As well as keeping a record of those entering and exiting a store, technology can now provide retailers with comprehensive and connected systems that monitor customers as they move, generating heat maps for specific time periods and even dwell time in specific areas.

Footfall tracking typically starts at the entrance and exit of a store, with count data collected by a piece of kit called a people counter.  This type of tech works by detecting when a person crosses an invisible count line that has been configured into the settings.

How the counting device detects a person depends on the specific technology implemented.  Traditionally this would have been a form of CCTV but more recent innovations in the sector mean things like thermal imaging and body scanning can all provide a richness of data about customer journeys and behaviours.

Some systems are also able to proactively exclude the movement of retail staff through wearable technology, giving an even more accurate reflection of store footfall.  In some sectors, particularly luxury retail such as jewellers, high-end fashion boutiques and luxury car showrooms, where the ratio of staff to customers is typically high, this can be critical to understanding true customer journeys.

Once collected, real-time data is fed through to a platform for analysis and interpretation, often with a suite of management reporting functionality available.

The global health crisis has added a new lens to the need to track footfall with government guidance changing the rulebook to keep customers and employees safe.  Now more than ever, it’s essential to limit the number of people in a space to adhere to strict Covid-safe requirements including social distancing and limiting crowds.

Shopping centre giant Intu recently announced that it is adapting its footfall-monitoring technology to enable it accurately monitor and control the number of people entering its shopping centres in England.  The aim is to make its frontline teams aware of when maximum capacity in the centres are reached, in line with government guidance on social distancing. Once capacity is reached, queues will then be managed outside.  It’s likely many more will follow suit.

In an extension of the thinking, footfall management is also critical to the urban spaces in which many retailers are located.  The way people use public spaces has come under close scrutiny during the coronavirus pandemic. Crowd simulation technology has become a vital tool as engineers and clients ensure that public infrastructure is aligned with Covid-safe planning.

Simulation tools allow engineers to create 3D models, test myriad designs and undertake advanced analysis of crowd flow.  Just like retail, every urban environment is unique and the needs of the people using the space can differ.  A better understanding of footfall and individual journeys is critical to planning urban spaces that work for not just today but the future as well.  It’s technology that is likely to iterate and evolve for the retail sector as the next stage of footfall management.

Through understanding more about footfall and customer journeys, retailers can implement targeted changes to meet the needs of their core demographics.  As organisations strive to bring their online and offline presence closer together, using enhanced footfall data enables a closer analysis of consumer behaviours in-store versus online. It also allows retailers to adopt a test and learn approach to their physical environments, as they do with their online stores, based on data and real-time analysis.

As the technology improves and gives an even greater degree of reliability and coverage, the opportunities are there to create even more customer-centric environments.  From driving strategic store decisions to more tactical sales initiatives, as well as maintaining compliance with government-driven Covid-related guidance, richer and deeper footfall data is more than the latest passing trend; it’s the new must-have.

At Sigma, we stay at the forefront of the latest technology innovations in retail to ensure we can bring the right solution to meet your data-driven needs.  We can offer full-project management support to deliver an outcome-focused solution; our design and planning experts will work with you to find the perfect tech based on your requirements whilst our M&E, construction & installation teams can work alongside any specialist expertise needed to ensure your solution is expertly installed to deliver the benefits you need.

Whether you’re considering an entirely new approach to footfall management or enhancing an existing set-up, we have the knowledge and expertise to help you improve the performance of your store portfolio.