The business field is constantly evolving. However, the changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic were so drastic and urgent that regardless of their size, all companies had to adopt new practices and various technological solutions to continue operating and meeting the needs of their customers amidst a global health threat.
One of the technologies that became widely popular since last year are people counting or footfall counting systems. These platforms allow businesses to track the number of customers inside their premises and ensure that the maximum count is adhered to so that social distancing is safely implemented.
Social distancing is one of the crucial measures that slow down the spread of the coronavirus. It does so by stopping the COVID-19’s chains of transmission and preventing new ones from emerging.
And with COVID-19 cases now rising again, ensuring that social distancing is strictly followed in business premises is now more important than ever.
Purchasing Your First Footfall Counting System
Aside from keeping tabs on and recording the number of people entering and leaving your business premises, a footfall counting system provides other insights that can help you make smarter decisions for the benefit of your company.
However, investing in the right footfall counting system is crucial if you want this technology to help you run a healthy and safe business environment and reap as many benefits as you can.
If you want to have a people counting system that allows you to meet all your current and future business goals, follow these tips for purchasing one:
1. Check the accuracy of the traffic counting system.
The most trusted and reliable footfall counting systems have a high operational efficiency ranging between 95 and 98 percent.
While many brands may say that their devices are within this range, there are a few ways for you to check how accurate their system is.
If the system uses infrared beams, remove it from your list right away. Although it can take note of every person that passes them, if two or more people cross at the same time, only one will be counted. This, of course, can affect its accuracy.
The best footfall counting system to invest in is one that is bidirectional since it can distinguish between those people entering and leaving the premises. Moreover, this data is recorded separately.
2. Study the system’s reporting capabilities.
To get the most from your investment, choose a system that gives you more than just a collection of footfall analysis data.
Select a system that combines quality visitor traffic sensors and quality data reporting that provide you with actionable insights.
Additionally, ensure the footfall counting system provides automatic synchronization of data with regular updates. It should also allow you to download reports anytime.
Whether your people counting system is app- or cloud-based, dedicated software, or all of the above, remember that it should serve as a one-stop, centralized platform that you can use to access up-to-date, real-time reports.
Your new footfall counting technology should also provide you with standard and customizable reporting features that help you assess possible situations and optimize your decision-making processes.
Lastly, it should be able to connect you quickly with other key metrics and IT solutions you are currently using or plan to use. These include sales and staff scheduling.
These features allow you to create better strategies in terms of product placements in the store and scheduling employees during peak periods and more.
3. Check its data security features.
With hacking and data breaches happening all around, you also have to ensure your new business tech can protect your company’s and customers’ sensitive information.
First, collected data must be hosted on a secure cloud space with unlimited storage. It should have an encrypted communication protocol between the counter and the server and the users and the server.
Also, check if the hardware or the actual counter can be tampered with. The last thing you want to happen is for unscrupulous individuals to play with or pull out the sensors that come with the system.
Lastly, look for counters with a built-in battery and internal memory so that they can still function even if there is an electricity or Internet outage. A system that can alert you automatically if the sensors have low power or a blocked signal will also be helpful in the long run.
4. Ensure the system can help control occupancy.
As mentioned, the COVID-19 pandemic brought about the widespread need for people-counting systems. This technology can help with business monitoring, control, and compliance occupancy solutions to ensure that the required social distancing measures are always implemented.
These measures are expected to stay in place until the pandemic wanes. However, there is no way of knowing when this will happen or if another similar worldwide health problem will take place in the future.
As such, look for a system that can go beyond foot traffic numbers as key performance indicators or KPIs. It should offer the option of live occupancy tracking when you need it.
Investing in a footfall counting system with a live occupancy feature to facilitate application programming interface or API calls is also a smart decision.
With this option, your system can refresh foot traffic numbers every few seconds and display them on the user interface. This information ensures you can limit the number of occupants effectively as needed.
5. Find out if the system is scalable.
Another way to get the most from your people counting system from the start is to check if it can stand the test of time and expansion.
Your system should be capable of connecting and configuring all sensors through a centralized platform within the same location or in various ones. It also must be accessible from different devices regardless of where the user is.
Additionally, look for foot traffic solutions that offer business intelligence data processing from the start. Ask about the provider’s plans for updates and new developments to know if they can support your company’s future needs.
The system should also be flexible to help you manage queues effectively in different locations so that it can help reduce wait times to increase conversion rates and profitability.
Whether you own or manage a retail store, mall, or commercial building, regardless of the size of your premises, investing in the right footfall counting system can help your company grow and meet the demands of the constantly evolving business market.
