Smart lighting system: Monitoring customers‘ access in times of Corona
As part of the coronavirus pandemic regulations, retailers must limit the number of customers in their stores. A smart access control management with digital lightings at the entrance indicates whether the maximum number of people in the store has been reached and sounds an alarm in case of unauthorized access.
Retailers breathe a sigh of relief upon hearing the news that they can reopen their stores and boost sales. But to keep the coronavirus pandemic under control, strict hygiene rules must be adopted. Only retailers who comply with these rules— which vary from state to state— will be allowed to greet customers at their brick-and-mortar stores once more. After all, the health of customers and employees must be protected and prioritized. Prior rules: Wear a protective mask and stay at least 1.5 meters away from others. To enable shopping and working while abiding by these rules, only a certain number of customers are allowed to stay in the store. How many? Regulations vary from state to state. It is now the responsibility of retailers to implement these rules or face hefty fines. It is important to point out that if customers do not feel safe in a particular store, they may prefer to remain outside or choose to shop with competitors. A difficult situation arises because the owners are dependent on every customer, now more than ever.
SAFE AND SIMPLE: ACCESS CONTROL VIA SMART TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM
Some retailers have responded by hiring security personnel for access control to regulate the flow of customers. Others regulate admission with a limited number of shopping carts and baskets, as a requirement to be able to enter the store. In order to enforce the access regulations, additional personnel is required which leads to higher costs.
Telekom's digital access control management regulates the flow of customers at the entrance without any additional staff and in an easily comprehensible way. Two pillars have to be placed a maximum of five meters apart, to the right and left of the door— preferably as close to each other as possible. The traffic signal is integrated into one of the two pillars. All that is needed is a power supply from a nearby electrical outlet and the pillars are connected to each other via photoelectric barrier. If a customer enters or leaves the shop, the barrier is briefly interrupted, and the equipment accurately reflects the change. When the maximum number of visitors is reached, the traffic signal at the entrance turns red. Subsequent customers know that they must wait. If a customer tries to enter on red, a warning alarm sounds. If desired, the system also sounds an alarm on the smartphone or tablet of the employee responsible.
HELPFUL INVESTMENT FOR THE FUTURE
The main benefit of this solution: smart digital technology provides security, so companies do not have to assign a human being to specifically control access. The costs for the access control management solution are amortized on average within the first two to three weeks. To sum up, employees can focus on core tasks, instead of having to keep an eye on the door at all times. In addition to the retail sector, the access control management system is also suitable for medical facilities, restaurants, cafés, hairdressers, or barbers.
The purchase of this solution is worthwhile considering, also apart from the pandemic. After all, shop owners can use the system to precisely measure the flow of visitors in their stores; the software displays the capacity utilization broken down by times and days of the week. Instead of relying on an inner feeling, dedicated figures indicate the amount of staff needed at what times, and suggest the best time to unpack new goods, restock, or clean the cold storage for example.
EXTENSION FOR ADDITIONAL SAFETY
The basic package for access control management is designed for shops with only one entrance and exit, though Telekom also offers variants for sales rooms with several entrances. Via an online portal, the user can conveniently configure how many people are allowed to stay in the rooms at any given time. The equipment bundle also includes setup for initial operation. In addition, the access control management system can be expanded with additional components. One of these examples is the additional temperature measurement feature: Companies can use the solution to measure the body temperature of employees when they start working. This is carried out in compliance with data protection regulations and helps to provide the best possible protection for employees.
Advantages of the smart access control management system:
- Hygiene regulations are observed
- Maximum transparency of facility data
- Clear signals for visitors
- Cost savings through resource planning as needed
Further information:
Daniel Kunz
Expert Digital Marketing
Digitization and the Internet of Things are among the favourite topics of Daniel Kunz. He has been with Deutsche Telekom since 2017 and regularly writes about technology trends and many exciting topics, especially for the retail trade and the logistics industry.
Daniel Kunz
Expert Digital Marketing
Digitization and the Internet of Things are among the favourite topics of Daniel Kunz. He has been with Deutsche Telekom since 2017 and regularly writes about technology trends and many exciting topics, especially for the retail trade and the logistics industry.
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