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.