Customer Counting Device -4 WC Blog 708
Door Counting Sensor-4
Expand Your Business By Using A Door Counting Sensor
By using a customer counting device in the college library where I work we were able to use data we pulled to make a justification for purchasing new library chairs. In our building we have well over 300 students using the facility from about 10am until around midnight. During those “non-peak” hours we are still serving over 100 people. Even into the wee hours of the morning we will have 10 – 30 students before we hit finals week. At finals week we will go over 500 students in our library and stay around 100 all night. It is amazing how busy we stay as a library. For administration who may not understand what we mean when we say we are “busy” having hard numbers makes a difference. How you get those hard numbers can’t be a guessing game and our library has a dual method of collecting this data. First we have an employee that hourly walks the library and does a count with an iPad. The second method is a door counting sensor we have set up in three locations.
Understanding that there are some owners and managers who may not be all that familiar with what a customer counting device is I want to spend a little time talking about them. There are a variety of styles and models a manager can choose from in selecting a door counting sensor. There are free-standing counters, some that are some tied into video cameras but the one I would recommend is the one offered by Sensormatic. Stores already operating a Sensormatic electronic article surveillance system may have the towers that can have a sensor installed. The device can be integrated in many existing towers providing not only the security of retail theft prevention but also the accurate counts of the number of people entering and exiting your store. I like the double duty that this configuration provides for the business. You reduce shortage through theft reduction by using a Sensormatic system and in the process put money back to the profit line. The counting part gives you data that you can use to make your company even more profitable (I’ll explain shortly). The point I would like people to understand is that this is a much more efficient system than looking for any other solution to tracking store customer foot traffic.
I mentioned that our library used the data we have accumulated to upgrade and improve seating in our library. Of course we have to get buy-in from college administration for the expenditure of money and the numbers we provided were a critical piece of this effort. Store owners don’t necessarily have someone else to answer to for improvements but before money is spent there should be some justification for it. Let’s say you are considering a store expansion. It would only be reasonable to want to know if there is enough patronage for it to make sense. If the vision is, “build it and they will come” you might want to rethink your strategy. Hoping people will flock in and buy only because you add square footage is crazy. Now, if you have a customer counting device and can see that the patronage justifies that expansion then you have a solid reason to grow.
I would also mention that you might use a door counting sensor and find out that you have a LOT of people coming into the store but the numbers are not reflected in the sales receipts for the day. Now you have some digging to do to see if there is a reason people are compelled to walk into your store but then leave empty handed. Maybe you need to look at freshening up store displays or perhaps you have empty shelves that are not being filled. Customers won’t always ask for something if a shelf is empty, often they just walk out. Maybe you need to revisit the customer service provided by your employees. It may be they don’t know what great service really means.
You may not be adding chairs to a library but you are building a business and a customer counting device can give a lot of insight into how successful your store is. It may also help in identifying areas of opportunity for improvement. A door counting sensor will help improve your business, count on it!
Need information on a customer counting device? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
By using a customer counting device in the college library where I work we were able to use data we pulled to make a justification for purchasing new library chairs. In our building we have well over 300 students using the facility from about 10am until around midnight. During those “non-peak” hours we are still serving over 100 people. Even into the wee hours of the morning we will have 10 – 30 students before we hit finals week. At finals week we will go over 500 students in our library and stay around 100 all night. It is amazing how busy we stay as a library. For administration who may not understand what we mean when we say we are “busy” having hard numbers makes a difference. How you get those hard numbers can’t be a guessing game and our library has a dual method of collecting this data. First we have an employee that hourly walks the library and does a count with an iPad. The second method is a door counting sensor we have set up in three locations.
Understanding that there are some owners and managers who may not be all that familiar with what a customer counting device is I want to spend a little time talking about them. There are a variety of styles and models a manager can choose from in selecting a door counting sensor. There are free-standing counters, some that are some tied into video cameras but the one I would recommend is the one offered by Sensormatic. Stores already operating a Sensormatic electronic article surveillance system may have the towers that can have a sensor installed. The device can be integrated in many existing towers providing not only the security of retail theft prevention but also the accurate counts of the number of people entering and exiting your store. I like the double duty that this configuration provides for the business. You reduce shortage through theft reduction by using a Sensormatic system and in the process put money back to the profit line. The counting part gives you data that you can use to make your company even more profitable (I’ll explain shortly). The point I would like people to understand is that this is a much more efficient system than looking for any other solution to tracking store customer foot traffic.
I mentioned that our library used the data we have accumulated to upgrade and improve seating in our library. Of course we have to get buy-in from college administration for the expenditure of money and the numbers we provided were a critical piece of this effort. Store owners don’t necessarily have someone else to answer to for improvements but before money is spent there should be some justification for it. Let’s say you are considering a store expansion. It would only be reasonable to want to know if there is enough patronage for it to make sense. If the vision is, “build it and they will come” you might want to rethink your strategy. Hoping people will flock in and buy only because you add square footage is crazy. Now, if you have a customer counting device and can see that the patronage justifies that expansion then you have a solid reason to grow.
I would also mention that you might use a door counting sensor and find out that you have a LOT of people coming into the store but the numbers are not reflected in the sales receipts for the day. Now you have some digging to do to see if there is a reason people are compelled to walk into your store but then leave empty handed. Maybe you need to look at freshening up store displays or perhaps you have empty shelves that are not being filled. Customers won’t always ask for something if a shelf is empty, often they just walk out. Maybe you need to revisit the customer service provided by your employees. It may be they don’t know what great service really means.
You may not be adding chairs to a library but you are building a business and a customer counting device can give a lot of insight into how successful your store is. It may also help in identifying areas of opportunity for improvement. A door counting sensor will help improve your business, count on it!
Need information on a customer counting device? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Retail Traffic Counting – 3 WC Blog 697
Door Counting Sensor – 4
Proper Use Of Retail Traffic Counting Data Drives Sales
I had not thought about the importance of retail traffic counting or its relationship to conversion rates until recently in my retail job. Quite honestly I had never even heard of retail conversion rates as a measurement tool until three years ago. It happened that our store manager, with whom I have a great working relationship, was talking to the employees working one night about our conversion rate and I asked him more about it. He told me the company was adding it as a measurement (everything in large retail chains is measured these days) to the store reporting tools. Well I learned that the company was concerned about the amount of measured foot traffic versus the number of transactions. They had installed cameras at the doors and a door counting sensor to track this activity. As I thought about it I understood and realized it could be a very beneficial measurement if used properly. The key word here is properly. Unfortunately these types of measures can also be a nuisance when used on their own without keeping it in context of a larger sales picture.
By now you can probably figure out what a retail traffic counting system does but you may not know that if you have a Sensormatic electronic alarm system (EAS) tower you might be able to add a counter quickly and easily. The Sensormatic door counting sensor can be incorporated into many existing towers OR if you do not have an anti-theft system yet you can purchase one with the counting sensor installed. If you are not sure you need an anti-theft system I would like to ask you to visit the Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. website and learn more about the advantages of having a system and how it can save you thousands of dollars a year (hint: You might even want to take a look at their ROI Calculator, it is free to use and you will see how a Sensormatic system can pay for itself).
When used in a sensible manner data retrieved from a door counting sensor is useful in everything from planning to scheduling and even measuring the effectiveness of advertising and new product lines. Here are the perks of measuring door counts:
• When a store embarks upon a new advertising campaign the door counts will give a picture of how many more people have visited the store when compared to prior days. Increased foot traffic can be an indicator of a successful ad campaign.
• Retail sales receipts only give a partial picture of store activity. You can see how many transactions you had but you don’t know how many shoppers were in the store. The advantage of retail traffic counting is that you can compare the number of people that were physically in the store to sales transactions. The difference will be a good estimate of how many opportunities were missed for additional sales. Managers can strategize to pick up those missed sales.
• A traffic counter also pinpoints the activity by times of day. The advantage of knowing peak traffic in the store is a manager can allocate payroll more efficiently. Schedule more staff during those busy times so that customer service is optimized. Customers who would have walked out empty-handed may be persuaded to make the purchase they were on the fence about.
These are effective methods for using data that can help drive sales and manage payroll allocation.
What is a nuisance is when such data is used to penalize a store for not meeting an arbitrary goal. Not meeting that goal means risking bring the wrath of some faceless, higher corporate power down upon the collective head of the store management team. Well, that may be a slight exaggeration but the numbers do seem arbitrary and often scores are assigned as red, yellow and green. Score less than a green and a manager does begin to feel pressure. Stay under a green score too long and your store starts to be a focus store and after that a problem store. Having experienced the pressure of staying green rather than simply understanding numbers and working to use them to my advantage I know it can lead to an unnecessarily high stress situation.
To all of you store owners I say this, buy a Sensormatic security system WITH the door counting sensor. Enjoy the increased profits you will see with reduced theft from the EAS technology. Increase efficiency and improve sales with the proper analysis and planning gleaned from the data of a door counter. Don’t stress about it just get started with a call to Loss Prevention Systems, Inc.
Retail Traffic Counting is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
I had not thought about the importance of retail traffic counting or its relationship to conversion rates until recently in my retail job. Quite honestly I had never even heard of retail conversion rates as a measurement tool until three years ago. It happened that our store manager, with whom I have a great working relationship, was talking to the employees working one night about our conversion rate and I asked him more about it. He told me the company was adding it as a measurement (everything in large retail chains is measured these days) to the store reporting tools. Well I learned that the company was concerned about the amount of measured foot traffic versus the number of transactions. They had installed cameras at the doors and a door counting sensor to track this activity. As I thought about it I understood and realized it could be a very beneficial measurement if used properly. The key word here is properly. Unfortunately these types of measures can also be a nuisance when used on their own without keeping it in context of a larger sales picture.
By now you can probably figure out what a retail traffic counting system does but you may not know that if you have a Sensormatic electronic alarm system (EAS) tower you might be able to add a counter quickly and easily. The Sensormatic door counting sensor can be incorporated into many existing towers OR if you do not have an anti-theft system yet you can purchase one with the counting sensor installed. If you are not sure you need an anti-theft system I would like to ask you to visit the Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. website and learn more about the advantages of having a system and how it can save you thousands of dollars a year (hint: You might even want to take a look at their ROI Calculator, it is free to use and you will see how a Sensormatic system can pay for itself).
When used in a sensible manner data retrieved from a door counting sensor is useful in everything from planning to scheduling and even measuring the effectiveness of advertising and new product lines. Here are the perks of measuring door counts:
• When a store embarks upon a new advertising campaign the door counts will give a picture of how many more people have visited the store when compared to prior days. Increased foot traffic can be an indicator of a successful ad campaign.
• Retail sales receipts only give a partial picture of store activity. You can see how many transactions you had but you don’t know how many shoppers were in the store. The advantage of retail traffic counting is that you can compare the number of people that were physically in the store to sales transactions. The difference will be a good estimate of how many opportunities were missed for additional sales. Managers can strategize to pick up those missed sales.
• A traffic counter also pinpoints the activity by times of day. The advantage of knowing peak traffic in the store is a manager can allocate payroll more efficiently. Schedule more staff during those busy times so that customer service is optimized. Customers who would have walked out empty-handed may be persuaded to make the purchase they were on the fence about.These are effective methods for using data that can help drive sales and manage payroll allocation.
What is a nuisance is when such data is used to penalize a store for not meeting an arbitrary goal. Not meeting that goal means risking bring the wrath of some faceless, higher corporate power down upon the collective head of the store management team. Well, that may be a slight exaggeration but the numbers do seem arbitrary and often scores are assigned as red, yellow and green. Score less than a green and a manager does begin to feel pressure. Stay under a green score too long and your store starts to be a focus store and after that a problem store. Having experienced the pressure of staying green rather than simply understanding numbers and working to use them to my advantage I know it can lead to an unnecessarily high stress situation.
To all of you store owners I say this, buy a Sensormatic security system WITH the door counting sensor. Enjoy the increased profits you will see with reduced theft from the EAS technology. Increase efficiency and improve sales with the proper analysis and planning gleaned from the data of a door counter. Don’t stress about it just get started with a call to Loss Prevention Systems, Inc.
Retail Traffic Counting is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Retail Traffic Counting System – 3 WC Blog 684
Door Counting Sensor-3
Visual Merchandising Enhanced With A Door Counting Sensor Part 2
In Part 1 I talked about how a door counting sensor can help retailer owners gain more data to determine the impact of new displays on increasing customer foot traffic. We looked at suggestions for how stores can make visual displays can be complimentary and market more than just a singular item. An article I referenced suggested having a bed display but adding throw pillows to the bed and bedding to help with suggestive selling. The conversation started because of a trip I made to a favorite grocery store of mine. Your Point of Sale system will give you the total number of transactions at the end of the day and you can research the number of sku’s sold that you have on display. My concern is whether your data will actually tell you if your displays worked. Did you bring in new customers or only appeal to the people who already shop in your store. I don’t want merchants to ever be comfortable with the status quo. You have to seek out new clients and give shoppers a reason to return to your store. Advertising and merchandising will draw them in, customer service, value and a welcoming environment will keep them returning.
Guessing that numbers are improving by looking at sales transactions is not going to provide business owners with the best data about foot traffic. That is best done with a retail traffic counting system from Sensormatic. Stores with electronic article surveillance towers from Sensormatic may already have a compatible system that can be readily upgraded with the equipment. Retailers not enjoying the benefits of a Sensormatic security system can contact Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. to learn more about all of the advantages a door counting sensor and a retail anti-theft system can provide. As a leader in Loss Prevention consulting and theft reduction since 1983, the team at Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is led by CEO Bill Bregar. Bill brings to the table experience as a U.S. Army Military Intelligence Officer, a B.S. degree in Private Security Administration and Management and he has been a Regional and National Loss Prevention Director. In my own right I have 17 years of Loss Prevention and Loss Prevention Management experience and 28 years of retail experience in total. We both recommend a Sensormatic security system and the integrated retail traffic counting system to reduce theft and to improve sales.
Without knowing how many people have walked into your store you have no way to measure how many people did not buy anything when they visited. Your sales transactions only reflect the number of purchases made but you cannot interpret that into actual visitors. IF on the other hand you have the door counting sensor you can sort the numbers and get a better picture of how many customers are entering your store and of those how many are making purchases. It may take some time to get a baseline of your store activity but once you know that, you can begin to add into the equation the sales of sku’s you have put on display and see what the impact of that display had on purchases.
I would be remiss as a Loss Prevention Manager if I failed to tell you that your increased traffic may bring in more shoplifters. It is just a fact in retail that there is going to be a criminal element that is going to go to where they can get their hands on merchandise. You can deter a major portion of this theft activity if you have Sensormatic security in your building. Shoplifters generally are not looking for risk. They may look for excitement in stealing but risking being caught is not part of their agenda. When a crook walks into a store and sees there are electronic article surveillance towers at the doors they get antsy. If they don’t turn around and leave they begin looking to see how much merchandise is protected. Are just a few items tagged or does it look like everything has an EAS tag or label? The more aggressive the tagging the more likely they are to leave. They will find somewhere else to go that does not take merchandise protection so seriously.
Grow sales with great visual merchandising and advertising. Appeal to what people desire and not just what they need. Cross merchandise and pull them into your store. Track your headcounts with a retail traffic counting system. Finally keep merchandise in stock for those new customers with a Sesnsormatic security system. Don’t settle for the status quo, grow your business by growing your foot traffic!
Need information on a door counting sensor? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
In Part 1 I talked about how a door counting sensor can help retailer owners gain more data to determine the impact of new displays on increasing customer foot traffic. We looked at suggestions for how stores can make visual displays can be complimentary and market more than just a singular item. An article I referenced suggested having a bed display but adding throw pillows to the bed and bedding to help with suggestive selling. The conversation started because of a trip I made to a favorite grocery store of mine. Your Point of Sale system will give you the total number of transactions at the end of the day and you can research the number of sku’s sold that you have on display. My concern is whether your data will actually tell you if your displays worked. Did you bring in new customers or only appeal to the people who already shop in your store. I don’t want merchants to ever be comfortable with the status quo. You have to seek out new clients and give shoppers a reason to return to your store. Advertising and merchandising will draw them in, customer service, value and a welcoming environment will keep them returning.
Guessing that numbers are improving by looking at sales transactions is not going to provide business owners with the best data about foot traffic. That is best done with a retail traffic counting system from Sensormatic. Stores with electronic article surveillance towers from Sensormatic may already have a compatible system that can be readily upgraded with the equipment. Retailers not enjoying the benefits of a Sensormatic security system can contact Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. to learn more about all of the advantages a door counting sensor and a retail anti-theft system can provide. As a leader in Loss Prevention consulting and theft reduction since 1983, the team at Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is led by CEO Bill Bregar. Bill brings to the table experience as a U.S. Army Military Intelligence Officer, a B.S. degree in Private Security Administration and Management and he has been a Regional and National Loss Prevention Director. In my own right I have 17 years of Loss Prevention and Loss Prevention Management experience and 28 years of retail experience in total. We both recommend a Sensormatic security system and the integrated retail traffic counting system to reduce theft and to improve sales.
Without knowing how many people have walked into your store you have no way to measure how many people did not buy anything when they visited. Your sales transactions only reflect the number of purchases made but you cannot interpret that into actual visitors. IF on the other hand you have the door counting sensor you can sort the numbers and get a better picture of how many customers are entering your store and of those how many are making purchases. It may take some time to get a baseline of your store activity but once you know that, you can begin to add into the equation the sales of sku’s you have put on display and see what the impact of that display had on purchases.
I would be remiss as a Loss Prevention Manager if I failed to tell you that your increased traffic may bring in more shoplifters. It is just a fact in retail that there is going to be a criminal element that is going to go to where they can get their hands on merchandise. You can deter a major portion of this theft activity if you have Sensormatic security in your building. Shoplifters generally are not looking for risk. They may look for excitement in stealing but risking being caught is not part of their agenda. When a crook walks into a store and sees there are electronic article surveillance towers at the doors they get antsy. If they don’t turn around and leave they begin looking to see how much merchandise is protected. Are just a few items tagged or does it look like everything has an EAS tag or label? The more aggressive the tagging the more likely they are to leave. They will find somewhere else to go that does not take merchandise protection so seriously.
Grow sales with great visual merchandising and advertising. Appeal to what people desire and not just what they need. Cross merchandise and pull them into your store. Track your headcounts with a retail traffic counting system. Finally keep merchandise in stock for those new customers with a Sesnsormatic security system. Don’t settle for the status quo, grow your business by growing your foot traffic!
Need information on a door counting sensor? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Retail Traffic Counting System –3 WC Blog 683
Door Counting Sensor-3
Visual Merchandising Enhanced With A Door Counting Sensor Part 1
I walked into my favorite grocery store today and saw the new weekly sales displayed at the front of the store and it started my mind churning about a retail traffic counting system. I began thinking about the role that customer counting has in relationship to visual merchandising and advertising. This store puts out a weekly flyer on Wednesdays and has weekend sales specials they advertise in it. Now I recognize that there is a certain customer base that will always come in. You have the loyal customers, the customers on the way home from work and then the shopper who responds to advertising and merchandising. The goal of every store owner, regardless of what you sell should be to increase foot traffic and in the process increase sales. To do that you can’t depend on just your loyal customer and the customer making a quick stop for a specific item (although if you merchandise properly you could turn this customer into a new “regular” shopper). IF the goal of advertising and visual merchandising is to draw in people, doesn’t it only make sense to measure/count the number of people coming to the store? A door counting sensor makes customer tracking easy for any retailer.
The Integrated EAS Traffic Counter from Sensormatic can be placed on the Sensormatic electronic article surveillance pedestals. This retail traffic counting system tracks people entering AND exiting the store and is not affected by shadows or weather. That means your counts are going to be accurate. It also means that you will have real numbers to use in assessing and interpreting sales activity. Is your store without an EAS system? Are you interested in preventing shoplifting, reducing shortage, improving profits and increasing sales? Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can help you do ALL of these things with the installation of a Sensormatic system and yes, track customers as well.
Before we go further you might want to know why visual merchandising is so important to your store. I used to think it was annoying when the stores I worked in would rearrange planograms or move merchandise around. Sure, a new endcap display made sense to me but other aspects seemed counter-intuitive. Don’t customers like to go directly to where they know merchandise is located in a business? Some may, but here are some other points to consider when it comes to merchandising. Here are some tips from snapretail.com, “11 Visual Merchandising Tactics To Increase Sales”:
1. Window Displays Make First Impression – They suggest making a story out of the window display, even giving the illusion of movement.
2. Appeal to Desires – “Display nearest the entrance should feature solely desires” (as opposed to needs).
3. Create a Connection – The idea they want conveyed is to put items together to show what it may look like as part of a set. The writer mentions having a scarf displayed as part of an outfit or a Stand mixer on a counter with baking goods.
4. Keep it Fresh – They suggest changing displays every two weeks and keep the seasons in mind. Don’t leave holiday displays up after the holiday is over.
5. Regularly Update POS Displays – “Your regular customers will remember what’s on display as they check out and are more likely to grab an extra item if the display is fresh.”
These are my top favorites from the website’s article but I encourage readers to review it for the other tips they offer. What I will add is that this can be very time and labor intensive. How do you know if that window display was worth the effort you and your team put into it? Did sales increase? If they did was it only because your regular customer came in and happened to purchase an item that was displayed? Sales data won’t give you that information. A door counting sensor can provide more insight into the people flowing into your shop.
Assuming you can now see the advantage a retail traffic counting system can have in assessing your sales data you may still be wondering if you really need a Sensormatic EAS system. You could increase your sales with the displays and bring in more people but if some of those people intend to steal from you they will look for signs of a merchandise protection. The first sign is the Sensormatic EAS pedestals at the front doors. In Part 2 of this article I want to talk more about the correlation a door counting sensor, visual merchandising and marketing have with each other and how they can improve sales.
Get more information on retail traffic counting systems contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I walked into my favorite grocery store today and saw the new weekly sales displayed at the front of the store and it started my mind churning about a retail traffic counting system. I began thinking about the role that customer counting has in relationship to visual merchandising and advertising. This store puts out a weekly flyer on Wednesdays and has weekend sales specials they advertise in it. Now I recognize that there is a certain customer base that will always come in. You have the loyal customers, the customers on the way home from work and then the shopper who responds to advertising and merchandising. The goal of every store owner, regardless of what you sell should be to increase foot traffic and in the process increase sales. To do that you can’t depend on just your loyal customer and the customer making a quick stop for a specific item (although if you merchandise properly you could turn this customer into a new “regular” shopper). IF the goal of advertising and visual merchandising is to draw in people, doesn’t it only make sense to measure/count the number of people coming to the store? A door counting sensor makes customer tracking easy for any retailer.
The Integrated EAS Traffic Counter from Sensormatic can be placed on the Sensormatic electronic article surveillance pedestals. This retail traffic counting system tracks people entering AND exiting the store and is not affected by shadows or weather. That means your counts are going to be accurate. It also means that you will have real numbers to use in assessing and interpreting sales activity. Is your store without an EAS system? Are you interested in preventing shoplifting, reducing shortage, improving profits and increasing sales? Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can help you do ALL of these things with the installation of a Sensormatic system and yes, track customers as well.
Before we go further you might want to know why visual merchandising is so important to your store. I used to think it was annoying when the stores I worked in would rearrange planograms or move merchandise around. Sure, a new endcap display made sense to me but other aspects seemed counter-intuitive. Don’t customers like to go directly to where they know merchandise is located in a business? Some may, but here are some other points to consider when it comes to merchandising. Here are some tips from snapretail.com, “11 Visual Merchandising Tactics To Increase Sales”:
1. Window Displays Make First Impression – They suggest making a story out of the window display, even giving the illusion of movement.
2. Appeal to Desires – “Display nearest the entrance should feature solely desires” (as opposed to needs).
3. Create a Connection – The idea they want conveyed is to put items together to show what it may look like as part of a set. The writer mentions having a scarf displayed as part of an outfit or a Stand mixer on a counter with baking goods.
4. Keep it Fresh – They suggest changing displays every two weeks and keep the seasons in mind. Don’t leave holiday displays up after the holiday is over.
5. Regularly Update POS Displays – “Your regular customers will remember what’s on display as they check out and are more likely to grab an extra item if the display is fresh.”
These are my top favorites from the website’s article but I encourage readers to review it for the other tips they offer. What I will add is that this can be very time and labor intensive. How do you know if that window display was worth the effort you and your team put into it? Did sales increase? If they did was it only because your regular customer came in and happened to purchase an item that was displayed? Sales data won’t give you that information. A door counting sensor can provide more insight into the people flowing into your shop.
Assuming you can now see the advantage a retail traffic counting system can have in assessing your sales data you may still be wondering if you really need a Sensormatic EAS system. You could increase your sales with the displays and bring in more people but if some of those people intend to steal from you they will look for signs of a merchandise protection. The first sign is the Sensormatic EAS pedestals at the front doors. In Part 2 of this article I want to talk more about the correlation a door counting sensor, visual merchandising and marketing have with each other and how they can improve sales.
Get more information on retail traffic counting systems contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
The area I live in has several annual events coming up that are good for businesses and would make it beneficial for store owners to invest in customer counting systems. I say this because while I was working at my part-time retail job I thought about the coming month and two of those activities that will be taking place. Having lived here for over 30 years I am very familiar with the events and I also know that many vendors are in attendance and will need supplies. Some purchase cash boxes, some raffle tickets and others will purchase cash registers. Since I have worked for this retailer for over seven years now I know many of the requests we will get so I started to look at our in-stocks on several of the items. Sure enough we were out of many or critically low and there is a good chance we will lose sales without getting more into the store. We were still several weeks away from the start of the season so I let my store manager know of the potential for missed sales opportunities if we did not put in a request for replenishment of these items. The store manager said he would look into it. The company I work for does have a door counting sensor and the data is tracked and used to some extent I just do not know how much. For small and medium sized retailers if you aren’t keeping track of the foot traffic in your store you could be missing your own opportunities to increase sales.
Customer counting systems are exactly what they sound like. They are systems used to keep up with the number of people entering a store. While many stores will track only the number of sales transactions that take place through the point of sale systems, the system reports how many people entered the building. Some may be protesting, “Why should I care about how many people came in, I need to know how many people spent money!” You should care because if there is a difference between transactions and foot traffic you should be asking, “Why didn’t these people spend money in my store?” How many missed opportunities were there to get an additional sale and your team dropped the ball? During special events or activities was there an increase in patronage that did not reflect in your sales? Was there anything you could have done to increase sales during those times or improve add-on sales? These are all questions that would not need to be asked if a store manager has a door counting sensor installed.
The addition of a door counting sensor would be beneficial to the small store owner for evaluating the impact local events are having on your business. Using the information gleaned from that data can help prepare you for similar events in the future. If the activity is going to be an annual event then you can look at what you sold and ran out of and have more on hand next time. As an example take the Fourth of July. If you sell coolers, grills, grilling accessories or outdoor games look at what your foot traffic was last year and sales of those items. Did you run out? Add a few more units to your on-hands the next year. Did your door counts far exceed your sales transactions? You can use this information in conjunction with your scheduling plans to determine if you could have used additional floor help to provide service. Could you have used an extra cashier to ring transactions so people would not get frustrated and leave empty handed? Bill Bregar, the founder of Loss Prevention Systems Inc. recognizes that not having real patron numbers only gives you a glimpse at what is really taking place in your store. This is why he strongly supports adding a system to his client’s stores.
Customer counting systems are a valuable tool for retailers who are truly interested in improving sales. Used in conjunction with sales data and calendar and event activities it can be a powerful addition for evaluating what you are doing and preparing for future activities. Don’t settle for less than your store can actually produce, install a door counting sensor today!
Get more information on customer counting systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today
