Whether you operate a mall and you’re looking to increase the number of customer visits, or you run a jewelry store and wish to learn more about your customers, identifying foot traffic trends can go a long way in optimizing your operations. Whichever sector you’re in, a people counting system will always come in handy when measuring and analysing foot traffic to support crucial business decisions.
Here is a step by step guide on how to implement a people counting system successfully.
Steps for implementing a people counting system
1. Set goals
Before implementing your people counting system it’s important to decide what you want to measure and the objectives you wish to meet using your people counting data. Armed with this information you will have a better idea of which method and devices you need to collect foot traffic data. For example, if you want to identify peak foot traffic times in a department store, you will need a people counting software that’s able to match foot traffic data to specific times of the day.
2. Determine the location
Start by identifying the entry and exit points of your premises and pick a location where the sensors will be placed. Measure the dimensions to determine the type of sensor that’s best suited to count foot traffic for such an entry way. For example, if the entry is very wide and accommodates a lot of people, you may opt for an overhead sensor rather than a horizontal one.
3. Install sensors
How many locations do you need to monitor? This will determine the number of sensors you need and the type of people counting system to install. Next, select the sensors you will deploy, whether that’s infrared sensors, video-based sensors, beacons, or thermal people counters.
The sensors can be fitted overhead or horizontally depending on foot traffic flow. This is how they work:
- Overhead sensors are mounted above store entrances or exits to identify foot traffic. For open entrances or extra-wide entry points where people can move in groups or stand in the opening, overhead sensors will give you a more accurate count.
- Horizontal sensors are installed on either side of a door and work by projecting a break beam across the doorway.
When setting up the counters be clear on whether you want them to measure foot traffic unidirectionally or bidirectionally.
4. Choose how you will store and transmit data
Will the sensors be stand-alone devices, storing their own data, or will they send it to a cloud-based server? If data is transmitted from the sensors to a computer, you may need to acquire data controllers. These devices collect and store data from several sensors before transmitting it to your computer or server.
If you expect to handle large volumes of data you can opt to buy server space to store foot traffic data instead of relying on your own servers. Using a hosting service for your data is convenient and helps keep data well organized and secure.
5. Test the system
Before going live, be sure to carry out a trial run using foot traffic generated by a few people, such as store employees. Alternatively you can test the people counting system in phases over a longer duration.
6. Decide on reporting timeframes
Craft a plan for gathering people counting data and set a reporting threshold. This is where you decide how regularly you want your analytics reported. Industry best practice is to display your metrics on an hourly basis every day.
Also choose which metrics require reporting. Do you want basic information like the number of visitors to your store, or do you need more in-depth information, like the duration spent in the store, or conversions at the point of sale? Ensure the system you deploy to monitor foot traffic is aligned with your metric objectives.
7. Start collecting data
Start gathering your people counting data. If you’re running a semi-automated system that doesn’t automatically transmit data to a central computer, schedule regular checks to collect data from the devices. This will ensure data accuracy is maintained at all times. Even if your people counter system is fully automated, it is prudent to check the devices regularly to pick up any network glitches or hardware failures that may affect counting.
8. Analyze data to gain insights
To make sense of the large amounts of raw data collected by your people counting system, you will need analytical software that generates easy-to-interpret reports. Carefully go through the information to pick up any trends, and find out if factors such as the time of day, staffing levels, or even the weather may have affected foot traffic and sales.
Integrating people counting systems with existing systems
Implementing people counting solutions doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It often involves integrating the technology with an already existing software system such as a point-of-sale (POS) or customer relationship management (CRM). It is essential that the two systems operate seamlessly in order to improve operational efficiency, gain a better understanding of customer behavior, and measure conversions more effectively.
Successful integration can run into headwinds especially when foot traffic data cannot be relied on due to inaccuracies. This can happen, for example, when high foot traffic and close proximity of people leads to miscounting by devices.
Integration can also fail when a foot traffic counter is unable to share data with a POS system – making it impossible to correlate foot traffic data with sales numbers.
Overcoming obstacles in implementing people counting systems
To overcome challenges posed by people counting inaccuracies, it’s important to procure a system that combines video analytics and AI to enhance collection and interpretation of data. This can assist in distinguishing people at close proximity to each other, differentiating between staff and customers , as well as distinguishing between customers entering or leaving the premises.
To avoid incompatibility issues, implementation of people counting systems should be well planned, ensuring full compatibility checks are done and upgrades to the existing system are carried out to avoid disappointment.
Using case studies to successfully implement people counting systems
Real-world examples of how organizations have successfully implemented people counting solutions can offer invaluable insights into the best practices needed to achieve positive outcomes. For instance, a warehouse may have rolled out a foot traffic counting system and used the data to improve movement of goods within the warehouse, resulting in faster loading and offloading turn-around times.
At Storetraffic we offer proven people counting solutions that can be seamlessly integrated with a wide range of POS systems. We are happy to use our experience and learnings to offer solutions for large retailers looking to seamlessly roll out foot traffic counters in their organizations.
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