How People Counting Software Helps Optimize Staffing and Space

Daily fluctuations in number of visitors is a challenge for businesses. For instance, there can be very few visitors in the morning in a retail shop but more visitors in the evening. There can be a rush of visitors in the lobby of an office building during working hours whereas traffic flow patterns in shopping malls, restaurants and entertainment centers can vary entirely during a week.

If a business does not use people counting software, then the need for guessing becomes evident. When decisions regarding staffing and space usage have to be made, people-counting software can make a difference.

What Is People Counting Software?

People counting software is able to analyze people entering, exiting or passing a certain location with the help of cameras or sensors along with analytical tools.

Visitors of locations do not need to be counted manually anymore; instead, automatic collection of traffic data can provide detailed insights about busy hours, low traffic times, occupancy and visitors' tendencies.

Staffing Based on Actual Visitors

Being understaffed at peak traffic times can result in long lines, delays, and more work for the staff. Meanwhile, having too many people on staff at quieter times can incur extra staffing expenses.

Information about people count can assist managers in determining when the visitor flow tends to increase or decrease.

As an example, a store may find out that most visitors tend to come between 5 and 8 p.m. Managers will be able to use that information along with other data in order to plan proper staffing for that time.

Use the Space More Efficiently

People counting doesn't only refer to the number of visitors in a building. In combination with other analytics, it can help businesses learn about how their spaces are used.

The following is among the possibilities businesses have due to it:

• Identifying busy and idle zones

• Determining peak visitation times

• Occupancy management

• Improving staff positioning

• Queue and waiting area management

• Making decisions about space allocation

An example of the latter can be a large facility discovering that one of its zones often gets crowded whereas another one gets almost no visitors.

Better the Customer Experience

Traffic has an effect on the customer experience.

Long lines, overcrowded places, and lack of people can make visiting the business unpleasant. With the help of traffic analysis, the business can be prepared to cope with situations when additional personnel is required.

A retailer can have more open checkouts during the rush hours, and an entertainment center can put more staff in the busiest areas. Occupancy information can also be used in offices and commercial properties to control the use of shared space.

See Trends in the Long Run

The true usefulness of people counting software becomes obvious when the business analyzes the data over several days, weeks, or months.

Businesses will be able to see what happens during weekdays and weekends, how the situation changes during seasons, what peak hours there are, and how visiting trends change.

Going from People Counting to Making Better Choices

Being aware of the fact that 1,000 people have entered a certain place is good to know; however, being aware of their arrival times and the fluctuation of traffic brings a lot more value.

In case people counting data is combined with other operational data, more appropriate decisions can be made in terms of scheduling, space management, etc.

Conclusion

It is much easier for businesses to schedule staff and space management when they have an understanding of the visitor traffic.

Thanks to people counting software, it is possible to track footfall, discover the periods of peak hours and learn the trends of occupation and plan accordingly.

Feel free to contact us to learn more about people counting and video analytics solutions.

FAQs

1. What is people counting software?

This software automatically counts individuals going into or out of, and within, observed spaces, offering insights on visitor traffic and occupancy.

2. How can people counting software aid in staff management?

Insight on traffic history will assist in determining busy and off times for the business, providing more information to schedule staff.

3. Can people counting software assist businesses in space management?

Yes, depending on the software, occupancy and movement can assist in determining which areas are over or underutilized by the business.

4. Where can people counting software be utilized?

People counting software can be utilized in retail stores, shopping centers, office spaces, airports, entertainment complexes, commercial buildings, and any other places where there is measurable visitor traffic.

5. Does people counting software show peak hours?

Yes, analysis of visitor counts can offer insight on the recurring peak hours of the business.