Not 19, not 21, but 20 guiding principles for employee communications (guest post by @paulbartonabc) #internalcomms

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 by Chuck Gose
Paul Barton, ABCThis post originally appeared on Paul Barton's "Just My Type" blog and we received full permission to re-run the content on this blog. 

Over the years, Paul Barton has become a great friend of mine. We originally "met" via Twitter, but have since reconnected several times at IABC World Conferences.

In this post, he pulled together 20 objectives for employee communicators that I thought were simply brilliant. I'd like to see if anybody can put up an argument against any of them. Check out Paul's 20 guiding principles for employee communications. 

  1. Strategic communications help a business achieve its objectives. That is their purpose.
  2. Effective communications are those that produce measurable results and they can be a competitive differentiator.
  3. There are costs associated with communicating, but there can be costs associated with not communicating as well. Internal communications seek cost-effective and creative solutions to solve complex communications challenges.
  4. Employees are drowning in information, but starving for understanding. Our job is to make the important interesting.
  5. Credibility is the foundation upon which effective communication is built. Unless it is believed, a message has no worth.
  6. Face-to-face communication is the most desirable form of communication because it is immediate, personal and interactive. Most employees say their immediate supervisor is their preferred and most credible source of information about the business.
  7. Communication is, by definition, a two-way process. Feedback mechanisms must be part of every employee communication.
  8. Communication is a management responsibility. Internal Communications supports leaders by serving as consultants, facilitators and resource partners.
  9. As in any effective strategy, form should follow function. The medium is the message.
  10. Employees should learn of important events affecting them and their company from an internal source rather than an external source. Well-informed employees can serve as informal ambassadors of the company.
  11. The more important the information is personally to the receiver, the fewer exposures are needed to make an impression. Make your communications relevant.
  12. True effectiveness in communication is the ability to influence and change behavior. Changing behaviors is a long, slow process and therefore measurement of effective communications must be taken over time.
  13. The case for change should be found in the marketplace. For change to occur, employees must move through these stages: awareness, understanding, acceptance and commitment. You cannot skip a step. Formal communications (particularly written communications) are most effective in promoting awareness and understanding. Informal communications (leader behaviors, unwritten rules, management decisions, openness, risk-taking tolerance, etc.) are necessary to reach full commitment.
  14. External sources are defacto employee communications and therefore external messaging should be aligned with internal strategies. Likewise, employees are informal ambassadors of an organization and therefore internal messaging should be aligned with external strategies. Every internal communication should be written as if it will be read by the news media.
  15. Rumors are created to fill communications voids. Fill those voids with valid information. A phrase like “Unfortunately, we have more questions than answers right now but we’re aware of the problem, we’re working on it and we’ll keep you updated with any news” goes a long ways to keep the rumor mill from grinding out of control.
  16. Well-defined communication processes and procedures are the foundation for creativity. Key message libraries, templates, crisis plans, etc. free up time for creativity and continuous improvement.
  17. The overall tone of employee communications directly reflects the relationship an organization has with its employees. The best tone for strategic communications is the Voice of the Brand, which is primarily what the company is but also what the company is striving to be.
  18. With better information, better business decisions can be made. Employees need to understand the “what” and the “why” to be fully engaged.
  19. Well-informed employees are more satisfied, more creative, more productive and more committed.
  20. A common trait among successful companies is open and honest communications with all their key audiences, especially their employees.

Pretty great, eh? Truth be told, each of these principles could be its own blog post. And maybe I'll do just that.

If you'd like to learn more about Paul, you can follow him on Twitter (@PaulBartonABC) or connect with him on LinkedIn. He is a proud Iowa St. Cyclone, but more importantly has tremendous experience with internal communication, having worked at Hawaiian Airlines, PetSmart and America West Airlines in his career. 



MediaTile

That audience you see every day (guest author @johnbthomas) #internalcomms

Monday, January 23, 2012 by Chuck Gose
This content originally appeared on JTPR's Spread the Word and has been reposted with permission. 

It happens over and over. We ask new clients about the audiences they need to reach in order to achieve their objectives, and they quickly zero in on potential clients and customers. Then they talk about collaborators and marketplace influencers. Then, as an afterthought, they might mention employees.

Usually, this isn’t because there is some desire NOT to communicate with employees. It’s just that, when these clients focus on making sales and closing deals, they too often take their own people for granted. They assume they’re onboard and now what they need to know.

And then they wonder why their people say things like, “I don’t know what our company’s strategy is,” or “I really can’t say what our priorities are now.”

Your people need to know where you’re headed and what role they play in the bigger picture. And they won’t get that information unless you give it to them, clearly, concisely and without “spin.”
It’s not difficult to do this, but it does require time, forethought and faith in your people to put the information to work. It also requires adhering to a few simple rules — which I offer here, as “John’s Rules for Internal Communications.”
  1. Tell employees everything you can when you can.
  2. Don’t lie. (This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many organizations justify lying to employees, or at least not telling the full truth.)
  3. Tell employees first – before anyone outside the company’s walls – and never let them learn anything about the organization through the media unless it is absolutely unavoidable (for public companies, for example, legal or SEC regs sometimes dictate timing, and all organizations could encounter a rare exception based on business developments or relationships … however, even in those cases, employees must be informed as soon as is legal and feasible).
  4. Never put out vague or incomplete communications – you’ll raise more questions than you answer.
  5. Never leave employees to draw their own conclusions.
  6. Understand that any information void will fill quickly with rumor, speculation and gossip.
  7. Treat employees like adults – give them bad news as well as good news. Be clear, don’t sugarcoat, don’t try to sell them on a particular point of view.
  8. Always assume that a question raised by a number of employees is on the minds of many more – but don’t respond on a global scale to a localized problem – and always be prepared to answer calmly and directly the most cynical questions.
  9. Overcommunicate … but remember that burying employees in useless information will dull their senses to real information.
  10. Consider: Is there a chance I will regret what I am saying? Will I have to eat my words, or explain myself later?
Looking at this list recently, I’ve been inclined to add a new rule: Go with the flow in terms of communications vehicles. Learn how your employees like to get information, and then provide it that way. Communications is an ever-changing process. Adapt and assess, and repeat as needed.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

In my opinion, John Thomas did a great job pulling together great internal communication tips that companies large and small should take heed to. 

If you'd like to learn more about JTPR, check out its site and blog. JTPR offers strategically smart communications for companies that want results and honest, straightforward advice and counsel. You can also follow them on Twitter at @JTPRTweets

Do corporate communicators make resolutions?

Wednesday, January 4, 2012 by Chuck Gose
Happy New YearI'll be the first to admit that I do not make New Year's resolutions. But people making promises and commitments to themselves is a good thing. Melcrum published a piece about 8 New Year's resolutions for internal communication pros. 

Some are weak, but some also have a lot of value. I added my two cents in italics. Here we go...

  1. Think of outcome, not output

    Focus on business outcomes, not simply on producing communication collateral. Use communication as a means to an end, not an end in itself. There’s a big difference between saying “who’s got some stories for this month’s team brief?” and asking “what’s the most important challenge for our organization this month? How can we use the team-briefing time to address it?” Resolve to ask your internal customers what their most pressing business goal is for 2012. Next, ask what employees need to know, feel and do differently to help meet that goal. Then, work out what you as a communicator can do to help increase people’s knowledge or understanding, influence their opinions and motivate them to take action.

    The big takeaway here is asking what employees need to know. Typically a lot of companies will determine this for employee instead of hearing from employees. 

  2. Be a better business person
    Find out more about your industry, your organization’s plan for the coming year and the opportunities and challenges that may lie ahead. Get to know the most important performance measures and make sure you’re up to date on the results. Increase your business knowledge and you’ll enhance your credibility too.

    Simple things like understanding a balance sheet, income statement, productivity reports, etc. can help improve your street cred with your bosses. 

  3. Choose tactics that’ll actually work

    Think about the last time you changed your opinion about something. Or a recent occasion when you were motivated to take action. Were you prompted by reading a web article? Or were you influenced perhaps by conversations with trusted friends or colleagues? Perhaps you heard a personal story that made you think? Next time you choose the tactics for a communication plan, don’t just fall into your usual habits. Think about what you can do that has some chance of impacting attitudes or behaviors.

    This is what I call the "how about" conversations. Stop doing the status quo and determine what will work best. Or better yet, create your own solution. 

  4. Get to know employees better
    This year, resolve to spend less time at your desk and more time out there understanding what employees care about, who and what they listen to and trust, what’s getting in the way of them doing their jobs and how you can help. Ask their advice when you’re choosing communication tactics. Test out approaches before you put them into action. And get to know when a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t good enough.

    See #1. 

  5. Speak like real people
    Please let this year be the one where we stop spouting meaningless corporate jargon. Talking about “streamlining operational propositions” or “moving forward with world class efficiencies” will only serve to drive a bigger gap between leaders and employees. Be the person who asks the stupid questions about what things really mean. And be aware when you really are becoming a spin doctor, in danger of fudging the facts and trying to put a positive slant on events, when the right thing would be to tell it as it is.

    We all know better than to speak in corporate lingo, but we still get sucked in. This year, don't get sucked in. Avoid using the word "paradigm." 

  6. Measure something that matters
    So employees like your newsletter and you know what the hit rates were on your last intranet article. What difference does it make? Go back to the business goal you were trying to achieve. What actions were you trying to influence people to take to move the organization nearer to the goal? In what way were you inviting them to reconsider their attitudes? Where were you aiming to increase their knowledge? Find out whether you succeeded and how much of a difference you made. Measure activities that actually have an impact on business results.

    This is one of those "easier said than done" situations. Measuring internal communications is important but also very tricky. Work closely with your managers and leadership to define "what matters." Get their buy-in. 

  7. Ask what you can do differently to increase your influence
    Next time you find yourself complaining your leader isn’t listening to you or won’t do what you want, don’t focus on that list of 10 things you wish they’d do differently. Ask yourself what you’re doing that’s contributing to the situation. Find at least one thing you could do differently to improve it. Start by looking at things from their perspective. If you were them, why would you be behaving this way? What would be leading you to think as you do? And what could that person in the internal communication team do to help make things easier?

    Having executive support is important. If you don't have it, go get it. The right leader can be a trail blazer for you.

  8. Make this year count

    Probably the biggest thing I’ve learnt over the years is that there’s a difference between “being busy” and using communication to achieve a result and actually getting a result for your organization and the people in it. If your leaders question whether you’re adding value, to be honest, there’s probably a reason for it. Make this the year you can say you made a positive difference.

    Now's the time to start over with a clean slate. If you want to do things differently, no better time to start than now. 

Did you establish any communication resolutions for you or your team?




MediaTile

Shopping for digital signage software?

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 by Chuck Gose
Black Friday. Cyber Monday. With the holiday season upon us, people are in the shopping mood for sure. And if your business is looking to invest in digital signage, the fine folks at Digital Signage Today published a nice overview of key features to look out for.

The software selection is endless so it's important that you find software that's intuitive for the users and that you work with a company that supports you long beyond initial implementation. 

In a sidebar, the article notes four key areas any software must meet:
  • Ease of installation & management
  • System flexibility
  • Reliability
  • Remote control
Fortunately for our customers, MediaCast (our signage software) meets all of these criteria. We guarantee 99.9% uptime. And since it's SaaS, you'll always be using the latest and greatest version. With MediaCast, you have unlimited users with unique roles and permissions. And installation? There isn't any (SaaS). 

We have many things to be thankful for this year, and we hope each one of you has a happy Thanksgiving. 






MediaTile

Connecting the dots at Connect '11 #mslconnect11

Friday, November 18, 2011 by Chuck Gose
I meant to get to this post much sooner but work got in the way. Connect '11 was promoted as the first corporate communication conference of its kind. And it turned out to be very, very true. It was billed as a unique event dedicated to helping communicators connect to the digitally disconnected worker. 

Now the term "disconnected" can be viewed in many ways and many of the speakers focused on that. And though not every speaker kept with the "digitally disconnected" theme, all of the lessons learned were extremely valuable. 

And kudos to the MSL Atlanta staff and PRSA for pulling together what I shared as the most organized and comfortable conference I've ever attended. We've all been at events where little annoyances can ruin the overall experience. But this was not the case with Connect '11. 

Attendees stayed in the same room all day (one track) but there was no fighting for the golden seat by the power outlet. The room was set up lecture style, stadium seating, with several power outlets at every seat. And I have to mention the ice cream sandwiches throughout the day. You can never go wrong there. 

But the ultimate strength of the conference was the variety of speakers. Large companies, small companies. Some names you've heard of, some you haven't. But all of them were well-prepared and well-spoken. 

I also did something different at this event than previous employee communication conferences I've been at. Rather than just take notes, I blogged my thoughts. Below you can read the key takeaways from each of the sessions. 

Just look at those company names. That's the caliber of speaker at this event. And the attendee representation was equally impressive. There were people from manufacturing, aerospace, healthcare, retail and the list goes on. 

I hope that MSL and PRSA not only make this an annual event, but that one could also be done on the West Coast and get equal attention. 



MediaTile

MediaCast meets MediaLab ……… IPG-style

Sunday, November 13, 2011 by Simon Wilson
Our friends at IPG's MediaLab certainly know how to throw a party – from innovative eats (pizza hanging from meat hooks), a funked up DJ and highly attentive service hosts, this launch event in NYC yesterday evening was definitely Madison Avenue-style (actually 100 West 33rd to be precise).  With roaming camera crews, floating celebs, and of course the hip swinging robot with cute LED blue eyes – guests were put at ease to casually learn and get hands-on experience of some of the cutting edge (some of them bleeding) applications of technology to take consumer/brand retail experiences to a whole new level.
Crowds at IPG

The DailyDOOH picked up on this event and rightly described the new Lab as an "immersive exploration center."  It commented that "At any given time, The Lab will feature 50 of these technologies, platforms and applications from the industry’s most pioneering companies".

MediaTile is one of those pioneering companies and has worked with the Lab team for over a year now – first in the Wilshire Blvd, LA MediaLab and now in NYC - by showcasing MediaCast Video Presence on the HumanKiosk.  So from first-hand experience I can say that the Lab is a very creative space and the IPG team (many thanks to Scott, Sonya and the rest of the team) is great to work with; providing constructive feedback, local technical support in the Lab, a can-do attitude and sharing high levels of enthusiasm about the solutions to both their clients and technology partners like ourselves.
Dancing Robot

I was at the cocktail party in NYC last night to show guests how to 'get personal' with the HumanKiosk – a fusion of interactive digital signage and video-enabled customer service.  Remote expert agents were on hand in California to take the video calls from the MediaLab guests (thus proving out one of the benefits of remote video agents…..shift work by time zones!).  If you weren't on the guest list last night you can still check out the HumanKiosk at www.humankiosk.com

Along side of the HumanKiosk was an array of many promising Retail and Marketing technologies; from multi-touch product experience tables that allow you to quickly select a large number of product range items and evaluate color, type, or performance merits – through to visual dressing rooms that allow you to see yourself 'virtually' with different clothes, accessories and color/styles without even touching a screen.  In the Consumer Intelligence/Business Intelligence (CI/BI) area there was a great Executive Dashboard that in real time drew visitor statistics from all the social media channels and attempted to correlate them to events and activities, whether local or national, to help create actionable management information. And then there was anonymous video analytics…..those cameras were everywhere!  I saw three different demonstration stations showing different applications of this powerful tool, including one that purported to gauge your emotional response to displayed content.  I pulled a face and made a gesture and sure enough the graph on the demo screen spiked!  I wonder what those CI gurus are making of that this morning……?

The IPG MediaLab launch event reminded me of the theme of CETW event that had wrapped up at the Javits Center just a couple of hours earlier that day:  ENGAGE!  Whether it's self-serve kiosks/tables, interactive digital signage or mobile/social apps – or all three working in tandem – our job in the industry is to engage the viewer/consumer, give them a personalized, relevant and rewarding experience, and do it simply and quickly.  A big thank you to the IPG MediaLab team for making the next steps towards that goal more possible.

#mslconnect11 live blog: jetblue's Sebastian White

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 by Chuck Gose
Rather than bother everybody's Twitter stream with updates, I thought it would be better to provide presentation thoughts here (and serves as good note-taking for me).
Jet Blue logo

Sebastian White, JetBlue Airways:
“How Culture Drives Business Performance”
  • JetBlue is now the largest airline in New York City. 
  • Focus on service starts inside with a fanatacism toward culture: Safety, Caring, Integrity, Fun and Passion. 
  • To combat declining JD Power scores, they created a "Culture is Service" to drive improved business results. 
  • JetBlue asked front-facing employees what's getting in their way of providing magnificent customer service to employees. 
  • In the summits, employees had to write an essay about why they should attend these working sessions to help provide effective business communication. 
  • JetBlue uses NetPromoter to provide a score that impact employee communication. 
  • All 14,000 employees at jetBlue have email access and the intranet is the hub of all internal communication activity. The intranet is available outside the corporate firewall and it's open to comments. With the relaunch, employees were told to stop sending email. 
  • JetBlue's intranet site also features industry news from other airlines. 
  • They use videos and podcasts, even as responses to crisis communication, so that employees can stay in the loop. 
  • JetBlue's recommendation: "Throw in a contest and people will pay attention." They even name their jets with the "blue" name in them. 
  • They encourage customers and employees to post pictures on JetBlue's Flickr page. These photos then get used internally. 


#mslconnect11 live blog: Carol Whitworth, Home

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 by Chuck Gose
Rather than bother everybody's Twitter stream with updates, I thought it would be better to provide presentation thoughts here (and serves as good note-taking for me).

Carol Whitworth, Home: “A Picture Paints a Thousand Words: How to Use Visual Maps and Smart Design to Bring Business Strategy to Life”
  • Images are so important because we all speak differently. 
  • Take a complex situation, add lots of people with different perspectives where no one can agree and progress is slow. 
  • Our eyes are the tool that helps us make sense of the world. Of all the neurons that process sensory information, 75% are dedicated to sight
  • Bad presentation leads to poor employee communications, which leads to poor understanding, which leads to bad business. Vicious circle. 
  • Basic principles to creating your own story (Where, What, Why, When, Who, How, Where) in the past, present and future. Telling a story helps people understand. 
  • Creating visual maps (similar to infographics) makes information more understandable by telling your story with pictures. 


#mslconnect11 live blog: John Deere's Kim Lott & Wendy Davies-Popelka

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 by Chuck Gose
Rather than bother everybody's Twitter stream with updates, I thought it would be better to provide presentation thoughts here (and serves as good note-taking for me).
John Deere

Kim Lott and Wendy Davies-Popelka, John Deere:
“Connecting with Disconnected Employees: Successfully Communicating with Staff Who Aren’t Wired”
  • The legacy of John Deere is something employees hold dear. The company is committed to "those linked to the land." 
  • Manufacturing sites in 16 countries and conduct business in 35 countries. Employee communications is translated into as many as 14 different languages. 
  • Once a year, company distributes printed collateral that aligns goals with corporate strategy. Use the same icons that align back to other communication. 
  • Like a lot of other companies John Deere uses "jam sessions" to bring in small groups to discuss internal topics. 
  • Employees were asked to fill out "commitment cards" to identify personal goals, as well as what they will do to help other succeed and to connect with customers. 
  • John Deere encourages customer interactions with employees, either through webcasts or live presentations. Marketing captured employee comments and then share those with employees. 
  • "Deere Sightings" encourages employees to share photos of seeing the John Deere brand out in the community. This gets employees involved in employee communications. 


#mslconnect11 live blog: Mars Chocolate's Renee Kopkowski

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 by Chuck Gose
Rather than bother everybody's Twitter stream with updates, I thought it would be better to provide presentation thoughts here (and serves as good note-taking for me).

Mars Chocolate North America HQ


Renee Kopkowski, Mars Chocolate North America:
“The Power of Intentional Conversations”

  • 82% of employees are manufacturing associates and there are more than 3,500 across the US at 10 different sites. 
  • Business is based on 5 principles - quality, efficiency, freedom, responsibility and mutuality.
  • In 2007, company noticed that employee engagement scores were very low (17% engaged).
  • Started fresh, laying a new groundwork for internal communications.
  • I really like that Mars features employee stories on their external site. 
  • Mars did an employee "trade show" were leaders could share their messaging & stories in a unique environment. 
  • In 2009 & 2010, Mars started measuring the percentage of associates who described internal communications as good, very good or excellent. And there was improvement year over year. 
  • Discovered that the vision and objective are clear and that employees have an intense pride. However, employees aren't sure how to achieve the main organizational goal and trust in managers is spotty on the manufacturing side. 
  • Mars discovered that employees felt they were being communicated TO and not WITH
  • Setting up a communications calendar by channel, site and senior leader is important to do early. 
What did Mars to start the fix?
  1. Streamline messages and eliminate noise. 
  2. Increase senior leader visibility. Have them speak up and show up. 
  3. Encourage dialog and feedback. 
  4. Emphasize manager communication - emphasize the frontline. 


#mslconnect11 live blog: Volkswagen's Scherelis & Paris

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 by Chuck Gose
Rather than bother everybody's Twitter stream with updates, I thought it would be better to provide presentation thoughts here (and serves as good note-taking for me). 

Guenther Scherelis and Tommi Paris, Volkswagen Group of America: “Building a New Plant with New People in a New Place: The Role of Internal Communications at Volkswagen Chattanooga”
  • Many don't know that the Volkswagen brand family includes Audio, Bentley, Lamborghini and Bugatti. In 2010, Volkswagen was third internationally in vehicle sales. 
  • Volkswagen closed a US plant in 1988 due to poor internal communications. Opened a new factory in Chattanooga, TN, in 2011. 
  • 2,000 jobs were available when the factory opened but Volkswagen received more than 85,000 applications. 
  • Internal communications' purpose is to strive toward serving as the company voice, support a positive employee relations strategy and improve company efficiency and performance. 
  • The strategy is to supplement supervisor communication, highlight team contributions, enhance team member experience and utilize communication tools that DO NOT accentuate the divide between hourly & salaried. 
  • VIN (Volkswagen Information Network) is a digital signage network the company uses to deliver dynamic communication. Also includes printed communication boards. The key here is to blend dynamic and static. Their network is updated on a weekly basis. 
  • Interesting that Volkswagen doesn't have digital signage to support global communication.
  • Great to see that the company still relies on printed communication for many of their communication updates.  
  • Volkswagen still mails newsletters (quarterly) to employees' homes. Many companies have cut this practice to eliminate cost. 
  • The culture at Volkswagen is "Passion for detail." Their group theme is "Think Blue. Factory." (i.e. beyond just environmental)
  • There are unique challenges for companies opening up a brand new factory versus those that are working in a dated facility. 
  • Glad to see they are citing a difference between language (German vs American) and culture. 
  • The key to success is finding the middle point between what management wants to say and what employees want to hear. 
  • Surprised that Volkswagen hasn't yet surveyed their employees to know what their preferred communication methods are and really aren't doing any measurement either.  

Volkswagen worker in Chattanooga


MediaTile’s HumanKiosk featured at inaugural US government show

Thursday, November 3, 2011 by Simon Wilson
Simon at GovComm ShowI just spent the past several days in Washington DC, attending the inaugural GovComm 2011 show.  This new show is focused on serving WDC area technology managers, end users and procurement officers in the government sector and other local markets.  With our hardware partner DFI Tech, we’ve been showcasing our HumanKiosk solution and have received a lot of attention and interest. 

As with today’s commercial businesses, government agencies and institutions such as libraries and museums are also looking for new, innovative and cost-effective ways of getting their messages directly to their constituents, in a manner that is more relevant and personally engaging.    Given that our HumanKiosk solution, powered by MediaCast Video Presence, fuses interactive digital signage with live and intelligent 2-way video calling, we’ve again hit a sweet spot with our audience here at this government show.

Most of the government buyers I’ve spoken with over the past two days were especially interested in using the HumanKiosk solution to reach remote, highly targeted audiences in a compelling and personal manner.  Of significant interest was our ability to provide intelligent video call routing.  This enables the user in front of the display to make specific on-screen selections, then have a face-to-face conversation with a remote expert agent who has detailed subject matter expertise conversation, even in the native language of the viewer. 

As we’ve seen at other government shows, such as the G-Tech conference, providing a more interactive and engaging method of servicing customers is top of mind with today’s government buyers.  And, by delivering live experts virtually through video presence, labor costs and associated on-site expenses can be dramatically reduced.   If you haven’t seen our video yet, take a moment to see how you can get personal with your customers.

Simon Wilson
CEO, MediaTile

CMO Council recognizes HumanKiosk as emerging solution to help brands localize marketing programs

Wednesday, November 2, 2011 by Mike Foster
This just in…  Our HumanKiosk has been recognized by the CMO Council as an emerging technology solution that can help brands and businesses localize their marketing programs to optimize sales effectiveness. Check out the full announcement.

CMO CouncilToday’s news follows the CMO Council’s release of its “Localize to Optimize Sales Channel Effectiveness” research report, announced on Monday. It reveals that 86% percent of national marketers surveyed intend to look for better ways to modify, adapt and localize their marketing content, messaging and prospect engagement practices. Highlighted in this research were the “preferred” marketing mediums to achieve “localization,” which include interactive digital signage along with electronic messaging, and social networks over broadcast television, local magazines and other traditional B2C communications.

This is an important milestone for our industry, for MediaTile and our HumanKiosk and MediaCast Video Presence solution, as it highlights the core “needs” and business value which is driving the high demand and interest in the HumanKiosk digital signage solution. Simply stated, businesses (and brands) are being driven by both profitability and competitive positioning needs to deliver marketing programs that increase customer relevance and direct engagement.

For example, 67% of companies participating in the survey indicated that localized marketing strategies and programs would help them achieve greater customer relevance, response and return; while 40% reported they desired better customer conversations and connectivity.
Localize to Optimize Sales Channel Effectiveness Research
Donovan Neale-May, executive director of the CMO Council, had this to say: "The HumanKiosk solution is a perfect fit for today's innovative brands and businesses seeking to localize their marketing efforts by connecting directly with consumers where and when they are making a considered purchase decision. The CMO Council's research, compiled from more than 300 member interactions across leading industry sectors, indicates that brands are moving to more targeted, personalized, interactive and measureable forms of local engagement - and the HumanKiosk does just that."

Here is the link to the CMO Council’s press release, and to their research report (fee based).   Click here for more information on the HumanKiosk Solution andMediaCast Video Presence.

Mike Foster
CMO and Co-Founder, MediaTile

31 reasons not to be afraid of digital signage #dsafraid // Reason #22: Security

Friday, October 21, 2011 by Chuck Gose
In light of October being a rather scary month, we thought we would highlight 31 reasons not to be afraid of digital signage. We hope you enjoy them.

Reason #22: Security

Without a doubt, having the proper security in place for your digital signage network is vital. And if you work with us, we've done that for you. Whether you are connecting your network over cellular, Wi-Fi or LAN, we've hardened our devices and only allow permitted communication to take place. Our platform is a "pull" technology so there's no way for anybody else to "push" content onto your network. 

We've shown why security is important on a past blog post, but here are security tips we provide to our customers:
  • Audit your user list regularly; make sure that former employees or contractors are removed from the system, and that those who are active only have access to what they should. 
  • Use role-based separation; enforce a work flow process by way of internal procedure. Only allow the content producers to upload content; the digital sign network operators should review and approve content for scheduling - don't allow one person to perform both functions if you want an opportunity to review content before it goes live.
  • Require password changes; enforce a password rotation policy for MediaCast logins. Prohibit users from using their web browser to 'remember' the login for the site! Any laptop with a remembered password that gets stolen automatically grants the thief access to your digital signage network. (Note: this is a real security risk, but it might incite panic - what do the marketing folks think?)
  • Require strong passwords; passwords should include upper and lower case letters, numbers, even symbols from the keyboard, and should be at least 8 characters long. Users should be discouraged from using something that's too simple, or something they routinely use for other logins around the Internet.
  • Don't use email; email is a notoriously insecure method of communication is a preferred method for hackers to sniff out usernames and passwords to systems that they shouldn't have access to. If you need to send a login to someone, pick up the phone!
  • Digital signs are valuable; don't tell too many “interested” people where all your signs are located. If they want to see one, select a couple flagship locations to send prospectives to check them out. you never know who might be looking to take advantage of you for an easy score. (Again, something we want to mention? maybe it's over-stating the obvious, but I think a lot of people in business just think about business and don't take a step back and think about reality...)
  • Beware of URL Files; though the MediaCast system supports URL Files which can be automatically retrieved and displayed on your signs, be certain that you trust the source of the content and whoever has access to it because you will not have any oversight as to what gets displayed.
We do everything we can to relieve you of any fear related to the security of your signage network. 


Future Interactive Displays! Integrating MediaTile's HumanKiosk...

Thursday, October 20, 2011 by Simon Wilson

HK miniIt’s another exciting day for MediaTile and our MediaCast Video Presence system that powers HumanKiosk solutions. Today we’ve been included in another ‘ideation center,’ as one of the key components of a new generation of interactive digital signage solution for banks, credit unions and other financial institutions. I’ve had the pleasure of working directly with both DBSI, and our joint partner F-2-F Live to include our HumanKiosk solution in what’s been dubbed the Future FI interactive display system.

FI Information CenterDBSI has put a tremendous amount of effort into their ideation center for financial institutions. To give banking and credit union customers, for example, the ability to experience a wide range of the latest FI products and services to improve their businesses. FI customers, by appointment only, can visit the ideation center to personally experience the advanced products and services showcased in order to improve their business efficiency, the customer experience, and differentiate themselves from the pack. The DBSI center is a special showcase centerpiece for the FI market, unlike anything I’ve seen. 

We’re extremely honored to participate in this center with our HumanKiosk solution – the fusion of interactive digital signage and remote customer service agents available for live, face-to-face engagement. Today, it’s all about getting personal with customers and we’re very happy to be part of it all.

About the HumanKiosk Solution: Powered by MediaCast Video Presence, the HumanKiosk revolutionizes marketing and customer service in point-of-sale and point-of-service environments. With the HumanKiosk businesses can humanize their brand interaction, improve the customer experience, and deliver messages with absolute control and precision.  Watch our video here.

About DBSI:“For over fourteen years, DBSI Incorporated, headquartered in Chandler, Arizona has created profitable, problem solving, experience enhancing with lower cost-to-create and operate retail bank and credit union branches.” 

About Face to Face live, Inc.: “Here at Face to Face Live, Inc.™, we're developing a reputation for having the most trusted, affordable, and dependable unified communication solutions on the planet.”

31 reasons not to be afraid of digital signage #dsafraid // Reason #7: Unlimited Users

Thursday, October 13, 2011 by Chuck Gose
In light of October being a rather scary month, we thought we would highlight 31 reasons not to be afraid of digital signage. We hope you enjoy them.

Reason #7: Unlimited Users

Yesterday, we talked about why people shouldn't be afraid of a SaaS digital signage software offering. And one of those key benefits of SaaS is unlimited users. 

Digital signage doesn't have to be scary. Back when I first started managing signage networks, we had to pay for seats/licenses for individuals to access the network. And me being cheap, we all shared the same login. It worked but certainly wasn't ideal. It created all sort of security risks, in addition to content problems with people being in the system at the same time. 

MediaCast is web-based and has always been web-based.
We encourage our customers to add as many users to the system as they want, logically speaking of course.

Within the software, there is a full right and permissions panel for admins. So not only can you have an unlimited number of users, but you can set up unique rights and permissions for each of them. You can have common roles similar to other CMS software (super admin, admin, editor, contributor, etc) or define each user experience to exactly what they need to be able to do. 

This is great for international deployments, who are looking to improve global communication to employees and customers. 


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Flickr image, Guerry

4G Interactive Digital Signage: MediaCast Video Presence, the HumanKiosk and Sprint 4G

Wednesday, October 12, 2011 by Mike Foster
HumanKiosk Solution with Sprint is showcasing our latest and greatest HumanKiosk solution, powered by MediaCast Video Presence at the CTIA show in San Diego this week.  

Sprint has been one of the carriers supporting our HumanKiosk project – promoting it in their 4G launch events across the country, as a prominent element of their M2M Collaboration Center and in their Enterprise Briefing Center. Now that we’ve officially launched the HumanKiosk, Sprint is one of our eco-system partners helping to get the word to customers through their marketing and sales efforts. 

Yesterday, Sprint issued a joint press release with us, officially announcing support for Sprint’s 4G network with the HumanKiosk digital signage solution. Kevin Kunkel, a regional vice president for Sprint had this to say: “…[this] takes interactive digital signage and kiosks to a whole new dimension.”  While Wayne Ward, Sprint’s VP of Emerging Solutions said: “…[the] HumanKiosk solution is an amazing example of how companies are leveraging the Sprint 4G network to deliver innovative solutions that solve today’s business problems with new levels of efficiency and unbeatable economics.” Great stuff!

In other big news, Sprint announced last week that they will be supporting 4G LTE: “Sprint Accelerates Deployment of Network Vision and Announces National Rollout of 4G LTE”.  This is fundamentally the same technology base that we’ve been supporting through our Alcatel Lucent and Verizon eco-system partners.

If you haven’t yet seen our launch video, you can view it on YouTube.

31 reasons not to be afraid of digital signage #dsafraid // Reason #5: Scalability

Wednesday, October 12, 2011 by Rob Brinkmeyer
In light of October being a rather scary month, we thought we would highlight 31 reasons not to be afraid of digital signage. We hope you enjoy them. 

Rea
son #5:  Scalability

Everyone wants a project to be successful, digital signage or otherwise, but spreading that success and finding the resources to manage it can be a scary proposition for even the most seasoned digital signage professional.

The cost and complexities associated with scaling a digital signage network can sometimes exceed the budget and manpower available. This is why leveraging a SaaS (Software as a Service) based content management solution is extremely important. Our SaaS-based digital signage software (“MediaCast”) allows for complete visibility of your entire network, as well as centralized control from any internet connected device. And with our solution, you can have as many users on the system as you want (no seats or licenses). 

With MediaCast, you can create and control groups of screens in a network, or control can be as granular as changing content on a specific area of a specific screen. You don’t have to rely on live bodies on site to manage content. It is SSL encrypted so you can relax as all of your communications are secure. 

Leveraging Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity is another component that leads to ease of scalability. MediaTile’s digital signage screens only require a standard power outlet to be deployed. Once powered up, MediaTile’s units connect over the wireless network, pull content from the cloud, and your digital signage network is up and running. And you don't have to start with your entire network in place. Ramp up your network based on business need or budget. 

If you're in employee communications, watch this video. . . NOW!

Monday, October 10, 2011 by Chuck Gose

I've seen a few pretty good corporate videos. And a lot more bad ones. But the one above from Chick-fil-A might be the best one. . . ever. 

Communicators have long struggled with telling the corporate story. Never really quite sure how to make what their company does very interesting. It's a daily employee communications battle.

What Chick-fil-A did was turn the story upside down. They took what could have a typical internal communications video and made it expemplary. The YouTube description reads, "A video we created to remind us that everyone we interact with is a chance to create a remarkable experience." 

This is selling it short. Instead of telling the corporate story, tell the customer's story. And if this wasn't amazing enough, the video comes really close to crossing a few lines BUT for all of the right reasons.

"A husband loses his job and isn't sure how to feed his family." Yep. 

"A single mom struggling to make ends meet." Very relevant today. 

"A widow whose husband died just shy of their 50th anniversary." Heart breaking.

"A little girl who is still blamed by her dad for the mom's death during pregnancy."
Whoa!

But i give Chick-fil-a all the credit in the world for helping employees align with the company's brand through the voice of their own customers. 

Powerful, powerful stuff. I don't care what line of business you're in. This video is it. 


MediaTile Launches HumanKiosk Solution – powered by MediaCast Video Presence

Thursday, October 6, 2011 by Simon Wilson
HumanKiosk

Today is a big day for MediaTile, our customers and our partners.  But it’s an even bigger day for the digital signage industry as a whole.  This morning, we officially launched our HumanKiosk Solution, powered by the revolutionary MediaCast Video Presence system.  With this solution, we are fulfilling consumers’ demand for personal service and contextually relevant and accurate answers exactly when and where they want it: at the point of sale or point of service.  Just as importantly, the solution allows businesses and organizations to provide this service easily and economically. With our innovative solution, marketers are able to humanize brand interactivity, improve the customer experience, and deliver their messages with absolute control and precision.

Marketing and communications is undergoing a fundamental shift across all industries;  it is the transformation of B2C communications into B2Me engagement.    This transformation does not surface merely where messaging is specifically tailored to individuals, but also where engagement and dialog is triggered by a customer – and where he or she is then rewarded with courteous and knowledgeable service; even in their native languages.

It is this B2Me paradigm shift to which we are responding with the launch of the HumanKiosk Solution and MediaCast Video Presence.  A growing number of us in the digital signage industry believe that the fusion of interactive digital signage, with live, on-screen customer service attendants, will significantly expand the addressable market for digital signage.  This is what makes the HumanKiosk truly exciting.  For background, here is the story that appeared in Digital Signage Today regarding our announcement and the B2Me transformation; you can also watch a short video introduction on YouTube.

This is a very important milestone for MediaTile, and according to the article above, may well also be for the industry.  I believe today’s launch is as significant as our announcement made back in 2004, when we unveiled the industry’s-first “cellular digital signage” turnkey solution.  It is simple to deploy and easy to use.  This created a leadership position for MediaTile in the world of Digital Signage, SaaS-based CMS systems, and the use of cellular-based networking.  At first we made it simple, now we’ve made it personal.  Today, we offer another innovative and revolutionary breakthrough in marketing and communications, again extending our industry leadership.  It’s time for Digital Signage to “Get Personal”.