The new normal that we have all become uncomfortably familiar with is a fluid situation that continues to change as cases go up and down and people follow guidelines that are set and continually modified by our leaders. Businesses and schools have had to completely shut down and then gradually re-open again whether virtually, in-person, or both. We are all still trying to grapple with the fact that our world has changed dramatically in the last several months and that it will continue to fluctuate for possibly months or even years to come. But, regardless, change is here to stay and finding ways to accommodate this new way of life is paramount to the success of our communities.
In this new era, businesses, institutions of learning, governmental facilities and public areas need to be able to provide flexibility and safety to those who utilize their spaces. Communication is key, as is the ability to provide information with less human contact thereby lessening the risk to everyone involved. Digital Signage and Wayfinding offer safe and touch-free options that can keep employees, customers, teachers, professors and all others who enter public spaces safer and more confident.
Digital Signage
Temperature screening kiosks that offer mask detection provide a first line of defense with contact free detection that can eliminate risk by not allowing an individual who has a higher than normal temperature or who is not wearing a mask to enter a building. Kiosks can also supply hand sanitizer and provide check-in information that can be used to direct them to their intended destination or alert them of possible wait times and where to go in the meantime. These kiosks as well as other forms of digital signage can provide emergency alerts or other information such as capacity limits. Visitors can speak to building personnel on screen to check-in, ask questions or receive other pertinent communications.
Wayfinding
Wayfinding can not only help direct visitors to their destinations efficiently, it can also assist in controlling and directing traffic to maintain social distance such as by way of one-way hallways. With the utilization of IoT (Internet of Things), personalized routes can be generated based on a person’s tracked usage. This information can also be utilized for contact tracing and even to schedule deep cleanings for areas where an infected person may have spent time.
Since most companies are still at least partially working from home, many businesses have also instituted desk hoteling. With this strategy, employees don’t have a designated desk. Instead, employees reserve desk space via an app in an effort to reduce overhead costs by requiring less office space and to provide safety by ensuring that desks remain clear of clutter so that cleaning and sanitization are easier.
