Digital signage is seen as a technical and mainly male-dominated industry but in the last few years women have been actively pursuing careers in the field and their employment numbers are increasing year-on-year. Across the sector, from Account Managers, Project Managers, and Content Managers to Stock Controllers, and even technical roles, the percentage of women has soared. Chris Day, Managing Director of Moving Tactics, the leading digital signage solutions company in South Africa, says “If we look at the numbers compared to 10 years ago, we are extremely positive about female representation in the industry and amazed at how many women are applying for technical installation and offsite maintenance positions, across the colour-spectrum”.
Research further shows that gender diversity within companies increases both performance and innovation. In recognition of Women’s Month, we chatted to Lynn Jamey, Senior Content Manager at Moving Tactics, about her role in the digital signage sector.
When did you join the Moving Tactics team and has your role within the company changed over the years?
I joined the Moving Tactics team eight years ago as a Junior Content Manager, the only person in Cape Town managing content for the company. I have since worked my way up to Senior Content Manager, whilst also taking on the Senior Traffic Manager role.
What does your role as Senior Content and Traffic Manager entail?
I head up the content team and oversee the entire process of digital content from inception to completion. Our Account Executives work on various client networks and often need to upload new content. I review their content, analyse where and how it’s going to be displayed, and whether it needs to be edited or converted. In a nutshell, I ensure all content is ready to go live on clients’ screens and then liaise with my account managers regarding the scheduling.
What influenced you to pursue a career in digital signage?
I had mainly been out of the workforce for about three years after adopting my two children. I initially applied for a bookkeeping position at Moving Tactics, but after the interview, the Managing Director called to say they thought I’d be a good fit as a content manager and encouraged me to give it a go. After finding out more about the role, and despite not having any prior experience in the digital signage industry, I decided to jump straight in and take the bull by the horns. I’ve never looked back. I love it!
What highlights and challenges have you faced in your career?
As with any industry, ours has its challenges too but that’s what I enjoy about the industry. I love a good challenge. You must be willing to put in the hard work. The digital signage industry is constantly evolving and that’s what I love about it. There’s always something new coming out and I enjoy the process of putting our heads together and testing and building new technologies as a team. While sometimes it can be frustrating when it doesn’t work the way it should, it’s extremely rewarding when it does; and in the digital signage industry, no two days are ever the same.
Working from home with kids can sometimes be a challenge, although I am primarily based at the office, which I prefer as I find that I’m more creative when there and the vibe in the office is just brilliant. But on the occasion when my kids are sick, it’s nice to know that I can work from home. We have a phenomenal team and everyone just kind of jumps on board to try and help.
In addition to loving the work I do; I also love the people I work with and the environment at Moving Tactics – it’s very chilled. The management team always takes you into consideration and understands where you are coming from, such as having to leave work to go and fetch the kids, which is amazing as it’s very rare to find employers like that. I give 110% to my work and leave no stone unturned.
What advice can you offer to women who are starting their careers in digital signage?
Exceptional customer service is key in our field of work. Always be willing to go the extra mile. If you’re new to the industry, don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself by comparing yourself to others who have been in the industry for years. it’s important to remember that it’s a process, especially in the digital signage industry as there are so many levels that you need to go through to get to where you want to be.
Be patient with yourself. I always tell my team that we are all humans, and we all make mistakes. You are not a robot. Making mistakes is where you learn and that’s how I’ve learnt most of the things I know today. In this industry, you need to have a team, so teamwork is very important. Everyone has their bad days, but I always try to think of the person on the other side. Be nice, be friendly and always be willing to help, whether it be a client or a colleague.
Which female leaders do you admire and why?
I look up to mother. She is my hero and the rock of our family. She’s strong and doesn’t take any nonsense. I have two siblings and she’s done an exceptional job in raising all three of us. I hope I do the same with my kids. She’s always there no matter what. If I can’t get to school on time to pick up the kids, I can always count on mom to do it, no questions asked. I also admire my father and I’m blessed to have my parents here.
Moving Tactics is a leading South African digital signage solutions company that develops customised digital signage technologies and is constantly creating innovative communication solutions.
