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How ECS5 Helps with Waste Management and Loss Prevention

Posted on: May 15th, 2024

For retail stores to maximize their revenue, they must not only increase sales, but also minimize losses.  The two main causes of loss for retail stores are theft and poor waste management.  Theft leads to the direct loss of inventory while poor waste management can result in perishable products going bad on the shelf before being marked down and ultimately replenished.  Retail stores collectively lose billions of dollars per year due to theft and an estimated 5-7% of perishables are lost due to poor waste management.

All retail stores should have a reliable system in place that helps with loss prevention and waste management.  ECS5 Media Suite is a point of sale (POS) software solution for retail stores that allows for the efficient management of customer communications, as well as planograms and inventory.  It can also help retail stores manage perishable goods, stock renewal, and loss prevention and detection using RFID technology.

Putting RFID chips on the tags of perishable goods and high theft items allows ECS5 to monitor shelf life and inventory in real time so actions can be taken to prevent loss.  ECS5 can also use RFID technology for complimentary upselling by showing targeted ads to customers based on what is in their cart or basket.

What is RFID Technology?

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a type of wireless communication in which radio waves transmit data that uniquely identifies people or objects.  Three components make an RFID system work; a scanning antenna and transceiver that are part of the RFID reader, and a transponder that is in the RFID tag.  RFID readers can be either mobile or fixed devices that are connected to the network.  The scanning antenna transmits electromagnetic waves that activate the transponder in the tag.  The tag then sends radio waves back to the antenna that translates it into data that can be seen on the reader.

RFID tags have several benefits over barcodes as they can be scanned from inches or even feet away depending on the type of RFID tag, and RFID readers do not need a clear line of sight to read the tags.  The data transmitted by an RFID tag can also be updated in real time.

How Does ECS5 Utilize RFID Technology?

ECS5 already integrates your customer communications across all forms of media, including print signage, electronic shelf labels, and multimedia displays, along with your inventory and planogram information.  RFID technology can also be integrated into ECS5 and synced with the logic of the system to help with inventory management and targeted multimedia displays.

Using a combination of remote sensors and handheld RFID readers that can be integrated into the system, users can quickly access real time data from the RFID tags.  RFID readers can be used to quickly scan the tags for data and users can also access real-time data from the sensors within the ECS5 dashboard.

With ECS5, you can leverage RFID technology to help with the following:

Loss Prevention

Theft always presents a challenge for retail stores as businesses can lose a lot of money due to theft from customers and employees.  Including RFID chips on the tags of valuable items and high theft items helps improve loss prevention and detection as you can view real time inventory data from the tags using ECS5.  If an item is stolen, you can detect exactly what is missing.  You can also put anti-theft sensors that read RFID chips at the exits of your store to catch and deter thieves.

When stores have a problem with certain items being stolen often, such as expensive meat in a supermarket, they may minimize the amount of stock on the shelves.  When this happens, the stock must be replenished often.  ECS5 can help you monitor the stock on the shelves in real time using RFID technology so the shelves can be replenished when inventory is running low.

Waste Management

As mentioned above, a significant amount of perishable items end up being store losses due to poor waste management.  It is important for stores to realize when perishable items are near their end-of-life date so they can be marked down and removed from the shelves once they expire.

ECS5 can read RFID chips on perishable items via remote sensors and handheld readers and alert employees when a certain item is nearing its expiration date.  The RFID chips can also be used for dynamic pricing in which the price of an item is marked down automatically as it nears its expiration date. Marking down items that are nearing expiration increases the likelihood that they are sold, which reduces loss as these items still make a profit margin if they are bought at the lower price instead of being thrown away.  Once the items are expired, you can get an accurate count of the items that have been removed and replenish the inventory.

Complimentary Upselling

Another advantage of integrating RFID tags with ECS5 is that ECS5 can leverage this technology for complimentary upselling.  One of the strengths of the solution is that it can be used to create and implement multimedia messaging to TV screens and digital signage and displays throughout your store that can include high resolution images, video content, and animations.  With RFID technology, ECS5 can take this one step further and display targeted ads to specific customers as they pass these displays.

Within ECS5, you can set a rotation of different ads for your digital displays.  RFID readers on these displays can tell what items a passing customer has in their cart or basket and their demographic.  With this information, the displays can show information for complimentary products which can result in the customers putting additional items in their basket.

Improve Waste Management, Loss Prevention, and Complimentary Upselling with ECS5

Integrating ECS5 with RFID technology can help stores minimize their losses and boost revenue by making it easier to manage loss prevention, on-shelf inventory, and waste management while targeting ads to customers in real time based on the items in their basket to help with complimentary upselling.  You can integrate RFID technology seamlessly into ECS5 and immediately start reaping the benefits.

To learn more about how the ECS5 Media Suite can benefit your business by leveraging RFID technology, contact ECS Global.

ECS – “THE MEDIA CANVAS”

Posted on: April 22nd, 2024

ECS5 Media Suite Integrates the Management of Digital and Paper Signage

It is impossible to walk through any type of retail store without encountering customer communications in the form of paper signage, shelf tags, and digital signage and displays.  Paper signage has long been a staple of customer communications in retail stores and will continue to be a crucial element of in-store marketing.  Colorful, impactful point-of-sale (POS) paper signage is beautiful and effective as it grabs the attention of customers throughout the store.  While digital signage will not fully replace paper signage, many retail stores are incorporating more digital signage and displays into their communications.  The question is, how can retail stores efficiently manage both their digital and print signage to ensure consistent, accurate communications?

Efficient use of paper signage is highly beneficial for retail stores, but it can be quite inefficient if stores are using brittle systems that don’t allow for scalability or to operate at pace.  The same can be said for digital signage and displays as brittle proprietary systems may be expensive and have limited technological abilities.  If you are using multiple systems to manage your print and digital signage, there will be a disconnect between those multiple systems, leading to inefficiencies and inaccuracies and taking more of your time and money to manage.

The optimal  way to manage your print and digital signage efficiently is with a system that integrates all types of signage, so they can be managed from one place.  The ECS5 Media Suite is the secret sauce that links together all of your communications, so you can support your digital communications with efficient paper signage and ensure accurate information for pricing and promotions.  You do not need to rely on multiple brittle systems as ECS5 allows for the efficient management of multiple technologies right out of the box.  The capabilities of ECS5 allow retail stores to be as efficient and accurate with their communications as possible, so they can be more focused on their customers.

Drive Paper and Digital Signage with ECS5

ECS5 LogoFor many retail stores, they first adopt a system to manage their paper signage. Adding digital signage to their customer communications also means adopting a new system to manage and implement digital signage and displays.  ECS5 comes ready to manage paper and digital signage from the same dashboard.

Retailers must be able to put the right technology in place to blend paper and digital signage so they can efficiently diversify their in-store communications.  ECS5 allows retailers to move seamlessly between these technologies within the same system, eliminating the need to redo templates and integration.  You can use ECS5 to create and implement dynamic paper and digital signage and manage them efficiently, right out of the box.

How ECS5 Works

The Media Manager within ECS5 allows for the design and implementation of paper and digital signage.  A dropdown menu within the Media Manager allows you to choose whether the media you are working on is for paper signage or digital displays.  From there, you can design the display and instantly implement it to the TV screens and digital displays throughout your store.

ECS5 allows you to do the following with digital signage and displays:

  • Design digital signage and displays that include images, videos, and animations.
  • Implement digital signage to specific displays in your store instantly.
  • Save designs and templates for quick and efficient updates.

Why Work with ECS5 for Multimedia Communications

As more retail stores implement digital signage and displays, it is becoming more common to see media screens throughout a store.  Media screens give retail stores the ability to implement multimedia displays that consist of high-resolution images, video content, and animations.

Many retail stores may work with a third-party vendor to produce content for their media screens.  However, there are drawbacks to working with a third-party vendor, the biggest one being that by the time you get your content, it may be out of date.  There is a lead time for vendors to create digital content and by the time it gets to your screen, the information may no longer be relevant.  You also must pay the vendor for the content, which can be expensive.

A solution like ECS5  also allows you to try different technologies for your customer communications to determine what works best for your business.  The logic of ECS5  integrates your inventory, planogram, and pricing and promotion information with the capability to create shelf tags, paper signage, and digital displays.  You can experiment with different designs, colors, sizes, and more without locking your business in with an individual vendor for each type of technology.  In the future, you can use the same logic to take advantage of other technologies.

Implementing multimedia displays with ECS5 gives retail stores the opportunity to be more dynamic in their displays in a way that is impossible with third-party vendors.  With ECS5, you can target your customer experience in the following ways:

  • Display content in different store locations that are specific to that location.
  • Target individual screens within your store and across locations with specific displays.
  • React to current events in real time including the weather and special events to market related products.
  • Respond to your competition.
  • Design and implement digital displays and update them immediately with no need to depend on a vendor for content.

Creating and implementing digital displays with ECS5 saves you time and money as you will not have to wait for and pay a vendor for digital displays that are out of date as soon as you get them.  Effective and efficient use of multimedia and digital displays with ECS5 ensures accurate and consistent communications, which can help increase sales while allowing you and your employees to focus more on customer service.

Efficient Paper and Digital Signage Solutions with ECS5

Managing your customer communications across multiple systems creates silos that lead to inefficiencies and inaccuracies.  With more retail stores implementing digital signage and displays along with their paper signage, many are encountering the challenge of how to link the management of these technologies together for an efficient, economical solution.

ECS5 is the secret sauce that links paper and digital signage together.  With ECS5, retailers can blend the use of different forms of media seamlessly to ensure accurate, dynamic, and consistent messaging.  You will be able to take advantage of all the capabilities of ECS5, right out of the box.  Contact ECS Global today to learn more about ECS5.

ECS5 Speedboat

Posted on: March 27th, 2024

“ECS5 Media Suite; a retail speedboat that can react at pace to the requirements that your business colleagues desire”.

Create an Effective Digital Signage Strategy with ECS5

Posted on: February 20th, 2024

In our increasingly digitized world, digital signage is playing a much larger role when it comes to advertising and customer communications.  Digital signage can be found in many settings from retail stores, pharmacies and banks to hotels and academic buildings.

There are obvious advantages to incorporating digital signage into your messaging as you can create dynamic displays that feature high resolution images, animations, and videos.

If you are pursuing a digital strategy then you need to have a platform that allows you to implement the most appropriate blend of paper, digital and media, but also one that gives you the insurance policy that should you wish to implement something that is more economic or more advanced in technology, given the way that evolves then by implementing the ECS solution, you can introduce those new technologies at pace, in a blended way, when you wish. Versus the alternative of brittle development every time you want to move to new technology, which when implemented outside of ECS each of the ESL vendors has to be implemented separately.

The integration can be complex as it often needs to integrate with many different systems, for example it is normal to integrate with the merchandising product hierarchy, product information systems, stock systems and planogram in addition to the price and promotion systems.  Depending on the complexity of the solutions this can take from several months to up to two years to implement.  This exercise would need to be repeated with each ESL vendor that is implemented.  The project costs can range from hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions spent on IT system integrations, testing and project management.

ECS brings expertise in retail systems integrations and offers a solution to help businesses effectively design and manage their digital signage, which reduces the effort and time taken, often to just a few weeks. This significantly reduces implementation costs, and perhaps most importantly provides instant switch on of many additional ESL vendors and products, without further integration.

ECS5 Media Suite is a cloud-based retail management system that allows businesses to manage print and digital signage, shelf tags, planogram, and inventory from a single source.  Within ECS5, you can design dynamic digital signage and instantly send it to monitors, TV screens, and other digital displays.  You can also easily edit and update digital signage within ECS5 to ensure accurate and consistent communication of pricing, product information, and special promotions.

Why Choose ECS5 for Digital Signage and Displays?

ECS5 LogoBusinesses that want to add digital signage and displays to their customer communications strategies may look for a digital signage company to manage these displays.  However, if you already have a system for print signage, adding a new system for your digital signage will only create silos and make it more difficult to ensure accurate and consistent messaging across your print and digital media.  Simply adding digital signage capabilities is not as effective as incorporating it into your larger communications strategy.

When you work with a digital signage vendor, they may develop their own brittle solution that will operate separately from the systems you are already using for your print signage. You may also be stuck with their designs and capabilities.  This can make it difficult to ensure accuracy and consistency across your print and digital signage as navigating multiple systems to manage your signage increases the risk of inaccuracies and inefficiencies and takes more of your time.  There is also a high level of volatility with digital signage vendors as they may merge or change strategy with little to no warning. Technology is constantly evolving and therefore, you would want to nimbly be able to take advantage of improved resolution, color and economically reducing cost.

It simply does not have to be this way.  With ECS5, you can seamlessly manage your print and digital signage with this single, cloud-based solution.  ECS5 can be integrated into your current infrastructure, so you do not need to start from scratch or spend time and money incorporating new systems.  You can easily design and manage your digital signage and display yourself in the Media Manager with no need for a third-party vendor.  Your digital signage designs are stored within the system so you can conveniently update current designs and quickly change between multiple displays. ECS5 is also the only system available that manages print and digital signage which saves your business time and money and helps ensure accurate, consistent messaging.

The following are the main reasons to choose ECS5 for your business:

  • Manage print and digital signage from one source.
  • Design digital signage in the Media Manager without being bound by the limited capabilities of third-party vendors.
  • Avoid working with vendors in a volatile industry.
  • Avoid being locked into underperforming proprietary systems.
  • Streamline your customer communications strategy for accurate and consistent messaging across all mediums.

Retail Signage Solutions from ECS

Digital signage is highly effective because it is more dynamic and engaging than traditional print signage.  You can create digital displays with high resolution images and video content and even update or change your digital displays in an instant.  If you want to incorporate digital signage, do not get stuck with a vendor that manages your digital signage separately from your print signage.

ECS5 is a highly flexible software solution that allows you to efficiently manage your print and digital signage from a single dashboard.  We save you the trouble of using multiple systems by integrating all of your print and digital signage and displays for an efficient and cost-effective solution.  Our software solution eliminates the need for multiple software systems to handle your in-store displays. By seamlessly integrating all your devices, displays, and systems, we save you the hassle and provide a unified management experience.

What is the Secret Sauce?

Posted on: February 9th, 2024

ECS Global Recently Partnered with Brother UK to Support Their Customers with ECS5

Posted on: January 18th, 2024

At ECS Global Inc., we developed ECS5 to integrate the management and implementation of different types of print and digital media at the shelf edge and point of sale into one easy to use solution.  The ECS5 Media Suite allows for efficient, consistent, and accurate customer communications, including pricing and messaging, which helps improve the customer experience while eliminating inefficiencies and saving businesses time and money.  ECS5 is ideal for businesses across industries including retail, healthcare, academia, hospitality, manufacturing, and logistics.

One of the main features of ECS5 is that it allows users to integrate handheld devices that can be used on Android and iOS mobile operating systems.  With this capability, store employees can check pricing and inventory and print shelf tags and impactful signage from anywhere within the store.  Recently, ECS partnered with Brother UK, a business technology solutions provider, to offer Brother printing devices that can be integrated into ECS5.

ECS Partnership with Brother UK

ECS Global partners with Brother UK to provide a range of printing devices that can be integrated with ECS5

ECS Global partners with Brother UK to provide a range of printing devices that can be integrated with ECS5

Brother UK is a global technology solutions provider that specializes in print and labeling solutions including managed print services and print and scan hardware.  ECS launched our partnership with Brother UK in October 2023 which makes their print hardware available to our current and prospective customers.  Our partnership covers Brother’s PJ mobile printers, RJ range of rugged portable devices, TD line of desktop labeling printers, and TJ industrial printer range.

The products now available from Brother UK provide our customers in retail, healthcare, transport and logistics, and other industries with a full range of print solutions.  The seamless integration of Brother desktop, mobile, and industrial printers into ECS5 allows ECS customers to manage any volume of printing, from label printing to industrial printing, while cutting down on inaccuracies and inefficiencies that can cost your business time and money.

“There is a growing demand among businesses across supply chain, retail and hospitality to digitize their day-to-day operations and we have built a strong product proposition to take advantage of this buoyant market,” says Ged Cairns, Head of SPS business category at Brother UK.  “Our new partnership with ECS Global will serve to strengthen our position and provide clients with the broadest range of print devices available from a single vendor.  In addition to consistent device management and deployment tools, businesses will benefit from simplifying their consumables ordering, service, support and user training.”

“When Brother approached us with a partnership proposal, we knew it would be a great opportunity to work with such an instantly recognizable brand, offering the full range of print solutions our customers need,” says Derek Buchanan, CEO of ECS.  “They can now choose devices for each section of their operations from the same vendor to meet any level of print type and volume, which will simplify their administration, boost their workflow efficiencies and help reduce costs.”

Features of ECS5

ECS5 is a cloud-based media communication suite that allows businesses to effectively manage multiple communication channels, including digital signage, impactful print signage, and interactive media displays from one place.  Integrating all communications into one media suite allows for more efficient management and guarantees the timely delivery of consistent messaging and accurate information to customers regarding pricing and promotions.  ECS5 reduces inaccuracies, wasted materials, and the time it takes to implement communications while improving the customer experience, which cuts costs and increases revenue.

The following are the main features of ECS5:

  • Manage printed and digital shelf tags, labels, and signs: ECS5 features an integrated Media Manager that allows for the quick design of printed and digital shelf tags, labels, and other signage with current pricing and promotions. These designs can be adjusted quickly when pricing and promotions change, and the system can even automatically update these changes within the system.  Electronic shelf tags and digital signage are updated automatically to reflect changes.
  • Manage digital media: Within the Media Manager, users can design digital signage and multimedia displays that include video content and images. The digital displays can be easily distributed to connected digital signs and TV screens throughout the business.
  • Manage planograms: Live planogram and inventory data can be integrated into ECS5 which allows users to efficiently manage inventory and track volume of sales in different areas of the planogram. This also helps make shelf tag printing more accurate and cost-effective as the tags will be printed automatically in accordance with the planogram and only tags for items currently in stock are printed.
  • Automate printing of signage and labels: Users can set and automate the printing of signage and shelf tags within ECS5. Batch printing can be scheduled at different times across departments and store locations.  ECS5 will also automatically print signage and shelf tags for items currently in stock and avoid printing shelf tags for out-of-stock items.
  • Integrate devices: ECS5 has mobile capabilities that allow devices such as handheld scanners, mobile printers, kiosks, and PCs to be integrated into the system. Users can check inventory, pricing, and other information from anywhere and manage the printing of shelf tags and signage on the shop floor.  With our new partnership, the full range of printing solutions from Brother UK can be integrated into ECS5.

Contact ECS5

ECS is looking forward to offering a wide range of print hardware for our customers to cover their printing operations more efficiently through our partnership with Brother UK.  Brother printing devices can be seamlessly integrated into ECS5 for efficient management of any type or volume of printing, from label printing to industrial printing.

To learn more about the range of printing products available through our partnership with Brother UK and how they can be integrated into your operations, contact ECS.

How Utilizing the Screens Throughout Your Establishment Can Increase Profitability

Posted on: December 1st, 2023

It is almost impossible to go anywhere without encountering digital screens.  Screens are found in so many different types of businesses and establishments from retail stores and hotels to stadiums and academic buildings and museums.  These screens are typically used to communicate with customers and guests to provide important information regarding pricing and promotions, special events around the facility, general information and more.

A common problem that we at ECS Global have noticed is that sometimes these screens are not being fully optimized.  Recently, our CEO was at a hotel in Chicago that has meeting rooms, and each room had a digital screen outside the door.  One particular screen was in a corridor between two large convention centers with thousands of people walking past it that simply said, “No Meeting Today.”  The amount of foot traffic passing this sign is comparable to that of a train station.  Imagine the amount of signage in a train station that advertise local businesses and shops within the station itself and how many people see this signage each day.  In areas with high foot traffic, businesses should use the assets they have to trigger purchasing decisions.

ECS5 integrates print and digital media so that all communications can be managed from a single source.

Leaving this message on screens that are being seen by so many people is a missed opportunity.  The hotel has a restaurant and fully stocked gift shop, and the screens could have been used to advertise these areas.  Rotating displays on the screen can show some of the most popular dishes or drinks from the restaurant, items from the gift shop, or promotions for room rates or upcoming events at the hotel.  The screens could also be used for reactive media, such as reminding guests that the hotel store has sunscreen on hot, sunny days.

Utilizing these screens to communicate more than “No Meeting Today” to hundreds of hotel guests that are not there for a meeting in the first place can entice them to visit the hotel restaurant or store for more sales and profits.

Optimize Messaging with ECS5 Media Suite

No matter the environment, whether it is a retail store, stadium, hotel, convention center, or anywhere else that large numbers of people are compelled to be, digital screens should be used to trigger purchasing decisions that can complement the profitability of the environment.  However, this requires businesses to be able to easily manage the content that appears on the digital screens throughout the establishment.

The ECS5 Media Suite from ECS allows businesses to easily manage the content on the digital screens throughout the property.  ECS5 integrates print and digital media so that all communications can be managed from a single source.  Within ECS5, users can use the Media Manager to create multimedia content for digital displays and instantly implement that to any connected screen.  This allows for reactive communication using dynamic displays that can be created and implemented in real time.

One thing a business or establishment should never do is leave their digital screens blank, static or with an error message, as you will be missing out on an opportunity to increase your profitability.  The following are the main benefits of using ECS5 to manage and implement multimedia content on digital screens:

  • Create multimedia displays: With the Media Manager within ECS5, you can create multimedia displays that include high-definition videos and quality photos. You can create multiple displays and save them within ECS5 so they can be implemented at a later date.
  • Immediate implementation: You can instantly send your multimedia displays to any of the digitalscreens within your business that are integrated into ECS5. You can set certain displays for certain screens and even have rotating displays at one screen.
  • Dynamic promotions: Unlike print signage, multimedia displays are dynamic and can be edited and switched instantly to say current and accurate.
  • Reactive media: With the ability to instantly change displays on your screens, you can react to current events and even the weather conditions to implement more relevant displays. For example, you can advertise a special price on umbrellas on a rainy day.
  • Control screens in multiple locations: ECS5 allows you to control the displays on different screens within one location as well as screens across all locations. You can tailor your displays to be more relevant by promoting pricing and promotions that are only valid at one location or pricing relevant to special events in the local area.
  • Increase profitability: The screens within your establishment should always be displaying pricing and promotional information to encourage people to make purchasing decisions that will increase your profits. By not taking advantage of your screens, like in the hotel in Chicago mentioned at the beginning of this article, you are essentially leaving money on the table.

Integrate All Communications with ECS5

ECS5 can be used by businesses of all types to fully integrate communications and manage both print and digital media from the same dashboard.  While retail stores make up the majority of our clientele, ECS5 is a highly effective tool that can be used in stadiums, hotels, banks, academic institutions, and much more.

With ECS5, it is possible for these businesses to manage all of their communications, including within stores, restaurants, and common areas from one place.  Hotels and stadiums can use ECS5 to manage displays on screens throughout the property while also managing the pricing, inventory, and print and digital signage within stores and restaurants.

The following are the main features of ECS5:

  • Create print signage and shelf tags: The Media Manager within ECS5 allows you to design printed signage and shelf tags and you can go back into the saved designs to quickly make changes to reflect current pricing and promotions.
  • Automate signage and shelf tag printing: You can automate the printing of signage and shelf tags and ECS5 is intuitive enough to only print shelf tags for items that are in stock.
  • Integrate stock and planograms: You can integrate your inventory and planogram into ECS5 which makes it easy to check inventory from connected devices and cut down on waste as ECS5 will only print shelf tags for items currently in stock.
  • Manage multimedia displays: The Media Manager allows you to create dynamic displays that incorporate video, images, and animations. You can instantly send these displays to connected screens.
  • Integrate mobile devices: Handheld devices, printers, smartphones, and other mobile devices can be integrated into ECS5. Users can access the main dashboard from any connected device and connecting mobile printers allows you to bring the process of printing signage and shelf tags from the back office to the shop floor.

To learn more about how ECS5 can help you better manage your communications and increase profitability, contact ECS Global.

The Journey from Handwritten Signs to Blended Print and Digital Communication with ECS5

Posted on: October 13th, 2023

Bad, hard-to-read, unprofessional handwritten signs can be a thing of your store’s past

Within retail stores and other businesses where sales are made on-site, accurate and efficient communication with the customer is crucial.  The best way to communicate the necessary information to your customers, including pricing and special promotions, is through a blend of print and digital media, including point of sale signage, shelf tags, and digital displays.  Well designed signage and displays, along with consistent messaging, will get the attention of your customers and help increase sales and profit margin. However, one thing we have all seen within retail stores is examples of bad signage. This includes handwritten signs and signs created using basic tools instead of a Media Suite for designing signage.  Not only does this signage look unattractive on the shop floor, but it is not the most effective way to communicate with your customers.  Many customers might disregard signage that looks unprofessional or doesn’t contain very much information, and these signs may not be replaced quickly enough when they become superseded by updated signage with new prices.

Problems such as poor signage and inaccurate or inefficient communication are more likely to occur when separate systems are used to manage different types of communication.  Customer communication systems tend to be designed to do one thing, meaning a business may be using one system to design and print shelf tags, a different system to manage printed point of sale signage, and maybe even a third system to create digital or multimedia signage and displays.

Some businesses may only operate with one system while being left to improvise for other types of communication with handwritten or poorly designed signage printed from a computer.  When you use handwritten or printed signage that is hastily taped to the shelf, the signage can easily become damaged or fall off.  Using proper shelf tags and signage that can be secured in place can prevent damaged and missing signage from being an issue.

Creating silos for managing different types of customer communication leads to inefficiencies and inaccuracies that will cost you time and money.  It simply doesn’t have to be this way.

Going from Handwritten Signs to Blended Communication

ECS5 Media Suite allows you to seamlessly blend together your store’s traditional paper & digital signage

Customer communication is most effective when the different types of communication used within a business are consolidated into one system with consistent messaging.  Retail stores and other businesses can quickly go from using handwritten or manually produced signs to employing effective blended communications with the ECS5 Media Suite.

The ECS5 Media Suite is a cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) system that allows users to manage all their customer communications, including print signage and shelf tags, digital signage and displays, electronic shelf tags, multimedia displays, and more from a single solution.  By unifying all communications from the point of sale to the shelf edge, you can eliminate inefficiencies and establish consistent and accurate messaging between print, digital, and multimedia signage and displays.

ECS5 saves your business time and money by allowing communications to be easily managed and deployed from one system and improves the customer experience.

If your business is using separate systems to manage different types of print and digital signage, ECS5 allows you to bring them all together under one easy to use dashboard.  You can manage the following with ECS5:

  • Print high impact, colorful signage: The Media Manager within the ECS5 Media Suite allows you to design signage and shelf tags and you can schedule batch printing for when a price change occurs. You can also quickly adjust the aesthetic of existing signage designs to suit your needs, for example a specific promotion period or a seasonal change.
  • Integration with external systems: ECS5 can be easily integrated with your existing IT infrastructure so you can make the journey from handwritten signs to impactful print signage very quickly. This ensures that signage always displays the correct price and promotional information at the time of printing.
  • Blended communication: Within ECS5, you can design and implement print signage, electronic signage, and multimedia digital displays for blended customer communications. You can update digital signage and displays immediately by sending information to the targeted screens and displays.
  • Integration with planogram and inventory: ECS5 integrates with your planogram and inventory data which allows you to quickly check inventory from any connected device and automate the printing of shelf labels so only labels that are needed for current stock are printed, cutting down on waste materials.
  • Mobile capabilities: Mobile devices such as smartphones, handheld devices, and mobile printers can connect to ECS5 which brings tasks like checking inventory and printing shelf tags from the back office to the shop floor, saving both time and money.
  • Geo-targeting: ECS5 can be used to integrate the communications management of multiple store locations in one place, allowing you to manage multiple locations from the dashboard and geo-target pricing and promotions that are only valid for specific locations.

Benefits of In-Store Blended Print Signage and Digital Displays

As discussed above, implementing blended communications within your business with a combination of impactful print signage, electronic and digital signage, and multimedia displays is the best way to drive customer engagement which increases your sales and profit margin.  With ECS5, you can quickly pivot from using handwritten and manually created signs to implementing impactful paper, digital and multimedia signage and eliminating inaccuracies and inefficiencies.

Blending communication is an effective marketing strategy as supplementing paper signage with multimedia displays has been shown to uplift sales.  However, electronic and multimedia signage should be used in areas where it can be most effective.  Multimedia displays in windows or near entrances can help bring customers in the door and these displays can be used to draw attention to products that are part of a special promotion.  Effective multimedia displays near the registers can also encourage last-minute impulse buys while customers are waiting to check out. Printed shelf edge labeling can often be more impactful as it is more colorful and can include information that cannot be displayed on electronic shelf labels such as high-quality product images and brand logos.

Efficient Print Retail Signage

The ECS5 Media Suite is the most efficient paper retail signage system in the world.  The paper signage capabilities of ECS5 are high-performing and refined and help ensure compliance with pricing.  Many different types of retail stores use ECS5 for paper signage including grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores, department stores, furniture retailers, pet stores, and many more.

Many businesses use systems that are only designed to do one thing, such as printing paper signage, but these systems can be brittle.  They cannot handle printing shelf tags and signage in as large of a volume as ECS5 and these systems may move slower or even break down when asked to do too much.  One of the areas ECS5 excels at is the pace of the system.  ECS5 allows for efficient design and printing of shelf tags and paper signage which can help you quickly pivot your marketing communications from handwritten to impactful printed signage.

The following are the main benefits of using ECS5 to manage paper signage and shelf tag printing:

  • Easy design: Users can design and save shelf edge labels and signage within the Media Manager and access the designs later to quickly change information regarding pricing and promotions. All types of printed signage can be designed and edited within the same Media Manager.
  • Manage batch printing: ECS5 allows you to manage and schedule batch printing for shelf tags. You can schedule batches to be printed at certain times for different departments within the store and even in different store locations from the same dashboard.  You can also track the progress of the batch printing.
  • Integrate mobile devices: You can take shelf tag printing operations from the back office to the shop floor by integrating handheld devices and printers. Users can manage shelf tags from handheld devices and print them using the mobile printers.  This allows employees to quickly update shelf edge labeling when there is a change in stock or pricing and replace missing or damaged shelf tags, eliminating the need for handwritten signs.
  • Integrate inventory and planogram data: ECS5 integrates inventory and planogram data so that shelf tags will only be printed for items within the planogram and that are currently in stock. This allows for more efficient and accurate shelf labeling with less wasted materials.
  • Save time and money: Making the journey from handwritten signage to printed shelf tags and signage will allow for more accurate communications and save your business time and money. ECS5 streamlines the process of printing paper signage and shelf tags which cuts down on wasted materials and takes up less of your employees’ time, allowing them to focus more on customer service.

The ECS5 Media Suite from ECS Global

It doesn’t have to be this way. Contact ECS Global to improve your store signage.

Using different systems to manage your in-store communications creates inefficiencies which leads to inaccurate messaging when it comes to your products, pricing, and promotions.  Your business does not have to rely on multiple outdated systems and handwritten signs to communicate with your customers.  You can bring the management of all your communications and easily implement blended communication with the ECS5 Media Suite from ECS Global.

The ECS5 Media Suite is the best retail point-of-sale system in the world and helps you ensure that your messaging is live and accurate for efficient, consistent communication.  Contact ECS to learn more about how ECS5 can benefit your business.

Print and Digital Signage Systems: Don’t Buy Twice

Posted on: August 4th, 2023

The aftermath of the pandemic and tightening economic conditions have been difficult on retailers and have led to many looking for places to cut costs.  Nucleus Research Inc. found that a potential cost saving opportunity for retailers is to combine the management and production of print and digital signage into a single system.  This eliminates the need to use separate systems that each come with their own cost and ultimately saves time as the design and implementation of print and digital signage can be done much more efficiently.  ECS Global offers the ECS5 cloud-based platform that consolidates the management of print and digital signage into a single system.  Nucleus found that retailers that switched to ECS5 and aligned their communication channels reduced operational costs and increased employee productivity.

You can read more about the cost-saving potential of ECS5 here: https://nucleusresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/x68-Print-and-digital-signage-systems-Dont-buy-twice.pdf

The Emperor Has No Clothes On: Enterprise Software Solutions – Trade Shows Not Worth the Investment to Discover New Technologies

Posted on: July 27th, 2023

In the past, trade shows were important events that allowed professionals within broader industries and particular niches to come together to network and learn about new trends and technologies.  Then the pandemic came and hit the $2.5 trillion trade show industry hard as shows and conventions were cancelled and postponed from March 2020 until the COVID vaccines became more widespread the following year.

While trade shows have come back since the pandemic, they do not have the same impact they once did.  Low attendance from vendors and attendees makes it difficult to justify the investment as vendors are making minimal return from trade shows which is causing investors to pull their funds.  When vendors attend trade shows, they must pay for their displays, travel, and shipping supplies, and spend several days at the show while getting very little back from their investment.  For vendors, it makes little sense to attend trade shows given the post pandemic state of the industry.

The lower attendance of vendors at trade shows also makes them less worth the time for other professionals there as attendees.  For instance, retailers who attend trade shows looking for new technology to help make their processes more efficient may only encounter some of the vendors in the industry that can provide this technology.  Retailers are also listening to the same pitch from vendors as the technologies are rather similar, making it difficult to differentiate between the vendors and understand how each can best serve their specific needs.  These vendors also all attend the same trade shows which means that retailers are seeing the same people and getting the same pitch at every show.

Trade shows were once a good way for people within a specific industry to learn new information and trends, and network with potential partners, but post pandemic, this is no longer the case.  When it comes to the perceived effectiveness of trade shows, the emperor has no clothes on.  Rising costs and falling attendance, along with increasing use of technologies like Zoom that allow people to connect digitally, are making trade shows not worth the investment in time and money.

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Efficient Retail Solutions with ECS

At ECS, we understand the frustration retailers may feel when they are getting the same pitch from multiple vendors offering similar technology, withvery little information about what makes each vendor unique.  It is important for retailers to know that they are choosing the right vendor that will help them improve their communications with their customers at the point of sale to increase revenue.

ECS offers a unique software solution to help retailers improve their communications through signage and digital displays.  ECS5 is a cloud-based software solution that integrates pricing, promotional information, and planogram and inventory data so that retailers can effectively manage each of these aspects from a single place.  With ECS5, you can manage your media canvas of print and digital media as well as your inventory and planogram.  Using ECS5 will drastically reduce the amount of time store employees spend designing, printing, and placing signage and shelf tag labels which frees them up to provide better customer service.

With many software solutions available, ECS5 stands out due to the ease of use and the power it has to integrate many different capabilities that can be managed from a single dashboard.  Here are the ways in which ECS5 stands out from similar technologies:

Integration for Consistency

When it comes to managing customer communications, including digital displays, paper signage, and shelf tags, many retail stores have a separate system for each.  The problem with managing each form of media with a different system is that it is time-consuming and increases the risk of inconsistencies across channels.

One of the advantages of ECS5 is that it seamlessly integrates the communication infrastructure you are already using into one solution.  From the ECS5 dashboard, you will be able to manage the design and implementation of digital displays, print signage, and shelf tags and ensure accurate, consistent communication across all channels and reach your customers from the point of sale to the shelf edge.

With ECS5, you have the capability to create digital signage and displays, multimedia content including images and videos, shelf tags, and print signage quickly and easily.  Digital signage and multimedia displays can be implemented instantly to TV screens and other displays while the printing of shelf tags and paper signage can be automated.  ECS5 also integrates inventory and planogram information so that only shelf tags for items in stock will be printed, cutting down on waste.  Changes in pricing and promotions can also be automated and implemented as soon as they take effect.

Integrating ECS5 into your current infrastructure saves your business money and avoids unnecessary duplication of your tasks.  The ability to manage all of your communications from one dashboard will not only improve efficiency and accuracy, but also save your business time and money by allowing your employees to focus more on customer service.

More Than Just Digital

Retail stores of all types use a blend of digital and print signage to convey their communications to their customers.  ECS5 allows you to manage your digital and print signage from a single source.  The Media Manager within ECS5 allows for the quick creation of print and digital media which helps keep communications accurate and consistent across both mediums.  You can also automate the printing of signage and shelf tag batches so that the signs are printed when they are needed.

ECS5 has the power to integrate planogram and inventory information.  This allows store employees to quickly check inventory from any device and the inventory information automatically updates as items are sold and new stock is received.  The integrated inventory and planogram data also prevents the printing of shelf tags for items that are out of stock and the tags are printed according to the planogram information so they can be quickly placed on the shelves.

The other advantage of ECS5 is the analytics capability to track your progress with your promotional campaign in real time.  This allows you to monitor the execution and effectiveness of your campaigns and adjust and refine based on the analytics.

The seamless blend of digital and print signage, planogram and inventory information, and analytics to monitor your campaigns into a single source solution will drastically improve the efficiency and accuracy of your messaging which creates a better customer experience and leads to more sales and increased revenue.

Contact ECS

Retailers do not have to go to trade shows and hear the same pitch to find new technology that can make their processes more efficient.  At ECS, we help retailers improve the efficiency and accuracy of their messaging with the integrative power of ECS5.

Contact ECS to learn more about ECS5 and how it can benefit your business.

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Contact ECS Global Inc. to learn more about ECS5

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