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5 Cabling & Site
Preparation
Install the satellite dish. For ceiling-mounted screens, drop poles to the brackets
so that the cabling can drop down the center and place the socket connections
at the tops of the poles. For the arms of top-shelf fixtures and off the spines,
place the socket on the gondola divider in the middle. All the cables can then
be terminated at the bottom of the poles so that the screens can be connected
easily. Leave plenty of flex cord at the end to satisfy the second-fix commissioning
stage. Install the cabinets and the racks in the back areas, label the cabling
by screen location and zone configuration, and pull it through trunk or cable
tray to the back location. Consider local management regarding storage requirements.
Inform the staff in the local store about the system.
6 Installation
of Back-Office & Infrastructure
Install the back-office equipment first, such as
the video hub equipment. Install the store hardware.
Install the content management that will help ensure
the success of the signage network.
7 Installation
of Front of Store & Screens/Audio
In the public areas, remove any temporary signage
and hang the screens on the ends of the brackets
throughout the sales floor. De-clutter the environment,
but leave category, wayfinding, and shelf pricing
signage.
8 Test & Commission
To prevent the airing of content before the buildout
is complete, test the system with a pilot phase.
A "coming soon" message can be aired
if necessary. Depending on the number of channels
planned, you might only want screen ratios such
as color and picture definition with your first
test, but the testing process also must consider
and address how areas will be restocked and how
the equipment might have inadvertently affected
shelf stocking.
9 Handover
to Client
In-store technical or maintenance personnel must be trained to perform maintenance
checks on the signage network so that it becomes part of the store's operating
routine. These personnel can perform troubleshooting procedures such as rebooting
after power failures. Determine the audio settings by trading hour. With higher
background noise on weekends than weekdays and afternoons than early mornings,
the audio must be managed for optimum effect. Project snags must be addressed
before the network is handed over to the retailer. Final commissioning will show
how the screens work and have been linked together.
10 Network
Launch
Switch the system on in the early morning. Perform
final checks on the live playlist in each zone. Once
it is operational, the content delivery process is
vital. Credibility will plummet if the screens go
blank. Technical elements such as bandwidth and local
storage capacity must be adequate to enable the network
to be scaled in the future. For content delivery,
the information return path will report minor faults
back to the store. The right architecture will minimize
faults and downtime for a high level of availability.
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