How can an active door policy help your business?

Shopping in times of the Covid-19 pandemic is very different than before. Now that more and more stores can (partially) open again, it is important that this happens safely. The last thing you want as a retailer is for customers or staff to feel unsafe in your store. To prevent this, it is important that the risk of infection remains as small as possible. This is why it is important that customers and staff are able to keep a distance of 2 metres from each other. However, this is only possible if the number of customers per square metre is limited. How do you ensure this? You can do this by having an active door policy in your store. 

What is an active door policy? 

In order to guarantee the required distance of 2 metres in your store, it is necessary to have an active door policy so that the number of customers per square metre remains limited. With an active door policy you can make sure the required space in your store can be guaranteed by counting the incoming and outgoing customers in your store. This is very important and therefore needs to be done accurately. In a smaller store with only a few customers, this may not be so difficult, but in a larger store with more customers, this can be a big challenge. A footfall counting system can provide the solution.  

How can a counting system help with an active door policy? 

A people counting system automatically keeps track of the number of customers entering and leaving the store. This way you are always aware of the number of customers inside, and it prevents too many customers per square meter. It is also possible to set a maximum occupancy rate for your store. When the maximum number of customers is reached, you will be notified. This allows you to temporarily stop customers at the door.  

The necessary trust for your customers 

Besides an active door policy, counting systems also give you the opportunity to inform your customers about peak hours. By providing this information to your customers online, they can chose a less busy time to go shopping. This enhances their feeling of safety. In addition, you will be able to spread the customers in front of your store more evenly, which will reduce the chance of a queue outside the store. 

Additional advantages of a people counting system 

In addition to making your store safer for customers and staff, a people counting system provides insights into peak hours, so you can plan staff accordingly. Besides it will help you understand your customers’ behaviour better. For example you can use these retail analytics to optimise the layout or walking route of your store in order to increase your turnover.