Many Hands Make Light Work

What goes into putting up a digital billboard? Whether a major Out of Home player or an independent company, there are a lot of things to consider when installing a digital billboard. This is precisely why Daktronics has a dedicated Out of Home team ready to help companies through the process. Our team will support you from finding locations, going through the permit and regulatory processes, to developing ad sales strategies with content consultation specific to each customer’s goals.

What else is Daktronics doing to make the process as easy as possible for our customers? What makes them willing to invest in the best quality vs. settling for getting by with an okay product?

Daktronics current digital billboard product line, DB-6400 is heading out the door at a rapid pace. Let’s take a look at how customers are finding success in the field. We sat down with Tyler Graham of Graham Advertising, to get feedback on his recent Daktronics experience. Graham recently purchased and installed a Daktronics digital billboard in Mitchell, SD.

The proof is in the pudding

Q: How do you think things went from installation to fire up?

A: The installation process is very friendly, due in part to the service department. They’re fantastic and walk with you through each step. Humans answer the phone, not automated services.

Q: Are you achieving the goals you set out to accomplish? How has Daktronics played into the picture?

A: I think together we’ve achieved our goals already. Three weeks after the sign was installed, a tech called me. They were trying a new software upgrade. They installed it and gave me feedback on it. It goes to show the Daktronics is not only working with the existing sign, but they are willing to upgrade things, which is great for business. It shows an advertiser that we’re on top of technology, and they can grow with us.

Q: Would you recommend Daktronics in the future, based on your experience?

A: Knowing Daktronics is behind us down the line is a no brainer for us. People would be crazy to go with anybody else.

Well, there you have it. We are always glad to hear that things are going well in the field. Back home, we spoke with Becky Coudron, a project manager for the Out of Home market, to see if our thoughts align with that of the customers.

In the field

Q: Tell me a little bit about the DB-6400 digital billboard.

A: It’s a great product! With Daktronics Snap Calibration technology, we can replace modules and fine tune them to match the rest of the display, with the push of a button. It eliminates the patchwork effect of portions of the display being too bright or dim compared to others. It’s a revolutionary technique that Daktronics is excited to bring to the field.

We’ve also been getting a lot of positive feedback on how smoothly installs are going. Just last week I was on site. The customer was amazed how quickly the digital billboard went up! In a couple hours, everything is all set up and ready to go for the electricians to hook up power. The process truly is pretty easy.

Q: What types of locations use these digital billboards?

A: We’ve really seen an expansion beyond traditional roadside installations, anything from malls, city use, transportation agencies and airports, to auto dealers and sporting facilities. Digital billboards are so versatile, they can generate revenue for owners in several environments. Really, they can be used for just about any type of messaging.

Q: Where have you seen the most DB-6400 sales lately?

A: Canada is pretty hot right now, and the East Coast region is always busy. We are seeing a bit more in the Midwest right now and some in Florida, as well.

Q: What do you think the customer values the most during the whole installation process?

A: They enjoy the comfort of having our techs on site for install and commissioning. There’s something to be said about having someone there who knows what is going on, and customers can always get ahold of us for any issues that arise.

Q: Why do you think that’s so important?

A: As far as I know, this is unique to Daktronics, so it’s really something that sets us apart. Whether it’s an independent company, or someone larger like Lamar, we make sure they are good from the get-go and can start generating revenue from these displays. There’s not a lot of down time on our end. We go through the fire-up process after installation, as well as the network operating center. We go through the install checklist to make sure we’re up and running, communicating and visible before we leave the site, so it’s 100% operational.

Q: What about after installation? What if questions arise?

A: We transition to account service managers after start up, so we constantly have someone involved with each step of the process. Customers worry that they write a check and that’s it. Nope! I pick up from there and take them through each step and take care of them, as well as my coworkers. Our goal is to keep things as streamlined as possible for everyone.

Q: What else does Daktronics do that you think is unique?

A: Our engineering is always looking for feedback and ways to improve. They are open to customer thoughts and take them seriously. We want to make things easier for customers and not force them to conform to our mold.

Daktronics is enjoying seeing this new product and technology being put to good use in so many different applications. Where are we off to next?