Technology is disrupting everything we hold dear, naturally we'd naturally like to think for the better. But, when I first visited leading international price sign provider PWM some 30 years ago, conversations revolved around, delivery of light, temperature controls, quality of materials and the geographical distribution of products.
Three decades later, and everything has changed, although when focussing on its core business, the aforementioned topics for PWM, still remain in place
Totem price signs are a natural business requirement for fuel retailers the world over, and for motorists, they form part of a broader statement telling customers, which brand of fuel is on offer, what services are available and of course, how much of our hard-earned money we will have to part with in order to fill up our tank.
It's as simple as that for drivers, but behind the scenes they can have no idea as to the technology which now goes forward in to delivering this key functional information on a 24/7 basis.
Dr Max Krawinkel, PWM's Chief Executive, pictured below, literally knocked on doors in the US back in the late eighties to try and convince oil companies operating on the other side of the pond, that its systems were much further advanced than any other comparative kit available in the States at the time.
He was proved right many times over, with several major oil companies taking the bold step to integrate a European application into the heart of its operations. Today, PWM in the US, is a separate company and trades successfully all over its 51 states.
The core business of PWM is still electronic price signs, but leading statements on its website now shout out technological solutions which more than anything else, show how the industry has changed in the face of high-end digital advancements.
Content Management Systems. High End Technology. PWM Cloud Service. Digital Advertising Space. Digital Signage RGB Boards. Digital Solutions for Fuel Stations and finally 'dooh-It', PWM's latest innovation to broaden the appeal of sites to advertisers who may wish to advertise their wares on a totem pole, on a screen behind a forecourt retailers cash desk or simply on a media head on a fuel dispenser.
"Just a single piece of software for all these applications is the key", says Juan Quintero, PWM Chief Sales Officer one of the main drivers behind this latest project for PWM. For the non tech species, 'dooh' means 'digital out of home' but for PWM, "it represents the next revolution", says Juan.
In brief, dooh-it offers a content management system to display digital advertising on screens at fuel stations.
PWM say their solution is faster, less complicated and more customer-oriented than ever before, utilising innovative high-end equipment, to ensure maximum attention of clientele using moving images. Industry sources over the years have long suggested that customers re-fueling their vehicles are particularly receptive to inspiration and susceptible to buying incentivised products.
Behind this project is a perceived customer journey, which PWM say is all about grabbing the attention of people on the street, through displaying advertising on totem signs, enhancing shop offers using media screens on fuel pumps, and taking them into the forecourt shop, where screens will show an array of products and services on offer in more detail, like car wash, coffee, bakery products for example.
Juan commented “In Germany we have signed up more than 150 fuel Stations to date and project we will add another 150 by the middle of next year. Internationally, we operate through our local sales offices as usual. In the US, we have a dedicated team which has just started to introduce the product to the market”.
As detailed on its website, ‘dooh-it customers have full access to; a content management software for placing its own advertising. A high quality and industry focussed database. State-of-the-art high-end screens, facilitating the integration of existing screens. Professional marketing of screens and user friendly and intuitive handling of the ‘dooh-It’ platform.
Summing up, Juan said “We have also increased our own marketing capacities to offer support, to retailers which may have limited time or possibilities, to advertise their own products and services. Our library for station related pictures "Adworkx" is also fully available to our clients”.
More information on dooh-it and PWM can be found at www.pwm.com
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