COVID-19: How To Reduce Customer Stress As Businesses Reopen

Reducing customer stress is top-of-the-list for business owners as businesses are reopening across the country. No matter how sanitized your location is, and no matter how closely you’re adhering to new health & safety regulations; many of your customers are still going to be stressed about leaving their homes. This article is all about one simple strategy you can implement right away to reduce customer stress in your business as you reopen.

Related: “Top 5 Ways to Prepare Your Business for Reopening“

Reduce Customer Stress with a Custom TV Network

Custom TV networks are a growing trend amongst small businesses owners and large franchisees alike. If you’re not sure what a custom TV network is, imagine a TV channel that’s specifically designed for your business. Because a customized TV network isn’t cable, you aren’t going to see any competitor ads or harmful content playing on your television. Instead, you’re in control of what shows up on your TV.

Imagine owning a pizza restaurant and having Domino’s or Papa John’s ads playing on your TV all throughout the day.

Simply put, if you’re paying for cable you’re paying to have those ads show up in your business. This is just one reason that a lot of business owners are cutting cable. If you’re curious to see 9 more reasons to cancel cable, then check out the following article: “Top 10 Reasons to Cancel Cable TV in your Business.“

How does a Custom TV Network Reduce Stress Among Customers?

By controlling what shows up on your TV you’re able to eliminate content that might otherwise make visitors anxious about being out in public. If you ask someone what they’re stressed about right now, 9 out of 10 times it’s going to be COVID-related. For that reason, playing most cable channels in your business is a bad idea; especially the news.

Related: “Top 5 Risks of Coronavirus News in your Business“

COVID-19 is a hot topic. It’s the subject of talkshows, it’s mentioned in ads, and you can’t watch the news for 10 minutes without it cropping up. Keeping the public informed is important, but at this point everyone knows to wear masks, use hand sanitizer, and practice social distancing. Coverage on the virus right now is a bit excessive, and stories such as “Think twice before going out to eat just yet” are the last things you want customers to see when they’re visiting your business.

If COVID-19 is going to come up, it should be through your own messaging.

A custom TV network is the best way to communicate with your visitors about the careful measures you’re taking to ensure their health and safety. By getting rid of stressful news and other bad content you’re giving your visitors peace of mind; you’re also improving your chances of them coming back.

The Right Custom TV Network for your Business

Whether you own a restaurant, gym, salon, a car dealership, or even a medical clinic, a custom TV network is the best solution for your TV. However, settling on the right one can be tricky; there’s a lot of options to choose from, and countless features to look out for. Here’s what we suggest:

The best service to start your search with is It’s Relevant TV.

It’s Relevant is the most feature-rich and easy-to-use custom TV network solution on the market. It even has a feature called “Covid-Free TV” built right in. Schedule a call or chat with the TV experts at ItsRelevant.com if you have any questions about what a custom TV network could do for your business.

Free Waiting Room TV Service | Businesses & Medical Offices

Looking for free waiting room TV service for your business or medical office? Cutting cable in favor of waiting room TV software is a step in the right direction; but settling on one of the self-proclaimed “free” TV services is just as bad, if not worse, than what you just got rid of. If you take anything away from this article, let it be not to fall for “free.” You always get what you pay for. Certain waiting room TV services, like this one, are as close to free as you’ll get; with features that make it worthwhile, and tools to even offset the cost.

If you’re paying $0/month for waiting room television, it shouldn’t be because it’s costing you $0/month. It should be because it’s generating enough revenue to cover the monthly cost.

Why is a Free Waiting Room TV Service a Bad Idea?

When something is advertised as “free,” it generally means that it isn’t costing you any money. However, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t costing you something else. Free is good when that free thing is complimentary, or a bonus; a thank-you for choosing X, Y or Z, with the hopes of leaving a good first impression. When that free thing is a TV service, or a brand-new television; or both, chances are that provider is taking advantage of you in some way.

How can you tell if you’re being taken advantage of?

If something is too good to be true, more often than not that’s usually the case. A free TV + content that you pay 0$/month for? It might seem like a win-win, but beneath the surface there’s something disingenuous going on. There’s no two ways of looking at it — whether you’re a restaurant, a gym, salon, dentist, or even a hospital, you have something these service providers want; a captivated audience.

Day-in and day-out, you’ve got visitors coming in and waiting — sometimes for 10, 15, or even 30 minutes. That’s a long time, and that’s precisely what these providers are looking for; to turn your TV into an electronic billboard. For who? Themselves, and their happy advertisers. They might throw you a bone and give you the ability to upload your own ads on the side, but not without your messages competing for the spotlight.

If you thought commercials were bad…

Try endless looping commercials for drugs, treatments, or nonsense-conditions that you or your doctors don’t endorse; it’s on your TV, visitors will associate it with your brand, and nothing short of turning it off will stop to it.

Recommended Read: “Top 5 Reasons a Free TV Service is Bad for Medical Offices“

An Alternative to Free Waiting Room TV Software that’s still Free, and 100% Safe

One of the downsides of a free waiting room TV service, as described above, is that fact that someone else is reaping all of the benefits while you’re stuck with their ads playing on your TV. But what if that “someone else” was someone you chose to instead? Someone you trust, or a non-competing brand that your business supports.

It’s Relevant TV, a company that provides custom TV networks to businesses, is unique in that it offers shoppers a $0/month Sponsor-Supported package in which you choose a trusted company, organization, or fellow business owner to cover the cost of your monthly subscription. In exchange, they get to feature their brand and messaging on your TV in a way that is mutual, non-intrusive, and most-importantly; safe for your business.

Check to see if there are any local businesses that you can partner with!

Choosing a brand that pairs well with your business, who has your best interests at heart, is a lot better than letting someone you don’t know; who you’ve never heard of, profit off of your business’ TV. Partnerships are, and always will be, a great marketing strategy.

A Safer Way to Shop for Waiting Room TV Software

The best way make sure that you’re getting a TV system that’s built to serve your brand is to consult with someone in the industry itself. The TV experts at ItsRelevant.com are there answer any questions you might have about what to look for when it comes to waiting room TV technology. Schedule a call with them, or ask to arrange a demo if you’re serious about a custom TV network.

If anyone should be making money off of the TV in your business or medical office, it’s you, or a partnered brand. Your TV, your space, and your visitors are extraordinarily valuble to these advertising companies; so much so that these “free TV services” are able to deal out free TVs and iPads like playing cards. The cost of that technology is nothing compared to what they’re making off of you.

How Much Does It Cost To Advertise On TV? | It’s Relevant TV

How Much Does it Cost to Advertise on TV?

Great question! The answer depends on whether or not your ad is going to be local, or national. Local ads cost significantly less, and are the go-to for smaller businesses for obvious reasons; your business with 1 to 3 locations on the East Coast doesn’t need to reach people in California. National ads- on the other hand, will cost much more per spot, but will cost less when divided among the viewers you are reaching.

If you’re reading this, chances are that what you’re interested in is a local advertisement — however both will be covered. Before we start, it is worth noting that there’s a third option that most business owners don’t think of; which is running your ads on the TV within your business itself. If you think that’s counterintuitive to the point of playing an ad on television, keep on reading and see why more and more business owners are adopting this new strategy.

Want to Advertise on TV? Here’s what to Expect

Business owners looking to run a local ad can expect to pay upwards of $1,500 for a 30-second advertisement on a broadcast network — compared to national ads, which can cost as much as $120,000 for an ad of the same length. Cable TV networks in limited areas can cost as little as $50 per spot, but the viewing audience for those ads is very small.

A Quick Calculation:
Just think if there are 200,000 cable subscribers. 50% of them may be watching TV at any given time, so that’s 100,000 audience. Now, those people have the choice between a thousand different cable channels. Most will gravitate towards the broadcast stations like NBC, Fox, CBS and ABC. So you may only be left with 40,000 viewers that are choosing between the other 1,000 channels. Divided evenly between the channels you might expect that ad to be shown to just 40 people. So even for a “cheap” ad on regional cable purchased for $50, you’d be paying $1.20 per viewer in the example above.

Television ads are costly, and that money spent is a lot for a small business — especially when there’s no guarantee that you’re going to make that money back. When it comes to most advertising platforms; cable TV, billboards, newspapers, etc. — you’re paying to have your message exposed to thousands, if not hundreds-of-thousands of people on the off-chance that a large number of them will see it, be interested, and then act on it. That’s a lot of off-chances.

Don’t bet your advertising budget on the Law of Averages. Not when you can achieve the same goals, with the same ad, for far less money.

The Advantages of Advertising on your Own Business’ TV

Some might argue that the point of having a commercial ad is to have it play on broadcast television; in people’s homes. The “I don’t need to advertise to customers who are already in my business” stance comes from a place of logic, but it has its flaws. Most notably, it’s ignoring the simple fact that those customers- who are already in your business, are there because:

1.) They trust you, or they trust your brand

2.) You sell a product that they need, or you offer a service that you provide.

3.) They are statistically more likely to (re)visit your business than someone who had never been there before.

Less often than you might think it’s because they saw your ad at home on TV. The small handful of “those-interested” that you might get out of a TV ad will have an equal mindset to those who are already visiting your business naturally. It’s far easier, and way more cost-effective, to target customers who are already in your location.

Why spend thousands of dollars fishing for 1-in-1,000 people who are interested in your brand when you can instead target 1,000 visitors who you know are already interested?

Selling visitors on additional products and services while they’re right there — where they can buy or act on it that second, is the best strategy for generating more sales and repeat business. If you were advertise on TV, your product, service, or message would REALLY have to motivate the consumer to stop what they’re doing, get up, go out, and visit your business. No matter which way you look at it, the best place for your business’ ad is your business’ TV.

Finding the Right Advertising Platform to Stream your Business’ Ads

DIY solutions cost time, money, and upkeep to maintain; trust a business TV provider to do all the hard work for you.

Finding the right platform can be a little overwhelming, especially if you’re new to the technology. The best place to start looking for business TV software is It’s Relevant TV. The TV experts there know businesses, and they know television; schedule a call with them for a closer look at the technology, or chat with a representative if you have any questions about using custom TV software in your business.

If you’re going to advertise on TV, make it your business’ TV.

How To Improve The Patient Waiting Room Experience

Do you want to improve patient wating room experience?

You might have tried new furniture, relaxing music, or maybe even something for the kids; all of these are great, and effective in their own way, but the MOST effective way to improve patient experience is through the TV.

9 out of 10 waiting areas have a TV.
If you’re one of those nine, this article is for you. If you’re the 1 in 10 that doesn’t have a TV, definitely consider getting one; a good, rightly-sized television for your wall costs a lot less than you might think — but beware of anything saying “FREE TV FOR MEDICAL OFFICES.”

How Does TV Improve Patient Waiting Room Experience?

It doesn’t — not on its own. You need the right technology to truly improve patient experience; cable and satellite TV just isn’t enough. In fact, traditional TV services actually do more harm than good. The list of reasons why it’s a bad idea is too long for this article, however you can read about the top 3 reasons here. It all boils down to a custom TV network being the wiser, more strategic choice when it comes to waiting room television.

Did You Know? Hospitals, urgent cares, and dentists are steadily moving away from cable in favor of custom TV networks.

Custom TV software that’s specifically designed for waiting areas are built with your visitors, and your brand, at heart; whereas cable and satellite was only ever built for the home setting. It isn’t, and was never, a fit for medical offices. What makes custom television work so well are the features that come with it. Features such as entertaining content, games & trivia, and educational programming do wonders to improve the patient waiting room experience.

What can a Custom TV Network do for your Medical Office?

Custom TV networks go above and beyond delivering fun and interesting content to your visitors; it’s a safe and effective way to communicate with your patients. Customizable TV programming can be made to split the screen into content + side messaging — where visitors will anything you upload from ads promoting services, to important reminders.

Custom TV networks are a great way to gently remind visitors to wash their hands and practice social distancing!

This is an effective strategy because people are naturally drawn to the TV. If you put a different message on a big sign, a poster, and a TV — you can bet that most people would be able to tell you what was on the television. TVs are engaging, and guaranteed to get noticed. More importantly, when you mix your messaging with videos that are entertaining, viewers are going to be a lot more receptive to what you have to say in addition to creating a better patient waiting room experience.

Getting Started with your Custom TV Network

The more you know, the better — that goes for just about everything, and double for custom TV networks. The best advice when it comes to shopping is to AVOID anything that claims to be “FREE TV FOR WAITING ROOMS.” If you’d like to know why you should avoid these services, you can read all about the top five reasons here. You should also be careful about signing lengthy contracts. Not all contracts are bad, but you should always know exactly what you’re getting; it’s hard, if not impossible to back out of most contracts.

It’s Relevant TV is the best place to start if you’re new, or serious about improving the patient waiting room experience at your medical office. Chat with the TV experts at ItsRelevant.com if you have any specific questions, or call and schedule a meeting with them for a closer look at the technology itself. Finding the right TV for your waiting area doesn’t have to be complicated; take your time, do your research, and talk to whomever you can about features.

Below are some additional articles that might help your search for a custom TV network:

“What Makes the Best Waiting Room TV Software the Best?”

“Top 3 Waiting Room TV Services for Medical Offices”

“Top 5 Features to Look for in Medical Waiting Room TV Software“

TV Packages For Your Business or Medical Office | It’s Relevant TV

It’s Relevant TV offers businesses and medical offices TV packages that are perfect for lobbies and waiting rooms. More than just TV, It’s Relevant lets you communicate with your visitors in new and effective ways that cable simply can’t hold a candle to. IRTV is the future of waiting area TV, and the technology couldn’t be easier to use. If you’re like a lot of business owners reading this and just want to learn more about TV packages for your business or medical office; visit It’s Relevant TV’s website and schedule a call, or chat with the TV experts there if you have any questions.

What to Look for in the Best TV Packages

Obviously, the best TV package for your business or medical office is going to include TV; but it’s the kind of TV, and the way that it’s packaged, which makes all the difference. Short-form content, not 22-minute shows or channels with hours-long movies, is what you should focus on getting.

Here are some of the reasons why traditional cable and satellite TV don’t work:

1.) Your visitors aren’t there to watch TV. They might be watching it while they wait, but that’s not why they’re there. No one has time for anything that long when they’re eating, waiting in line, or waiting to see the doctor. The time that your visitors are waiting is invaluable; you should be taking advantage of that opportunity by using the TV — which they are watching, to communicate with them. The best TV packages allow you to upload your own personal messages for visitors-in-waiting.

2.) One-single channel doesn’t make everyone happy. Whether it’s sports, a talkshow, or the news, there’s always going to be someone who wants to change the channel because he or she doesn’t like what’s on. Changing the channel isn’t practical, since all you’re doing is turning the hourglass over; your visitors’ interests are diverse, and your TV’s content should reflect that. The best TV packages feature varied content, which is automated, and short enough that anyone who doesn’t like what’s playing doesn’t have long to wait until something better comes on.

3.) Cable & Satellite TV don’t give anything back. You get what you pay for, and that’s basically all you get; access to a few channels that are saturated with competitive ads that you can’t stop from showing up on your TV. The best TV packages come with features designed with your visitors, waiting area, and brand in mind.

A Closer Look at It’s Relevant TV

It’s Relevant TV is the best place to start looking if you’re serious about a custom TV network for your business or medical office. Schedule a call with It’s Relevant for a closer look at the technology, or chat with the TV experts here for more information about the features that make IRTV unique, and the best business TV software on the market.