A group of impatient, restless customers staring at a clock or a group of engaged, alert potential prospects building a deeper connection with your business.
Which would you rather have? When your customers are entertained by Digital Signage, they report a decreased perceived wait time by 33% (Retail Business Development).
That means that a 30 minute wait feels like 20 minutes when Digital Signage is implemented.
Shorter wait times mean happier customers and those happier customers are more likely to return to your business and promote their positive experience.
Business owners always want a happy customer and yet, many fail to take advantage of a simple and inexpensive tool to engage their customers.
Here are a few ways why using digital signage in your auto shop waiting area can help your business and your customer by decreasing perceived wait time and increasing value.
It’s Customized and Targeted
You already know a lot about the audience sitting in your waiting room. You know what they need, want, and value. So, give them what they need, want, and value.
Rather than show generic content that could be found in a waiting area in any industry, customize your digital signage so that it speaks directly to your auto audience.
Customized content that you control is more likely to catch and hold your customer’s attention. It also has the added benefit of keeping your brand, products, and services front and center and eliminating the appearance of competing advertisers.
It’s Reassuring and Trustworthy
The auto industry is a place where many consumers feel nervous or anxious about purchasing products or services because they are unfamiliar with the industry.
Because many people feel like they are being sold unnecessary services at the auto shop, create content that reinforces the value of their purchase or investment.
Use informative videos to explain why routine services, that many customers feel are avoidable like cabin filters, are important and beneficial.
This will build trust and make your customer feel more confident about their purchase and more likely to return for other services in the future.
It’s Educational and Informative
Educating your customer is empowering your customer.
Knowledge helps customers make the right decisions about vehicle maintenance while in your establishment and after they leave.
Share short, educational clips about automotive general care and safety to provide value that your customers can take with them.
It shows your customers that you care about them beyond the purchases they are making at your business, and will help them make proactive decisions about their car care.
Bonus: Educational information about car care may bring your customers back to your shop sooner and increase upsells of your products. Digital Signage Today reports that one in five customers make an unplanned purchase after seeing items featured on digital screens. So use your display to show off new or best-selling products.
It’s Live and Fresh
When customers sit and watch the same content repeated on a loop, their wait time will seem longer. Fresh content, provided through lengthy loops that last the duration of their stay, and live updates will make their wait seem shorter.
When using digital signs, it is easy and affordable to frequently update your content and add live elements so customers find fresh content throughout each of their visits.
You can create custom-length loops and incorporate real-time updates regarding weather, the news, and your social media streams. If you aren’t sure how long your content loop should be, consider how long your average customer waits. Create a loop that lasts a little longer than that to be sure your customers aren’t seeing repeat content.
Also, consider how often your customers return to your shop for service. If your customers return about every 30 days, be sure to refresh your content around that timeframe so they can experience new and valuable information at every visit.
Your fresh content will ensure that you keep your customer’s attention all while shorterning their perceived wait time.
It’s Entertaining and Enjoyable
Don’t make your waiting area all about business.
Customers don’t want to be repeatedly sold to. So don’t bombard them with promo information. Instead use custom entertainment, television shows, and trivia to connect with their interests and help them relax and feel more comfortable during their wait.
Unlike regular televisions, digital signage enables you to select shows you know your customer will enjoy and display those shows within a branded frame (which reinforces your brand image). You can also make the entertainment interactive by adding trivia questions catered to your audience’s tastes and influences.
When customers are engaged with and enjoying targeted entertainment, their perceived wait time decreases. Plus, by controlling the content, you can eliminate the appearance of competitor ads and offensive, inappropriate content that is out of your control when running regular television programming.
It’s Impressive and Personal
Using a digital sign in your waiting area is a way to differentiate yourself from other auto shops.
The appearance you project on a digital sign can impress customers, create a lasting impression, and build enduring customer relationships.
A digital sign (instead of a standard television set or Powerpoint presentation) shows that your business is modern, trustworthy, and established. It gives off the impression that you care about advancing and growing your business and providing extra value to your customers.
The content you add to your sign can also further that impression. By creating content that showcases the personal side of your business, you can establish deeper relationships with your customers.
In between your other entertaining and educational images, videos, and graphics, mix in messages about your business values. Highlight community involvement, introduce your staff, give a behind the scenes look, or address your unique corporate mission statement.
Your digital display is an effective way to instill a positive perception of your brand.
Small changes to your waiting area can be the difference between a room full of happy, engaged customers and a room of disgruntled, frustrated customers.
Keep your customers satisfied by giving them the things they want — value, information, education — through high-quality videos and images.
Not sure how a digital sign can work in your auto waiting room? Let one of Spectrio’s team members help you determine if Digital Signage is right for your business. Our team has extensive experience with automotive businesses and is here to help.