Retailers using IP surveillance to observe and measure in-store activity will be able to make the most of the festive shopping period and maximise sales, according to Axis Communications.
The global leader in the network video market says that retailers will
improve their bottom line and better meet customer demand over what is their
busiest time of year, if they use network video to drive more targeted
decisions about merchandising, store layouts and in-store operations.
Atul Rajput, retail business development manager at Axis Communications,
said: “As well as playing a crucial role in improving security and reducing
shrinkage over the Christmas period, IP surveillance can be used to measure
and understand customer behaviour and in-store performance.
“For example, customer traffic needs to be monitored regularly to ensure
staffing levels are correct, which can be more easily achieved using people
counting solutions integrated with IP surveillance.
“Additionally, this technology can be used to see how customers respond to
in-store advertising and digital signage, so retailers can improve their
display and marketing strategies and therefore drive sales.
“Valuable input on improving store design can also be gathered using IP
surveillance. By integrating these systems with heat map analytics,
retailers can immediately evaluate the impact of floor change layouts on
customer flow and sales, by combining mapped traffic patterns with point of
sale (POS) data.
“Furthermore by having anywhere, anytime access to a network video system,
retailers can gain valuable business insights into consumer and store
activity, allowing them to streamline operational processes and improve
customer responsiveness.”
Perhaps most importantly, this technology is helping retailers improve
service levels and keep customers happy. By generating real time alerts when
queues exceed predefined thresholds or flagging up lack of on-shelf product
availability, retailers can efficiently respond to customer demand,
enhancing the customer experience and making stressful shopping trips
quicker and easier.
Rajput said: “With fierce competition and trading at its lowest for six
months according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), retailers need to
be doing all they can to understand their customers and improve in-store
operations. IP surveillance is enabling retailers to do this more quickly,
easily and efficiently than ever before, keeping Christmas shoppers happier
and ultimately maximising sales.”
For more information about Axis Communications’ retail surveillance products
visit www.axis.com/retail.
