5 ways digital signage reduces perceived wait times in retail

Nobody enjoys waiting in a queue, but if you run a busy retail store, there will inevitably be times when your customers have to wait, whether that’s at the checkout, a customer service desk or a click-and-collect point.

While reducing the actual wait might not always be possible, you can change how that time feels. With digital display screens, you can give your customers something useful or engaging to focus on, keep them better informed and make waiting feel like less of an inconvenience.

At Scanlite, we have over 45 years of experience designing and manufacturing digital signage for businesses across the UK. We understand that a screen needs to do more than look impressive, so we create solutions that help you communicate with your customers and make better use of the space you have available.

So, on that note, here are five ways digital signage can help you make waiting a better experience for your customers.

1. Digital signage can make waiting times feel shorter for your customers

There’s a difference between how long your customers actually wait and how long that wait feels. If they have nothing to do except watch the queue in front of them, they’re naturally going to become more aware of every minute that passes.

Give them something interesting to focus on and that experience can change. With an indoor digital display, you can show videos, product content, promotions, useful information and other changing messages while your customers wait.

You might not be able to turn a five-minute queue into a two-minute one, but you can make those five minutes feel better spent. In areas where waiting is sometimes unavoidable, that can make an important difference to how customers feel about their visit to your store.

2. Digital screens can keep your customers engaged while they wait

If your customers are already standing in one place for a few minutes, you have an opportunity to give them something worth looking at. Digital signage allows you to use that time to showcase content that is relevant to your business and interesting to the people visiting it.

What you show will depend on your store. You could showcase new products, demonstrate how something works, share seasonal inspiration, feature customer reviews or introduce customers to parts of your range they may not have seen while browsing.

Better still, the content can change, so you’re not relying on the same printed poster to attract attention day after day. You can keep your messaging fresh and give customers something different to engage with, helping your waiting areas feel like a considered part of the shop rather than somewhere they simply have to stand and wait.

3. Digital signage can make queues clearer and more organised

A wait can become much more frustrating when your customers don’t know what’s happening. If they’re wondering whether they’re in the right queue, which counter they need or how they’ll know when it’s their turn, that uncertainty can quickly affect their experience.

An LED sign gives you a clear way to communicate that information. You can use your screens for directions, collection instructions, service updates, queue information or to tell customers where they need to go next, depending on how your store operates.

This makes the entire process feel much more organised for your customers while helping your staff at the same time. If the information people regularly ask for is clearly visible on screen, your team can spend less time answering the same questions and more time helping customers with the things that actually need their attention.

4. Digital signage can turn waiting time into an opportunity to sell

There’s also another advantage to having your customers’ attention while they wait. You can use that time to introduce them to products, services and offers that could lead to another purchase, either during their current visit or the next time they come back.

You could promote complementary products at the checkout, show accessories near your click-and-collect area or use your screens to highlight a loyalty scheme, upcoming promotion or service that customers might not otherwise know about. With larger installations like video walls, you can also create high-impact product and campaign content that becomes a much bigger feature within your retail space.

Digital signs also give you the flexibility to change what you promote. Instead of producing new printed materials every time your priorities change, you can keep your content aligned with your latest products, offers and seasonal campaigns. It means the same display that improves the waiting experience can also become a valuable part of your in-store marketing.

5. Digital displays can create a better overall experience in your store

Your customers’ impression of your business is shaped by more than the products on your shelves. Everything from how easy your store is to navigate to what happens when they reach the checkout contributes to how they ultimately end up feeling about their visit as a whole.

A well-designed digital display can help your store feel more modern, professional and thought-out. More importantly, it serves a genuine purpose for your customers by giving them useful information, keeping them engaged and making parts of their visit that might otherwise feel frustrating more enjoyable.

When you install a digital screen, you’re giving your business another way to communicate with customers and improve their experience. And because you can update what’s on screen whenever you need to, it can continue supporting new products, promotions and campaigns for years to come.

Find the right digital signage for your retail space

There isn’t one digital signage setup that will work for every retailer. The right screen, size and position will depend on your space, where your customers spend their time and what you want your displays to achieve.

At Scanlite, we have more than 45 years of experience and over 40,000 installations behind us. We design and manufacture digital signage solutions for businesses across the UK, from indoor video displays and video walls to outdoor LED screens and flexible LED screens.

We also understand that budget matters when you’re considering a new display. Alongside our bespoke digital signage service, we also offer finance options to help you spread the cost, as well as professionally refurbished digital signage if you’d like a more budget-friendly way to introduce digital displays into your business.

If you’re looking at ways to improve the customer experience in your store, we can help you find a digital signage solution that works for your space, goals and budget. Just give our team a call on 01253 302 723 or request a quote today, and we can help you find the solution that works for your business!