Philips PDS unveils new safe smart/intelligent social distancing queue management solutions

Installed at building entrances, Philips displays can be programmed to provide customers and staff with clear information around capacity, alerting them whether it’s safe to enter

As social distancing becomes an increasingly important way of life for people and businesses during the current climate, Philips Professional Display Solutions has announced the creation of a series of brand new queue management and people counting signage solutions. Designed exclusively to help public settings across EMEA, including retail stores, supermarkets, cinemas and many more, to monitor and manage footfall for the safety of both customers and staff, these are already being trialled with Philips PDS customers in countries across Europe.

With health officials recommending social distancing of at least 2 metres, businesses — particularly those with a high footfall — are being urged to implement strict measures around capacity and crowding to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

As part of its commitment to supporting customers with timely end-to-end solutions that can be seamlessly implemented, Philips Professional Display Solutions has brought the strength of its strategic partnerships with global software and peripherals providers together with the power of its Android displays, to deliver a series of new easy-to-install and cost effective digital signage solutions. Designed to fit settings with one or several points of entry, the solutions will provide visibility on the number of people entering and exiting a building, as well as introducing 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 some of the world’s leading brands, including H&M, Primark, Footlocker, Douglas, the Sting and van Haren (Deichmann) — is already in the process of introducing the solution across stores, while conversations with a number of leading organizations are taking place in the UK and Europe.

Roeland Scholten, IKAM EMEA at Philips Professional Display Solutions, 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 potentially unlimited 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, bringing more choice and benefits to customers, both quickly and efficiently.

The new, complete queue management solutions from Philips PDS and its solutions partners provides a wide and varied choice of options and opportunities for companies, whether in retail, corporate, hospitality, education, healthcare or any other. These benefits are relevant both for today’s current climate and for the future.

Installed at the building entrance(s), Philips displays can be programmed to provide customers and staff with clear information around capacity, alerting them whether it’s safe or not safe to enter. In addition, information can be broadcast via audio and even a traffic light system (red, amber and green), ensuring complete inclusivity.

Information is automatically calculated using accurate 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 even be integrated into a venue’s automatic doors, opening and closing based on capacity – potentially freeing up staff from managing lines.

Philips Professional Display Solutions’ exclusive control and management software, CMND, allows for single and multiple displays to easily create and share information, providing complete control locally and remotely.

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.”