Are you a property manager looking for a way to better engage and welcome visitors to your space? The lobby is usually the first thing visitors see when they enter a large commercial building. As a property manager, you not only want to capture your visitor’s attention, but you also want them to have a good experience while visiting.
Digital lobby directories serve the same purpose as traditional lobby directories but bring additional features to the table that make it much more user-friendly and engaging for visitors. But what kind of content should you display on digital lobby directories? What are some ways that property managers can implement digital lobby directories?
In this blog post, we will explore different digital lobby directory ideas to help you get a better idea of how you can use it in your lobby and ultimately improve the experience of your visitors.
Many facilities have moved from traditional directories to digital directories because of the many benefits they offer to both the facility and its visitors. If you are weighing the investment with the benefits it may offer the following information may be helpful to you.
Enhanced experience for visitors
Creating a positive user experience is a growing goal for many businesses, venues, and facilities. As organizations, we understand that happy visitors have a positive impact on the bottom line while unhappy visitors lead to a negative impact. Utilizing digital directories (and other digital signage) is a great way to enhance the overall visitor experience.
From a utility aspect, digital directories help visitors find exactly what or who they are looking for. It allows them to easily navigate the premises allowing them to focus on why they are there rather than being frustrated as they try to find their way around.
When utilized creatively, digital directories can create wonderful engagement opportunities adding fun or enjoyment to the overall visit.
Creating opportunities for facilities
In addition to offering a better experience for visitors, facilities can utilize the digital directory to create opportunities for themselves. With customizable content and a digital platform, facilities have the opportunity to create promotional assets or to highlight information right from the directory. This can help to streamline necessary communications and can also provide revenue opportunities through promotional content.
As you will see in a moment, digital directories offer numerous opportunities for content. And, because so many visitors will utilize the directory it’s a seamless way to get more eyes on the information you want to convey.
Digital lobby directories can be used in many ways to engage visitors and maintain a modern and professional look. Wondering what information you can display on digital lobby directories? Here are some types of information that you can display in your lobby:
Building amenities: Think about it from a visitor’s perspective. They know absolutely nothing about your building. They do not know where the bathrooms are or where the elevators are located. Having this information in your digital directory helps visitors easily locate amenities in the building.
News tickers, stocks, and local weather: While information like weather and the news may not seem that significant for a lobby, having this information accessible can make a good first impression on your visitors. Suppose a visitor’s phone died, but they want to check the weather before making the long walk back to their vehicle. You could provide that information for them, solving the problem, and ultimately creating a positive impression.
Floor plans of available space: Do you have space that needs to be rented? With a digital lobby directory, you can display floor plans of available spaces in your building. Displaying this information in the lobby is a great way to spread the word about availability and could potentially help you find a company that wants to rent that space.
Welcome information and announcements: A directory is usually the first place someone goes when they visit a new facility. Welcome them and help them get all the necessary information they need from the start. This can help provide a positive experience from the start while also being a convenient way to communicate needed information easily.
Advertisements and Promotions: Is highlighting promotions an important part of your facility’s operations? Then include your top promotions on your directory where everyone will look. Whether you manage a mall and want a space for stores to advertise, or you’re a local venue that wants to showcase certain promotions, including this type of content on your directory is sure to bring improved awareness.
Wayfinding Maps: Don’t just tell visitors where businesses or individuals are located, show them how to reach those areas with an interactive wayfinding map. These maps can be customized to show unique routes (i.e. handicap accessible routes) and with some digital directory software, they can be shared directly to a smartphone for ease of use.
These are just a few content ideas to help spark ideas for your digital directories. The possibilities for digital directory content are endless. With customizable software, your directories can be designed and utilized in nearly any way you can dream up.
A digital directory is more than a TV. When looking to invest in a digital directory, make sure it has the features and capabilities to help you get the most out of it.
Here are some things you might want to consider:
Customizable content: will your digital directory software allow you to customize the content? Can you easily update it as tenants or staff change? Will you be able to add and update announcements on the fly?
Cloud-based content management: cloud-based directory software makes real-time updates and directory management seamless. Whether you’re working from home and need to make an emergency update or you manage multiple properties, cloud-based web management allows you to make instant updates from anywhere from any device with an internet connection.
Integrations: As a central source of communication in your facility, it’s ideal for your directory software to integrate seamlessly with other data sources to reduce redundancies in operations. Modern digital directory software can integrate with your directory software, property management software, visitor management systems, access control systems, and more.
Hardware, software, and enclosures: A digital directory is more than a screen or software. Think about it as an entire package and if your signage partner provides all the necessities for your installation. Do they provide both the screens and the software designed to run the directory? Will you also need an enclosure for it? While some providers offer aspects of digital directories, other providers (like us at ITS) offer turn-key solutions that include everything you need to successfully implement your digital directory.
With a digital directory, you not only get a directory but you get all the benefits that come with digital technology. This means you don’t have to settle for static or stale signage. Your directory can be customized with purpose to fit your needs.
What are the goals you have for your digital directory? Do you want to streamline communications? Are you tired of changing out your directory every time one of your tenants or staff leaves or changes offices? Is visitor experience improvement one of your organization's goals for the future?
If you want to do more with your facility’s directory then contact us at ITS. We can help you create a digital directory customized to help you better achieve your goals. Learn more about our digital directory software and the solutions available to you.
Explore itouchinc.com for more information on our solutions or contact us for needs unique to your property or project.
