A recent Treasury Department report said April 2007 brought an all-time high in revenue collections for the federal government.
Let's hope they spend more of it on digital signage. And that goes for your state and local types, too.
One of the biggest challenges in any large system is pushing messages downstream. Often, there is a huge span between the originator of a thought and its intended recipient. Digital signage is a terrific tool to help spread the word.
That's no news to readers of this magazine or of sister site
DigitalSignageToday.com, a portal operated by the magazine's parent company, NetWorld Alliance. But there are several ways digital signage can be employed by government entities that may not come immediately to mind.
Education. OK, maybe this one is a no-brainer. Government offices used by the public are notorious for waits. Why not take advantage of this captive audience to improve the process?
- Flash instructions for complicated forms on the screen.
- Tailor messages to the time of month or year. If it's early spring, wedding season is around the corner: What do people need for a marriage license? Put up related stats and facts, such as how many marriage licenses were submitted the previous year. Late summer, start broadcasting messages about deer-hunting licenses. Winter, educate people about building permits.
- Remind people what other government services are available for them. If it's the end of the month and people are rushing to renew their tags, let drivers know how next year they can do so by mail.
Promotion. Digital signage is good for educating people, but it's even better for promoting. Many government services go unused not just because they are little known, but also because they don't seem helpful or fun.
A couple of years ago, I was persuaded to attend a weekend getaway at a Kentucky state park. I imagined an antiquated lodge, a wildlife center filled with bad taxidermy and a blurry slideshow. Instead, the place was a hoot, with pools, tennis courts, a nice restaurant and even jet ski rentals. Had I seen some dynamic promotions for it, I may have gone on my own much earlier.
Digital signage also can be employed by the elected officials in charge of particular services (a county clerk, say, or a treasurer) to get some face time with the voters. Imagine the county prosecutor showing up on screens in welfare offices, talking about how to go after deadbeat dads: helpful for the citizens, good for the prosecutor come time for re-election.
Morale. Not all signage in government offices has to be directed at citizens. Being a civil servant can be a stressful, thankless job, and dynamic digital displays can be used to boost morale. Show things such as:
- News and weather updates
- Photos and bios of employees who have done something exceptional outside of the office
- Countdowns to the next holidays
- Reminders of employee benefits
Also, employees who are well informed are happier with their jobs. The advantage of digital signage networks is that some content can be pushed out to all offices, while some can be customized for particular ones. So while everyone might appreciate a reminder that Labor Day is just three months away, only a few folks need to see a message about the change in a tax law that needs special attention.
Emergency management. Private digital signage networks can be set up to receive messages from any compatible network. Such an interface would come in handy in the event of disaster. Now, for weather bulletins, people at work rely on old-fashioned tornado sirens or the receptionist who keeps the radio on all day. A digital signage network that hangs over exits, for example, can alert people to stay away from windows or to seek shelter in the basement.
Agencies and departments responding to a large-scale event can be kept up to speed by posting news from a central disaster-management location. Where is the damage? What resources are being deployed?
The 9/11 Commission specifically touted the benefits of such a deployment and advocated using a mixture of governmental credibility and technology in the event of a terrorist attack. Recommendations included:
- Equip buildings that house governmental operations with dynamic signage that can provide evacuation instructions.
- Equip infrastructure that receives government funding, such as highways and airports, with public-safety signage.
- Motivate deployment of signage in the private sector with reduced insurance rates and other financial incentives.
Digital signage is much more than a bank of fancy monitors soaking up wattage. Properly set up with a network and some smart, creative thinking, it can make a real difference in the organization deploying it and to the people looking at the screens. In few places are those differences as potentially meaningful as in a government environment.
The writer is associate publisher of Self-Service World magazine.
