Smart Technologies are introducing in the market a new surveillance solution for the business and retail sectors that besides offering the standard live security features, also yields important information that may be used for marketing purposes.
“The way a customer moves inside a shop can say a lot about his or her shopping habits. Likewise, a collective set of data about the movement pattern of customers inside a shop or a shopping complex, can say a lot about how they approach displays, which sections or shops are seeing most traffic and how the spatial setup is ultimately instigating customers to buy,” explains Christopher Demicoli, Business Development Manager at Smart Technologies.
“With this in mind, we have started renting a new video analytics solution to businesses and commercial space operators, a system that yields double the benefits and therefore very attractive given that in this day and age, businesses are trying to maximize the potential of their assets. This solution in fact, does not only offer video recording and live security but can also translate into precious marketing information. It is a system that offers different aspects that are at the same time correlated,” adds Mr Demicoli.
The new solution is mostly ideal for retail outlets, supermarkets, chains, shopping complexes, fairs, convention centers and airports.
“We started asking ourselves, how can business leverage its security systems and at the same time gain a competitive advantage in terms of marketing? This is exactly what this system does. Smart Technologies will be offering this service configured and installed on site as a rented service over an agreed period of time. At the end of the rented term, the client will be given a report with raw data and a graphical presentation of the findings. If the client does not have a surveillance system installed, Smart Technologies is also in a position to provide a system of cameras suitably drafted according to the client’s specific requirements. The data translated from the video monitoring will give its user added information about the different patterns of customers entering and leaving his shop or commercial center.”
The system, can handle different functions such as counting the number of people entering the premises and identifying which direction people take once inside the building thus indicating key attractive areas in the premises. It can also count people queuing at point-of-sales queue and the system may be set to alert in case the queue becomes too long and relaying the alert to open another cash till. If not alerted, such a system can also identify peak times and schedule staff around the peak hours.
Such system also monitors merchandizing stands, identifyling how many people stop in front the stand thus monitoring the effectiveness of in-store promotional campaigns. From a security point of view, the system through video can monitor appearing or disappearing objects in specific areas which can in turn trigger alarms as in the case of unattended baggage and loitering.
“This system reflects Smart Technologies constant effort to offer added value to its customers because being already aware that retail operators have to in any case invest in a surveillance and monitoring system, might as well do so knowing that such investment can also yield information that can help them shape their marketing strategies,” concluded Mr Demicoli.