Improve Communication

Kumbaya! Social media brings the digital signage industry together

Thursday, March 4, 2010 by Chuck Gose

This never became more apparent than at this year's Digital Signage Expo. What once appeared to be a very siloed industry has now had walls knocked down. We have media and digital signage providers interacting. Competitors are even commenting on each other's blogs and referencing each other's content. This is sort of a Kumbaya / watershed moment for the industry.

This is what social media is all about. Not only extending the reach of our content but also creating new avenues of sharing this content. And because the industry is still very much in its infancy, we are primed to use social media as valued vehicles.

Blogs. Twitter. Facebook. Foursquare. They are all in play and were all used in coordination for the first time at DSE. All you have to do is check out the Twitter hash tag #dse2010 to see not only volumes of content but the QUALITY of content. (Adrian Cotteril of DailyDOOH mentioned this in a blog comment in one of my earlier posts.)

I hope to see the industry continue to improve communication and collaboration at these events. It can only help further educate audiences on digital signage.
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photo by LadyDragonFlyCC

Digital Pricing Marquee

Monday, February 22, 2010 by Sean Michael Kelly

It doesn't require a miracle or a fortune to produce a great, professional looking marquee like this for your establishment:

If you break it down to its basic components, it's really quite simple. There are three screens operating independently. Each screen plays one set of pre-canned content. In the scene above, the left and right screens may be rotating through concession promotions as well as video snippets of coming attractions. A little bit of motion is all it takes to draw the eye up here. The center screen is displaying current offerings and pricing information.

By linking the pricing information and the promotions together into, effectively, a single electronic sign, the viewer can't help but notice your promotions - focused messaging will improve communication for consumers by centralizing viewers' attention to a single place where you know you've got it.

At this point you may be thinking that the various forms of content rotation are all well and good, but what about when it comes time to update the pricing information? This may be one of the most significant points of hesitation to adopt digital signage content since the display needs to be easy to update for facilities managers. The MediaCast system can accommodate this in either of two ways: data managed within the management portal, or data managed externally on your own web server.

By creating the content which displays pricing information in Flash, you can get a unique blend of text and graphics and even have potential for animation here - careful not to overwhelm this particular display however as it needs to be useful for your most scrutinizing viewer. One thing that Flash is particularly well suited to is integrating data from multiple sources into a single view. Your Flash programmer can assemble a view that pulls data from an XML file and display it as directed. Then it just comes down to data management.

For data management, you can maintain a simple XML file on your management PC and associate it with your Dynamic Flash content in the MediaCast system. When you update the file and upload it to the portal, the updated data will be pushed out to the display automatically. Or if you'd prefer to centralize the management of the data on the portal, you can store the XML data right inside the properties of the Dynamic Flash asset itself within the portal and forego the need for maintaining a separate file.

If maintaining the data through the MediaCast portal is not well suited to your business operations, you also have the option of publishing the XML on your own website with a secret URL. Your programmers can create your own web based data editor which generates the XML file; simply add the URL to the XML as a "URL File" for your Dynamic Flash on the MediaCast portal.

As a URL File, the MediaCast system will poll it for updates every 15 minutes. When a change is found, it will update the data and push it out to the displays that need it without any additional adminsitrative effort - this way your employees can maintain your display data within your own, controlled administrative system and never need to log in to the portal after the initial setup - that's the beauty of Digital Signage SaaS!

If you don't know any Flash programmers but still want to take advantage of exciting digital signage content like this we've got your back. MediaTile offers creative Media Services with specific digital signage content expertise and can efficiently produce a custom presentation to your specifications!

Do your executives like The Bunny Hop?

Tuesday, January 26, 2010 by Chuck Gose

The "executives" at my house do. Until my daughter turned two, every night we read the same book... The Bunny Hop. It's a good book though certainly not an award-winner. In case you're curious, the premise is that there are bunnies all over Sesame Street as a result of Big Bird not being much of a basket builder.

So that routine lasted until she was two. And now my one-year-old son has fallen into the SAME trap with the SAME book. Or I should say, I've fallen into the SAME trap. Every night, the same book. There's obviously some comfort there in the routine. They know the story. There are no surprises. It's predictable.

Are your executives the same way? Do you try to tell a new story in your corporate communications? How do they react? If it's anything like my kids, it's not a positive response. It's amazing similar behaviors I've seen between executives and children.

But your employees don't want to hear the same story every "night." Employee communications needs to consistently be revised and re-evaluated to make sure you're hitting the key messages but in a creative way.

I know it's tough. It's easier to just read the same book every night. There are no complaints by the "execs." But eventually, I'm going to loathe Big Bird and his lack of building skills, if I don't already.

But if you're going to build support for internal communications from the ground up, you have to shake up your storytelling. . . if not for your own sanity, for your employees.

The corporate must-have item for 2010?

Monday, January 11, 2010 by Chuck Gose

According to Melcrum, it's the internal communicator. Many could argue that having an internal communications pro on staff should have been a must-have item every year, but business has changed quite a bit and having someone focus on employee communications in 2010 is crucial.

I'm not exactly sure who Melcrum is referring to when talking about "removing the charlatans" but I agree that the role internal communicators played in the previous decade should change in 2010 and beyond. Communicators must embed themselves into the business and not be viewed as a periphery resource. That's what got us here in the first place. If you work in manufacturing, get your butt down to the lines. If you work in healthcare, roam the halls. Listen to what your employees are saying and deliver messages that resonate with them.

It's your job to advise leaders and what to say / not say. Now this is always easier said than done with some leaders, but it's a needed skill. Your leaders should respect the advice the finance department gives them. Do they respect yours?

And maybe respect is where it all falls down. If your leaders and company do not respect what you do, either change what you do or demand it. Either way, respect is required in 2010 and years beyond.

Come see us at CES in Las Vegas! Jan 7-10

Wednesday, January 6, 2010 by Leah Kane

We'll be showing off a couple of our HumanKiosk 4G Video Presence prototypes at the Alcatel Lucent booth (#2503 at the Venetian Veronese) this week at the Consumer Electronics Show.

The HumanKiosk is a free-standing, 2-way video conferencing display which takes advantage of high bandwidth, wireless IP from emerging 4G services.

With this technology, consumers can reach brands directly in a retail environment, to have their questions answered by an expert. This is a fully integrated solution requiring nothing more than a power outlet (that's the beauty of cellular). The HumanKiosk is an innovative communications solution bringing consumers and promoters together- and could dramatically change the way shoppers make their decisions at the point of purchase.

CES is the largest show of its kind- exhibitors and attendees include consumer electronics manufacturers, developers and suppliers of consumer technology hardware, content, technology delivery systems and related products and services.

Among the many exhibits and events, you may even spot a celebrity or two...CES promises "hot products and hot weather" so come on down!

(Photo at right shows our fearless leader, Simon, setting up one of the HumanKiosks at the Venetian tonight...have to love the mood lighting...)

Elite Racing opens its doors to IMIS attendees

Thursday, December 3, 2009 by Chuck Gose

Last night, I had the privilege to attend an Open House that Elite Racing put on in Brownsburg, IN. The open house was held in conjunction with the first ever International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS). This is a show for drivers, owners, teams, dealers and industry professionals.

So why was I there? MediaTile is a proud sponsor of Elite Racing and Jason Meyers. Though the show was downtown, many attendees made the trek to Brownsburg to see inside Elite Racing's shop. Now I'm not the world largest racing fan, but it's hard not to be impressed with a shop like this one.

It was cool to see our digital signage technology on display, amidst all of the cars and other racing equipment. Really goes to show how quickly and easily our cellular digital signage can be put in place. The team takes it with them to the tracks and uses it engage, entertain and improve communication with passersby.

I am admittedly the world's worst photographer, but I did snap a few shots of the interior of Elite Racing's shop. It was a neat event to be a part of and hope the photos do the event justice.

I've got your ROI and I'll raise you employee engagement

Monday, November 30, 2009 by Chuck Gose

Corporate communicators know this. Determining ROI in employee communications is a tricky calculation. Whether you're investing in new technology like digital signage or launching a brand new intranet, some people will always ask, "What's the ROI?"

Now here's your answer. Just this month, Watson Wyatt released their 2009/10 communication ROI study. You might be wondering who took part in the survey. Well, 328 companies from around the world representing nearly 5 million workers. Pretty impressive. Straight from the report:

Effective employee communication is a leading indicator of financial performance and a driver of employee engagement. Companies that are highly effective communicators had 47% total higher returns to shareholders over the last five years compared with firms that are the least effective communicators.
Measurement is critical. Companies that are less effective communicators are three times as likely as highly effective communicators to report having no formal measure of communication effectiveness.

Now these are just a few key findings but let's tackle first bullet. 47% total higher returns? That sounds great. But keep in mind that these numbers are in comparison to the LEAST effective. And if you are reading this blog and researching tools, you are not part of the LEAST. You might feel like it, but you aren't. However, this third-party report should help you build support for making investments in new employee comm tactics.

And to measurement, we've heard it all before. It's hard work to measure employee comms but clearly it's a key component to any effective corporate communication department's activity. This is where our ROM (Return on Message) approach can help measure the effectiveness of digital signage hardware and software for internal networks.

Themes running through the report are courage, innovation and discipline. I love seeing almost heroic terms applied to internal comms. Employees need companies to tell it like it is and make attempts to not just stick with status quo when it comes to workplace communication.

There is so much great information in this report I'll break it out into different blog posts over the next few weeks.

"Effective internal communications can keep employees engaged in the business and help companies retain key talent, provide consistent value to customers, and deliver superior financial performance to shareholders."

Watson Wyatt 2009

We are thankful

Tuesday, November 24, 2009 by Chuck Gose

Those of us at MediaTile would like to wish every one a happy Thanksgiving and safe travels if you're visiting with friends and family.

This will be a light blogging week given that most will be away Thursday and Friday. But what am I thankful for professionally? First off, that a few of you check out this blog from time to time. That means a lot. I'm also thankful that I get to help out so many great companies and enhance their internal communications with digital signage.

What are you thankful for?

Why is everybody trying to kill the employee publication?

Thursday, November 5, 2009 by Chuck Gose

I'm going to take a side step from my usual digital signage discussion and focus on the most basic and primal of internal communication: the employee newsletter.

Sure we live in a digital world and employees are bombarded with messages in and out of the workplace. But I feel the people who say the employee publication is dead have actually never put one together themselves. It can be a huge pain in the ass, but it's also a labor of love.

Think about the value the employee publication provides. It is the one true mobile communication platform that is free of any technology constraints. Employees glance at it between meetings. They might throw it in their bag and take it home to show the family (if their name and picture are in it). And we know they take it to the bathroom, too.

Digital signage is great. Intranets are great. Town halls are great. And yes, employee newsletters are great. But each tool's greatness is dependent on the content and the creativity that goes into it.

Now maybe the problem is that newsletters may appear to be "old school" where as technology is shiny and glittery. And communicators aren't given the publications the necessary focus. But that's at the fault of the communicator, not the employees.

Many of the organizations I talk to ask me if digital signage will replace printed communication. It might replace some, but I hope it doesn't replace all. Eliminate posters? Yes. Banners? Yes. Flyers? I hope so. But employee publications? Never.

A well-written and designed employee publication delivers a tremendous amount of value to the organization. Don't kill it off just because it's not shiny and new.

Feels good to get that off of my chest.

Time after time, time's an issue (#mbo09)

Friday, October 23, 2009 by Chuck Gose

Earlier this week, I attended the Masters of Business Online conference in Indianapolis. It was a great selection of speakers, focusing on doing business online and using technology to make business better. The topics and speakers were so strong, it was tough choosing breakout sessions.

But one I attended was called "Evolve or Die: The Future of Online Communication," led by Kyle Lacy. An attendee asked the question that everybody is challenged with in social media. "How do I find the time to do everything I need to do?"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hikingartist/3000043099/

Inside or outside of social media, everybody is challenged with this. At home or at work, it's a constant battle. Time is something we never have enough of. My kids are young and aren't players in the Lessons and Practices Game. But I do know parents who are lucky just to leave work on time to get the kids, shuttle them off to <insert sport/musical instrument> practice, somehow eat dinner, do homework and then find time to get to bed.

For internal communication pros, there are many, many things they'd like to do but time is a big obstacle. For those looking into digital signage, the concern of how much time network owners will have to commit is raised all the time. And while each case is different, I've found that digital signage can make corporate communication departments more efficient. It allows you to focus your broadcast communication into one vehicle and maybe eliminate flyers and banners. (Hooray!)

As we all know, time isn't like an hourglass that you can just turn back over when the sand gets to the bottom. Communicators need to develop super-human time management skills to be great at what they do. The more time you "free up" will give you the chance to be more creative and clever in your communications.
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Photo credit, HikingArtist.com

4G and partnering with Alcatel-Lucent's ng Connect program

Saturday, October 10, 2009 by Leah Kane

We at MediaTile are PSYCHED to announce the first "HumanKiosk" prototype. This is an interactive, two-way video conferencing mechanism, enabling consumers and retailers (among others) to communicate directly with one another, in-store- no middle man.

Imagine the possibilities - you're in the store, comparison shopping, you have a question but the store staff doesn't know anything more about the product you're holding than the info which appears on its packaging. No problem- connect to a product expert and have a face-to-face conversation via HumanKiosk.

The excitement surrounding the HumanKiosk release is that it is based on ng Connect's 4G/LTE technology. (LTE = Long Term Evolution). If you're unfamiliar with ng Connect, it is a program "conceived and founded by Alcatel-Lucent, bring[ing] together infrastructure, device, application and content companies to create an end-to-end ecosystem with all the resources and expertise required to rapidly deliver next generation services and applications to service providers, enterprises and consumers. " (quoted from the ng Connect website...)

4G essentially is 3G on steroids. It has the bandwidth to support live and streaming video uploads/downloads - and to support the increasingly interactive nature of successful digital signage deployments.

Every retailer and brand manager hopes to improve communication with its consumer- traditional advertising is limited in this regard. HumanKiosk takes digital signage to another level of relevancy- it provides a purely interactive experience and accomplishes what pre-recorded content, whatever the medium, cannot hope to achieve.

Check it out- we can't wait to hear your feedback!

Adobe MAX Conference

Friday, October 9, 2009 by MediaServices

-By David Trounstine

This week Adobe held their yearly design and development conference, Adobe MAX. Many cool demos were displayed and some great new info about the next iteration of flash was discussed.

In an effort to unify the devices in our lives under a single standard, Adobe has evolved Flash into a very powerful production, delivery, and display platform. Other programs like Cold Fusion and Flex Builder give developers the tools necessary to create seamless experiences for users across a whole sea of consumer electronics.

Demonstrations on netbooks, smart phones, touch screens, and more showed the ability for Flash to improve communication and enable businesses to spread their content far further than ever before.

While there was no clear cut demo of digital signage at the MAX show it was pretty clear that the DOOH market would see huge benefits from the improvements being made to Flash and it's companion tools. The performance improvements to video playback alone are astonishing, and will surely make Flash one of the more popular next-generation players for HD and interactive content.

Using an HP TouchSmart screen one presenter played HD video (which looked amazing), he then simply tapped the screen and up popped an information overlay providing the user with current time, weather, relevant content relating to the video and more. This type of interface empowers the user to make choices and receive content based on trends in which they are taking part, and reduces the perception that they are being "spammed" with irrelevant information.

I'm a big fan of the Flash platform, and use it for a huge amount of the work we do here at MediaTile. It seems that the updates to come will finally provide us the tools we need, and the performance required, to produce content and products that will truly revolutionize the marketplace.

Muzak to my Digital Signage Ears

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 by Simon Wilson

There is increasing recognition in the DOOH industry of the importance of relevant content and ‘making every screen count’ – in other words ensuring that the content on each and every screen on the network is relevant to its specific audience at all times. This of course is not a straightforward task - technically, creatively, or even logistically in the case of large disparate networks. Add to that the drive towards experiential and contextual-based content and you have a complicated cocktail of requirements on your hands.

In response to this requirement, solution providers are taking varied approaches and bringing different backgrounds and skill sets to the client table in order to design and deliver high value-add digital signage content solutions.

One rather interesting approach is that being taken by Muzak. The other day I met up with Jon Luther, Director of the Visual Solutions Division of Muzak, and wanted to share his approach. Muzak has a long rich 75-year history and is the leader in in-store and on-hold custom music solutions. Over recent years, Muzak has been expanding its approach to deliver a much broader solution. Playing on the senses of sight and smell, as well as hearing, Muzak now provides a broader sensory and experiential branding solution to its business clients. By combining music, messaging, custom scent, and visual imagery through digital signage, Muzak has created a compelling and contemporary integrated suite of sensory branding and entertainment products and services.

As network operators and digital signage customers increasingly demand that their DOOH networks deliver a contextual based experience that is relevant to their environment, I expect we will see more examples of innovative approaches like Muzak’s. This really is an exciting time to be at the forefront of digital signage.

Keepin’ it Simple

RSS/MRSS

Monday, September 28, 2009 by MediaServices

-By David Trounstine-

Twitter, Flickr, Blogger, and many other social networking sites employ RSS as an alternative method of delivering their data to consumers. This structured data can easily be leveraged on a digital sign to supply viewers with up-to-date and personally relevant information.

But you don't need to be a social networking jockey to leverage the power of this file standard. XML based data transfer is an established method of communication between databases. However, the structure of the XML is important and RSS provides a standard that is widley accepted, simple to understand, and easy to display.

A company can leverage RSS to improve communication with employees or consumers at multiple touch points through out their day. In fact, many digital signage and digital picture frame manufacturers are using RSS to feed their screens and connect consumers to their website through consistency.

To enhance their RSS feeds and enable users to include their photos in a feed, Yahoo! developed an extension to the RSS architecture allowing media files to be associated with a particular story or RSS entry. This new format is called MRSS, or MediaRSS.

The structure is very similar to RSS except there is an additional chunk in the XML called a "media" node. This node contains a various meta data for the piece of media such as author/publisher, file size, length, etc. The addition of this node allows MRSS to associate many pieces of media with an individual RSS entry. RSS 2.0 only allows for 1 embeded media item for each RSS entry. MRSS provides a simple and open method of passing information and media from one system to another, and has begun its integration into the world of digital signage because of the versatility, compatibility, and expandability that it offers.

Digital signage content is most effective when it is relevant and personal. Simple solutions are often overlooked, but in the case of RSS and MRSS we should pay close attention. The number of available data sources will grow exponentially because of this technology, and providing your target audience with personalized content will be very simple.

A Cincinnati smoothie of communications and technology

Monday, September 21, 2009 by Chuck Gose

Later this week, I'll be trekking down to Cincinnati to attend the Digital Hub Initiative. It looks to be an event right up my alley because it's a smoothie of communications and technology. Local AMA, Ad Club, IABC, PRSA chapters are involved, as well as the Digital Signage Association.

It's refreshing to see the digital signage community get involved in a show like this one, and not just the likes of Digital Signage Expo and other industry-specific shows (nothing against those of course).

Labeled "all things digital," the two-day event (September 24-25) features a digital signage panel on Friday. I'm looking forward to the cast of characters appearing on the panel. Only one panelist appears to be a digital signage network operator, but we'll see where the discussion goes. Taking a glance at the full schedule shows off a diverse cast of speakers from a variety of fields.

I don't think it's too late to register if you're interested. Here's the event summary from the site:

After phenomenal success in 2008, Cincinnati’s Digital Hub Non-Conference is back with a vengeance! The Second Annual event promises “bigger & better” in promoting our region as the Digital Hub it is – the Hub of “All Things Digital” in advertising, design, marketing, communications and public relations. In 2009, instead of a single group calling the shots, the event is being driven by numerous local professional groups, all with interest in the same Big Idea.

Often times, conferences can be a letdown but I know some of the people organizing this one and I am expecting great things. Any conference that focuses on improving communication is always worth attending.

A communications and technology smoothie.

Clicks that click: 09.09.09

Wednesday, September 9, 2009 by Chuck Gose

I'm out at MediaTile HQ in Scotts Valley, CA, this week so I'm a bit tied up in meetings. I thought it was a good time to pull together another list of my "clicks that click." These are a smattering of news items I've picked up over the last week or so that are related to communication in the workplace, social media AND/or digital signage.
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At last June's IABC World Conference, I was asked about the trends I was seeing in corporate communications and what did I see around the corner. My response was that eventually communications would switch into recovery mode and that companies would have to respond to keep employees around. With a nice Labor Day theme, Jeanette Paladino agrees that companies should be ratcheting up their communications. (She mentions intranets, newsletters and face-to-face, but not digital signage. I'm sure it's just oversight.) Jennifer Bull over at Good Company shares our sentiment.
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Global business communication is often a tough nut to crack, but Dave Meyer provides 10 tips for global communicators on his Communication Nation blog. All 10 are solid global communication tips, but I especially love #1 (get outside your fish bowl) and #6 (engage). I'm not sure if Dave did his graphics or not, but they are great.
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Though I'm headed to the circus this weekend, I'm not what you'd call a big fan of clowns. But allegedly you can use scary clowns to improve employee engagement. Go figure. I'd put up the photo but I'm going to stick with the fish.
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Has the employee-employer relationship permanently changed? Yes.
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Apparently, more and more companies and organizations are looking at Twitter to help during crisis communication. Communicating to employees during a crisis has long been a challenge. Digital signage can help on site, but Twitter could become a huge resource for those employees who are off-site or remote. All they'd have to do is follow the corporate account.

Clicks that click: 08.28.2009

Tuesday, September 1, 2009 by Chuck Gose

I read a lot of blogs. And when I write a lot, I mean A LOT. But that's what they say you should do if you're writing your own blog.

And since I read a ton of online content and am a self-proclaimed corporate communication nerd, I will from time to time share the stuff I find interesting. Some will be related to digital signage specifically, while others may deal with corporate communications writings. Here;s my current brain scan.
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Paul Flanigan, of Experiate.net, writes about the three rules for digital signage audio in a retail environment. Paul provides a great tip of playing your content without sound and see if it makes sense. Audio is a bit of a controversial topic for internal networks. Check out this post I did regarding audio last year.
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Harriet Meth is at again over at Messaged to Deaf with today's post. The content focuses on the key elements of why some videos go viral. You've seen the Blendtec "Will it blend" series on YouTube? Harriet points out that one of the keys to a viral video is storytelling. To me, this is an undervalued skill in employee communications. Hmm, I smell a future blog post.
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For those of you who big Twitter supporters (I know I am), here are 10 sobering Twitter statistics. It took quite a bit of work, scouring several stories and sources to come up with the list. But I think we're just on the cusp of what Twitter can do. At least I feel that if I keep believing that, then I won't have wasted all of this time.
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Does freedom of speech extend to internal communications? Jeremy Robert suggests that companies letting their employees use social media are insane. I suggest that Jeremy may be taking this to a bit of extreme. Companies are taking a bit of a risk, but I don't think it requires these companies be committed. (I will warn you that the language is a bit rough in the post.)
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Brandswag's Kyle Lacy gives us five cures for blogging fatigue. Many might think this post is a sign of fatigue but it actually helps get the juices flowing. You just wait and see, with an emphasis on the "wait" part.

Digital signage 101 - coming to a college campus near you?

Wednesday, July 22, 2009 by Chuck Gose

As you've read on this blog and many others, the digital signage industry is ever-evolving but is also maturing. Which is why news that Texas State Technical College will begin offering a Digital Signage Technology Associates Degree along with a Digital Signage Assistant Certificate is interesting. . . in a digital-signy kind of way.

It's worth taking a gander at the course load for the degree. Here's the description for the first course - Corporate & Community Development with Critical thinking:

Development of corporate and community leadership skills that incorporate critical thinking strategies. Includes data and informative decision making, group and team processes, strategic and action planning, and processes for monitoring progress.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13511355@N06/1375685165/

And the list goes on. History of Communication Graphics? What a great class to add to the first semester. And I'm thrilled to see that there's a tremendous focus on digital signage content and integration.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the classes just to hear the discussions AND I'm really curious as to who's going to teach it. Because from my experience, there are several industry "experts" who would gain from being a part of such a discussion.

Furthermore, I'm interested to see how this relates to the Digital Signage Certified Experts Program (DSCE). There's definitely some similarity between the two, which I suppose is a good thing.

So who do you think will take this class? AV types? Those looking to get in a new field? Guess we'll have to see if it's successful at Texas State Technical College, will other schools pick it up?

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Photo credit, wohnai

MediaTile office closed on July 3

Thursday, July 2, 2009 by Chuck Gose

In recognition of the Fourth of July, our corporate headquarters in Scotts Valley, CA, will be closed Friday, July 3, 2009. The office will re-open Monday, July 6, 2009.

For those reaching out to us over the extended holiday weekend, all phone calls will be routed through our standard after-hours call center. In the event you should experience a Tier 2 or Tier 1 (moderately severe/most severe) digital signage support issue during this time frame, please indicate the severity of your situation to the call center and you will be routed to an appropriate MediaTile support person.

MediaTile notifies customers about issues, software updates, portal updates, release schedules and maintenance through an emailed MediaTile Support Bulletin. We'll also use this blog in a dedicated effort to improve communication.

Should you have any other needs or issues, please send a note to support@mediatile.com, or call our direct number at 877-881-6900 and ask for support.

My Top 6 posts. . . according to you

Tuesday, June 23, 2009 by Chuck Gose

I remember when I started this blog last year that I was excited the first weekend to see that a whole six people read the blog. Six! And that number could probably be attributed to my family.

Now several months and more than a 100+ posts later, I thought it would be interesting to see which posts were the most popular according to the readers.

Here's the Top 6 visited posts:

The cost of poor internal communications (March 3, 2009)
Security is important, with or without zombies (January 29, 2009)
Do you rely on line managers for employee communications (March 9, 2009)
Who is the "THE" in digital signage (January 27, 2009)
Download today's USA Today supplement on digital signage (March 20, 2009)
Fill in the workplace communication gap (March 27, 2009)

Looking at the dates, I must have been on a roll in March and January. In a future post, I'd like to highlight my favorite posts, which I'm hoping will at least differ slightly from the list above.

Happy Tuesday!