Delivering Your Digital Vision

Archive for the ‘News’ Category

Three Advantages Mobile Point-of-Sale (POS) Delivers

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As we announced earlier this week, we are collaborating with long-time customer, Urban Outfitters, Inc. to develop a mobile point-of-sale (POS) solution for their stores. With a strong focus on delivering a differentiated customer experience, the mobile POS application will bring many advantages to Urban’s retail floor. I thought we’d highlight three here:

1. Optimized Customer Service

The Apple Store located just minutes away from Starmount’s offices here in Austin is constantly packed with people. Especially on a hallmark day like today with the release of the iPhone 4, customer service has to be rock solid. Not only can a store associate demonstrate product and answer questions, but they also have the ability to search inventory and close the sale all in the same spot where you might have first walked in to tinker with a new toy. For a retailer like Urban Outfitters, this personalized service will be extended to quickly and easily help their customers find items, clothing and shoe sizing, and more. No longer will customers be obligated to wait in line at the register to find or pay for an item. Personalizing how store associates interact with customers will set the in-store experience apart and truly optimize the many touch points where service is advantageous in the purchase decision process.
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In the spirit of giving…

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As the end of a busy, challenging yet successful year comes to an end, Starmount employees pulled through with another important goal that we set for ourselves. This time the goal wasn’t a product launch or a successful software implementation, instead our goal was to help those not as fortunate this holiday season. Collectively, our team here in Austin came together and raised money and gathered boxes of canned food items for the Capital Area Food Bank.

Our employees raised $555 in cash to donate and that $555 was then matched by our company which means we collectively gave $1110 to families in need this holiday season. Sometimes, we may take our day to day life and lifestyles for granted, but as someone who has visited homes like the ones that Capital Area Food Bank provides assistance for, I know what an impact even a little help can have on a family in need.
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Unearth the Holy Grail for DOOH

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Holy Grail I read an interesting article on Digital Signage Insights concerning the future of digital-out-of-home (DOOH). The article poses the question “Why can’t the next great media company emerge from the digital out-of-home space?”

For years digital signage vendors have focused their attention on developing powerful digital signage software that accommodates small networks through large enterprise deployments. The number of companies that exist in this space is amazing, approximately 300 or more by some accounts. However, as all of us in the industry know, the technology is evolving very quickly and just providing a digital signage product that facilitates placing text, graphics, and video on digital screens is no longer enough to compete in the industry – the bar is rising. Vendors have to consider online, social media, mobile, place-based media, user-generated content, hand-held devices, and wireless to be competitive.

The article goes on to say that “it’s critical to leverage the fullness of the medium while paying attention to, and planning for, our shifting media landscape. The DOOH industry cannot be looked at as though it were outside of the sphere of other media properties. It isn’t a separate entity. It is a piece of a robust ecosystem, in which symbiotic relationships foretell success.”

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Platt Retail Institute Predicts a Growing Digital Signage Market

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graph_dotsI received the PRI Q4 North American Digital Signage Index from my friends at the Platt Retail Institute. I applaud the work Steven Platt and his colleagues are doing for the industry. They provide measurable research on the digital signage industry allowing industry providers to predict the direction of the market. Nice job!

The comprehensive report highlights the continued growth of the digital signage industry and predicts a bright future for the next 6 months or so. PRI indicates that the digital signage Index has grown 10.83% from Q2 to Q3 2009 indicating a demand for digital signage products and services. Looking at the Near-Term Index PRI, an increase of 15.12% indicates an optimistic outlook for the industry for the next 3 to 6 months. Increases in index components like planned capital expenditures and hiring indicate that companies are ready to invest in the anticipated growth. Specifically, the digital signage software industry growth from Q2 to Q3 was 18.25% and predicted increase for the next 3 to 6 months is 37.69%.

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Digital Signage for Every Segment of the Market

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every-segmentI read a whitepaper from Scala entitled “A Digital Signage Solution for Every Company Regardless of Size or Budget“. The paper explores the different segments of the marketplace and how specialized hardware solutions can be effectively utilized to address the range of market segments. Unfortunately the paper is a sale’s collateral as opposed to an objective evaluation of the market segments but the meat of the paper identifies the necessity for different solutions for the myriad of digital signage customers.

The paper talks about the concept of “value for the money corridor” – the best hardware solution for the various customers employing digital signage. On a chart that maps cost vs. platform capability the lowest cost and lowest capability is the photo frame. Scala is using the IAdea Photo Frame.

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Discussion about DOOH or Digital Signage

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doohThere is an ongoing discussion in the blogosphere concerning the name of digital signage. Some claim that the term digital signage doesn’t fit the ad-based digital signage networks – they prefer Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH). However, to most, DOOH doesn’t fit the implementation of digital signage in corporate communications, education, public spaces, transportation, etc.

I remember going through this discussion several years ago when the technology was referred to by a myriad of names including: narrowcasting, captured audience, digital posters, corporate TV, etc. Back then POPAI took on the chore of developing some guidelines and specifications on the naming characteristics of the technology. These standards and more can be found on the POPAI Digital Signage website.

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Imperative Group Expands into the US

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An announcement of some importance, I think, happened today with the Imperative Group announcing that they are expanding into the US marketplace. Imperative is a home network development and communications agency located in Europe. Imperative provides a wide range of services to help retailers, media and technical businesses connect, develop, innovate and communicate their digital retail and out-of-home media projects that deliver end-user value and competitive advantage.

Imperative’s network development services currently include business case development, proof of concept studies, new product development, and project/insight management. Communication services include the creation and delivery of marketing & business development strategies, public relations, and Orientation, Strategy & Development (OSD) workshops.
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Starmount Team competes in Silicon Labs Marathon Relay

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The Starmount Marathon Team participated in the Silcon Laboratories Marathon Relay on September 27th, 2009. Luke Marino served as Team Captain and helped coordinate the relay team. The event was a benefit for Junior Achievement organization and Starmount was proud to be a part.

The race was broken down into five legs: a 12k, two 10k’s, and 2 5k’s. Luke Marino began the marathon, running the 12k with a time of 59:06.4 minutes, followed by Peter Fierro running the first of two 10k’s with an official time of 53:48.3 minutes. The second 10k was run by Sudhir Madyastha at an official time of 44:38.5 minutes. The Sun began to heat up the course and Beth White started on the first of the two 5k’s, with Steven Hughes following up with the final leg of the race with a time of 40:39.7.

A new Guinness World Record was set (not by us), and Starmount finished 29th in the Corp. Open Odds/Ends category among some 89 teams competing.

Congratulations to the Starmount Team, who are already preparing for next year’s race.

We are now on Youtube!

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Since we are a fairly new company (less than 5 years old), we wanted to introduce you to Starmount.  This is our video that was created for just that purpose.  Feel free to comment on it, we like feedback.  Without further adieu:

Created by Phil Lee, starring the Cast of Starmount.