Surrey-based Mole Valley District Council is one of the first non-retailers to adopt a new people traffic counting technology, to help adhere to indoor social distancing.
Having previously used a manual occupancy system, the social distancing guidelines following Covid-19 proved that an update was needed. Instead of twisting a sign around when entering/existing the toilets, it was clear that an automated system to monitor the number of people in any given space in real-time was needed.
The new ‘live occupancy’ technology, pioneered by Ipsos Retail Performance, is an updated version of the Shopper Count tool. This can be implemented and customised to a range of specific requirements, configuring with screen displays to inform people when the maximum occupancy has been reached.
In addition, the technology can also be configured with automatic door closures and door locking systems. This solution reports on people numbers moving through entrances and exits in any given location, building a factual picture of the flow of traffic hourly, daily, weekly and year on year.
The ultimate purpose for using this technology is to reduce the risk of any environments – whether they are retailers or spaces such as banks or post offices – being overpopulated when the doors are open, and maintain social distancing guidelines.
Jason Hughes Principal Building, FM & Project Surveyor at Mole Valley District Council said:
“We needed a quick and simple solution to install more importantly it needed to be very clear to staff so that we could help protect staff while adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines in providing a safe working environment. The system supplied by Ipsos has fulfilled our requirements so much that we are now in the process of rolling in out to all the buildings toilets”
Peter Luff, Ipsos Retail Performance President said:
“COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on where, when and how we are able to interact with our world. This affects all aspects of life and the majority are doing their best to maintain social distance, but it’s hard. It’s hard to always be compliant at an individual level without regular clear prompts or in specific situations you may be unfamiliar with or simply cannot assess before entering if you will be infringing these guidelines. Sustaining social distancing, beyond the initial posters, really is the challenge for all organisations and individuals, to help avoid a second wave and the local hot spots which are already arising. Having tools to assist and protect us all will help society and give us more confidence to get back to normal without compromising on safety.
This new solution is our way to try and help social distancing work as effectively as possible, to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, keeping both employees and visitors safe.”
For more information about how the technology works, please visit https://www.ipsos-retailperformance.com/en/services/people-counters/retail-occupancy-rates/.