Digital Directories and Wayfinding in Mixed Use Developments

The incredible growth of digital signage, including interactive wayfinding kiosks and digital building directories has been nothing less than stunning over the last decade and there’s seemingly no end in sight. And opportunities to integrate these kinds of technologies seem practically limitless, too. So far in our blog series, we’ve discussed how health care and education environments are incorporating kiosks and building directories into their campuses in order to increase user satisfaction and create new avenues of communication with these populations. Today, we’ll discuss how malls and mixed-use developments are utilizing these strategies to do the same for their customers.

Studies have shown that more and more people are heading back into urban areas to make their homes. These are often areas where land is at a premium, leading developers to build up, instead of out. At the same time, discerning consumers want to maintain the feeling of a neighborhood, where they can shop, dine and even work, all within a walkable distance of their residence. The collision point of these two separate desires has resulted in a building boom of mixed-use developments -- also called “lifestyle centers” -- in both cities and inner-ring suburbs. With upscale architecture, loads of amenities and easy access to both work and play, it’s no wonder their popularity is at an all-time high.

Because the real estate involved in mixed-use developments is so densely packed, interactive way finding kiosks can be not just helpful, but utterly necessary in order to give consumers -- both visitors and residents -- the kind of personalized experience that’s generally expected in these types of high-end environments. The ability to easily navigate and interact with multiple buildings of retail, apartments and business offices, combined with a seemingly endless array of restaurant choices from from fast casual to four star, plus entertainment centers that include movie theaters and even plush bowling and gaming “lounges” is the key to long-term customer satisfaction.

Besides the wayfinding capabilities of these kiosks, they can also function in other capacities with a simple touch or swipe of a finger. This type of interactivity can include functionality such as digital building directories for a single building or an entire mall development, and information about specific stores from ongoing sales and specials to store hours. Additionally, way finding kiosks can serve as information hubs to communicate details about anything from events, to available housing to current movie times, and can even be integrated with printers so tickets are able to be purchased right from the kiosk’s screen.

What other industries are successfully deploying digital wayfinding and building directories? We invite you to follow RedyRef as we continue to explore the future of these technologies over the coming weeks. Already know that you want to take the plunge into high-tech wayfinding kiosks? RedyRef’s experts are available to assist organizations of all sizes; just give us a call at (800) 628-3603 ext 525 or submit a request for proposal online and our team will be with you every step of the way.