Craig McQueen is Corporate Account Manager for NEC Display Solutions, a pioneering player in the phenomenal rise of digital retail signage. In partnership with other hardware and software companies, NEC prides itself in offering total end‐to‐end solutions for retailers embarking on, or refreshing their estate, of digital signage. A1 Retail chat to Craig Mcqueen about life in the retail fast lane…
NEC is one of the most well‐known brands in the retail technology industry; what year did it launch and what was the inspiration behind its inception?
At its core, NEC is a global IT Corporation with an established pedigree, having been operational since 1899. Within the retail sector, the recent surge in interest for digital signage has meant that NEC Display Solutions is perfectly placed to develop business in this market with a wide offering of large format commercial‐grade screens to assist retailers in exploiting the revenue generating potential of digital retail signage.
You have worked on some high profile projects with some top retailers ‐ what has been your biggest challenge to date and how did you overcome it?
Our biggest challenge is the diversity of the retail sector. The budget and requirement of a multi‐national retail bank, for instance, will be far and away from the interests of the corner shop. NEC’s strength is in its range of products, whereby we can offer low cost commercial displays to huge outdoor LEDs, supported by desktop monitors, projection and a range of smart signage software solutions, with the capability to control a single screen to vast global networks.
NEC has launched some fantastic new products in the last few years; what has been your best selling product and how quickly can retailers expect to see a return on their investment?
Currently our most popular range is the V Series, the recent generation of which incorporated some high‐end professional features. In terms of cost versus functionality, this is a highly popular product range which appeals to a wide spectrum of retail customers. The ROI hinges largely on how the retailer utilises the screen with quality content and relevant offers and promotions. Consideration of the cost of not following the trend to digitise, is also highly relevant and low cost solutions, such as the V Series, open up opportunities for even the most cost‐conscious retailer.
How has the current economic climate affected NEC?
Where previously, retailers might have opted for the highest spec product as standard, retailers are more conscious as to the features that are actually needed rather than simply desirable. This has commonly led to scaling down to optimise on a product which meets its needs with a lower brightness or less than 24/7 operation ‐ this is where the NEC V Series has proven so successful. Our broad portfolio of products has meant that NEC has not suffered through loss of customers, but is able to offer the best solution to meet their requirements with the assurance of a reliable, quality brand.
What can we expect from the future of NEC? NEC has recently started development into signage based software solutions such as Field Analyst for audience analytics and Leaf Engine which which supports the expected surge in sensor based contextual signage. We are entering a world of smart signage using sensors to react to audiences to create more targeted messaging. NEC is at the forefront of this development and we are anticipating some exciting innovation in the retail space.
Contact
NEC Display Solutions 0870 120 1160
www.nec‐
displays.co.uk
www.a1retailmagazine.com
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