Brightstar Lottery Introduces SignaLink, Its Next-Generation Platform for Point of Sale Communication
The new digital solution combines an advertising screen and game menu in the same system, turns the counter into a communication channel and, in pilot tests, increased sales by up to 7% year-on-year.
Capturing the consumer's attention in a crowded retail environment like a store is no easy task, and getting the right message across at the right time – when the person is ready to buy – is even less so. With that challenge in mind, Brightstar Lottery has launched SignaLink™, a digital in-store interaction platform that unifies the display and game menu board functions into a single system.
It is a highly flexible solution that can be configured as a digital advertising screen, as a "scratch" ticket menu or both, transforming the point of sale from a simple moment of transaction into a powerful communication channel.
"We've done a lot more than add a few extras to a digital menu," says Jesse Saccoccio, Senior Director of Product Management at Brightstar. "It's a true digital advertising platform for retail, and the dynamic menu board is just one of the ways players can experience."
SignaLink allows lotteries to distribute advertising and promotional content to their entire network of outlets in real-time. While content is centrally managed, delivery can be customized at the merchant level, making communications more relevant and effective.
As it is a web-based solution, all its functions are accessible from any standard browser, without the need for special software or plugins, which speeds up its deployment for both merchants and lottery advertising teams.
"When a lottery decides to implement this solution, we can add a tenant, introduce a single page of information, and make it operational the same day," explains Saccoccio. Marketers can schedule and display an unlimited number of passes, update content instantly, and tailor playlists to specific groups of businesses.
"To say it's a game-changer for marketers is an understatement," says Vince Smart, senior director of marketing at Northstar New Jersey, operator of the New Jersey Lottery, today one of the leading innovation hubs and one of several locations where SignaLink has been deployed at full scale. "Because screens can refresh as soon as new content is ready, SignaLink eliminates one of the biggest pain points: waiting. It gives marketers the speed, flexibility, and creative freedom we've been wanting for years."
Initial pilots showed a net sales increase of 7% year-over-year by displaying an ad pass with SignaLink, and 5% year-over-year by showcasing its digital menu of available scratch games.
Among the functions of the menu board, the platform offers a consolidated view that shows scratch games at the bottom of the screen and draws at the top, as well as presenting dynamic information automatically: the last three big prizes sold in the establishment, the cumulative total of prizes paid by that merchant or the live and real-time jackpots, among other data.
A barcode scanner allows retailers to update the menu with available games in two easy steps, and the menu can be configured to align with the physical layout of the store's displays.
Retailers who already use it highlight both customer response and operational improvements. According to one US retailer, after installing SignaLink on their counter monitors and on a lottery vending machine, customers immediately started noticing: "Our customers particularly like being able to see the day's winners sold in our store, current jackpot amounts and game results on the screen. It has generated excitement around the lottery and gives players easy access to information without having to wait at the terminal."
The same business highlights the improvement in the flow of people: "One of the biggest benefits is that customers can check jackpots and winning numbers without crowding in front of the lottery machine, which is also our main point of sale. This has helped to improve traffic and make transactions more efficient." Being located in a seasonal area, the establishment has also observed how the image slideshow attracts the attention of customers who do not usually play: "The eye-catching content has increased awareness of lottery games and has aroused the interest of occasional and non-regular players."
SignaLink can be deployed in any lottery and supports a wide range of retail environments, whether as a main menu board, as a companion display or in "checkout line" deployments, where it can be combined with Brightstar LotteryLink's™ retail solution. Digital menu management is also being extended to lottery terminals, bringing the same capabilities directly to the point of sale.
True to its commitment to continuous innovation, Brightstar continues to enhance the solution by incorporating the knowledge of Brightstar Italy's customer experience team. "We are applying the expertise and best practices of our Italian operation to expand SignaLink's capabilities and build a broader library of content asset types that connect with players," concludes Saccoccio. "This includes refining game menu designs and introducing new media combinations for on-screen display."
