Sharp Business Systems (SBS)—the direct business-to-business sales division of Sharp Electronics Corporation—has showrooms across the U.S. designed to show current and potential customers how to elevate the work experience and build smart offices that address the needs of the modern hybrid workforce. SBS has standardized Mersive Technologies’ Solstice Platform in these environments to maximize the use of each Sharp and NEC displays in its showrooms.
These displays are demonstrated in various vignettes, from conference rooms to common spaces to training rooms to breakrooms. “One of the challenges we have to overcome is businesses thinking they can run to a big-box store to buy a residential TV for their conference room,” said Chris Chopp, national director of visual solutions for Sharp Business Systems. “The reality is, you need purpose-built displays designed for 24/7 operation that excel at signage. They are brighter, have a less glossy finish, and often have better image characteristics for visual communication.”
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The use of the Solstice Platform in these environments creates a more engaging, unifying, and informed hybrid work experience via Solstice’s collaboration capabilities, operational analytics, and digital signage. “Mersive Solstice helps us supercharge our displays and show organizations how to use them in more ways,” said Chopp. “Each of our primary showrooms has multiple Mersive Solstice Pods.”
Wireless Collaboration Makes Workplace a Destination
SBS uses Mersive Solstice for simple wireless presentation, collaboration, and conferencing applications, alongside peripherals from Bose, Huddly, Yamaha, and others. While SBS looked at other collaboration offerings for its showrooms, it chose Mersive Solstice for its unmatched features. Solstice’s multi-participant content sharing, control, and markup improve user engagement and meeting productivity. The intuitive Solstice app plus app-free sharing options give users choice and flexibility in the meeting room.
“People walk into these innovative [SBS} environments and it makes them think about how their work could be richer and more empowered than working at home alone," explained Erica Carroll, director of product marketing and training at Mersive. "A large part of that is through effortless connection with coworkers and therefore a more exciting and impactful experience.”
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Operational Analytics Inform Room Use
Mersive Solstice Cloud is a secure cloud portal that allows administrators to easily manage Solstice Pods. Solstice Cloud also includes in-depth operational analytics, which is a big advantage for SBS showrooms. This meaningful data empowers both Sharp and potential customers to better understand, optimize, and determine ROI on their Solstice-enabled meeting spaces. They can categorize Solstice Pods, collect and analyze data such as peak meeting hours, average meeting duration, and more, and leverage those insights to optimize current spaces and plan future ones.
“Our customers want to know: ‘Are we using that space?’ and ‘How are we using that space?’ So Mersive Solstice’s room analytics data is both valuable and impressive,” said Chopp.
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Digital Signage Unites The Hybrid Workforce
Mersive Solstice Pods act as digital signage players and are compatible with a wide variety of digital signage providers, including 22Miles, Appspace, Carousel, and others. The one-two punch of Sharp displays and easy-to-manage and secure Solstice Pods supercharges SBS showroom displays with powerful digital signage that shows customers how they can unite their hybrid workforce and reinforce corporate messaging.
“With today’s hybrid work scenarios, not everyone is in the office at the same time, so visual communications have to be more impactful. We use office space in our showrooms to illustrate how visual communication can drive home corporate messaging and get everybody on the same page,” said Chopp. “This ultimately helps alleviate remote workers feeling disconnected. Whether the message is about employee appreciation or recognition, the result is more camaraderie. People feel like they're a part of something.”
