviously) How much do they cost?” However, the question that I want to address and what comes up more often than not is, “Do your menu boards have strips and digits?” The way in which this question gets asked differs from time to time but the underlying reason is always the same, they want to know if they will be able to change their menu board items and pricing whenever they want. However, is this the best way to go about it? Would using full graphics make more sense? There are compelling arguments to each side.
How Digital Menu Boards Impact Fine Dining
When talking about digital menu boards for restaurants, why is it that for the most part the marketing focuses on the quick-serve or fast casual restaurants? What about the fine dining establishments? Can they also benefit from the use of an effective digital menu board solution? The answer… YES! Having been involved with restaurant digital menu boards since its inception, I always make sure that my fine dining clients recognize that there are simple benefits that work in QSRs that can transcend to the fine dining side as well. Some such benefits include:
Speed of Service Affected by Poorly Designed Menu Boards
Christa Hoyland noted in a recent article for QSRWeb that “50% of consumers polled by QSRWeb say that menu boards have become harder to read and that speed of service is taking a hit as a result.” This is the last thing you want when operating a fast food – quick service restaurant. It is a pretty easy formula, a quicker turnaround means greater efficiency → more patrons served → more dollars in your pocket. Unfortunately, menu board development and its execution are often afterthoughts when looking at a restaurant’s branding as a whole, when in fact they should be at the forefront. There is no other area of any restaurant where you have the onlookers at your fingertips, fixated by their need for information. This notion of “captive audience” is at the 101 level of running a restaurant. However, trying to capitalize on this knowledge is where many get themselves in to trouble… many times without even realizing it.
Although there are several areas that people can shore up their menu boards, we are going to touch on the 3 main issues that seem to keep rearing their ugly heads.
How to Avoid the Many Digital Menu Board Pitfalls
The ever-evolving digital menu board and digital signage industry continues to see more and more companies join the party. There are several reasons for this, but for the most part, it is due to its forward-thinking appeal and the general consensus that the shift from traditional signage to digital will continue to gather more and more momentum. As a result, consumers are left with a myriad of platforms and number of different payment options to choose from. Combine that with “this software can do this,” and “that media player can do that,” and it can become very overwhelming in a hurry. So how does one minimize the risk of making a bad decision? Where do they even begin their search?
3 Tips to Help Make Your Digital Menu Boards Stand Out
In a White Paper on FastCasual.com, entitled “Three Strategies to Make Digital Menu Boards Stand Out In a Crowd,” author Richard Slawsky discussed the increase in overall sales seen as a direct result of properly deployed menu board systems. Slawsky says, “According to industry experts, the deployment of digital menu boards can lead to overall sales uplifts of as much as 5 percent or more. In addition, spotlighting a promotional item on a digital menu board can boost the sales of that item by as much as 60 percent.”