7 Ways to Improve Your Lobby Effect with PoE Display Screens

When we walk into a building, we may not consciously realize it, but the lobby immediately impacts our perceptions of the building overall. The “lobby effect,” as it’s known, refers to an individual’s cognitive and emotional responses to a physical space. For example, stepping into a poorly lit lobby with blank walls and minimal seating can make people uncomfortable. They may question building quality or the viability of a company housed in the property. Now, contrast the above experience with entering a light-filled lobby with warm flooring choices and conversation areas where individuals can wait comfortably. These varying responses to a location’s appearance are known as the psychology of place. People respond to the messages their environment conveys. Deploying technologies such as PoE display screens can make any lobby stand out positively, subtly influencing your visitors’ psychologies of place.

A lobby silently communicates a building’s value. It can instill a sense of pride and worth in the employees entering their office building each morning. Likewise, a poorly designed lobby will greet the same employees with a tired visage that saps the energy of anyone walking through the doors. The National Association of Realtors found that buildings with upgraded lobbies can increase property values by 6% to 12%.

Creating a Positive Lobby Effect

Well-designed lobbies aren’t just an expectation found in high-end properties. This expectation applies to all markets, from student housing to mid-range office buildings. Every lobby should be an inviting space that provides a sense of safety for visitors, residents, and employees. Of course, the specific layout will depend on the building’s purpose.

For example, medical buildings may need to consider how to incorporate health screening protocols into a lobby while maintaining a comfortable atmosphere. Sprawling academic campuses may need to display wayfinding signs in lobbies to direct students, visitors, and workers. Lobbies should always aim to create a sense of community regardless of their use.

It’s important to note here that creating an atmosphere of community does not mean cluttered bulletin boards with pushpins and printed notices. Sandwich boards with chalked announcements may convey a “small-town” vibe, but it may not be appropriate for high-rent apartments or condos. Technology in the form of digital signage can help build community regardless of the psychology of place.

What is Digital Signage?

Digital signage may be a single display or a network of screens. The display screen is tied to a central console that allows users to manage the screens and display content. The system may include media players, content management solutions, and analytics. Its objective is to engage people and create a positive lobby effect.

What are PoE Display Screens?

A Power over Ethernet (PoE) display screen uses PoE technology to deliver power and data to a connected device. Using a single Cat6 or Cat6A Ethernet cable, PoE can provide enough power to operate a display screen without requiring an external power source. Over the same cable, data can be sent at rates up to ten gigabits per second for a maximum of 180 feet.

This technology means digital signage can be placed on any lobby wall without losing transmission speed. No added electrical outlets are needed, and fewer wires create a cleaner appearance.

How Can PoE Display Screens be Used?

Without power constraints, PoE display screens have limitless uses. They can announce, direct, entertain, and inform. They can show images that engage people and create a sense of community.  Here are seven ways to use PoE displays to improve your lobby effect.

1. Wayfinding

Corporate campuses and healthcare complexes can be disorienting for first-time visitors. Using PoE display screens will keep anyone from feeling lost. A lobby display can orient people to their position within the complex. It can map the current building or direct visitors to other facilities. Content can also be updated quickly to display temporary information regarding one-time events like seminars. 

2. Announcements

Digital signage is the perfect way for museums, art galleries, and theaters to announce upcoming events. Rather than constantly swapping out physical posters on a wall, use the content management feature of a signage system to highlight plays or exhibits. Incorporate QR codes to direct patrons to online ticketing sites. Providing people with easy access to ticketing services can increase sales because they can purchase on the spot.

3. Disruptions

The unexpected happens—a water pipe breaks on floor 22, or a building loses power. Lobby signage can inform residents, visitors, and employees of such disruptions and provide emergency instructions. While no one enjoys the unexpected, an action plan can help reduce confusion.

With a PoE display screen, a loss of power doesn’t mean a loss of functionality. With an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), the display can keep people informed even when the power is out.

4. Connections

One often overlooked benefit of the positive lobby effect is how it can foster a sense of community. PoE displays can become galleries that display the work of local artists. They can show a montage of photographs of the surrounding neighborhoods. The connections make people feel more “at home” in a building lobby and convey an organization’s community involvement.

5. Information

Displays in the lobby of a student union building can provide critical information to faculty and students. Campus events sometimes get canceled, have a change of venue, or get rescheduled on short notice. Digital signage makes it easy to inform people of any scheduling change. With a network of campus-wide signage, information can be updated at a central location and then distributed throughout the campus, ensuring that the information is kept consistent.

6. Flexibility

PoE display screens come in a range of sizes. Buildings do not need spacious lobbies to take advantage of the technology. Users can place screens in unconventional spaces because a separate electrical outlet is unnecessary. Displays can be placed vertically to draw the eye up, creating the illusion of more space. Integrating digital signage into lobby designs can address limitations or highlight strengths in the space.

7. Essentials

Lobbies need to be functional. No matter how comforting the space is, it must provide the services necessary to fulfill its purpose as a hub of information for visitors. Digital screens can provide after-hours contact information or show an office directory. Signage software allows users to modify their displays to reflect company branding or corporate messaging. 

What’s Your Lobby Communicating?

If your lobby isn’t creating a positive effect and you’d like to ensure maximum property value, consider installing a digital signage system using PoE display screens. Signage systems can help build a strong psychology of place that will make visitors and occupants feel welcome while delivering brand-enhancing experiences.

Versa Technologies is a leader in critical PoE technologies that form the foundation for PoE-based digital signage systems. Contact us to discuss the right PoE solutions to support your digital signage initiative.