Technology assisting looking centres in a good post-Covid world

Capital and Regional, the UK’s leading owner-supervisor of community shopping centres, with locations in London, Luton, and Maidstone, is rolling out and launched a fresh technology together with Sensormatic Solutions, for its ShopperTrak solution to monitor and help control specific centre occupancy levels found in real-time.

The ability to monitor shopper numbers has turned into a “priority” for all retail landlords as government lockdown measures are little by little eased, explained Capital and Regional in a statement, in fact it is using its own management software as well as ShopperTrak traffic insights technology to keep buyers and staff safe.

The pilot project has been implemented in six of Capital and Regional’s UK shopping centres and will allow shopping centre general managers to track peak and non-peak trading times and compare it to historical data, informing the firms green-amber-red ‘Traffic Light System’ already being found in each centre to maintain clear and regular communication with its communities about the safest times to look.

The partnership applies real-time occupancy data which has become an important function consequently of Covid-19 and allows centre teams to accurately determine and control guest flows, along with improve discussions using its retailer customers regarding centre occupancy trends.

Capital and Regional has worked with the ShopperTrak team to extend the capacities of the technology by positioning IT infrastructure set up so that its general managers receive real-time Text message alerts as the center nears maximum potential, and again after the centre has reached maximum capability. The creation of a software solution involving real-period notifications will permit shopping centre teams to “remain agile during the day and continue steadily to adapt daily functions successfully and effectively - based on the latest government help with social distancing”.

Sara Jennings, director of guest and customer experience, Capital and Regional said: “Our teams have already been working night and day in recent weeks to ensure your centres are as prepared as possible for the re-opening of several of our suppliers. We are so very happy to have the ability to welcome back again retail customers and friends and realise that there is continual do the job to be achieved and diligence required to ensure everyone time for our centres feels as safe as possible.

“A core component of this is making certain our centre clubs have the various tools and infrastructure to effectively manage occupancy amounts, which explains why we have caused ShopperTrak to build up a program that notifies general managers in real-time, as so when centres reach capacity. We know about how quickly instances can change, and with this new addition to our centre-management function we're able to stay agile and continue steadily to adapt our procedures quickly to create secure spots for our communities.”

Nick Pompa, general manager, EMEA regional business, Sensormatic Solutions added: “In this challenging and critical period for retail house, we will work closely with the industry to help deliver shopping experience that are both safe and sound and frictionless even though providing safety that's reassuringly visible but executed as seamlessly as likely - a good feat that is merely achievable through collaboration and well-applied info. Achieving these recently accelerated requirements on retail house will be key in reassuring shoppers and regaining footfall in to the future.”

Furthermore to using technology, Capital and Regional also have added extra protective measures to keep buyers and staff safe, including enhanced deep cleaning and sanitising stations at important locations, arrows and signage in common areas to motivate directional flow and a ‘keep left’ discipline, together with providing distancing reminders, limiting the amounts of folks in toilet facilities, escalators, stairs and lifts at any one time, along with the removal of most general public seating to discourage congregation and close get in touch with.

Capital and Regional owns seven shopping centres in Blackburn, Hemel Hempstead, Ilford, Luton, Maidstone, Walthamstow and Lumber Green.