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The modern world runs on data. It is the most significant and valuable commodity on Earth, and is the reason Silicon Valley giants like Facebook and Google are worth hundreds of billions of dollars. The core business of these and other tech titans is amassing and consolidating data that can then be sold for use by other companies such as advertisers. Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods for $13.7 billion a few years ago wasn't just merely a play for grocery dollars. It offers the online company a brick-and-mortar presence in which it can explore retail analytics, customer traffic management, and other data driven experiments to gain insights into in-store consumer behavior and decisions that can be transferred to online applications. While data is at the heart of business and technology, many organizations are unable to leverage these silos of wealth and make them useful, due to challenges in consolidating and sharing the information. Unlocking the power of data is key to creating a competitive advantage and the reason for the rise of chief data officers within organizations. A Fortune 1000 company is estimated to generate more than $65 million in additional net income through a mere 10% increase in data accessibility. For retailers, big data has the power to increase the operating margins by as much as 60%. Less than 0.5% of all data is ever analyzed and used to make decisions, leaving a lot of money on the table. It’s no wonder that 97.2% of organizations are investing in big data and AI. Achieving real-time data access and figuring out how to derive value from it is a major consideration for organizations in any industry. Most businesses understand that data empowers more informed decisions, enhancing productivity and efficiency while cutting costs to boost the bottom line. It can also be used to gain actionable insight into consumer behavior and improve the customer experience. The lifespan of a Fortune 500 company is shrinking, and those unable to harness data to their advantage will find themselves losing the battle against data savvy competitors who have harnessed its power to their advantage. The future success of an organization rests in its ability to consolidate information and share it across the business in real-time for maximum impact. Connecting people with data isn’t a nice idea it is a business imperative. From customers to employees to visitors to partners, access to relevant real-time information will have a bigger impact than perhaps even the data itself!    

The success of an organization is dependent on its employees and their level of engagement. Engaged employees are enthusiastic and committed to their jobs. They understand goals and objectives of the organization and are committed to its overall success. Engaged employees are less likely to leave the organization to pursue other opportunities. In US companies, employee turnover already costs $160 billion a year. There is no debating the economic benefit of employee engagement. Results include higher productivity, better employee retention, a positive, more creative environment, and generally a better place to work for everyone. So how do you improve employee engagement in your organization? Here is your 5-step guide: 1. First, Take Care of the Basics Employee engagement isn't always easy to define, but you (and your team members) know it when you see it. Studies by the Dale Carnegie Institute have found that there are three key influences on employee engagement in the workplace: Employee relationships with the immediate supervisor Confidence in senior leadership Pride in working for the organization Are these three influences positively affecting employees in your organization? 2. Put Digital Communications to Use in the Workplace Employee bulletin boards, memos, and announcements over the public-address system have been used for ages to communicate to and among employees but there was no guarantee the information was reaching the right employees at the right time. Digital communications on devices like digital signs, videowalls, tablets and mobile phones, incorporate the best of these traditional communication channels with the best of technology. Most people associate digital communications with customer-facing communications, but employee-facing digital communications can be remarkably effective too. Not only can you notify people of emergencies quickly, you can communicate personalized real-time information in a manner that's efficient and often entertaining as well. 3. Make Content Appropriate to the Audience One of the best things about digital communications is that you can do as successful television networks do and tailor content to the audience and their needs. Consider a digital screen in a warehouse - a message welcomes the morning shift to work and reminds them to finish their safety training by the deadline could precede a message from HR about the changes to the benefits plan. At their station personalized information about the orders for the day and key statistics from the previous shift can be pushed to their mobile phone or screen in the area. Digital signage in the locker room could thank the departing shift for their work, showcase key stats from their shift, and provide real-time updates on weather and traffic for their drive home. 4. Use Digital Communications for Employee Recognition A terrific use for digital communications and devices like digital signage is employee recognition. Content could include coverage of formal awards people have earned, or even information from the company social network. Giving employees a way to submit positive information about their peers helps maintain a positive work environment, and when employee achievements are tied in with brand philosophy, both are amplified. 5. Consider Creating a Corporate Social Responsibility Channel Some organizations improve team cohesiveness even more by using digital communications to promote corporate social responsibility (CSR). Most consumers today expect businesses to focus on the world we live in as well as their own interests, and this, of course, carries over to employee attitudes. For example, using digital signage to communicate CSR initiatives and highlight relevant accomplishments on both the employee and corporate level can help employees take pride in their organization. Digital communications is far more than a way for businesses to communicate with customers. It's also terrific for communicating with employees and gives companies lots of opportunity for doing so in an entertaining and effective manner. Not only can devices like digital signs and mobile phones be used to inform employees quickly in the event of an emergency, they can be used for countless everyday applications as well, including deadline reminders, employee recognition, and information about how the company is striving to make the world better. Using digital communications toward better employee engagement helps create a more cohesive workforce, with better morale, and hence a greater willingness among employees to give their best effort. It's fast, flexible, more environmentally friendly than printed materials, and offers endless possibilities for programming content.

Keep Pace or Lose the Race: Is Your Digital Strategy Ready for Tomorrow’s Marketplace? Companies come and go every day—that’s just the reality of business. Not every company lasts for decades, and even fewer last over a century like Ford, which was founded in 1903. The kiss-of-death for a company is an inability to keep up with technology. It might sound surprising, but the life span of a Fortune 500 company today is significantly shorter than it was 25 years ago. Research in Motion, Nortel, and perhaps most spectacularly of all, Blockbuster, are all casualties of a failure to stay ahead of the technology curve. In fact, in its bid to remain viable, Ford itself recently replaced its CEO amid a tanking stock price. Investors view the automaker as lagging behind Google, Uber, and Tesla in developing technologically advanced, autonomous vehicles for the future. Today’s business climate is dominated by companies that embrace technology and data to transform industries. Think AirBnb, Alibaba, Amazon, and Lyft. We live in a digital age, and leveraging digitization is the only way for a business to thrive in such a competitive landscape. Powerful digital communication tools can enable organizations to easily collect, process, and deliver targeted real-time information to optimize its operations. Digital communications allow for effective message dissemination and extends real-time, customized information to everyone within a company. It’s critical that CEOs and C-suite executives encourage the wide adoption of digitization within a company. It’s a transformation that must involve every team and department to maximize success. Many organizations are slow behemoths, unable to nimbly respond to the fast pace of technological change, often resulting in poor customer experiences. Equipping people and processes with the right technology improves customer satisfaction, inspires innovation, and delivers greater value to all parties. A successful digital platform is one that improves employee engagement, reduces costs, boosts productivity, improves safety, builds brand awareness, and elevates the customer experience. It will also allow employees and partners to better connect with customers to achieve business goals. When effectively deployed, digital tools will reduce costs by optimizing inventory levels and eliminating the distribution of printed material. Digital communications enables organizations to share information while adding value and improving the customer experience. No matter your business, the perfect digital tools will free up time, labor, and financial resources so that you can focus on your core mission.  

Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) provide actionable metrics that most organizations use to keep their strategy on track and enable them to manage, control and achieve desired business results.  Historically, KPIs have often been tracked in spreadsheets and scorecards that were distributed on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis. With the growing popularity of digital screens and digital signage it is now possible to publish real-time updates to KPIs as they happen and keep everyone in the organization informed about how things are tracking. Is your organization ready for real-time KPIs? Here are 3 reasons you should be considering displaying digital KPIs in your office. 1. Create healthy competition between your sales teams Only the strong survive in today's competitive business ecosystem. In order to keep your sales team on top of their game, you need to cultivate a competitive data-driven culture where the right performance indicators and business metrics are shared in real-time with teams across the organization. The west coast team is going to up their game if they see the east coast team is beating them with sales when the walk into the office in the morning.   2. Provide employee communications in real-time Integrating with back-end applications like CRM (Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, etc.) and ERP (SAP, Oracle, etc.), can show performance metric changes as they happen, enabling improved decision making and allowing staff to be more proactive which increases efficiency.   3. Improve moralE, enthusiasm, & discipline Engaging with your employees and getting them more involved at work can help boost confidence by building an understanding of how the company is performing, increase their trust with company transparency, and create a culture of team spirit. Motivated employees who are committed to their job and their employer are more likely to be high performing, loyal and happy in their work, and it is these employees who will be your company's best ambassadors.     

Transportation, particularly across long distances, is stressful on passengers. There are tickets to purchase and keep track of, numbers to remember, and rides and planes to catch. With effective digital communication, you can ease that burden and enhance passengers’ experiences. Instead of a constant headache, you can give passengers access to real-time information about critical arrival and departure times, delays, cancellations, changes, and more. The overall goal of any transportation facility is a simple one – get passengers where they need to go safely, efficiently and effectively, with minimal confusion and waiting along the way. By arming your passengers with critical information through digital communications and signage, meeting the challenges that stand between you and that goal head on is easier than ever. With effective digital communications, you can: Alleviate perceived wait times When information is murky, passengers arrive earlier than needed, leading to a lot of sitting and waiting around. With effective digital communication, you can provide passengers reliable information about their trip, allowing them to budget their time in a way that’s more enjoyable. Enhance travel experiences Alongside reduced waits come better overall experiences. We’ve all been there – the bad travel experiences stand out, but so do the seamless and smooth ones. People want their experiences to align with the relaxing, fun trip they’re on, not clash with it. Engage passengers with other key information Beyond simple flight or other mode-of-travel information, passengers will benefit from key information regarding weather, news, emergency broadcasts and more. Deliver real-time, location-based information Being able to tailor critical information based on location provides innumerable benefits – go beyond simply providing information and customize it for passengers and areas, providing an individualized and beneficial experience. Improve overall operations With effective digital communications, employees spend less time answering questions and putting out fires and more time ensuring they help every aspect of your facility run as smoothly as possible. Keep passengers safe Emergency notifications can interrupt regularly scheduled content, ensuring passengers are taken care of and notified of any critical information. Position yourself as a “travel guide” With interactive wayfinding kiosks and information throughout your facility, you can go beyond “the place where travel happens” and achieve true “travel guide” and industry-leader status.

Why do we continue to rely on the old siren-based system of sending emergency notifications? Advances in technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) provide numerous ways to enhance the traditional siren. When an emergency happens, people need to be informed as soon as possible, but also understand clearly what the emergency is. Sirens simply do not provide anything other than an alert that there is a possibility of danger. Real-time data can make all the difference between panic and rational action whenever an emergency occurs. Why Digital Communications are So Important A digital communications platform can ensure people get the information they need whenever there is an emergency. Sirens, in many instances, have become more of an annoyance than a true sign of a life-threatening situation. A frightening aspect of siren-based systems is that they can easily be hacked, raising the possibility of mass chaos. In April 2017, all 156 tornado warning sirens in Dallas, Texas, activated simultaneously during the middle of severe weather season. Thousands of residents panicked as the sirens continued to go off on a night when skies were clear. According to The Dallas Morning News, officials with the city’s Office of Emergency Management blamed the activations on a computer hack. Not only are sirens antiquated and vulnerable to attack, they provide no information about the nature of an emergency. Digital communications on devices like digital signage and mobile phones, on the other hand, deliver real-time data that adds context to an alert, allowing people to quickly take whatever actions are needed to stay safe. Calm Instead of Chaos There are several different scenarios where an advanced, data-driven emergency notification system can be a major benefit. When severe weather is approaching, facility operators can send informative messages directly to staff members as well as building occupants. These messages, delivered directly to mobile devices, can tell people exactly how to take cover so they can be secure. If an area needs to be quickly evacuated, such as a large office building or a retail store, real-time information will detail exactly where exits are located, and which exits are safe to use so people can leave in an orderly manner. If an office or campus lockdown occurs due to a threat of violence, a digital communications system will let them know when it is safe to leave the area. There are many factors that go into determining how someone will react to traditional alarms. According to the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, someone hearing a fire alarm at home will react a great deal faster than someone in a public building. If they are in a shopping mall, and don’t have additional information providing context to the alarm, they will very likely continue with their activities. Perhaps even more important is that according to Security Magazine, a crucial component of security notification systems is bidirectional abilities; it’s critical that messages aren’t just sent, but actually received as well. By using real-time digital communications, facility operators will greatly improve the chances that emergency messages will truly resonate with their intended recipients. It’s Time to Implement a Digital Communications System for Your Facility The safety of everyone inside your facility must be your top priority – it is not only a moral responsibility, it could also be a matter of liability. By going beyond the traditional alarm or siren system, you will be in a much more favorable position to minimize any potential harm and create a safer environment.

Energize Your Business and Empower More Informed Decisions with Omnivex Information leads people to make better decisions, yet traditional IT systems can create silos and bottleneck information. Omnivex solves business communications issues by delivering targeted, real time information. Your message, your goals, and your information has the power to transform your organization. Omnivex brings the sharing to business for better decisions, for greater accountability, for more education, and continuous inspiration. Digital communications are transforming the world and connecting the right people with the right information when they need it. It can take the shape of breaking news, emergency notifications, and real-time data and metrics. Redefine your organization’s communication with Omnivex. The Omnivex platform manages all aspects of digital communications networks. It enables organizations to easily collect, process, and deliver targeted information across any screen, allowing them to enhance their two most valuable assets: people and data. To learn more, please enjoy the video.  

As 2020 looms, it’s time to consider where digital communications are heading and how you can leverage that direction to stay ahead of the curve, drive engagement and influence behavior. Digital signage and digital visual communications are critical – they are your first line of offense in a real-time world. Screens are the first things seen in public spaces and they’re becoming as ubiquitous as lighting is today. In other words, it’s your first impression, and it should be a core consideration for your business. What are challenges with traditional information delivery? How can you take advantage of cutting-edge innovations, digital agility and digital transformation? Let’s dive in. Digital Transformation’s Increasing Role Digital transformation is going to be a key factor in the advancement of digital engagement. It’s right there in the name – it’s all about leveraging and stretching modern technologies in ways that have never been tried. That’s the essence of transformation. But it isn’t just the latest industry buzzword. It’s a concrete movement toward progress and, as MIT Principal Scientist George Westerman says, “a radical rethinking of how an organization uses technology, people and processes to fundamentally change business performance.” To achieve this kind of “radical” shift, buy-in must come from the top. It’s time for CEOs to spearhead an effort of cross-department collaboration, pairing business-focused philosophies with rapid application development models and tools. Challenges Faced in Traditional Information Delivery Disruption is both the largest motivator and largest inhibitor, but it’s far from the only challenge associated with information delivery. In fact, a survey conducted by IDG in March of this year found that: 22% of respondents are concerned with security and access control when sharing sensitive information 20% frequently encounter technical difficulties with their current software solution 18% say information is often low-quality and/or prone to human error 14% called current methods of communicating important information outdated Further, 44% said information is updated manually and is either cumbersome or time-consuming to digest, while 36% felt that information was easy to overlook or ignore and that it wasn’t completely up to date. Ease of sharing between groups and devices was also a major concern. When information can’t be easily accessed or shared, respondents labeled security risks (58%), loss of competitive edge (50%) and inefficiency and cost increases (48%) as top concerns. Fortunately, these concerns can be alleviated through digital signage solutions. How Digital Signage Can Help The majority of survey respondents exhibited some familiarity with digital signage solutions. 84% were highly likely to consider these solutions to solve the aforementioned challenges. The potential benefits were clear to respondents – 54% highlighted improving efficiency and cost management, while enhancing productivity and better capturing business opportunities to drive revenue growth each came in at 52%. It’s clear that the capabilities of digital signage are being recognized, but how can you turn that recognition into action? Omnivex can help. We’re committed to developing software that helps you take advantage of all the innovations that surround today’s clever and connected devices, and our Digital Agility Framework helps us define exactly how we’ll deliver on that goal. Omnivex Digital Agility Framework With our Digital Agility Framework, Omnivex, People, Technology Silos and Organizational Silos function as integral parts of a wider framework that includes governance and security. The People aspect focuses in on culture and communications. Here Omnivex helps you inform people in real time through a commitment to connection, distribution, presentation and automation. Technology Silos – applications, databases, IoT and third-party solutions – support your organization, while Organizational Silos – the departments, divisions, roles and locations that make your organization tick. Omnivex provides a digital communications platform to connect these silos across your business, empowering you to deliver any information to any screen, anytime. Digital signage has a lot to offer a rapidly changing world, and Omnivex can help you keep pace in 2020 by enabling you to share information on any screen across your organization and create true engagement of audiences. When you can provide engaging content in real time, you’ll be ready to find your place in our increasingly digital age.

Quick – what mobile app do people worldwide use more frequently than any other?  Facebook?  YouTube?  Google?  Not even close.  Most people use this app or system a couple dozen times every day without even thinking about it.  It’s real-time, interactive, sensor and big data driven with an extremely friendly user interface so simple even children use it.  In an age of rapidly increasing complexity it’s a great example of a pervasive system that delivers value very simply with no extraneous bells and whistles. I bet you’re wondering what it is – the system I’m referring to is the traditional 3 color traffic light signal.  You may argue that “app” is a bit of a misnomer when discussing traffic lights and a mobile app historically has been defined as a piece of software designed to run on mobile devices such as phones and tablets.  However, if you think outside the box for a moment, a traffic light is powered by software and is utilized by individuals when they are mobile.  So let’s pursue this unconventional angle and see where it takes us. One of the first points that hits home is the fact that the term “mobility” as I’m using it refers to the mobility of the person, not the device.  I am not the first to come up with this concept, but I find it very compelling.  It caused me to rethink many assumptions when I first considered it.  After all, isn’t the point of technology to help people in their lives and do it in the most effective way possible?  Limiting the scope of a solution to a particular device type eliminates other, possibly better, options.  One of the traps that engineers, myself included, often find ourselves in is creating technology for technology’s sake and we often need to catch ourselves and redirect our creativity at solving the real problem in the best way.  By focusing on the mobility of the individual and designing technology that delivers benefits to people where and how it makes the most sense to them it really opens up some interesting possibilities. Imagine for a moment implementing the traffic light network as a smartphone app.  You are in your car approaching an intersection and in wondering whether it is safe to proceed you pull out your phone, turn it on, enter your passcode, and launch the traffic signal app to determine what to do.  Completely impractical, never mind the fact that it’s illegal to use a phone while you drive in many jurisdictions.  When you view this scenario considering the mobility of the individual the best way to deliver the information to them isn’t on a mobile device; rather it is on a simple traffic light that they can see clearly from their car.  And we don’t need full color 4K hi-def screens to get the job done.  Three pixels will do just fine. We constantly hear the mantra to “think outside the box” but actually doing it can be difficult at times.  Constantly looking for new perspectives such as this view on mobility can allow us to alter our assumptions and change a lot of what we think and do every day.

A popular area of discussion is the digitalization of the workplace, but what does that really mean? The digital workplace can take many different shapes and forms and will vary by organization. At Omnivex we believe that digital communications on devices like digital screens, video walls, interactive kiosks and tablets will play an integral role in the digital workplace. Gone are the days of walls of closed door offices. Today many work environments have evolved into free flowing workplaces that enable collaborative work and with employees who often work virtually. In these environments the communication of information, such as corporate messages, departmental KPIs, has become increasingly important. For these organizations - how do you ensure that the right people are getting the right messages at the right time? In other industries like manufacturing and healthcare you have large portions of the workforce that aren't tied to computers and digitizing the workplace with devices like digital signs is helping improve productivity, increase employee satisfaction and improve safety. Digital signs are getting real-time information to people where and when they need it, enabling them to make informed decisions. What type of technologies are helping digitalize work? While not a new technology, digital screens are one of the primary technologies being used by a number of organizations to help digitalize the workplace. These screens are reducing the need for paper signage, company-wide emails, and many other historic ways of communicating with a dispersed workforce. Omnivex was mentioned in a  Gartner report - What Does It Mean to Digitalize Work?1. “The report mentions that shared screens will grow in businesses as well. There will be computing available to anyone near the screen or microphone — no handheld personal device necessary. In all these automations, more and more physical items are eliminated as work steps too are eliminated or speeded or otherwise enhanced and augmented. Paper is gone. Plastic is gone. Data entry is simplified and enriched.” 1 - https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3043921