Retail Digital Signage: What Can You Do With The TV In Your Store?

As technology grows, more and more business owners are exploring their options when it comes to retail digital signage. Nowadays, it isn’t uncommon to see TVs in clothing stores, furniture outlets, and shopping centers; wherever people tend to gather, you can usually count on a TV screen being close by — that’s because TVs are eye-catching, and strangely comforting. Forward-thinking business owners using that to their advantage and building retail TV networks for their stores. This article takes a closer look at the technology that is taking retail digital signage to a whole new level.

Retail Digital Signage: How Effective is it?

The average adult is believed to watch about 4 hours of TV a day. That’s a lot of screen time. But because of that, human beings are naturally drawn to colorful, moving, or otherwise animated displays. Often when we see a TV, our guard is lowered — if only for the sake of seeing what’s on, and choosing whether or not to keep watching. Unlike banners or traditional paper signage, digital signage is bold and inviting. People notice it more, for obvious reasons, and all it takes is a properly-placed TV to host it.

How do you Get Customers to Engage with What’s on Your TV?

Getting customers to notice the TV and watch the TV are two very different things. That brief window of opportunity when they notice the TV and are choosing whether or not to keep watching is the golden moment. What determines their choice usually relies on a few factors:

1.) What’s on the TV? Obviously, this is the most important part. “Digital signage” users tend to just show ads that showcase sales, or reminders for customers to sign up for X or become a member of Y. This is smart, and it’s a great way to utilize the TV, but if all you’re showing is JUST marketing messages, your customers will see it as “just another ad” and tune it out. However, the solution to this is easy; instead of using digital signage, create a custom TV network. A custom TV network will mix in fun and entertaining videos with your marketing messages and your customers will be MUCH more receptive to your ads.

2.) Where is the TV on display? Second to what’s on the TV is where you choose to put it. Is it hanging on a crossroads pillar between sections? Is it part of a living room set acting as the TV? Or is it above the checkout for customers to see while waiting in line? All of these are great. You want it to be in a place that customers can consume what they are watching for more than a few seconds before feeling they are obligated to move.

3.) How are your customers feeling? This one is slightly more difficult to account for, but what’s going on inside a customer’s head plays a big part in whether or not they’re receptive to your messaging. Are they upset? Annoyed? Or bored? A captive audience doesn’t mean that they’re appreciative of your ads. Echoing point #1, mixing in content that might uplift a customer’s mood or alleviate their boredom can go a long way towards improving visitor experience, which improves your chance of making an extra sale.

The Best way to Utilize Retail Digital Signage

You might have gathered that the best way to use retail digital signage is by combining your marketing messages with content that your customers will enjoy watching. Not just any content; you want content that is fun, interesting, and not-necessarily related to your brand, but will put your visitors in a purchasing mindset. Ideally, you also want that content to be on the short-side, since your customers are mostly lingering and waiting. You want videos that anyone can start/stop watching at any time, and are short enough that people are more likely to see something that interests them.

Shorter Videos = More Variety.

Accomplishing this through retail digital signage alone is nearly impossible, that’s where a retail TV network comes in handy. A retail TV network combines the best aspects of digital signage + television; bringing them together in a unique and effective way. Imagine your digital signage board being part ad, and part TV; with occasional ads playing in between or next to engaging videos. That’s how It’s Relevant TV approaches retail TV networks.

The Best Retail TV Network is It’s Relevant TV

It’s Relevant TV licenses over half-a-million short-form videos spread across 40+ customer-favorite categories. As a store owner, you don’t need to being anything to the table except for your own goals and aspirations. It’s Relevant TV allows you to easily create marketing messages — which you can upload into the system and have play alongside countless entertaining videos. The technology is fully-automated, meaning that you can set-it and forget-it knowing that your TVs are delivering a mix of ads + interesting content. Additionally, It’s Relevant can be used to promote your social media, or barter ad space to other local businesses in order to generate even more revenue.

IRTV is the most feature-rich custom TV network on the market. Chat with the television experts at itsrelevant.com and get an online Zoom demo to learn more.

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.

The Best Digital Signage App For Your Business | It’s Relevant TV

Looking for a dynamic way of communicating with your visitors? Look no further than your TV! The market is FULL of digital signage apps, promising so many things that it can get a bit overwhelming! Most often for “FREE” — don’t fall for it! This article is about pushing all of those options aside and presenting you with the best digital signage software on the market. The solution that’s the best is the best because it’s not just digital signage. It’s called It’s Relevant TV, and we’re going to delve into why it’s the best business TV service.

What makes the Best Digital Signage App the “Best?”

The features. The measure of a good signage app is what it brings to the table; specifically what it does for your visitors, and what it does for your business as a whole. It’s Relevant TV is the best because of how closely it resembles cable TV, and how it doubles as an effective marketing tool.

In short? It’s TV designed specifically for businesses.

It comes with none of the things you hate about cable. Viewers feels like they’re watching real-live television when they watch It’s Relevant TV. Pairing your messaging with entertaining content ensures that your message is not only noticed, but it has a higher chance of being well-received.

Content is key. A digital “sign” or “message board” isn’t enough if you’re really going for results; which is all that a lot of these “free digital signage apps” are offering.

FACT: People are more receptive towards marketing messages when they’re in a good mood.

Nothing puts people in a good mood quite like entertaining videos. It’s Relevant TV’s media library contains over half-a-million videos, which are organized into about 50 categories you can pick and choose from; you won’t find a business TV service with more diverse, and entertaining content.

How does a Digital Signage App Improve your Business Itself?

The most basic way is by empowering you to deliver important messaging to your visitors via the TV. That’s where most of these free digital signage apps stop — but it’s like you just read; that messaging just isn’t effective unless it’s paired with something that gets your audience to look at the TV in the first place. In the case of It’s Relevant, the service comes with features designed to do more than just communicate with your visitors.

It’s has features designed to encourage engagement, and help move your business forward.

Features like real-time social media integration, allows you to display your most recent Facebook Twitter, or Instagram posts directly on the TV by connecting your accounts to the system. The technology is 100% safe, with visitors only seeing posts made by you or your staff. When it comes to generating more followers on social media, you couldn’t ask for a better marketing tool from a business TV service.

TV services should offer more, not just the bare minimum.

Finding the Best Digital Signage App for your Business

There is no all-around “best” TV software for businesses; there’s only your business, and your business’ specific needs. If you’re serious about finding the signage app that’s right for you, it’s important to do your research. Too many business owners get locked into long contracts before realizing the TV software they chose isn’t what they thought it was, or that it came with a catch.

Schedule a demo, request a call, or chat with representatives before making a decision.

The mark of a good service provider is one who’s happy to accommodate all of the above. You want to pick a provider that is there to work with you. You want someone who is available to chat with, answer questions, and set up meetings to show you the technology firsthand. Digital signage apps can really help grow your business if you partner with the right provider.

Car Dealerships: How To Compete With Online Car Buying Sites like Carvana

Car buying sites and apps like Carvana, Carmax, and TrueCar are changing the way that people are buying and selling cars. The trend of buying things online has grown tremendously over the past 10 years; a convenience that’s no longer limited to clothes, furniture, or anything small enough to fit in a box. Now because you can make a purchase as big as a car from the comfort of your own home, the automotive industry is experiencing a major shift in the way that cars are bought and sold.

If you own or operate a dealership, you know how frustrating it can be to lose customers to an online retailer. Fortunately, there are certain measures you can take, and new technology to consider that can help strengthen customer retention, and even generate new business.

See: “The Top 6 Dealership TV Systems: Comparing Custom TV Offerings.“

The Rising Threat of Car Buying Sites

At the time this article is being written, many businesses- dealerships included, are closed because of the Coronavirus. Due to the fact that many customers are stuck at home, or practicing social distancing; if someone is in the market for a new vehicle, chances are that they’re going to explore car buying sites in order to limit contact with others. Because of this, services like Carvana are thriving more than ever before. Stocks in Carvana, specifically, went up a whopping 68% since last March.

Additionally, an article published by Forbes labels car buying sites as “The Best Way to Buy a Car in the Age of Coronavirus.”

Virus or not, car buying services didn’t need a worldwide pandemic to get ahead of the game; their success was inevitable. Competing against these alternative means of buying and/or selling cars isn’t impossible, but it’ll take some clever strategizing and forward-thinking.

3 Key Steps to Competing Against Car Buying Sites

Step 1.) Make Your Dealership Shine! If the Coronavirus left any sort of lasting impact on the way that business is conducted, it’s CLEANLINESS. Even after the country gets the ALL-CLEAR, you can count on folks practicing social distancing, or even wearing masks in public. The anxiety isn’t going to go away overnight. In fact, the bar for what constitutes as “a clean establishment” is likely going to be set high. Do what you can to keep surfaces and waiting areas clean. Offer sanitizer; a small, but meaningful gesture. You want your customers to be comfortable and stress-free when they visit your dealership.

See: “Top 5 Ways to Prepare Your Business for Reopening Post-Coronavirus.“

Step 2.) Revisit Your Social Media Pages

If your dealership isn’t on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram; consider getting it on social media- especially Facebook. If you do have a presence, but your pages aren’t up-to-date, blow the dust off and make an effort to craft regularly-scheduled posts. Dedicate a member of your staff to make a daily, or even bi-weekly posts to ping your loyal followers. The more active your are, the more likely your posts are to get shared. The more your posts are shared, the more likely you are to generate more followers on social media. Followers are generally the best folks to market to since they’re already following you; and they’re more likely to make a purchase with you.

Related Article: “Social Media on TV: Businesses Become More Social with their Customers” & “Top 3 Reasons to Get Social Media TV Software for your Business.”

Step 3.) Brush Up on the Latest Waiting Room Technology

Waiting room technology is ever-growing. In the past, if you had a TV in your waiting area, you’d put cable on it and call it a day; whereas today, you have your choice of cable TV alternatives to pick from. Alternatives that not only tend to be more cost-effective than cable or satellite TV, but are a lot safer, and come with all kinds of features made with your business in mind. The elements that make up the best car dealership TV vary based on your dealership’s specific needs; however, the following article should give you a good idea in terms of what to look for: “Car Dealership TV Systems – The Top 5 Most Important Elements.“

Car dealerships are among the best users of custom TV networks; having no shortage of videos, promotions, and marketing messages to entice customers with. Deciding between a cable TV subscription that doesn’t block out ads from “Bob’s Better Automobiles,” vs a custom TV network that promotes your own brand is an easy choice.

Related Article: “Should I Cancel Cable? A Better Cable Alternative for Businesses.“

Interested in a Custom TV Network for your Car Dealership? Start Here

Whether you’re new to waiting room TV technology, or you’re switching from a service like Spectrio, or Automotive Broadcasting Network (ABN); the best TV solution for car dealerships is It’s Relevant TV. Featured in an article published by Automotive News, It’s Relevant stands out from its competitors by having the lowest cost, whilst being the most feature-rich.

It’s Relevant TV for Car Dealerships features the world’s largest library of licensed, short-form content at over half-a-million videos. Additionally, it’s the only service that features live social media integration; displaying your most recent Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram posts for visitors to enjoy alonside IRTV’s fun and engaging content. See what’s out there, but don’t settle for less than what IRTV delivers.

READ: “What’s the Best Dealership TV Service for Waiting Rooms?“

Top 5 Ways To Prepare Your Business For Reopening After COVID-19

If you’re one of the many business owners who had to temporarily close, or adjust the ways you’re serving your customers because of the coronavirus, having a strategy in mind for reopening is a smart move. Especially when there is a high likelihood that the virus may make a resurgence in the Fall.

Whether you’re an urgent care center or dentist office with a waiting room, or a restaurant with a dining area; creating a safe environment for your visitors is going to be paramount. Even after the pandemic ends, people are still going to be nervous about going anywhere.

Here are the top 5 ways you can prepare your business for reopening:

1.) Cleanliness: Make your Business Shine

Nothing is going to be more reassuring post-COVID than a clean, and spotless environment. When the pandemic does eventually come to an end, it won’t be overnight. Even with businesses reopening, it’s going to take some time before the public settles down, and isn’t feeling as germaphobic. Therefore, it’s important to keep up with your new cleansing/disinfecting routines.

Read: “Top 5 Factors to Enhance Your Business Environment.”

2.) Consider Seating & Spacing

Social distancing is likely to persist even after the country is given the ALL-CLEAR. You can expect people to find comfort in maintaining distance from one another. They will also have greater appreciation for businesses that make an effort to space-out seating for them. Now the idea isn’t to put traffic cones on sofas, or nudge visitors apart with a long stick; but reducing chairs, tables, or putting up a friendly sign for customers to be mindful of spacing is easy, and a step in the right direction.

The trick is getting visitors to notice the message.

The best way to get visitors to notice your messaging is by putting it on your on your TV, which you can learn more about HERE.

3.) Communicate your Efforts to your Visitors

Working hard to make your environment safe and accommodating isn’t going to mean a whole lot if no one knows you’re going the extra mile. Don’t let your efforts go to waste. Communicate with your customers in any way that you can; via social media, email, or a big sign outside of your business. Whatever it takes to get the message across.

One of the most effective ways of communicating with your visitors that your business is safe outside of telling them, is showing them. Advise your staff to wipe-down counters, touchpads, and other surfaces frequently. Putting out hand sanitizer, if you haven’t already, is also a good idea. Lastly, your TV is one of the best tools you have to remind people that your business is a safe place to visit, and come back to!

Research: Television for Businesses.

4.) Keep the Coronavirus off of your Business’ TV

We don’t mean disinfect the screen, though it’s good to clean it once in a while.

The last thing you want visitors to see is a news story about “WHY YOU SHOULD STILL THINK TWICE ABOUT EATING OUT,” or “WHY IT’S STILL NOT SAFE TO RESCHEDULE THAT DENTIST APPOINTMENT.” News coverage can be bad for business in general, but it’s worse when there’s a major health crisis like what we’re experiencing now.

A COVID-free TV is better for your business!

The public is anxious enough without the TV reminding them that they’re “constantly at risk,” especially when they have mustered the courage to return to your business. We’re all very well-informed at this point. Simply changing the channel doesn’t help either, you’re simply trading one problem for another. Consider looking into cable TV replacements for businesses and get rid of those problems.

Read: “The Top 5 Risks of Coronavirus News in your Businesses.”

5.) Encourage Visitors to Come Back

Getting your customers to visit after reopening your business is great, getting them to come back is even better. After being away from your business for a time, you need to become part of their routine again. So give them reasons to come back! Whether it’s a sale, a new sandwich, a limited time offer, or a promotion; educating your visitors on products and services they can take advantage of is extremely important.

How you go about educating them is the key.

The TV is a best place to start. You could put up signs and hang posters all over the inside of your business, and yet, 9 times out of 10 visitors will be able to tell you what was on the TV instead of what was on the poster. (“What poster?”)

It’s frustrating, but it’s true. Fortunately, more and more business owners are realizing this, and are taking advantage of the TV’s ability to get people to notice things by putting their own content on the TV.

It’s a growing trend that has businesses taking control over what’s on their TV. Instead of showing ads from competitors, or unsettling news, businesses are able to display custom-tailored content as well as their own promotions, giving visitors a good experience and reasons to come back. If you’re interested learning more about cable TV alternatives, schedule a demo with the TV experts at itsrelevant.com.

Read: “Should I Cancel Cable? A Better Alternative for Businesses.”

Top 5 Risks of Coronavirus News in Your Business

Is coronavirus news impacting your business?

The TV in your business may be doing more harm than good for you, your visitors, and your employees given what’s happening around the world. Because of the fear and panic being caused by coverage, now more than ever businesses should be looking into cable TV replacements, or considering news alternatives for their TV solution. Listed below are 5 reasons why you, as a business owner, should be thinking about what’s on your TV right now.

Learn more about COVID-free TV!

1.) Coronavirus News Scares People

Coverage on the virus, however informative, is unsettling to people who are sitting down to eat at a restaurant, or are in a waiting room. When the whole country is on the edge of their seats watching others are in a panic on the TV, people start to notice every little cough, every sneeze, or anytime someone clears their throat; suddenly, they start to become anxious and uncomfortable.

Your business’ TV shouldn’t contribute to your visitors’ anxiety.

Awareness of COVID-19 is essential to preventing the spread of the virus; but at this point, just about everyone already knows the risk, and knows what to do in order to minimize their exposure. Yet in spite of that, people are still going out and visiting businesses for one reason or another. Whether they’re looking for comfort in food, or they have a scheduled appointment to keep; the last thing you want is your TV making life stressful for your visitors.

What’s the answer?

The best thing you can do for your visitors is to turn off the news; or better yet, find a cable TV replacement for your business.

2.) Corona Coverage Might Highlight A “Lack of Preparedness” in your Business

A friendly reminder to wash your hands, avoid touching your face, and always cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing!

The public’s responsibility when it comes to staying safe and healthy is fairly straightforward, but what about businesses? If you’re a business owner, or you manage a business, you’ve no doubt spent time these last few weeks “corona-proofing“ your location to the best of your ability.

But is what you’re doing enough?

In truth, you could be taking every necessary precaution in order to combat the virus from wiping down counters every 2 minutes to offering free hand sanitizer; but out of nowhere, there’s a news story about how local businesses are disinfecting not only counters, but things like touchpads and doorknobs as well and have multiple sanitizer dispensers. Not only that, the story could show the lengths many businesses are going to communicate with visitors about good, healthy practices.

The last thing you want is for your business to seem like it isn’t doing enough because of a story on the news. Allowing your visitors to see these kinds of stories while they’re eating, or waiting, is a surefire way to discourage them.

3.) Coronavirus News Affects Your Employees

“Businesses left and right are closing amidst a growing number of confirmed cases the the local area…”

Visitors aren’t the only ones that are affected by coronavirus news on your TV. News coverage featuring buildings with CLOSED signs, images of dim, vacant restaurants, and interviews with workers expressing their fears about employment in the coming crisis are being shown on the TV; when those stories are being played in your business, it can be very stressful and concerning for your workers.

Seeing businesses closing on TV is harmful to worker morale.

Business, in general, is slow thanks to COVID-19. Couple that with the aforementioned news story, and your employees will wonder whether or not they’re going to be out of a job. As a result, productivity might suffer, workers might become less focused; which opens the doors to number of new problems. Consider putting something better on the TV and get rid of the coverage that’s harming your business.

4.) Bad News = Bad Vibes

Simply put, bad news creates a bad atmosphere. This has always been the case; graphic, or unsettling news stories ruin meals if you’re at a restaurant, and makes waiting uncomfortable if you’re in a medical office. However now, that same news channel is covering stories on a virus that’s spreading across the globe; you don’t want the bad vibes generated by coronavirus news to be associated with your business.

It’s time to do something. COVID-free TV is better for businesses.

The quick-fix is to simply change the channel; or better yet, shut off the TV, especially when the news is as risky for your business as it is right now. However neither option is a longterm solution. Changing the channel only changes the type of problem you have; you’re not in control of what comes on the TV. Shutting the TV off eliminates the risk, but you’re left with a blank screen that makes your business look like something is missing. Replacing cable with a custom TV network gives you control, and blocks out bad news coverage. Click here if you’re interested in learning more about a customized television for your business.

5.) Coronavirus News is Bad for Repeat Business

Visitors watching news coverage on the virus in your business might very well choose to stay home the next time they would have gone out. For many people, what they see on TV can lead them to lean towards “better safe than sorry.” Keeping your business open during the coronavirus outbreak is hard enough without your TV working against you.

Preparing Your Business for the Future

It doesn’t take a pandemic to see why cable TV is unfit for businesses.

Or perhaps it does? The impact of COVID-19’s coverage should be a wake-up call for business owners. Today it’s the coronavirus, tomorrow it’s the next nationwide, or worldwide catastrophe; neither of which is beneficial to your business. Take action against cable, and take control of your TV.

Top 3 Steps to Remove Bad Reviews From Yelp and Google

Bad reviews hit businesses hard. Having a bad review, or a one-star rating, show up whenever new or even repeat customers search for your business might as well be a big sign that says: “DON’T COME HERE.”

Often times that’s EXACTLY what it says.

While there’s no way to easily delete a negative review that’s impacting your business, there are ways of getting around them. You want to avoid these kinds of reviews, and generate new positive reviews instead. There is great technology out there to encourage exactly this.

Step 1: Finding the Bad Reviews

Before you can act on negative feedback, you have to find it first. Knowing where people are posting about their experiences in general is the best place to start. Whether you own a restaurant, an urgent care, a dentist office, or car dealership; if one of your visitors has a bad experience- i.e., one so bad that they feel compelled to leave a negative review. Chances are that review can be found on Google. Other popular review sites include: Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Citysearch. Look up your business on each one of these sites, if you haven’t already, and see what people are saying.

Step 2: Addressing the Bad Reviews

A good practice for any business owner is to dedicate a member of your staff to finding any negative reviews that might be out there. Most review sites have the option of commenting on someone’s post. If you’re able, address it ASAP! Remember- it’s important to be as polite, understanding, and considerate as possible with your feedback. The original poster might never see it, but you can bet others will. And your response is more for everyone else, than it is for the person making the complaint in the first place.

Responding to Comments Makes a Difference

Seeing your responsiveness goes a long way towards those viewers giving your business a chance in spite of a bad review. In some cases, your responsiveness is more important to people than whatever misstep you, or your staff, might have made in the first place. Responding to feedback is a quick and easy way to fix things.

On rare occasions. you may be able to get a once-frustrated-customer to change or remove a negative review entirely.

Yelp SC4 — What you put on the TV is important!

In addition to being aware of these reviews, you need to address the concerns in a way that prevents people from having negative experiences in the first place. The most common negative reviews we’ve observed, in no particular order, are; visitors complaining about loud TVs, the [political] news, long wait times, rude staff, and shabby waiting areas. Fortunately, most of these problems can be resolved fairly easily.

Yelp SC6 — It’s not always about the food.

If visitors complain about what’s playing on the TV, consider a business-friendly cable replacement, or a custom TV network. When a visitor says that a member of your staff was rude, address the complaint and work with your staff. If you receive complaints about the cleanliness of your space, or other environmental issues, check out this article about the Top 10 Secrets for Creating the Best Waiting Room.

Step 3: Give Visitors a way to Leave You Feedback Directly

Giving your visitors a way to leave feedback is one of the best ways to prevent negative reviews from showing up on sites like Yelp and Google. Plenty of complaints are simple enough that they can be resolved on-the-spot if your visitors can be empowered to say something while they’re there.

How you go about this is up to you. Whether it’s a box, a billboard, or an email they can address specifically, you can’t go wrong. Some businesses even provide a telephone number customers can send a text message to in order to voice their opinions. However, more important than the “how,” is getting your visitors to know that they can come to you directly if they have a complaint, or grievance. Your TV can help.

One of the best ways to encourage on-site feedback is through messages on your TV. Consider investing in waiting room technology that allows you to customize what’s on your business’ television. We recommend visiting ItsRelevantTV.com as a great place to start. By being proactive with your environment and publicly asking for customer opinions directly, you will be able to address the bad reviews before they ever hit the sites, and encourage the posting of positive ones.

The Best Marketing Tool For 2020: Your TV

Looking for the best marketing tool for the new year? Want to make your marketing dollars count? Whether you’re a big franchisee with multiple locations, or a small business owner with a humble brand; your own television can be the key to unlocking your 2020 marketing potential. To fully appreciate the best marketing tool for the upcoming year, you need to take a closer look at the TV in your waiting room.

A Closer Look at Waiting Room Television

Take a moment to think of your lobby or waiting room. Think about what’s currently on TV there. Now think about who’s watching it, and for how long. Finally, how much does it cost? -and how much revenue is it generating for your business?

Bonus Question: How many competitor ads are your visitors seeing?

These are the important things to consider; not just for your business’ television, but for your business as a whole. Here’s why:

1.) What’s Playing on your TV?: What you decide to put on your TV leaves an impression on your visitors. Many business owners like to default to the news – however the news can be graphic, unsettling, and a bit too political nowadays. It simply isn’t a fit for any waiting room. Also worth noting is that a popular TV solution for waiting rooms are DVDs, or Netflix in their locations as a cost-effective alternative to the drama of news, or the boringness of cable. This would be great- if it weren’t for the fact that playing Netflix or DVDs in a commercial setting is illegal. You can read more about the specifics in this article, but the message is clear; understand the Terms & Conditions of your TV subscriptions!

2.) Who’s Watching / How Long?: The answer varies from business-to-business. “The Who” matters because you want programming on the TV that your visitors will appreciate. Likewise, “How Long” matters because you don’t want your visitors exposed to something they don’t like if they’re waiting for a long period of time. Above all else; avoid looping playlists and displays. Nothing says “I’ve been waiting forever.” like knowing which videos are coming up next in a playlist.

3.) How much does it Cost / What is it doing for your Business?: The importance of affordability and cost-effectiveness doesn’t have to be stated. However the latter part of this point raises an interesting question; “What is the TV in your waiting room doing for your business?” Simply put, your TV should be serving your brand. All the money that goes into paying for cable or satellite TV each month could be spent towards a custom TV network. One that potentially costs less, is more effective at delivering your messaging, and is better at engaging visitors.

It’s Relevant TV: The Best Marketing Tool for 2020

It’s Relevant TV is a cost-effective programming tool for businesses looking to improve visitor experience, find new ways to deliver important messages, and generate more followers on social media. IRTV accomplishes this through carefully curating content from its library of customizable, short-form programs that people genuinely enjoy watching- packaged alongside a free rotating adspace, and active social media integration.

There’s no better, more cost-effective way to promote your services, get people excited about your brand, and grow your business. Hit the ground running for 2020 and visit ItsRelevant.com to learn more about this year’s most powerful marketing tool.

Alternatives to Spectrio & Automotive Broadcasting Network (ABN) for Dealership TV

Looking for an alternative to your dealership TV system? Are your customers bored by it? Does it cost too much? Are you not getting what you want to out of it?

If you’re using a service like Spectrio, or Automotive Broadcasting Network (ABN), and it just isn’t working; this article is for you. Keep reading to see the reasons how your dealership’s custom TV software might be failing you, and your car business. If you’re fed up, not thrilled, or just simply disappointed with your current provider, we recommend that you start your search for a better dealership TV here.

Your Dealership TV System: What Went Wrong?

Custom TV networks for car dealerships have been around for years. While the technology has grown in the world, most of the car TV services have not. As a result, a number of the older “pioneer services” are being left in the dust by alternative providers delivering a lot more, for a lot less. Innovative ideas and technologies have transformed the dealership TV systems of 5-10 years ago into new, forward-thinking tools that are better at delivering your marketing messages, and better at entertaining your customers. If you’re browsing automotive TV solutions in today’s day and age, hone your selection by finding one that is feature-rich, and cost-effective.

A Feature-Rich Dealership TV System

If you are currently using a dealership TV system, chances are you probably liked the features that came with it, hence why you originally got it. If those features failed to live up to your expectations, or got dull over time, then you’re doing the right thing by going online and seeing what else is out there.

So what should you expect from your TV? The best TV for your dealership’s lobby is one that gets your messaging across, and provides entertaining content for customers who might be waiting for longer periods of time. It should be customizable. You should have control over more than just your own videos, but the content you’re paying for as well. More importantly; managing that paid content, as well as your own personal ads/videos should be easy, and able to be done on most smart devices. From anywhere. Lastly, your dealership TV system should integrate with your social media accounts.

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are often the best ways to keep in touch with your customers, generate repeat business, and get referrals. If your brand is on one, or more of these platforms – get your TV integrated! Display those posts right on your TV for visitors who aren’t following you, and give them a reason to check out your pages. If you’re interested in this feature in particular, visit click here to learn more about the automotive TV software that does it best.

A Cost-Effective Dealership TV System

Dealerships are playing HUGE amounts of money each month for services that barely include half of the features listed above. A more in-depth article comparing the top 6 dealership TV systems worth checking out can be found at the link above. But if you are currently using Spectrio or Automotive Broadcasting Network (ABN) you are likely paying way too much.

The big takeaway is that car businesses are paying upwards of $500, to $1,000+/month for their TVs. What’s truly interesting, is what those dealerships are often getting in return for that cost. The answer: A playlist.

Looping playlists, in general, are bad news. Avoid any dealership TV service that mentions the word “playlist”. Avoid them like the plague, or a live-action movie remake. A playlist is simply a list of pre-loaded videos. And whether it’s 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour long, a playlist is not creating a quality waiting experience.

Neither are clips from top TV networks like NBC or CBS. Be wary of TV providers who claim to have content from those big networks. Most often, they’re just short promotional segments– a.k.a. commercials, designed to market the networks and have your customers go home and watch the full shows on their own time.

Dealership wait-time is a little longer than the average waiting room wait when looking across industries. That being said, you don’t want your customers watching a looping playlist of the same videos over and over again. It’s maddening, and creates a bad impression of your brand. Good, quality content goes a long way. Additionally, car videos showing outdated models that you no longer sell have no place being on your TV. When it comes to videos, up to date content is the best way to deliver programming to your dealership.

It’s Relevant TV: A Feature-Rich & Cost-Effective Dealership TV System

There’s only one automotive TV service that has every feature that was listed up above, and won’t burn a hole in your pocket; It’s Relevant TV. It’s Relevant has everything from the ability to upload and easily manage your own videos, access to one of the world’s largest library of licensed short-form content, and perhaps most importantly; real-time social media integration.

This is the automotive TV service you were waiting for. Partnering with brands across the spectrum, from Toyota, Ford and Subaru to Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, It’s Relevant is providing car businesses across the country with the best choice in dealership TV.