Accurate and credible people counting can offer a wide range of benefits to many modern businesses. Understanding how many people are on-site or in any given area can provide the type of business intelligence which is of great value to retailers, transportation operators, leisure facilities, the hospitality sector and public spaces. With the global COVID-19 pandemic still a focus for many organisations, accurate people counting can also contribute to social distancing policies and management of footfall through bottleneck spaces such as corridors, reception areas, points of sale, etc..
As well as offering support for businesses struggling to return to work after lockdowns, people counting does deliver a range of benefits which add to overall business efficiency, and provide powerful intelligence which can be used when making day-to-day management decisions.
Real-time footfall counting for retailers can add valuable data, illustrating trends and helping with predictions for a range of business tasks. For example, data from specific departments, and even specific display units, to allow for deep analysis of sales conversions. This allows more effective planning for the location of special promotions and high value items.
Additionally, retailers or transportation operators can identify trends of higher than usual footfall, allowing planning to ensure service levels are optimised during peak periods. This will also have an impact on staffing levels, allowing management teams to deploy personnel in the places and at times they are most needed.
While a number of devices such as cameras and encoders include basic people counting as a feature, the data is not easy to interrogate, and in many cases the generated reports are not of a sufficient quality, nor detailed enough, to allow insights to be gained by the end user.
The COSMO Counter Pro solution is an integrated smart analytic tool designed for accurate people counting. The solution comprises cameras and an applications, allowing for ease of installation and simplicity of use. The solution and its reports can be viewed and managed via a PC, mobile phone or tablet, making it ideal for a wide range of applications.
The application is Windows-based, and is accessed via an online platform. This allows it to be configured separately, or as part of a larger and more complex integrated solution. A web-based API is available to permit third party integrations, and the counting solution can also be integrated with the award-winning COSMO PSIM+, which offers seamless control across multiple functions at a site without compromising on the essential elements of security and safety.
COSMO Counter Pro allows the generation of real-time reports, including overall entry and exit figures, along with breakdowns by time and date. This ensures users have an at-a-glance understanding of the status of sites, and departments within the sites, to deliver efficient and effective management. Decisions can be made on accurate and updated information, allowing swift responses to any situations.
Status information is displayed via digital signage, informing users – customers, staff or contractors – whether or not they can enter. The customisable display can include additional information, such as the number of free entry slots available, or the percentage of total occupancy. This adds reassurance for visitors.
For applications which could benefit from an accurate and credible people counting solution, COSMO offers a free introductory pilot solution to allow integrators and end users to carry out proof-of-concept tests in the actual application, thereby illustrating the benefits a business or organisation can realise.