As a shop owner, we're sure that you're preparing for the bounce-back after the COVID-19 lockdown. This means, ordering PPE, training staff and getting guidelines and shop floors ready. There's certainly a lot to think about if you want to keep your employees and your customers safe, it can be quite overwhelming!
One question that keeps coming up is - "How many people can I have in my shop at a time?"
Of course, the answer isn't strictly hard and fast, it will vary from shop to shop depending on how big your store is. One way to determine how many people you can have in your shop at a time is to think about the area of your shop. How many people could you fit inside your shop if they were all 2 metres apart? (Don't forget to make allowances for the shop floor staff too!)
By dividing the surface area of your shop into 2-metre sections, you'll be able to estimate how many people can enter the store safely at any given time. Large shops with plenty of space for people to social distance will be able to accommodate more customers, while small shops with minimal space and lots of obstacles might only be able to allow a few customers in at a time.
Keeping a close eye on the number of people entering and exiting your shop might seem like a challenging task. Your only option is hiring someone to stand at the door and count people as they go in and out... right? Wrong! There's a much more convenient way to keep track of the customers in your shop.
People counting cameras
Here at IDS, we offer a revolutionary system that can help you control the density of customers in your shop automatically. Our people counting cameras can survey the entrances and exits of your shop, providing you with a real-time number of people in the store. All the information you need is displayed on a user-friendly data screen and can be accessed at any time!
You can set the camera up in such a way that it will alert you automatically if the number of people inside your shop exceeds a certain threshold. A voice announcement can be played to alert queueing customers that your shop has reached capacity. This takes the pressure off your staff and allows you to maintain control over the number of customers in the store around the clock.
Could your shop benefit from a people counting camera system? Don't hesitate to get in touch for a FREE quote.
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Other safety precautions
There are some things you can do to help make your shop a safer space for customers and employees alike. You've probably seen a few of these in shops near you already!
One-way systems
Designed to keep the flow of customers travelling in one direction, one-way systems can help stop people from passing by each other too closely. You could use barriers or shelves to block off certain exits or entrances to aisles. This makes it obvious to customers which way they should be walking!
Arrows on the floor
They're appearing all over the place, in the street, in the train stations and most definitely in shops. A quick and easy way to make sure that the people in your shop can follow the one-way flow of customers.
Thermal imaging cameras
If you want to be extra cautious about the people coming in and out of your shop, you might want to install a thermal imaging camera system. This will show you any customers that are entering the store with an elevated temperature (a common COVID-19 symptom).
Hand sanitiser
Providing hand sanitiser at entrances and exits will help make sure that the virus isn't brought into, or taken out of the shop. If customers touch the items for sale in your shop, providing hand sanitiser is a great way to prevent the virus from being spread around your shop too.
If you have any questions about the systems we provide, you can speak to our team of specialists by calling 029 20 753 251.
