Picking The Best Foot Traffic Counting Solution
Shopping malls, quick-service restaurants, and big-box stores all rely on accurate and real-time foot traffic analysis.
However, for many, sensor-based retail traffic counters just don’t do the job. Here’s why.
Incomplete and faulty data
The biggest problem with sensors and some camera-based retail traffic counters lies in their lack of sophistication. For accurate foot traffic counts and length of stay measurement, you need a solution that can tell when a person has entered and left a physical space. If all you’re doing is counting silhouettes or motion, you only capture part of the data. Your foot traffic counts won’t take into account how many employees entered or left the premises. You can’t tell if the person leaving is the same one that entered the space. You only know how many bodies walked by a sensor or a camera so the data is flawed.
Proponents of sensor-based retail traffic counters are quick to point out that their solutions are anonymous, which is true. However, there are better solutions. Take for example Aquaji, the sophisticated AI-powered computer vision software that can generate real-time foot traffic data at a 95% accuracy rate. Aquaji’s innovative AI-enhanced computer vision system detects faces and body shapes without any personally identifiable information being captured or stored on the system. Aquaji can tell when a person has entered and left a monitored space, and when staff member’s features are tagged, the software will exclude them from future foot traffic counts.
The result is more accurate and actionable foot traffic data.
What are the benefits of the face and body detection?
Because your foot traffic data is accurate, you can use it to gather deeper insights into your customer’s mindset and adapt your operations and marketing activities more quickly.
Real-time foot traffic analysis lets you do more, for instance:
- Anticipate customer demand based on historic data gathered by the system.
- Identify peak-demand times and adjust your staffing accordingly.
- Monitor check-out and service staff performance.
- Analyze your store layout and assortments to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Inform and motivate shoppers using context-aware digital signage content.
- Evaluate your conversion rates.
- Measure customer loyalty and engagement based on the number of visits and time spent in-store.
Retail traffic counters should be able to provide the kind of actionable data that retail businesses need. Only AI-powered marketing analytics solutions like Aquaji can provide the type of information marketers and retail operators can truly use to optimize their day-to-day operations.
What about privacy concerns?
No one takes privacy more seriously than Navori Labs, and Aquaji has been engineered to respect all local privacy rules and regulations. Aquaji detects physical traits and assigns an anonymous code to each person. There are no images captured or stored on the system, ensuring a fully anonymous process. Aquaji does not collect any personal data which ensures the software can be used in total confidence.
In summary
Whether you run a small boutique or a large shopping center, understanding foot traffic patterns is essential for making well-informed business decisions. After all, foot traffic is one of the most important indicators of a store’s success. A foot traffic counting solution can help you to better understand your customer flow and make the most of your retail space. But with so many different solutions on the market, how do you know which one is right for you?
Here are a few things to keep in mind as you evaluate foot traffic counting solutions:
- Ease of use: You should be able to set up and use the foot traffic counting solution with minimal hassle. The last thing you want is a solution that requires hours of training or a team of IT experts to install.
- Accuracy: The foot traffic counting solution should be able to provide accurate data that you can trust. Look for solutions that use sophisticated sensors and algorithms to count people accurately, even in large and congested areas.
- List of features: Make sure that the foot traffic counting solution you choose offers the features you need, such as the ability to track dwell time, heat mapping, and conversion rates.
- Scalability: As your business grows, you’ll need a foot traffic counting solution that can scale along with you. Look for solutions that can be easily integrated into new stores or expanded to include additional sensor nodes.
- Reliability: Your foot traffic data is only valuable if it’s available when you need it. Choose a foot traffic counting solution that is built on a robust and reliable platform.
By taking the time to evaluate your options and choose the right foot traffic counting solution for your business, you’ll be able to make major improvements in your customer flow and overall operations.