My LED Sign won't work - HELP!

-Deacon Wardlow

So you purchased an LED Sign from XYZ "manufacturer" online. Maybe they had a salesperson in the area who sold you on the system - maybe they were the lowest price or seemed to have a great system. Whatever the reason, you sold it and now (when there's a problem) that company is gone like the wind... What do you do?

We're all too familiar with this scenario. I got into the LED sign side of Digital Signage because people kept asking for my help with systems (both domestic and off-shore/Chinese displays) and I quickly learned there's not a lot of support out there. International trade and a lack of standardization in the LED Sign industry have left a HUGE GAPING HOLE allowing for easy entry to market. Anyone with 5 minutes and access to a web search engine can find off-shore companies willing to (cheaply) white-label product shipped to the USA and suddenly there's a new LED Sign company in the market.

If you're looking at this article, chances are you've taken that leap and landed in a hole. If you haven't yet purchased from a company selling (or reselling) off-shore product... take these words seriously - Check our articles on buying offshore vs. Domestic. I'm biased and would rather you bought from one of our LED Sign manufacturing partners, but really anyone domestic is likely going to be better than buying product sourced from a manufacturer outside of the USA. I know there are many of you who are out of the USA/North America and yes we do cost more than the Asian options... but you really get what you're paying for with technology in this industry. Word to the wise - CHECK - RE-CHECK - and Triple-Check your potential source for LED Sign Systems... Now, let's help you out.

First - checkout the previous blogs on troubleshooting and support I and Scott have put out there:
http://vantageled.blogspot.com/search?q=troubleshooting

More often than not, issues are fairly simple and can be quickly resolved without too much outside assistance. Back in the day, I needed to lean on translating A LOT of Chinese documentation and finding sources for parts - this isn't as big an issue these days. The increased amount of people buying direct from China/Korea/Taiwan (and companies buying from "manufacturers" who resell Chinese/other product) has spawned a backstage support industry as many of the reseller companies quickly disappear after a few years of opening their doors, leaving both end-users and sign companies to fend for themselves for any support and/or repairs required.

If you're stuck with a "black box" (dead LED Screen) - try some of these tips and hopefully it'll help you out.

Content

1. Have the client clear their existing schedule - create a new message (has to be new content - just a simple 'TEST" text message) and send it to the display. If it shows, it may be the content just timed out or there's some bad content in the system. 

2. If the display is working (showing TEST) then have the client redo their content as a message may have become corrupted or have a messed up asset (image/video/etc.).

Communications

Check the cable connecting the sign and/or computer to the network (or eachother if directly connected). It's possible a cable is damaged/misconnected - a radio isn't receiving power, or something got damaged causing the display to no longer communicate.

Power Issue

1. Sounds silly - but simple steps are often best to try first - turn off the power to the system, count to 30 and turn it on again. Sometimes there's a fault in the controller or the boards, or power and rebooting the system may (temporarily) clear the error.

2. Check the source power - is the system receiving a steady 120V (or 240V - whatever source power is)? If the voltage in is less than 110 - there may be a feed problem. This would have been noticed earlier with the sign "flickering" or going out at peak usage times (morning/afternoon/evening).

3. Check the power supply (PS) - most power supplies have an LED indicator which should be on. If the indicator is off or not visible, a quick check with a multimeter should show the PS is operational and what it's outputting for power.

4. Check the leads/connections on the power supplies to the controller and the main control boards in the system. Make sure the connections are clean (not rusted/oxidized) and if there's a connecting plug - unplug and re-plug it is to make sure the connections are secure.

Controller Problem

1. Check the control system. Start with the controller (it's either a small black box (PC) or a small black box (control card with power supply using an embedded control system). Disconnect power and reconnect. Check to see if the display "blinks" when reconnected and shows anything. If it (at least) blinks... that's a good sign.

2. Check the connections from the controller to the DVI/Video card (this will be a card connected to the controller with a video cable (likely DVI/VGA computer cable). It should have some small LED indicators - if so, is there a constant lit one and a blinking one? This means there's power and signal. If there's no indicator - move to the next card.

3. Check the next card (logic board aka distribution board aka hub card) - this should have a power LED (constantly lit) and a signal LED (blinking). If you have power, but no blinking - there's no signal and there's a problem with either the controller or the video card. If you have power and blinking (signal) - check the connections to the LED modules and check power to the LED modules. If there's no power or blinking - go back to the PS (Power Supply) and check it.

Note all posts - thoughts - writings- etc. are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically noted. Direct emails can be sent to deacon@spectacularmedia.com for queries and/or assistance.

Digital Signage, Need to Know: Qualities of a Good LED Sign Provider, and How to Choose One.

- Scott Hofheins

For many, the search for a good LED sign is a new experience often filled with confusion, ambiguous terminology, and uncertainty. Our industry is frequently compared to the car business, where consumers don’t buy directly from Ford or Chevy, but from a Dealer who is authorized to sell those brands. While our industry is similar, it doesn't take into account some important differences that significantly affect the consumer’s experience. Here are some tips on finding a good Dealer (sign provider) who will deliver product from a quality manufacturer.

Research

The auto industry has been regulated and standardized over the course of many years, unfortunately this is not the case for the LED sign industry. Although this situation is improving, we’re not there yet. The responsibility of vetting potential providers and understanding the terminology is still the main responsibility of you, the consumer. There are associations and organizations that help with this, but it’s never a guarantee that your chosen provider will be satisfactory.

Do your research, and take notes. This is a theme we push constantly, for good reason. Learn as much as you can about the product you are looking to purchase. What is pixel pitch, what is pixel matrix, and how do they affect a sign’s viewability? What is the difference between an embedded controller, and an IPC (PC Controller)? Research online and talk to existing LED sign owners. Get your information from multiple sources, and dig deep. You will start to see some common themes. Some of these may include:

• Avoid buying from direct overseas suppliers.
• Signs need a good long term warranty.
• Good content is important for a quality image.
• When used correctly, LED signs will increase business.
• Poorly manufactured LED signs may look good at first, but decline quickly over time.
• Broken LED signs make you look bad.
• Everyone does not use the same measuring standards.
• Some specifications are used purely for their marketing value, not because they are important.
• The sign control software should not be overlooked.
• LED signs are proprietary by nature, with virtually no “aftermarket” hardware providers.

This is just a brief list, but there are many more that you will find. Write these down, and apply the lessons learned from your own research and the experience of others.

Education and Truth

Quality providers are not afraid of the truth. They want you to be an educated customer because they know that the more you know, the higher the chance it you will purchase from them. They care about your specific installation, and want to provide you want you need, not just fill a sales quota. Good providers expect to be involved with you for the long term, after the sale. They choose manufacturers who will do the same.

Responsive

How responsive are they to your needs and questions during the sale? Do they answer questions clearly, and and in a timely manner? This can be a key indicator to how you will be taken care of long term. A well organized sales staff usually means a well organized support staff. This is not a guarantee, but something to take into account.

Referrals and Previous Work

Sign’s are by definition, a very visual and public product. Quality providers are proud of their work, and are happy to show it off. Ask for customer referrals, and/or recent examples of work they've done. Ask for pictures, or places you can drive by for a look.

Documentation and Support

Can the provider back up their product with documented information like white papers, drawings, spec sheets and brochures? Domestic manufacturers provide this documentation to their dealers, in a clear and concise manner, written in standard English. This makes it easier for them to provide the information to you directly, or through their own media and publishing. 

Providers who use overseas companies, or direct distributors for these companies often have documents that are outdated, disorganized and poorly translated from another language. Make sure your provider is using a domestically engineered, manufactured and supported LED sign product.

Take the Time

Don’t get rushed into a purchase. Stay calm, and make sure you’re getting the quality product you need, from the right provider. Give yourself enough time to do the research, ask the questions, and understand the product. Trust the facts, and go with the provider who will is willing to be your partner in the process.

The bottom line is, quality providers take care of their customers and partner with them to provide support in the following areas:

• Education on the LED sign industry and products.
• Guidance on the right product for you.
• Documentation to back it up. 
• Utilization of a nationally recognized, preferably domestic, high quality manufacturer.
• Warranty and Support after the sale for both Hardware and Software.

The internet has changed the way we do business. It’s bringing us closer together and gives us access to an impressive amount of information about products and companies. Utilize this medium, and learn as much as you can about your potential LED sign investment. It may seem overwhelming at first, but the truth has a funny way of cutting its way through the mess if you keep your mind and eyes open.

Support your research with direct contact with existing sign owners, and the providers themselves. Ask questions that focus on the areas above, and make sure the facts support your feelings and always remember, an LED sign is a long term investment, not short term purchase.

-TSH

I hope this post has been informative and helpful. As usual, I welcome ALL constructive comments. Please feel free to comment and add anything I’ve missed, or additional tips you may have regarding this topic. Please visit www.vantageled.com for many other resources, white papers, and of course: Great looking LED Signs!

**All posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically stated.

Digital Signage Need To Know: Your Customers Return The Investment You Make In Them

-Scott Hofheins

The outdoor LED sign industry has been plagued by a “sell it and forget it” reputation that many sign organizations must fight with on a daily basis. Some believe that doing “just enough” to close the sale, install the sign, and collect the check is the most profitable approach. But the good ones see the value in maintaining a supportive relationship with their customers before and after the sale. They invest in their customers, and their customers invest in them.

Why?

There are a variety of reasons why individuals or organizations practice either approach. Experience in the industry, general approach to business, organizational skills (or lack thereof), and quality of vision are all factors. But regardless of why, at the end of the day you have to ask yourself: Are you hurting, or helping the industry? Your customers? Your long term success?

Quality Success

By success, I mean real, honest, quality success. Not just big numbers, important as they are, but the the quality of your work. Do your customers stand by you; will they refer you to others, are you comfortable directing potential accounts their way without hesitation?

All organizations have their good days and bad days, smooth projects and rough projects. This is unavoidable, but the quality of your success, and the success of your customers relies heavily on how you learn from the bad days and improve on the rough projects. An important part of this is truly investing in your customer after the sale.

Knowledge and Support

Learn about and fully support the product you sell. That sounds like a no brainer, but unfortunately there are many in the industry who learn just enough to craft a sales strategy, then hit the road. I discussed this in my previous article about implementing a successful LED sign program. LED signs don’t go away after the sale. Your customers will see them everyday, for years and years. They should be thinking positive thoughts about your company every time they see that sign.

This will not happen if you cannot support your customer. A good partner/supplier is an essential part of your team; they can offer resources, sales support, and customer support your customers in addition to a quality product. However, you are the still the face the customer see’s when looking at the sign. You are the one they shook hands with and chose to do business with. The more you own that, the better your quality of success will be, long term.

This means investing some time and effort in training your personnel on the technology, customer service, and support for the LED sign. Auto mechanics had to learn about onboard computers to continue to compete in the market. Those who did not, ultimately failed. The same is true for LED signs. The technology is not going away, it is here to stay and will only get more sophisticated as time moves on. Adapt, Execute and Succeed.

Your Program

Develop a program for your customer after the sale. What happens after an installation? Are you taking care of them directly, are you connecting them with your partner? Who do they call for support, and do they have the number? Are you providing them documentation and support materials? Are you training the customer directly, or leveraging your partner? These are important things the you must not overlook. Have a plan of action and give your customer the tools, and people they need to succeed.

Raise the Bar

When you set the bar high, and let everyone know you’re doing it, you force the competition to do the same. They may not be as prepared as you are to make that investment. They may not have have a supplier that can back them up, and support their needs like you do. Go above and beyond for your customers, and don’t be humble about it. Share your experiences and let everyone know you are the go to guy for good service, and a quality experience. Build your business, improve the industry, and support your customers.

-SH

I hope this post has been informative and helpful. As usual, I welcome ALL constructive comments. Please feel free to comment and add anything I’ve missed, or additional tips you may have regarding this topic. Please visit www.vantageled.com for many other resources, white papers, and of course: Great looking LED Signs!

**All posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically stated.

Digital Signage Sales 101: What Is True Customer Service?

One July day, many years ago, I crawled up a ladder to change the plastic letters on a reader board at my family’s car stereo store in Rockledge, FL. It was late in July and the aluminum ladder had been baking in the direct sun for hours. I stepped onto it and grabbed the hot metal rail and so began an hour of pain. 

“Speed Trap Ahead- Cobra Radar Detectors $99,” eventually appeared on both sides of the 4’x8’ reader board. Other businesses admired our changeable, on-premise, outdoor media. But they were not the poor schmuck who had to sort through the box of letters, crawl up the ladder, line them up and then put it all away in the 95º heat.

Thank God some smart person invented LED display technology and adapted it to outdoor messaging and digital display.

Beware still because even with all the resources available, all LED sign manufacturers are not the same. There are many ways to differentiate between them- price, reliability, USA or foreign, technologically advanced, but most importantly is customer service.

What is customer service? It’s everything that’s not a customer disservice. Fundamental to true customer service is what’s found deep in the heart and soul of the company. Many companies preach “the customer is King” but their “castle of promises” is made of sand instead of limestone. The first little wave and they crumble hopelessly. It’s not always good to be “King”.

Is a company doing all they can every day in every way for their customers?  How do they make the customer experience memorable, or is each customer just a fattened steer in a cattle chute? Do you think some companies ever consider the world through their customer’s eyes or do they just sell a commodity LED sign? Then, each night as they lock up they have a group prayer so in the morning not too many angry customers will call. I've seen this before, it’s not pretty.

Everything a Company Does Builds their Legacy

"Every Breath You Take"

Every single day
Every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay
I'll be watching you!

This song by the English musician Sting summarizes it. Companies are held accountable for everything they say and do. In today’s digital age there truly is no carpet to sweep mistakes under. Accountability comes in the form of a diminished reputation which translates into missed sales. Prices are well known, mistakes are instantly on some group chat, and when a company says “no” instead of “heck yes” a digital black mark is recorded somewhere. 

This means a company has to be proactive with their treatment of customers and try to offer solutions, excellent product, leading-edge technology and do it before the customer asks for it. They have to be committed to making the customer’s life better and easier.

And, oh yes, the best companies enjoy doing this and appear to have fun delivering service to the customer. Make it fun; easy to say, but hard to do for some organizations.

Don’t Sell an LED Sign, Sell an Advertising Solution

The company that made the old reader board with the changeable plastic letters sold a sign.  They probably thought that by selling the steel commodity they were selling an advertising solution and, for that era, they may have been correct.

But now, 2014, so many LED sign choices are available, global choices, many with similar hardware and decent reliability they all begin to morph into a “digital wheat” of sorts – a commodity.

Smart LED sign manufacturers, proactive, customer-service focused LED manufacturers realize that a glowing metal box is not an advertising solution. They live for a day in their customer shoes and inject added value components into their offering that go beyond the hardware alone:

• Professionally produced content. The customer does not have to waste time and resources making their own messages, slides and animation.
• On-site service plans that ensure the LED sign is not a recurring drain on resources. Even the offer of this type of service plan speaks to the underlying reliability of what they sell.
• Remote access of LED sign networks from various electronic platforms.
• True “bend over backwards” support from initial on-site demos to customized software.
• Easy to use software that allows the end-user maximum control with minimal learning.

By creating an advertising solution the smart LED sign manufacturer creates a unique niche in the market place and virtually guarantees the end-user that their LED sign will work hard for them and provide a return on investment. Also by offering these advantages the LED sign manufacturer creates a loyal following in the marketplace and carves out a lofty position in the industry.

This is real customer service- provide a solution. Of course you have to do all the other stuff too. Why? Because customers are watching you and they are informed and smart!

Do your homework before establishing a relationship with a LED sign manufacturer. Check them out, call their home office and see how long it takes before speaking to someone “in the know”. Every company tells you who they are, in one way or another. All you have to do is listen.

These comments belong to me, Mike Prongue, and do not reflect the views, opinions, hopes or dreams of anyone else, anywhere else and this includes Vantage LED. I appreciate your constructive opinion which may be sent to me at michael@vantageled.com.

Digital Signage Need To Know: How an LED Sign Manufacturer's Approach to Support Can Affect Your Reputation

-Scott Hofheins

Other Topics in this Series

• Design, Engineering and Installations
• Business Growth

When you sell a product, you are linking your organization’s good name to the quality and operation of that product. As I mentioned in my post earlier this year, it takes a host of talented people to produce a quality product.  Likewise, supporting that product before, during, and after the delivery is extremely important to a successful long term LED sign program

Your reputation as an LED sign dealer depends on quality product, with quality support. End users depend on the same to ensure their public image is maintained on the LED display. There are different approaches manufacturers can take with regards to support.  Some work well, and others don’t.

That’s Not in My Job Description

This is a hands off approach that can be very frustrating for dealers and end users alike. Calls to the manufacturer are answered by technicians who are trained to operate in limited capacity, where the goal is to pass the responsibility to the dealer as quickly as possible.

Veering from the set script and job description is not allowed, and making exceptions or going the “extra mile” is rare. This makes both the dealers and end users feel undervalued as customers; being treated as if it’s a privilege to associate with the manufacturer at all.

A good manufacturer recognizes the value that every single customer brings to the table. They are not afraid, and more importantly well equipped, to go the extra mile for their dealers and end users. They can customize their support strategy according to your organizations needs. Issues with signs are not automatically assumed to be the fault of the dealer or end user, and they have a genuine interest in the successful operation of any sign, big or small.

We Don’t Live Here

Overseas manufacturers, or “manufacturers” who ship whole units directly from overseas suppliers often have a difficult time offering quality support.  In many cases, the design and engineering is also sourced overseas. This means any real issues with the product will take a lot longer to fix, simply because they are relying on engineers who are asleep when everyone in the USA is awake.

Replacement parts, and long term part caches also suffer for the same reasons. Until someone invents a transporter, or free jet fuel, it will take time and money to move hardware across the ocean. In the mean time, dealers and end users are stuck waiting for delayed parts and non-operational signs that reflect poorly on their respective organizations.

Manufacturers who design, engineer, develop and produce in the USA are much more capable to provide timely support and knowledgeable staff. When level 1 technicians run across an unfamiliar issue, or a possible production problem they can physically walk to the engineering dept to get a solution immediately. Parts are stocked locally, and inventory for legacy product is managed correctly. Technical staff have direct access to the RMA, engineering, production and  sales teams to provide the best service possible. It is extremely important that your support staff are trained, reside in, and operate from the USA.

The Mystery of Organization

A poorly organized support structure will result in poorly organized support. Support calls are tracked with outdated systems, and RMA parts are misplaced or shipped with the wrong parts. The manufacture is slow to respond to production wide issues, continually shipping product with the same problems over and over again.

The ability to offer quality proactive support, software trainings, updates and a well organized support structure will act as a tangible confirmation that the dealer, or end user’s trust was well placed. This will greatly enhance the reputation of both, as the sign operates consistently over the long haul, and any issues that arise are dealt with quickly and efficiently.

Cheap product, quick sales, large profit margins and low quality LED signs may temporarily  increase the bottom line, but your reputation will suffer and those gains will eventually be followed by significant losses. There are great US manufacturers out there in many shapes and sizes, so do your research and make sure you get one that’s willing to be a partner in building your reputation.

-SH

I hope this post has been informative and helpful. As usual, I welcome ALL constructive comments. Please feel free to comment and add anything I’ve missed, or additional tips you may have regarding this topic. Please visit www.vantageled.com for many other resources, white papers, and of course: Great looking LED Signs!

**All posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically stated.

Digital Signage Need To Know: Border Versus Borderless LED Displays

- Mike Prongue

Down here “on the street” in the LED display industry many crazy things are said. Many ridiculous assertions are routinely made about technology, technical specifications, value and true cost.

For example- NIT value. Some manufacturers seem to measure their NIT value as whatever the other guy has +1000.

In a desperate attempt to contrive an advantage, some advantage, any advantage, some obscure product point is selected then exploited.

Recently one LED display distributor made a claim that a borderless LED display was superior because it eliminated the cost of the "dead" steel border surrounding the LED display. If you do the math, a 2.0” border for an LED display measuring 6x3’ will result in a metal border that totals around 3 square feet. If you were truly charged a rate equal to the pixel per square foot rate for the metal border then you would be getting ripped off. That doesn’t happen except in LED display “La La Land”. Nice try folks!

The price of your LED display is based on the number of pixels, not the area of the cabinet (height x width). As you know the actual size of the LED display is determined by the LED modules. Adding or subtracting LED display module columns or rows, changes the overall size. And no, you can't split a module (although variants on LED module sizes exist).

The better LED display manufacturers offer LED displays in a border option or a borderless option.

Why would anyone want a borderless display?

Thinking about why, the answer is easily determined. Your customer has a monument sign in front of his business that he is upgrading to an LED display. The city regulates the size of the sign and they are maxed out already. Every inch counts here, so why sacrifice active LED pixel matrix area for a metal border?

You would not. This is a perfect application for a borderless sign- maximizing the square footage allowed.

So we’ve stomped on the latest meaningless point of product differentiation and you understand a bordered sign consisting of 36 LED modules and one with no border with 36 LED modules should cost the same. Despite killing this myth, some desperate distributor is right now out there spinning a new story.

Select your LED display by looking at companies that are innovative, are driving technology, changing the industry with new data handling applications, and offer a 3^rd party, rock-solid parts and service warranty. When you do your homework, your due diligence, you will be able to sleep at night knowing you’ve made the best choice.

When someone tells you something that makes no sense, or seems way “over-promised” it probably is. Leave these crazy claims to the more gullible and remember that you get what you pay for, and there is never any such thing as a “free lunch”.

These comments belong to me, Mike Prongue, and do not reflect the views, opinions, hopes or dreams of anyone else, anywhere else and this includes Vantage LED. I appreciate your constructive opinion which may be sent to me at michael@vantageled.com.