Imagine this scenario: You are launching a digital signage project, and you’ve carefully selected an integrator for hardware and infrastructure. You’ve also picked a software provider known for reliability and ease of use. Everything seems aligned, yet the project stumbles shortly after deployment. Why? Because while both pieces independently work well, they were not strategically matched with your brand’s vision, operations and customer expectations.
This subtle but crucial mismatch highlights the current state and challenges within the digital signage industry: a market transitioning rapidly toward a comprehensive “Digital Signage as a Service” (DSaaS) model.
The digital signage industry has long moved past the days of merely selling screens or software licenses. Today, the focus is on providing integrated solutions that span hardware, software, content creation & management, and most importantly, strategic service support. This evolution is pushing integrators to become Managed Service Providers (MSPs) who own not just the operational responsibility but also the business outcomes of the signage networks.
Matching integrators with software, and software with brands, is becoming pivotal precisely because the stakes are higher than ever. Digital signage is no longer an ancillary part of the retail, hospitality, or corporate environment; it has become core to the business operation itself. A technical failure now means not just inconvenience, but potential loss of business continuity and revenue. Thus, integrators, software solutions, and brand strategies must align, ensuring continuity, flexibility and operational efficiency.
Related: Digital Signage: A Complete Guide
Managed Services: The Game Changer
A recent industry analysis in the invidis Yearbook emphasizes how digital signage providers are increasingly pivoting to managed services, where proactive support and operational responsibility are central. Providers like JC Decaux or Sita, running complex networks at airports and transit hubs, have already set industry benchmarks by effectively managing large-scale signage networks that are mission-critical. These examples prove that integration is not just a technical exercise, but a strategic commitment that requires deep operational expertise and ongoing adaptability.
However, not all integrators are equally prepared for this shift. Many still approach projects transactionally, viewing their role merely as installation or maintenance support. In contrast, managed signage providers engage deeply with their clients’ strategic goals, often anticipating needs before problems arise.
All digital signage integrators will likely eventually become full-service partners who intimately understand both their clients’ operations and the software solutions that best fit them. This involves far more than technical knowledge. It requires insight into the client’s business model, customer interactions, operational workflows and long-term strategic goals.
Effective matching between software and integrator becomes evident when providers deliver more than just stable operation; they provide strategic insights and innovations that proactively enhance their clients’ business outcomes.
Avoiding Silos: Cross-Functional Integration
A critical challenge noted in recent studies is that businesses still operate in silos, often hindering comprehensive digital transformation. Digital signage, by nature, demands cross-departmental integration — touching IT, marketing, sales and operations. Integrators, therefore, must facilitate not only technical interoperability but also organizational collaboration. Software solutions must equally be flexible enough to bridge these operational divides, fostering a holistic, integrated approach.
Take retail, for instance: a mismatch between an integrator and software in retail environments (applied to, for example, digital-signage-powered queue management) can lead to inconsistent customer experiences, a constant need for time-consuming troubleshooting by staff undermining brand trust. Conversely, strategic alignment can streamline operations, allowing retailers like Starbucks or Carrefour — who manage thousands of locations — to run efficient, scalable and resilient networks. Their signage isn’t merely operational; it’s essential to their brand identity and customer engagement.
For integrators transitioning to full-service MSPs, software alignment becomes a critical criterion. Selecting the right software means identifying solutions that provide robust remote management, diagnostics and proactive analytics, ensuring scalability. Conversely, software providers must communicate clearly how their platforms are easily integrable and operationally intuitive, enabling integrators to confidently assume full responsibility for their clients’ digital ecosystems.
The Future: Flawless Alignment as the Norm
We are quickly reaching a point where mismatches between integrators, software and brands will not just be suboptimal — they will be unacceptable. Integrators unwilling or unable to embrace a managed service mindset will struggle, and suffer, as digital signage evolves into a fully integrated, business-critical solution.
As we look into the future, the integrators and software solutions that thrive will be those that not only understand technology but also deeply empathize with their clients’ strategic needs and operational realities. The real differentiation in digital signage will be found not in individual components but in how effectively integrators and software solutions are matched with the brands they serve.
In other words, the future of digital signage isn’t merely about adopting DSaaS — it’s about deeply comprehending and mastering the intricate art of matching integrators, software solutions and brand strategies into successful and efficient operational partnerships.
It seems that in digital signage, as in many other areas of business and life, matching is not only preferable, but now imperative.
Mónica Fernández Bové is the Managing Director of Nsign.
