For a long time, rented audio guide hardware and great digital visitor experiences felt like two separate things. Devices worked one way while apps worked another, which left venues managing two systems, two sets of content and two very different visitor journeys.

To close that gap, we’re introducing hardware from Smartify, and we’re excited to share what that means in practice.

When a visitor picks up a Smartify device, they get the same award-winning experience that’s already powered millions of visits through the Smartify apps:

• A beautifully designed interface, customised with your fonts, colours and more

• Built-in accessibility features including audio descriptions, text-to-speech and signed tours

• Essential visitor engagement tools: media player, object recognition, wayfinding and more

• Games, AR and interactive experiences to keep every visitor engaged

• AI-powered personalisation that tailors itineraries to individual interests and available time

• Automated translations and text-to-voice so your content works for international visitors

What makes this different from traditional device rental is that it’s evergreen. When we release a new feature on the Smartify platform, it’s immediately available on your devices, too. There are no manual updates or versions to keep in sync. Your hardware is always improving.

And on your busiest days, when there are more visitors than devices to go around, you can push people towards your custom web app. It gives visitors an identical experience on their phones: same content, same interface, no waiting for devices to become available. You can also make real-time updates to your experiences, for example a shorter tour to help manage footfall.

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We’ve seen what happens when venues stop thinking about hardware and software as separate problems. Visitor experiences improve, operations become simpler and teams get back to doing what they do best.

What happens behind the scenes is just as important. With remote mobile device management (MDM), we’re able to keep a constant watch on every device on your floor. Battery levels, software performance, connectivity problems – we spot and resolve issues instantly, often before your visitors or anyone on your team has noticed them. For venues managing hundreds of devices across a popular permanent collection or a sold-out temporary exhibition, that kind of visibility is a game-changer.

With Smartify, your entire digital experience can be managed from a single dashboard. You’ll also get detailed insights and analytics that give your team a clear picture of how visitors are engaging with your content and your venue.

We’ve seen what happens when venues stop thinking about hardware and software as separate problems. Visitor experiences improve, operations become simpler and teams get back to doing what they do best.

If you’d like to see how it works, we’d love to show you.