Your browser is out-of-date!

Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now

×

Top retailers adopt new queue management solution from Philips PDS

The new solution will enable safe social distancing for shoppers

Philips PDS has announced a series of new queue management and people counting signage solutions in order to help public settings across EMEA, including retail stores, supermarkets, cinemas and many more, to monitor and manage social distancing.

To ensure shoppers maintain the recommended two metre distance from one another during the coronavirus pandemic, Philips Professional PDS has combined its strategic partnerships with global software and peripherals providers with its Android displays to deliver a series of new easy-to-install and cost effective digital signage solutions. Built to fit settings with one or several points of entry, the solutions have been designed to provide visibility on the number of people entering and exiting a building, as well as offering effective and efficient queue management systems, informing and engaging customers at the same time.

Kersten Retail Techniek, one of the largest retail installers in the Benelux region – supporting brands such as H&M, Primark, Footlocker, Douglas, the Sting and van Haren (Deichmann) – is in the process of introducing the solution across stores, while conversations with a number of leading organisations are taking place in the UK and Europe.

You may also be interested in:

Roeland Scholten, IKAM EMEA at Philips PDS, commented: “We’re living in unprecedented times and our health and safety, whether we’re isolating at home, working, or visiting a store, is of paramount importance. Something as simple as visiting a supermarket or entering a leisure setting may now require a new level of thought, from queuing up outside to following marked-out routes.”

He continued: “It can be confusing and intimidating for some – communication is vital. Technology can play a huge role in ensuring the current rules and guidelines are maintained and that customers and staff feel confident, safe and well informed at all times as they make moves back into a new normal.” 

Powered by Android, the digital signage and professional TVs from Philips Professional Display Solutions provide numerous opportunities for its partners. The flexible and secure Android SoC is open to partners and developers to add and integrate their own API/software features.

Installed at the building entrance(s), Philips displays can be programmed to provide clear information around capacity, alerting them whether it’s safe or not safe to enter. Furthermore, information can be broadcast via audio and a traffic light system (red, amber and green). Information is automatically calculated using smart people counting cameras positioned at any entrances, as well as the option to supplement these around other parts of the building. This can be used to feed information on expected wait times, as well as engaging, promotional messaging, onto additional displays positioned in shop windows along any queue systems.

The solutions can also be integrated into a venue’s automatic doors, opening and closing based on capacity – potentially freeing up staff from managing lines. 

Kersten Retail, CEO, Ronald Kuypers, commented: “Philips Professional Display Solutions has responded immediately to these new retail challenges bringing a complete solution to market that simply didn’t exist before. Even during this lockdown, people still need to visit stores, so it’s crucial we ensure they feel safe and comfortable in doing so.”

Tim de Ruiter, Business Manager EMEA overseeing strategic partnerships, added: “With our digital displays running on Android, our partners can easily integrate their solutions into our products. Supporting our customers during these unforeseen circumstances is vitally important and, by partnering with some of the world’s leading organisations, we have been able to quickly and efficiently bring a solution to market which, just a few weeks ago, was not in our pipeline. 

“Our solution is incredibly versatile and can be easily adapted to help many different verticals, whether for retail, a corporate office, libraries, museums, sports stadiums and many more.”