by Paul Milligan- avinteractive.co.uk
A study by LG of av professionals has found 79 per cent believe digital signage technologies will be very important or vital to revitalising the high street in the year ahead.

LG conducted a survey at the ISE exhibition in Amsterdam to explore views on digital signage developments and their likely impact on town centres and the retail environment in particular.

LG's Future of the High Street survey revealed support from 32 per cent of respondents for the resurgence of town centres, with most believing it will be driven by retailers finding new ways to deliver better customer service.

They also believe customers will choose service over convenience. A smaller but significant 17 per cent believed town centres will increasingly become social hubs, driven by ‘lively and imaginative displays' that attract good business.

Recent developments in simple, cost-effective and powerful digital display systems were seen by 81 per cent as being able to improve customer service (if used appropriately) and over 90 per cent believe that digital signage can actually increase retail spending - which has strong implications for SME retailers looking for innovative yet affordable routes out of the downturn.

While the survey confirmed strong support for digital signage in the retail sector, the respondents did believe that some of the perceived barriers for adoption included concerns over the creation of content, no clear understanding of the return of investment, and the difficulty of incorporating new systems into their existing IT infrastructure (all at 16 per cent each).