Commercial Digital Signage: 7 Ways to Modernize Communication

Today’s commercial real estate (CRE) property owners work hard to create a building atmosphere that appeals to a variety of tenants working in multiple businesses and industries—people who happen to share space in a single location. This requires weighing the impact of nearly every property-related decision against its possible effect on building aesthetics, visitor perception, and lease renewal rates. 

If you’re a property owner or community manager looking to elevate your building and modernize tenant communication, you might be considering commercial digital signage—an investment with multiple benefits for your staff, tenants and visitors in your building. Digital signage proptech is a strategic way to modernize, project a tech-forward image, and enhance location desirability—these screens automate resource-intensive tasks and improve communication. 

Once you know some of the many ways property managers are using digital screens to the advantage of building owners and their tenants, it’s easy to see why one of the fastest-growing segments of communication technology is a sound investment.

Why Property Owners Invest in the Visual Appeal of Commercial Digital Signage

For commercial property owners, digital signage is an attractive proposition that offers both aesthetic and functional benefits. These sleek screens seamlessly integrate with various building designs, instantly modernizing the overall visual appeal of properties. 

With the ability to adapt to the unique needs of a property’s tech stack or aesthetic, digital signage provides a versatile solution for property owners. Additionally, the option to install permanent screens, use free-standing displays that don’t require drilling, or connect existing displays through user-friendly plug-and-play devices adds flexibility.

Related: Improving Tenant Communication: The Impact of Real Estate Digital Signage

Commercial digital signage not only enhances the overall aesthetic of properties but also creates a seamless and engaging experience for tenants and their visitors. While the visual “wow” factor gained by investing in this cost-effective signage upgrade holds considerable value, the true power lies in how these screens are leveraged to improve communication between property managers and tenants, fostering goodwill and driving tenant satisfaction.

By utilizing commercial digital signage as a platform for effective tenant communication and promotion, property owners can directly impact tenant satisfaction scores and increase the likelihood of lease renewals. The combination of modern visual appeal and strategic content delivery creates a winning formula that elevates the overall tenant experience, ultimately benefiting both property owners and their valued tenants.

How Property Managers Use Commercial Digital Signage to Modernize Communication

Commercial digital signage modernizes tenant communication and enables a more streamlined process for effectively communicating with tenants. Property managers and their support staff use that software to create property messages of all kinds. 

User-friendly software minimizes your reliance on email, text messages, posters, and bulletin boards—business communication channels often overlooked or ignored by your tenants—to keep everyone informed of the most recent developments in their buildings.

Keeping tenants informed in a modern, engaging, creative way can go a long way toward improving workplace satisfaction. Throughout the entire chain of command, communication lapses often lead to misinformation, misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and strained manager/tenant relationships. Commercial digital signage can help.

Effective digital communication on screens that capture the attention of your tenant population at multiple points throughout their day creates an atmosphere of transparency that builds trust—the foundation of a positive relationship. If you can attract the attention of tenants and lead them to rely on these digital screens for information they want, the benefits are numerous. But how can you do this effectively?

7 Ways Property Managers Use Software-Supported Signage for Modern Business Communication

Although multiple companies provide the technology capable of uploading property message screens to digital signage, relatively few offer customized portals, make it easy to use, or include the features you really need to modernize communication effectively. When tenant communication publishing tools take too long to master, updates become sporadic at best. Once viewers realize common area screens rarely show anything new, they stop paying attention – engagement declines, and communication fails.

Property managers with robust content management software and a user-friendly, pre-built template library, on the other hand, have everything needed to create, schedule, and publish eye-catching screens in minutes, with little modification of the original design. 

When your digital screens are supported with top-tier, turnkey features, everything else falls into place. You have a powerful communication tool destined to become one of your building’s most popular assets because it can be used in multiple ways. Here are some of our favorites.

Use #1: Automating Time-Consuming Tasks

Using software to create digital messaging on screens that can be instantly updated gives management more time (and money) to invest in other areas. In locations with interactive features incorporated into tenant messages—QR codes, for example—you can use these screens to track notification acknowledgments, direct tenants to maintenance requests, provide answers to frequently asked questions, and simplify the processes involved in reserving meeting rooms, coworking spaces, and rooftop gardens.  

Use #2: Real-Time Repair Updates

When the unexpected happens, tenants should be notified as quickly as possible. Most want assurances that maintenance teams are aware of the issue at hand and are taking steps to resolve matters quickly. Frequent status updates demonstrate transparency and can minimize tensions created by any inconveniences. Tenants making note of efficient repairs and open communication are more likely to have positive feelings about their management and stay long-term.

Use #3: Publishing Safety Reminders

Tenants who miss important email notifications may not be as well-versed in safety protocols as they should be. In commercial properties with digital signage screens, property managers can create a rotation of screens viewed throughout the day with location-specific emergency evacuation instructions, emergency exit locations, and safety protocol reminders. With screen creation software accessible from any internet-capable device, tenants and visitors can also be kept informed of weather warnings, travel hazards, and potential security threats in real-time.

Use #4: Promoting Tenant Appreciation/Engagement Events

With the right combination of technologies, management has more time to connect with tenants, focus on engagement strategies, and build a sense of community—a definite plus for workplace satisfaction. Your plans don’t have to be extravagant. 

Depending on tenant preferences, engagement initiatives can be anything from bringing in food trucks or organizing a coffee bar to hosting a workshop or after-hours mixer. Adding a QR code to digital invitation screens makes it easy for tenants to RSVP right from their phones so you can more easily plan and manage costs.

Use #5: Announcing Upcoming Amenities & Upgrades

If you choose screen creation software that’s accessible from anywhere, you can create announcement screens for upcoming amenities (and sponsored events) whenever it’s convenient—or as soon as plans are finalized—to generate enthusiasm and avoid last-minute scrambling as opening day approaches. 

Tenant messaging screens can also be created in anticipation of possible disruptions to tenants who may be impacted by work that needs to be done during business hours. Since new hires may not be aware of on-premises amenities, reminders are also a welcomed addition, as are announcements of new services that drive incremental revenue.

Use #6: Promoting Associations and Initiatives Tenants Value

Today’s tenants appreciate knowing that they’re working in a building supported by an owner with similar interests and ideals. Environmentally conscious tenants, for example, value recycling programs, sustainable landscaping, and energy-efficient lighting, especially when those issues align with their brand values. In other words, promoting the programs and affiliations that differentiate your building from the competition raises tenant awareness and promotes goodwill among like-minded workers.

Use #7: Static Windows for Business Essentials

Some property managers broadcast every alert and notification full screen because it’s their only option. Today’s most in-demand screen management software, however, gives end users more control over the appearance and overall focus of their screens. Static panes, for example, allow system administrators to reserve space on messaging screens for information that is always displayed: after-hours contact information, office directories, emergency alerts, automated data feeds, and personalized messages to welcome new tenants to the building.

Why Dynamic Content Is Essential for Optimal Engagement

As you consider the advantages of modernizing your building aesthetic with one of the fastest-growing segments of communication technology available, there’s one more variable you need to prioritize: the content displayed alongside your property message screens.

Related: Which Digital Signage Software Enhances Building Communication? Discover the Best Choice

Although commercial digital signage is an investment in manager/tenant communication, high-quality content displayed alongside your property messaging transforms your communication screen into a valued source of information and entertainment that everyone in your building enjoys and looks forward to watching. The right programming mix demonstrates your commitment to tenant engagement and to adding value to their everyday experience.

That’s not something you can achieve with a dull RSS feed or generic ticker display. Elevating commercial property screens to an amenity tenants value requires contextually relevant, expertly curated programming that gives them another reason to love where they work. 

With the right media network provider, you can treat your tenants to a bite-sized mix of well-known and reliable national and business news, stock market reports, health and lifestyle tips, real-time transit reports, and weather forecasts (and more) from well-known reputable sources – so you can count on a brand-safe viewing environment.

Discover How Digital Signage Modernizes Communication in Your Commercial Property

Elevating your message screens with expertly curated, workplace-relevant content demonstrates your commitment to giving your tenants, employees, and visitors more reasons to love your building. Based on the thousands of submissions from our user-generated content promotions—like “Elevator Selfies,” “View from Your Office,” and “View from Your Vacation” —choosing Captivate to transform your communication screens into a top-tier amenity that gets tenants involved and keeps them engaged does more than “communicate” information—it encourages community.

To discover how our expertly curated content could reflect positively on your property, visit Captivate to see our screens in action. Our plug-and-play Captivate |Go device is easy to install and transforms existing displays, the templates in our ScreenCenter™ content management system are easy to customize, and the quality of our content ensures optimal tenant engagement. When you’re ready to get started, submit a contact form.