If you own a retail establishment, numbers are everything. How much money did you make this year? How many of a particular item did you sell last month? How much more should you order? One of the numbers that matter most in the retail industry is visitor count, which is why retail traffic counter systems have become so popular.
In order to sell to people, you need to get them to walk through your front door. It’s easy to tell if a big event or ad campaign generates a bump in sales, but what if a number of people wander in and out on a daily basis and don’t actually buy anything? How would you even know?
In the past, you’d have to station an employee with a clicker to count everyone who entered your store or force customers to enter through clunky turnstiles. You’d manually total these numbers up and compare them to the number of sales you had that day. As time went on, retail traffic counter systems became sleek, invisible, and computerized. Now, they’re a common part of modern commercial security systems. Today, retail traffic counter systems are more popular than ever before.
How Do Businesses Utilize Retail Traffic Counter Systems?
Traffic counter systems are a great way to determine your visitor conversion ratio. This refers to the number of people who came through your doors versus the number of people who become paying customers. Having a large number of people who enter and leave without buying anything can point you to potential issues with stocking or customer assistance. Did you run an advertisement for a popular item and not order enough of them to back up the offer? Perhaps customers couldn’t find what they were looking for and left without making a purchase? Maybe the checkout lines were backed up and visitors simply gave up and left.
That last one is a big reason why retail traffic counter systems make sense. Understanding what time of day your traffic flow increases can help you optimize your staffing schedule. That way, you’ll have plenty of employees on hand during the busiest times, while eliminating having staff standing around with nothing to do during the hours when the customer flow slows to a trickle. You’ll be able to staff appropriately according to days of the week, hours of the day, as well as holidays, big events, and promotions you’re running.
Sometimes, certain retail locations simply don’t do as well as others. If your sales are low and your traffic counts are equally abysmal, you’ll need to strategize to drive people to poorly-performing locations or consider moving them elsewhere.
A Seamless Part of Your Retail Operation
Modern retail traffic counter systems are nothing like the ones from years gone by. Today’s systems are seamless and streamlined — worked in as an invisible part of a comprehensive commercial security system. It’s a snap to add traffic counting sensors near the main entryway, as well as specific areas of your business, to monitor comings and goings throughout the day. That’s why ProTech Security uses DMP security systems that allow up to 10 different zones to be configured for traffic counting.
Viewing traffic data on a DMP system is also a breeze. Simply access the DMP Virtual Keypad App to view statistics on traffic through various entries, in different areas, and even in different retail store locations. The system even compiles a traffic count graph to visually show statistics generated from the various sensors.
Traffic Counters Meet Commercial Security
Installing a security system is good for more than just monitoring traffic flow, of course. A comprehensive commercial security system protects your business and its assets, as well as your employees and visitors. Burglar alarm sensors on doors and windows alert you and authorities if someone tries to gain entry after hours. Access control devices can prevent unauthorized persons from entering back offices, warehouses, or other areas they are not allowed.
For retail establishments that have an already-existing security system, the sensors for retail traffic counter systems are easily retrofitted. The experienced security experts at ProTech Security are skilled at building commercial security systems from scratch or working in much-needed components to help boost sales, cut losses, and keep physical and human assets safe from loss or harm.
At ProTech Security, we have a strong history of experience, innovation, and customer service. The ProTech Security Advantage is more than 30 years of service in Northeast Ohio and a strong commitment to providing quality, cost-effective protection for homes, businesses, educational institutions and government facilities. To see what ProTech Security can do for you, contact us today.
