Getting the Most out of Digital Wayfinding

Blog Author : Jens Kofoed, CTO Corum Digital Corporation

Navigating a large and unfamiliar space can be very intimidating and frustrating to first time visitors. Digital Wayfinding helps guests find where they need to go quickly and easily. There are many digital wayfinding platforms available, each with their own features and benefits, however, there are a few features that you should look for to ensure you are getting the most out of your Digital Wayfinding investment.

What happens when Wayfinding is not being used?

• At a minimum, digital wayfinding uses a display to present a map of the facility to visitors. To be truly useful, that display needs to be touch-enabled so that a visitor can intuitively interact with the map.
• A typical installation includes a touch-enabled screen enclosed in an attractive and secure kiosk. To get the most out of your investment, a wayfinding solution must be able to support doing something productive when wayfinding is not in use.
• An excellent option is digital signage. This will enable the ability to display income generating ads, important announcements and information, current news and weather and much more.

Look for a solution that is flexible enough to integrate with other applications such as digital signage.

Why is this thing not working?

All digital wayfinding solutions require an Internet connection to get updated maps, transfer analytic data, install updates to the software, etc… Many solutions rely heavily on remote servers in order to provide directions. This means they require a fast, always on, always available Internet connection and if that connection goes down, wayfinding will stop working until the connection is restored.

You don't want wayfinding to be unavailable when a visitor needs help, so look for a solution that will continue to operate even if the Internet connection is unavailable.

It costs how much to make a change?

All digital wayfinding solutions will have an initial setup cost as well as a monthly or annual licensing fee. The initial setup fee is for developing the digital maps and the licensing fee is for ongoing use of the service. The cost of this will vary greatly between providers. Another variable cost is when it comes time to change something on the map like the name or logo of a location. In retail, for example, store locations change fairly regularly and those changes need to be reflected on the wayfinding map. Many providers will charge up to $3,000 for a single location change. Look for a solution that gives you the option to make common map changes yourself for no extra charge.

Digital Wayfinding is an excellent service that fosters a positive experience which benefits visitors, locations and property management. When evaluating various solutions, keep these points in mind to make sure that you're getting the most out of your digital wayfinding investment.