Which Digital Signage Software Enhances Building Communication? Discover the Best Choice

Digital signage is popping up just about everywhere. As the person responsible for residential communication in a multifamily community, you’ve likely desired a simple, turnkey solution to publish your property messages on screens installed in your high-traffic common areas to improve communication. After all, in buildings where property managers use digital signage software to enhance communication and elevate the tenant experience, display screens are considered a top-tier amenity.

If you’ve spent any amount of time exploring your options, you’ve probably found multiple companies offering the tools you would need to convert your HDMI-capable screens to a digital display.You may even have found a few with signage software capable of uploading your message screens to a managed network. 

But most companies don’t provide the type of user-friendly software you’d need to elevate your screens to amenity status that serve your needs and also engage your residents. Once you know how digital signage is being used in multifamily communities throughout the country, it’s easy to see how using the right signage software could give your residents even more reasons to love where they live.

How Community Managers Are Using Digital Signage Software & Display Screens

Every profession has its challenges. With vacancy rates expected to hover around 6.25% moving into 2024 (and beyond), property owners (and community managers) are investing in a wide range of digital technologies and software-driven amenities to attract and retain today’s tech-forward tenants. 

Not only can you install prop-tech like smart home controls, security cameras, and key less locks, but you can also use a variety of modern software solutions to manage maintenance requests, lease renewals, and rent payments.

Related: Guide to Digital Signage | Your Questions Answered

Today’s community managers also need the tech to upload property messages to modern digital display screens installed in lobbies, mail rooms, and other high-traffic hot spots using a turnkey solution that streamlines the entire process. 

The right platform will provide your residents with valuable content to engage and attract their attention—and you can be sure they’ll engage with your messages in the mix. Choose the right partner and you can expect the benefit of several communication essentials. 

Automating Resource-Intensive Tasks

The software used to create, update, and upload residential messages can help property managers save time and money by automating multiple resource-intensive tasks. Instead of dedicating payroll hours (and the cost of materials) to creating and printing posters, hanging signs, and making time-consuming door drops, you can create, edit, and publish eye-catching digital screens in minutes. The advantages are far-reaching.

Not only are the screens able to reduce the amount of time devoted to keeping the community informed, but property managers can also use the screen creation software to display custom QR codes that residents scan with the camera installed on their smartphones. You can use these codes to make it easy for residents to RSVP to hosted events, boost participation in tenant satisfaction surveys, and direct community members to updates about property upgrades.  

Building Positive Relationships

Many multifamily communities today offer residents the convenience of multiple cloud-hosted services. However, community managers are looking for ways to get around the fact that the digital communication methods they’ve relied on for years—email, for example—have steadily grown less effective over time.

To minimize the potentially detrimental impact of miscommunication and misunderstandings caused by lack of clear communication, community managers can use cost-effective digital signage software and platform-compatible screens as a highly visible communication method, in addition to traditional email notifications and reminders. This software improves communication and can help build positive manager/tenant relationships.

With event calendars published on screens optimized with the right software, it’s easy to draw attention to your property messages as your community members are heading out the door for their morning commute, stepping out for lunch, or making their way home for the evening. 

Your newfound ability to engage every resident at multiple touch points throughout the day helps ensure an impressive turnout to movie nights, game tournaments, holiday mixers, and family-friendly activities. Residents who feel part of a modern, active, and inclusive community are twice as likely to renew their lease.

Keeping Community Residents Safe

Property owners and their management teams are responsible for the security and safety of a considerable number of people. With digital screens supported by the right software, you won’t lose sleep wondering if your residents will remember what to do in an emergency.

Instead, you’ll have the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re making the best use of the software included with your managed network or turnkey communication prop-tech to create, publish, and display a rotation of evacuation instructions, emergency exit locations, and safety protocol reminders on screens your residents see every day.

Related: Unlocking Efficiency: How Tenant Communication Software Transforms Real Estate Management

When you have software that makes it easy to dedicate screen time to your communication essentials while also uplifting or educating residents with engaging content, your residents will know and remember where to find policy change notifications and contact information for after-hours emergency repairs. 

If the software powering your screens is accessible from nearly any internet-capable device, anyone with authorized access to your portal can also create and upload real-time weather alerts and travel advisories. The combined impact of management transparency and efficient communication builds trust.

Features to Look for When Comparing Digital Signage Software

Property owners invest in turnkey proptech and digital signage software to ensure their management teams have a cost-effective communication solution that’s ready to use right out of the box. Although there are multiple companies offering tech that can upload user-generated images to digital displays, you’ll find their software features are vastly different. For example, some proptech providers give their subscribers screen creation tools that are rudimentary or complex, taking time and talent to master.

Others provide a small number of generic templates but display only a lackluster rotation of RSS feeds—programming that could work against you. To take full advantage of the many benefits of using digital signage software in your residential community, consider narrowing your options based on the following criteria.

Screen Creation Tools & Customizable Templates

When creating property message screens eats up too much time, updates and reminders tend to move further down the list of priorities. When screens aren’t updated regularly, communication stalls because residents lose interest. They eventually stop paying attention. For maximum efficiency, choose user-friendly software that makes it easy to create and publish eye-catching screens in minutes from a user-friendly interface.

For most property managers, customizable templates are ideal. Since it takes far less time to use a template than to start from scratch, there should be enough variety in the template library to ensure you have prebuilt screens available to cover as many occasions as possible with minimal changes to the original design.

Seamless Integration with Content Residents Enjoy Watching

As you’re comparing templates, you’ll also want to consider the type of programming included with your software. Instead of subjecting your residents to a limited number of generic playlists or an uninspired RSS feed, look for companies that feature property messages in rotation with expertly curated content from world-class content partners that is meaningful and relevant to upscale residential audiences—the kind of programming that engages residents and will transform engagement with your screens.  

The most in-demand signage software seamlessly integrates user-generated screens with a rotation of bite-sized local and national news reports, health information, sports scores, uplifting stories, (and more) curated by a professional editorial staff from reputable, recognizable sources. Look for software that gives you access to a robust editorial calendar that ensures active, continual engagement of residents in your multifamily community.

Commitment to Customer Service & Subscriber Support

Digital signage software providers that prioritize customer service and subscriber support are never more than an email or phone call away. With the right partnership, you’ll have an experienced client service staff in your corner for the duration of your relationship—a team you can count on for everything from installation assistance to navigating technical challenges.

Whether you’re comparing the software included for user-generated screen creation for a fully managed service or self-setup with a media player, take a look at the company’s consumer satisfaction scores before finalizing your decision. Companies with CSAT scores that outrank their competitors aren’t shy about revealing where they stand.

The Best Digital Signage Software to Enhance Communication in Your Building

Today’s property managers are using digital signage software to create, upload, and display safety information, announce referral incentives, promote community-building activities, post maintenance updates, market revenue generating initiatives, and engage their residents. The screens are so popular in multifamily communities that they’re often featured in property listings as a top-tier amenity.

However, not all network providers offer the type of user-friendly software property managers need to streamline their workflow or the type of engaging, relevant programming mix that ensures their tenants are watching. For that precise combination, you’ll need to partner with Captivate.  

With Captivate, there’s no need to invest in a lot of expensive hardware or devote hours to finding platform-compatible software. You have the option of investing in our fully managed hardware installation or connecting a Captivate | Go plug-and-play device to your HDMI-capable screens. With our plug-and-play technology and ScreenCenter™ content management software, residential message screens are created in minutes using one of our many customizable templates. To get started, submit a contact form today.