Scenario: You’ve just finished moving into your new tactical operations headquarters. The paint is dry and your security drones are online.
Just one more thing—you have a dozen public rooms (and an undesignated number of classified rooms) that you need to get up and running with digital signage.
Now what?
Depending on the complexity of your digital signage installation, you may need some outside assistance.
There can be a lot of moving pieces involved when considering a digital signage project, and you may be dealing with multiple parties:
Software Provider
This is the brains of your digital signage network. This is the first thing to consider and will determine the capabilities of your network as well as narrow down your hardware choices. You’ll want to have an idea of exactly what features you need and what you want to do with your screens when looking at options.
Hardware Providers
This includes the media player hardware powering your displays as well as the displays themselves and accessories like mounts and cables. You can read about media players here and choosing the right display here.
Miscellaneous/Utilities
You’re going to need power. You’re going to need internet. And you’re going to need them at every display.
At this point you might be ready to go. If your specific project isn’t too complicated, you may be able to purchase a turnkey package, plug it into your display, and call it a day.
But if your needs are a little more intricate, it might be time to hire some outside help. Who you hire will be determined by the kind of work you need done. The right hire can act as your single point of contact, configuring and integrating everything mentioned above, so you don’t have to.
Unlike the hiring process
You have a few options:
General Contractors
These individuals will be able to help you with tasks like the physical mounting of displays, hiding cabling, and running internet and power through your location. You should not, however, expect them to be versed in the configuration of your media players, your local network, or your televisions.
You should check that your contractor is licensed in your state. You can verify this by finding your state’s website for license verification and entering their license number.
There are a number of federal safety codes involved when running electrical, and there may be local stipulations as well. A licensed contractor should be able to make sure you’re up to standards.
A/V Specialists/Home Theatre Specialists
These companies are much like the above, except they have industry experience in dealing with equipment like displays/projectors and often have basic networking skills. Their typical jobs might involve consumer-oriented hardware set-up, but they often have dealt with some sort of digital signage installations as well.
The same recommendation for hiring a licensed professional applies here.
System Integrators/Digital Signage Specialists
These are firms that specialize in the installation of corporate IT and digital signage projects. They should be able to not only install and configure your hardware/software, but provide consultation on your project and give you recommendations based on their expertise and experiences.
Now where do you go to recruit?
Online hiring platforms like Field Nation allow your to review your candidates before hand
• Craigslist – Has to be mentioned because of its ubiquity. While it’s possible you might find some good candidates here, it’s difficult to vet potential hires, and the low barrier to entry means you might encounter many subpar choices. There’s no harm in making a post in conjunction with another tool, but it definitely shouldn’t be your only avenue for hiring.
• Yelp – While Yelp is typically known for its restaurant reviews, Yelp also features reviews of local service providers.
• HomeAdvisor – HomeAdvisor allows you to describe your project, and then automatically matches you with three providers who fit your criteria.
• Field Nation – Field Nation features a platform where you can not only find professionals but also manage the project and pay for services via Field Nation.
• Work Market – Work Market is a service that allows you to find freelancers in various niches, including digital signage.
• OnForce – OnForce is a platform like Field Nation that allows for both provider search and management of jobs. It also provides advanced features if you plan to have recurring projects.
• SCN Top 50 – The SCN (System Contractors News) Top 50 is an annually published list of the top 50 systems integrators awarded by AVNetwork. Generally anyone on this list is a competent and trusted firm.
Finding good help is now surprisingly easy.