Digital signage for shops, for retailers to open and operate while communicating with customers, has won an award from AV Magazine.
The range of PeopleCount queue management and safe social distancing from PPDS combines Android-powered Philips displays with intelligent cameras from Bosch and CMS software from NowSignage. The range was designed, made and shipped within weeks of retailers in Europe being forced to close their doors due to the pandemic.
Global names in retail, as well as restaurants, corporates and other public settings, are now using the solution, helping to keep staff and customers safe, while adhering to strict rules without the frustrations or added expense of deploying existing or hiring additional staff.
PeopleCount was hailed by the judges as a ‘perfect example of collaboration and innovation in action, responding and reacting instantly to market conditions.’
Franck Racapé, Vice President, EMEA, said: “We had a roadmap for 2020 and 2021 and, it’s safe to say, PeopleCount wasn’t part of it! That all changed when the pandemic hit and we responded to support our customers. Retail was one of the hardest hit industries, with many countries imposing strict rules and lockdowns. Through our close partnerships, a global team of innovators and an inherent desire to support customers in their times of need, we responded as quickly as we could. And, for some, PeopleCount has truly been a lifeline – the difference between businesses being in a position to be able to reopen and stay afloat. We didn’t do it to for the plaudits, but we’re delighted to be recognised with this award.”
The product uses Google-certified, Android-powered Philips displays (such as the D-Line, in multiple sizes), which are positioned at the entrances of a retailer’s premises. For the Making PeopleCount, one or more intelligent cameras with Video Analytics from Bosch, connected over encrypted IP connections, are placed to count customers as they enter and leave a premises, providing live automatic updates and alerts to the display(s) as and when capacity is neared or reached, while also calculating average waiting times
A customisable traffic light system informs customers when and when not to enter and can be integrated into a store’s automatic doors, opening and closing according to capacity from the data received. Meanwhile, PeopleCount Now, delivered with NowSignage, combines the capacity management with management information.
Racapé added: “We’re living in unprecedented times and our health and safety, whether we’re isolating at home, working or visiting a store, is of paramount importance. Something as simple as visiting a retail store or supermarket may now require a new level of thought, from queuing up outside to following marked-out routes. It can be confusing and intimidating for some – so communication is vital. Technology can play a huge role in ensuring the current rules and guidelines are maintained and that customers and staff feel confident, safe and well informed at all times.”
Visit www.PPDS-PeopleCount.com.
