While the spirit of wayfinding lives on today, the execution has changed drastically. It is primarily digital now! Most establishments today either use an interactive wayfinding software program, a wayfinding kiosk, or digital signage as high-tech guideposts to keep people from getting lost!
Though what exactly is digital wayfinding, and how are they important? Like most modern workplace features, it all comes down to technology and the advantages they offer!
What is Digital Wayfinding?
Whether inside a tall building or a sprawling campus with several facilities spread across hectares, digital wayfinding will make navigating the physical space much easier. With electronic maps and high-tech digital wayfinding solutions available for real-time point-to-point navigation, it now takes one single touch to know your exact location!
Wayfinding signage is a hybrid of physical and digital solutions. It combines the ease of use that most people use on their mobile phones and tablets with large-scale displays, making it an effective way to guide employees or visitors throughout the space.
When placed strategically throughout a large facility such as a campus, shopping mall, or airport, digital wayfinding solutions become an effective and valuable resource that helps visitors save time, boost their overall experience, diminish stress, and become more familiar with the property.
Where Is Digital Wayfinding Used?
Due to its tremendous potential, digital wayfinding is becoming more common in non-commercial and commercial segments. Here are a few niches where digital wayfinding has shown real promise:
• Airports: Airports tend to be massive and can be complicated to navigate. With digital wayfinding, they can be less stressful environments and even help travelers to not miss their flights.
• Healthcare: Large hospitals use digital wayfinding to offer convenience to caregivers and patients who may need urgent medical assistance or have physical limitations that limit their mobility.
• Education: Universities and colleges deploy wayfinding systems to help vendors and visitors better navigate between campuses. It also serves as useful for new students who still need help getting around.
• Corporate Offices: Large companies with multi-building campuses employ wayfinding technology to assist various employees and contractors in finding the places they are looking for.
• Shopping Malls: Malls deploy freestanding digital wayfinding kiosks to help customers locate stores, restaurants, and services.
• Government Offices: Government buildings utilize wayfinding technology to assist visitors in locating the correct room or building they are required to be in.
What Makes Digital Wayfinding Important?
Digital wayfinding has several uses and benefits. You can easily bend and customize them to make the benefits fit the needs of your audience.
Have a look at 6 of the significant benefits of digital wayfinding here:
1. Easier Navigation
When potential guests, customers, employees, or visitors step foot into your facility, arming them with tools for independent navigation is a gift they will appreciate. Digital wayfinding signage is an excellent addition to any kiosk, tablet, or screen you already have in your lobby or corridors.
Using digital wayfinding ensures that your visitors can conveniently navigate the space. As opposed to staff directing them, digital wayfinding systems can allow them to take charge of their journey.
2. Aesthetically Pleasing
What is more eye-catching? An interactive console or a table of brochures and pamphlets? It is probably safe to rule out the latter option in this. Interactive digital wayfinding gives your customers or visitors the first impression of your commitment to organizational and consumer-friendly practices.
Moreover, visually-pleasing designs are a necessary component in the success of a company or business — and digital wayfinding happens to fit the bill! Imagery selection and color scheme reinforce the brand further, emphasizing your organization's message without clutter.
3. Keeps Visitors Satisfied
When your visitors won't need to roam around to find their desired destinations, they will surely be satisfied and pleased. Additionally, you are offering things and solutions their way!
It means you are helping them navigate the building or campus, mainly using a digital screen they are personally operating. Hence, they will feel more accomplished.
4. Saves Time
Most reception staff would spend their shift directing people to the right path, department, floor, or office. Among the most significant benefits of digital wayfinding is that it can save plenty of employee time.
If a single screen can allow an array of customers to navigate where they need to go, it frees up your employees and staff for other revenue-generating tasks and activities. They won't waste too much time giving directions to everyone who walks through your doors.
5. A Lasting Brand Impression And Impact
Digital wayfinding can also leave a lasting brand impression on your visitors and customers. With a bright, visually-appealing screen here and there around the campus, you can build an aesthetically rich brand image for your customers.
You show that you are updated with technological transformations, can put the control key in your customer's hands, and know how to make the environment pleasing. The personal touch with interactive visuals on-screen heightens your brand impression, helping with customer retention and satisfaction. It could also contribute to the increase in your overall sales.
6. Update Floor Plans
With printed maps and static signs, everything can quickly get outdated. Names are changed, offices or stores are moved, and the path you want visitors to take can vary yearly or even monthly. Renovation can change and shift things around. Your visitors will need to know about that.
The ideal solution now would be to use web-based and easy-to-update digital wayfinding signage. Revise the new locations, make the necessary changes, and let the signage software auto-update the same on the screens instantly. You may even display announcements there, relaying to your visitors that there have been a few changes and where they can find the new locations.
This Is The Way To Use Digital Wayfinding Solutions
The modern consumer is accustomed and used to ease — ease of use, ease of ordering, ease of mapping, ease of everything, really. So, to properly and effectively cater to the needs and desires of your customers, it only makes incredible sense to implement convenient solutions that would make their lives easier.
Undoubtedly, interactive map solutions can be convenient and fun experiences for your customers and visitors. Digital wayfinding solutions can help address a wide assortment of user needs, effectively stepping up your customer service by a few notches!
