Why CIOs Should Control Digital Signage Software Initiatives

A plan without an execution strategy is a dream, and action without a goal is a waste. One of the biggest ways to avoid these scenarios is to have the buck stop at one person. If there’s a designated individual in charge of reaching a well-laid out goal, companies are more likely to achieve it with minimal waste.

This is why CIOs should be in control of and organization’s digital signage game plan.

CIOs manage a plethora of objectives within a company, and good ones handle the load by being informed, organized, and surrounding themselves with competent team members. When a company adds digital signage software to the mix it’s vital for CIOs to be involved as early as possible in the process. Here are a few reasons why:

A bad thing happens when CIOs are not in charge of digital signage software initiatives. Different department heads- marketing, operations, Human Resources, sales- may separately decide that digital signage is a smart idea, but never communicate with each other. Multiple purchases later, the company has wasted money on overlapping solutions. If the CIO is in control, there will be a single purchase that covers multiple roles. This saves money on the front end AND over the long term, especially in IT manpower. For example, IT supports digital signage software. It’s easier to learn and support one platform than multiple ones. CIOs make broad decisions that cover all departments, which decrease potential costs and may bring about other positive results.

As mentioned above, it hinders efficiency if there are multiple solutions performing similar roles. Marketing using something different from HR and operations is a recipe for disaster. When the CIO is in charge of the decision making, initiatives are more seamlessly integrated, IT has an easier job of understanding and addressing the potential issues, and every team member is more inclined to be on the same page striving for the same goals.

Multiple solutions running at the same time, too many people involved in the decision making, and every department head only thinking about their needs creates a minefield of problems for IT. The result of this can be delays in getting problems fixed and increases in the overall costs. When digital signage software is managed by the CIO, these scenarios evaporate. A single, better-aligned system creates less confusion for IT and fewer issues with maintaining, upgrading, and managing the platform.

There are dozens of uses for digital signage, depending on the goal. If there are too many people involved with the messages, they can become watered down and ineffective. That’s not to say more than one department can utilize the signage, because they can. There simply needs to be a plan in place that the signage is working towards. For example, marketing doesn’t need to announce a product push the same day as HR begins a safety reminder campaign, the same day sales touts their quarterly new business. When a CIO is involved, the messages are better organized to create memorable, effective communication channels that function at a higher level than a hodge podge of fractured plans.

A capital expenditure needs to show return on investment (ROI) for the business. If it’s not a good decision, the ROI may be low and the project dies on the vine. If there’s not an individual clearly in charge of digital signage technology, there may be so many plans and pieces of solutions that there ends up being little sustainability for the long-term. Adding to existing digital signage down the road and keeping it up-to-date is a smaller task when a CIO is ultimately in charge of the operation.

Managing digital signage software for the greatest positive impact means that CIOs must take the reins. When CIOs become involved with digital signage software initiatives, they need to approach it with these tasks in mind:

• Develop Main Priorities
  It’s critical for the CIO to lay out the main strategies the organization expects digital signage to accomplish. Working through the current needs and addressing future needs like expansions and increase in staff is necessary to maximize the ROI and its impact. The priorities need to be clear and measurable, and all parties involved need to be aware of them.
• Get Cross-Departmental Buy In
  Having other people besides the CIO backing the project is integral to its long-term success. Since it’s likely more than one department will be using and benefitting from an investment in digital signage software, the CIO needs to lay out how the technology can be used and the goals it can help reach. Every department head involved should be part of the decision and understand specifically how the software will assist their areas of business.
• Designate Actions
  There must be a period where the CIO doles out responsibilities to the other parties that will be working with the digital signage on a daily basis. Content management, placing the screens, creating graphics, updating the system, and any other details should be assigned. The CIO should manage these, so nothing falls through the cracks.
• Review and Tweak, as Needed
  As companies grow and their needs evolve, the demands on digital signage may change. It’s important for the CIO to closely analyze the data that comes from the software. By knowing what is working and what is performing flatly, the actions can be edited and revised so the strategies don’t get stale and fall short.

An investment in digital signage software is a smart business decision for many companies. When the CIO takes control of the technology businesses are more likely to see a healthy return on their investment, efficient use, cost savings, and greater long-range scalability. In short, by setting the CIO up to manage digital signage, you are setting your company up to succeed.