Business | Digital signage
theme that emerged from our discussions with print/ signage companies was that most simply wanted to eliminate the pain points and hand over any enquiries about digital signage to us to manage in exchange for a commission.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
WHAT DO YOU THINK TO OFFERING A PRINTED/DIGITAL SIGNAGE COMBO? PERHAPS IT WOULD BE MORE APPEALING IF SOMEONE COULD MAKE IT EASIER TO DO SO. WELL, HERE’S SOMEONE WHO CAN…
Integrating digital signage as a revenue stream may be easier than you think. Yes, it’s been talked about as an option for many years now, and for many PSPs it’s just seemed like too much hassle. But what if you partnered with a company that could eradicate the pain points? Chris Rushton, director at Assured Digital Signage, owned a print company in the early 2000s and can see the situation from both sides. And he believes printed signage producers are missing a trick by not offering digital signage too. “There is no reason why printers or signmakers
can’t get in on the action,” he says. “And there is still plenty of room for more players in what is a vibrant, growing market. In fact, we see this area as a promising vertical with signifi cant growth potential. Let’s not forget that print providers already have established and trusted relationships with the end users. Naturally, there are some challenges, however, there is also ample opportunity to generate revenue by collaborating with digital signage providers.”
He continues: “We recently engaged with several sign companies at the UK Fastsigns Convention to assess the market’s interest. As anticipated, few companies were actively selling digital signage - the majority preferred to avoid the hassle and, despite receiving sales enquiries, they were either turned down or worse, ignored completely. A common
PRINT/SIGNAGE COMPANIES SIMPLY WANTED TO ELIMINATE THE PAIN POINTS AND HAND OVER ANY ENQUIRIES ABOUT DIGITAL SIGNAGE TO US TO MANAGE IN EXCHANGE FOR A COMMISSION
“This is something we are happy to do,” says Rushton. “However, before we begin working with a print company there’s an educational aspect that needs to be addressed, and that’s typically covered in a couple of online sessions. One reason for doing this is to highlight the key differences in our industries, such as our distinct business models. ‘While printers are used to signifi cant capital expenditures on equipment to produce a variety of fi nished products from raw materials and then mark- up the base cost by a substantial margin, we generally generate 20-40% profi t from our hardware, depending on the volume and sector. Additionally, we generate further revenue from services such as content management software, studio output, installation services, and estate management, some of which is recurring. In 2023, our average order value was approximately £10,000, with many businesses consciously choosing to invest in digital signage as part of their long-term strategy. Rushton continues: “Our primary approach is to pay a commission fee for any business generated from leads given to us. Once we receive an enquiry and are introduced as the preferred digital signage provider, we provide a quotation and pre-determine the commission fee - which varies depending on the scale and project. We keep all parties informed throughout the process and ensure a smooth progression from providing quotations to delivering and installing the signage upon winning the bid. This system has proven effective in establishing long-term relationships, as printers/ signmakers discover opportunities for increased involvement, such as collaborating with their in-house design studio or installers. “Additionally, we offer a deal protection service that
benefi ts the fi rst customer to register a project with us. This service provides better pricing support, increasing their chances of winning the business. To ensure effective coordination, we utilise SAP Business One, which alerts our sales and services teams whenever a specifi c end user or project is registered and each customer is assigned a dedicated account manager, further enabling this. “Another approach we take, is to collaborate as a
working partner. We identify the areas in which a printer possesses the necessary resources and expertise to handle specifi c project aspects and complement them in the areas where they may lack. Sometimes, we present ourselves as Assured, while other times, partnering companies prefer that we operate under their name and brand.”
Rushton concludes: “None of this is overly complicated. Partnering with others to provide various services has become commonplace. However, perhaps what sets us apart in the area of digital signage is our understanding of the signmaking and wide-format print industries. I recently completed a Make It Happen Signage Bootcamp, which has opened my eyes to the potential for ‘traditional’ signmaking and digital signage to coexist. It’s an area that has yet to be fully explored, presenting ample opportunities for growth.”
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