Despite the mandatory face masks, regulatory 2-m (6-ft) distance, and voluntary hand sanitization measures implemented from the start of the pandemic, queue management has been a tedious task for most retailers.
As the world recovers from this pandemic, providing a safe and healthy environment has been both a challenge and priority for retailers. Since the outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), and several other government departments have made recommendations, suggestions, and provincial regulations so businesses can respond to protect both workers and consumers in a physical environment. While this has helped contain the spread across provinces, at the grassroots level, fear of contraction still exists in the retail world. A comprehensive system that can empower brands to create a safe, secure, and constantly monitored environment not only for shoppers, but also for the frontline and back-of-store employees, will be beneficial.
Some companies have created a health and wellness system that has the dual purpose of providing consumers and employees with high levels of safety, and help businesses adhere to the health and safety guidelines outlined by their provinces. Such creative solutions encompass features from the parking lot all the way to the back-of-store, and also enable brands to execute dynamic and customizable digital advertising campaigns. Both advertising agencies and brands are pivoting in this direction. A clear sign of workplace safety has become a priority in marketing strategies across Canada.
How to keep control
Despite the mandatory face masks, regulatory 2-m (6-ft) distance, and voluntary hand sanitization measures implemented from the start of the pandemic, queue management has been a tedious task for retailers. Not only that, but consider the frustration consumers have expressed due to long lines and extended wait times, even during their otherwise monotonous and everyday grocery runs.
As a result, many retailers closed physical stores and others migrated to online channels to keep their businesses alive during the early days of the pandemic. However, as most of Canada is now entering the new normal, and the economy is witnessing a ‘return to retail,’ several innovative firms have pivoted to designing customer line queue applications for retailers who aim to provide a heightened and safe experience to shoppers. These applications allow a cloud-managed physical access where customers queue remotely and receive a text notification when it is their turn to enter the store. At the back end, these applications enable brands to secure mobile credentials at the same time, establishing a link to dynamic signage.
The importance of keeping things safe and clean in the new normal
With shoppers now going back to brick-and-mortar stores, the largest challenge retailers are facing is ensuring the health and safety of the back-of-store employees who work round the clock and keeping the area clean and sanitized at all times. Both brands and retailers have resorted to innovative technology to solve this problem.
Several digital signage companies in Montreal and Toronto have designed devices such as sanitizing robots and occupancy sensors to provide brands with advanced health and wellness tools. These sanitizing robots come with an intense pathogen-killing power and xenon light which covers the germicidal spectrum, resulting in fast disinfection. The advanced multi-technology occupancy sensors built on a digital architecture help monitor staff density in restricted company areas. In addition, the sensors provide data to further strengthen store management.
