Advances in digital signage

Explains Nelson, “Within six months we have created one of the most advanced systems in the world. We have just signed agreements to install our screens at all of South Africa's regional airports, so things are going to change completely.”

The company's innovative technology has won various awards and was originally developed by Nelson himself some years ago. With this achievement under his belt, Nelson left the company to pursue other interests. Last year TBM's owners, Hoskins Consolidated Investments (HCI), approached Nelson and asked him to take over the helm at TBM.

Nelson accepted the offer and moved into TBM's top spot in July 2007. Since then he has revitalised TBM, making major changes, including updating its software base, acquiring new clients and re-engineering its business model.

Says Nelson, “We have changed our business model – on the one side we offer media advertising and on the other we offer digital communications solutions where we run content and systems.”

Modus operandi

Nelson explains the company's modus operandi: “We first sit with the client and get a brief so that we can focus on the communications objectives. We come back with a creative brief. The next step is that we put up a screen in the client's office so he can approve the content as it is produced. Once he has seen it he can send us the sign-off via email and the content can then be distributed through the multi-cast system.

“The content goes through one central repository at Sentech and the satellite footprint covers the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. All sites have web links so that they can confirm whether the content has reached the site or not, and if not then it can be re-sent.

The beauty of TBM's remote-managed model is that it becomes extremely cost effective for businesses in foreign countries to have TBM running their on-screen communications system because it is run from South Africa at South African rates.

One of TBM's main clients is global cellphone giant Ericson, for which TBM provides a digital signage service in sub-Saharan Africa. This system enables management to communicate directly with staff members across the continent. It also keeps staff entertained and informed during their breaks from work, as well as enabling them to communicate with one another through sending SMS messages to the screens.