When was the last time you pulled out a map? If you’re like most people these days, it was probably not recently. Technology has taken over helping us not only find point A and point B, but also in solving the problem of how to get there faster, more efficiently or with another point in between. Businesses are seeking new ways to engage and attract potential customers as well as streamline internal functions and interactive wayfinding is being used in many innovative ways to benefit both the user and the provider.
Revenue Generating
Digital signage is often used in high traffic areas to advertise nearby businesses, but wayfinding can take it a step further by combining a wayfinding station with content that displays relevant businesses that would be more attractive during a certain time of day or certain time of year. In the month of December an ad displaying the location of a toy store may be very attractive to holiday shoppers.
New software also enables digital signage and wayfinding stations to determine the gender, age and even mood of users and can target a specific audience with ads that would appeal more to that demographic.
Combine these strategies with a QR code and customers can access a custom discount or special deal to give them further incentive to visit an advertised location.
Providing Multiple Services
Another way to engage a wayfinding audience is to provide information on other services, so in addition to getting directions, a user can also see when a train will arrive or depart. This can also be quite useful in corporate applications by integrating meeting room scheduling systems with event schedules to ensure efficient usage of a facility’s available rooms.
Integration with Mobile Devices
Determining who is in a building or area at any given time has become a reality with technologies such as beacons, geo-fencing and geo-location. Geo-location data can also be used to gauge user engagement and visitor analytics. Wayfinding can also be transferred to a users phone so that they can walk away from a kiosk and still be provided with ongoing instructions on how to reach their destination.
Update Information Quickly and Remotely
Office reorganization or store relocations happen regularly and with today’s digital systems, this information can be modified promptly so that users don’t end up searching for a store that’s no longer there or a conference room that’s been moved to another floor. This information can also be modified remotely via a smartphone or other device to keep wayfinding systems up-to-date.
