TACKLING SOCIAL DISTANCING CHALLENGES IN POST-PANDEMIC MALLS - In a Post-pandemic Environment
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TACKLING SOCIAL DISTANCING CHALLENGES IN POST-PANDEMIC MALLS In a Post-pandemic Environment expressimage.digital
TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Control Occupancy and
Access to Retail Venues
in Post-pandemic environment | pg 2
• Pandemic Changes Everything | pg 3
• Solving the Capacity Challenge | pg 4
• Managing Occupancy Risks | pg 5
• Potential Solution - Express-REZ | pg 6
• Visitor | pg 6
• Employees & Third party vendors | pg 7
• Security & Door Attendant | pg 8
• Reporting & Analytics | pg 9
• Integrations | pg 9
• Door Scanning | pg 10
• People Counters | pg 10
• Without People counters | pg 10
• Content Management Systems: CMS | pg 10
• Summary | pg 11
• Sources | pg 11
Proprietary Information of EID 2020 1
Re-opening strategy must include managing guest access to public venues to keep customers safe, and to provide a great customer experience while maintaining physical distancing. Proprietary Information of EID 2020 2
PANDEMIC CHANGES EVERYTHING In CDC Community Mitigation Guidance it states “Communities, individuals and families, employers, schools, malls, entertainment destination and other organizations will be asked to plan for the use of interventions to continue to limit the spread of the pandemic, prevent disease and lessen the impact on the economy, and keep society functioning.”1 Their understanding is any pandemic will require a mitigation framework as pandemics may continue to happen. The CDC and WHO are suggesting solutions be implemented as part of Stage 6 Recovery and Preparation framework that includes preparation for subsequent waves in the re-opening. It is here in this Phase 6 of CDC’s planning that our white paper will focus and propose some opportunities for safely reopening to adhere to physical distancing and aligning with the Municipalities pending requirements. This overview is not meant to be an authority on the exact procedures so public policy must be adhered to and public safety always takes precedent. Additional waves of the pandemic may occur and emphasize the need to prepare accordingly and solve the business problems. Communication is key with specific messages that continue to practice physical distancing after Social Distancing requirements have been relaxed or lifted by respective Local, County, and State governments. The public is going to be ready for real-life experiences and going to flock to establishments that offer food, entertainment and experiences. Yet these destinations will want to continue social protection measures. The Guardian states “In the coming months we will grow to understand the long-term effects of social distancing. Given experts’ anticipation that the safety measures we’re taking today will become a part of society’s ‘new normal’ with recurring periods of quarantine lockdown.”2 So how can Retailers create a balance of physical distancing while reopening the consumer destinations? We see technology being a key tool for creating and maintaining the physical distancing and the demand for real-life experiences.
SOLVING THE CAPACITY CHALLENGE According to Naveen Jaggi, President of Retail Advisory Services at JLL “When dining rooms do reopen, it will take longer to get back to their previous sales levels. Many are expected to return with 50% capacity to allow for safe social distancing.”3 Capacity or as more commonly known as “occupancy” is defined as the number of people, at any given time in the mall, compared to the total number people that is zoned per square foot. The municipality determines the maximum capacity for malls and all commercial real estate venues. This capacity reduction will not only impact restaurants; it will hold true for all consumer malls especially at stores, entertainment destinations and retail venues. Many governments may decide to make occupancy changes a requirement for reopening. In a recent McKinsey article, they are calling on governments to institute policies that “restrict maximum capacity of malls on a per square meter basis” and “establish maximum capacity in closed places” as part of the protocols for safety and health.4 So what can malls do to address the maximum capacity challenges while being responsible to adhere to social distancing? Proprietary Information of EID 2020 4
MANAGING OCCUPANCY RISKS
Thursday (April 16), Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer outlined a plan for
stores that includes “limits on how many people can be in a store at any given time so that people who are
there can maintain a lot of distance between themselves,” she said at a news briefing. Yet how do venues,
stores and retailers demonstrate they are managing to these standards and adhering to the Municipalities
framework?
Domestically, states are independent and choose a different occupancy and capacity based on what their
Governors have set as a requirement. How are malls going to manage each store requirement across a global
brand with a local capacity requirement?
STATE OCCUPANCY LIMITS
All venues have a responsibility to implement solutions to manage occupancy, control access and implement
proper safety measures. Will these require documented procedures, checklists and hourly occupancy tracking?
How will venues manage these new requirements to mitigate risk and prove compliance?
Proprietary Information of EID 2020 5
POTENTIAL SOLUTION - EXPRESS-REZ EID has developed Express-REZ, a solution that supports retailers’ challenges to control capacity in a post pandemic environment. Visitors and guests can make a same day or future entry reservation to visit a mall. This allows customers to plan ahead and make an entry reservation prior to arrival and confirms specific time entrance, without having to wait in line. There are will-call options as well, for guests that arrive without a reservation. One Senior Mall Executive with 2 malls states “We are committed to ensure a safe, comfortable environment for our shoppers and employees while adhering to CDC’s social distancing in the post-pandemic world. This solution allows us to safely control the number of visitors automatically, and without sacrificing customer satisfaction.” VISITOR The way it works is visitors make a reservation one of three ways (quick-link or hyperlink, on a mobile app or via website), selects the date, time slot for the visit, number of guests and accepts the terms-conditions. The visitors will receive an e-ticket reservation on their mobile phone or email confirming the reservation and time slot selected. Guests can invite others to attend with them and send them their own e-ticket if needed. When the guest arrives at the destination entrance, they will be scanned by Security and a timer is activated within the app displaying how much time they have left. Guests move about the mall, using proper physical distancing protocols and/or personal protective equipment to shop, dine or engage in activities. Guests can, if activated by operators, leave and re-entry the venue as needed. Thirty minutes prior to the end of their time slot, the guest receives a message thanking them for their visit and reminding them their time slot is about to expire. In a recent survey from May 5, 2020 we asked consumers to share their thoughts on malls reopening and what they wanted to have in place. See the charts for the specific responses. The results also show that consumers are willing to completely stay away from malls yet many are not sure if they will visit a mall at all. WHEN RE-OPENED, HOW LIKELY ARE YOU TO VISIT A RETAIL STORE OR MALL THAT HAS IMPLEMENTED STANDARD SAFETY MEASURES? Proprietary Information of EID 2020 6
HOW LIKELY ARE YOU TO VISIT A RETAIL STORE OR MALL THAT LIMITS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE LOCATION AT
ANY GIVEN TIME?
HOW LIKELY ARE YOU TO VISIT A RETAIL STORE OR MALL THAT WOULD REQUIRE YOU TO MAKE A RESERVATION IN
ORDER TO MANAGE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND PREVENT LINES TO GET IN?
In question 3 we see ~32% consumers will likely visit a retailer and mall that have a reservation solution in place.
The results also show that consumers are willing to completely stay away from malls as well.
EMPLOYEES & THIRD PARTY VENDORS
Employees, by store, department or third-party staff, will be tracked and included in the overall count and
occupancy levels. The Operator will define, control and assign the number of employees that are available
to work during open hours and/or time slots. The number of mall employees in the mall at any given time is
tracked and managed. Several options for employee access are available:
• Employee entrances are ONLY used for employees.
• Employee QR code for each mall, department, etc.
• If someone shares the QR code, the solution will pinpoint which mall’s QR code has been compromised
and shared.
Proprietary Information of EID 2020 7SECURITY & DOOR ATTENDANT
Security will be stationed at open entrances to monitor and control access using an iPod touch with an
application loaded for scanning tickets. This will ensure capacity and manage safe social distancing is
maintained. Retailers will need to provide Personal Protection Equipment for all staff that complies within the
government framework.
Each guest, using their mobile phone, is scanned by security personnel for ticket verification and confirmation
of occupancy prior to being allowed to enter. Here is how it works for security personnel:
• If the ticket is scanned within the allotted time, a green light will show that they have access and add the
reservation to the total count.
• If the ticket is scanned for a different time from the reservation:
- A red light will be displayed showing that they do not have access.
- The correct access date/ time will be displayed.
• If a people counter is being used, the API will be used to keep track of how many people are inside the mall
at all times.
• API returns a number of people in the mall or is exceeding the current limit (set in the CMS),
• All entries will be denied, and a message will be displayed on the iPod.
• Display number of people in the mall.
• Allow scan reservation for an early, only if there is availability.
• Allow guests without a reservation to enter, if interested.
Proprietary Information of EID 2020 8REPORTING & ANALYTICS
The reporting organizes the captured data into informational summaries to order the areas of application.
These analytic processes the data and display them in reports to extract meaningful insights, which can be
used to better understand and improve business performance. The following data is automatically captured
within the standard application.
• Ability to view, sort, and filter UPCOMING reservations by mall, entrance, timeslot, occupant type, manual
group, and/or date.
• Ability to view, sort, and filter PAST reservations by mall, entrance, timeslot, occupant type, manual group,
and/or date.
• Ability to view, sort, and filter NO-SHOW reservations by mall, entrance, timeslot, occupant type, manual
group, and/or date.
Additional reporting and data captures can be customized if necessary.
INTEGRATIONS
There are several options for launching Retailer’s can leverage each is straightforward and does not require
expensive hardware nor long integration processes. Yet each brand should consider what is best and aligns
with their go-to marketing strategy.
There are numerous integrations as part of the solution offering and as a system integrator more are constantly
being added. Here are a few of the primary integrations.
QUICKLINK SDK KIT
No integration required with this hyperlink Available to embed Express-REZ in an
or web widget is available for guests to active mobile app, to create a seamless
make reservations; easily shared and guest reservations functionality. Through
scanned QR code via email, website and the SDK, your app can provide reservations
social media. to guests using their own Android and IOS
mobile devices installed and running within
30 days.
Proprietary Information of EID 2020 9WEBSITE WITHOUT PEOPLE COUNTERS
Integrate Express-REZ in website, via We offer the ability to scan a QR code
widget, so Guest’s can create and when entering the venue and when exiting
receive an e-ticket reservation on their the venue in order to keep an accurate
mobile phone app or print at home with count of the current visitors.
reservation confirmation details. Guests
can create multiple reservations, invite
additional guests, share reservation details.
All validated prior to entry.
MOBILE APP CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: CMS
Create a new mobile app that is custom There are numerous CMS solutions that are
designed and branded for retailers that currently part of the solution. Any CMS with
want more out of their mobile app with a Rest API can be integrated to manage
integrations, mapping, product locator on and control the application. See the CMS
a turn-key platform. Of course, Express-REZ section specific Express-REZ details. Key
is embedded as just one of the many functionality in the CMS for the Express-REZ
features available. application include:
• We will be adding 5 fields to the CMS for
each mall.
• Maximum number of people allowed
DOOR SCANNING in a reservation (e.g. 2 people)
We provide an application used by the
staff manning the entrances allowing them • Maximum number of people allowed
to see in real-time how many visitors are at one time (e.g. 10,000 people)
inside the venue and scan the visitors QR
codes upon entry. • Maximum number of people allowed
to reserve a specific time slot (e.g.
7,500 people)
• Time slot duration (e.g. 2 hours)
PEOPLE COUNTERS
Using your people counting application’s
API (If available), the solution will keep
track of how many people are currently
inside your venue to control the flow of
visitors holding a reservation.
Proprietary Information of EID 2020 10SUMMARY The impact capacity limits cannot be clearly defined as opening public venues early and in a responsible, sustainable way will ensure brand loyalty and revenue over the long term. It is clear the challenges for retailers are significant and will become the new normal. Opportunities for retailers to utilize technology will separate those who are able to open and improve the guest experience while generating revenue. If retailers choose to select a solution like Express-REZ it could have immediate impact that demonstrates a brand’s commitment to keeping their guests safe with the proper capacity limits that will change over time. Retailers will want to be socially conscious in the post-pandemic environment to track and manage occupancy levels allowing them to open responsibly. That means controlling access and knowing how many people are on-site at any given time while maintaining a focus on customer service and personalized experience. EID has a solution to accomplish these goals and more. Book your personalized demo or find out how your brand can implement Express-REZ at info@expressimage.digital or 651.237.5677 or www.expressimage.digital Sources: 1. CDC Community Mitigation Guidance 2017 2. The Guardian “Our post-pandemic selves: why the virus is an opportunity to grow and develop” 3. Houston Chronicle: “Forecasting commercial real estate winners and losers in the post-pandemic world” April 3, 2020 4. McKinsey Consulting: How to Restart National Economies During the Coronavirus Crisis. April 2020 Proprietary Information of EID 2020 11
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