What should retailers be doing as they brace for the impact of COVID-19?

Coronavirus restrictions vary across Europe, though many countries have announced a range of constraints such as social distancing, public gatherings, flight bans and school closures. 

You only need to look at our recent report to see the impact the pandemic is currently having on the retail industry, with shopping centres in CEE seeing footfall nosedive between 23-29 March 2020 – with a year-on-year drop of 76.2%. With many non-essential retail businesses requested to close their doors to save lives and protect their employees and customers, retailers are responding in different ways. 

Every shopping centre, luxury fashion outlet, supermarket, coffee shop and fast food outlet is, of course, unique, facing a multitude of challenges during the pandemic. That said, we’ve added a series of general tips that can help you survive the coronavirus outbreak, and maximise performance when you come out the other side.

Protect your people and your reputation

Coronavirus has already taken over 70,000 lives worldwide (at the time of writing this report), and we understand the pressure businesses face to protect the health and safety of their staff and customers. For example, with many retailers’ physical stores closed, the spotlight recently has been on fashion warehouse staff. Though maintaining the two-metre distancing role can prove difficult in certain situations, it is possible with the right processes in place. At the same time, protective gear should be provided to workers, such as hand sanitizer, gloves and masks. 

By ensuring greater safety for staff, you can maintain a positive brand reputation, which will serve you well when restrictions are lifted, and the road to recovery begins. Any signs of failure to increase safety measures or protect your employee’s income can cause significant reputational damage, so it’s essential to keep this in mind. 

Utilise online operations – but only if it’s safe to do so

There have been many cases where retailers have ceased online operations after being unable to keep distribution and fulfilment centres open, such as McDonald’s, Next, TK Maxx and River Island. As expected, certain categories will benefit more than others during this pandemic. For example, according to the latest IMRG Capgemini Online Retail Index (which tracks the online sales performance of over 200 retailers), UK online sales of electricals surged by 42.4% year-on-year. It is reported that the spike was caused mainly by British consumers purchasing home office equipment, games consoles and freezers to better cope with the lockdown period. With the increased demand for online shopping, traditional retailers may need to consider a more omnichannel model, rather than relying on brick-and-mortar stores.

Access government support and focus on cash flow

Recently the German government said it would provide 2 billion euros in financial assistance to help keep its growing tech businesses afloat. In contrast, the UK government recently launched cash grants as well as the Business Interruption Loan Scheme, which allows retailers to borrow up to £5 million, interest-free for up to 12 months, with no personal guarantees required for loans under £250,000. 

The European Commission also approved a series of multi-billion-euro state support packages for Greece, Poland and Portugal to help soften the economic impact of the coronavirus through grants and loan guarantees. It’s crucial retailers gain an understanding of the support that’s available as it may be possible to cover all or most of your immediate working capital and investment needs. 

Right now, it’s too early to for retailers to identify the impact of quarantines and social distancing measures across Europe. That said, it’s positive to see China is starting its recovery, stimulating the demand for online shopping, strengthening supply chains and focusing on cash flow. Retailers in Europe can learn lessons and take a more proactive approach, identifying all existing credit lines, and stopping or postponing all non-essential capital spending. 

Support frontline workers and protect the vulnerable

From healthcare professionals to delivery drivers and sales assistants, the pandemic has already seen many retailers focus efforts on supporting those on the coronavirus frontline as well as the elderly and vulnerable, offering packages of aid, products and services. It’s not just supermarkets setting aside coronavirus supplies, many fashion brands, both big and small, are working to make a difference. 

As the retail sector’s relief network grows, many beauty brands have shifted focus. For example, Louis Vuitton’s parent company, LVMH, has pledged to use its perfume factories to manufacture hand sanitiser to reduce the risk of a shortage in France amid the coronavirus pandemic. Similarly, French luxury fashion firm, Kering, has pledged to create face masks in repurposed factories, as well as donating sale proceeds to charities that are supporting the most vulnerable. 

Keep your staff and customers informed

It’s important we all keep a close eye on the news during such challenging circumstances, but do crosscheck stories and monitor trusted sources, such as World Health Organization (WHO) advice as well as local and national government guidance. For retailers, in particular, the information provided to staff and customers must be accurate and timely, so focus on delivering clear communications. Keeping customers informed doesn’t necessarily require daily updates, as you may cause ‘notification fatigue’, yet sharing significant developments is crucial so long as the information is relevant and accurate.

Re-run risk assessments and utilise existing systems and processes

Employers have a general duty to conduct risk assessments, however, as more draconian measures are introduced, and coronavirus cases continue to soar, re-running risk assessments is vital. You can then use the findings to better prepare and respond to potential incidents, while delivering cross-functional recommendations covering key areas such as supply, inventory, workforce, online operations, store operations, business continuity and consumer behaviour. 

Look to the light at the end of the tunnel

With people rightly focusing on the essentials that they require on a day-to-day basis, consumer nervousness is growing. That said, every retailer, supermarket, shopping entre or food chain has a role to play in protecting the welfare of colleagues, consumers and partners. There is likely to be a great deal more disruption to supply and demand, retail operations and logistical flows. There are, however, opportunities to innovate, control costs, maintain a positive brand reputation and take care of your staff. Merely waiting out the virus cannot be an option for most retailers.

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admin 9th avril 2020 0 Comments

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Report

Retail footfall in CEE plummets 76% as COVID-19 cases soar.

Across Europe there have been over 10,000 deaths since the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Bordeaux, France on the 24th January 2020. With closed borders, travel restrictions, school closures, daily government updates and lockdowns in Central and Eastern Europe, shopping centres saw footfall decline drastically between 23-29 March 2020 – with a year on year drop of 76.2%.

A slight increase before an unprecedented decline

As an expert in footfall intelligence, Reveal Systems provides people counting, data analysis and interpretation. Looking at the latest Reveal Index data from our installed base in Central and Eastern Europe, we discovered a slight boost of 1.6% in the week commencing 10 February 2020, before slumping to record lows throughout February and March.

The colossal 76% plunge in footfall in March 2020 represents an unprecedented decline across our portfolio, with retailers hugely affected by Government measures, warning consumers to remain indoors unless shopping for essential items.

Summarising the mammoth fall in footfall throughout Central and Eastern Europe, Reveal Systems CEO, Russell Edwards, said:

“So often we call on our many years of experience to analyse situations and predict possible timescales for future change.  In these unprecedented times we have no experience on this scale and in the short term we can only watch what is happening day to day. The real work will start as soon as the lockdowns ease and the population starts to return to a new way of life. In that period our systems will be invaluable to our clients as they track visitors in and around their assets. Our thoughts go out to the people who have suffered tragic loss and distress. We would also send our thanks and support to the millions of care workers and the people still working to keep food chains active around the World.”

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admin 30th mars 2020 0 Comments

COVID-19

Company Statement – Coronavirus (COVID-19)

These are uncertain times as we all deal with the Coronavirus pandemic and its impact on our daily lives. The health, safety, and wellbeing of our employees, customers and suppliers will always be our top priority. We are in daily contact with our field engineers to ensure they are aware of the current advice and recommendations to keep them as safe as possible and they are equipped with cleaning and sanitising products in the event they have to travel. We also have a network of remote support agents that can provide localised support where necessary. Our office based employees are now working from home and all non-essential trips and client visits are curtailed.

At Reveal Systems, it is still ‘business as usual’ in the day to day operations and solutions we are involved in.  We have in place a robust IT infrastructure and well developed remote diagnostics and home working solutions available to the team so there should be no interruption in our ability to respond to our customers’ requirements.

We will continue to monitor government advice closely and will react according to any further guidelines issued over the coming days and weeks.

Please continue to use your normal contacts if you have any questions or you can email us on info@revealsystems.co.uk.  We look forward to getting back to normal as soon as we can.

MOST IMPORTANTLY – Be safe and stay healthy!

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admin 23rd mars 2020 0 Comments

Fashion Network: la réalité augmentée pour se guider en centre commercial

Fashion Network parle de notre solution AR Navigation, un GPS personnel pour aider les visiteurs des centres commerciaux à se rendre au magasin souhaité.

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admin 20th janvier 2020 0 Comments

LSA parle de l’application AR Navigation de Reveal Systems

Le magazine LSA examine notre solution de navigation AR Navigation, un GPS personnel pour aider les visiteurs des centres commerciaux à se rendre au magasin souhaité et à même retrouver leur place de parking.

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admin 19th décembre 2019 0 Comments

Grâce à l’intelligence artificielle, Reveal Systems révolutionne la navigation dans les centres commerciaux

Grâce à l’intelligence artificielle, Reveal Systems révolutionne la navigation dans les centres commerciaux

Paris, décembre 2019

Reveal Systems, un grand fournisseur de logiciels de gestion de performances pour le secteur du retail, annonce AR Navigation, une nouvelle application mobile qui révolutionne la navigation dans les centres commerciaux, et permet d’optimiser l’engagement des visiteurs.

Fruit d’une année de développement, l’application AR Navigation est spécifiquement conçue pour les opérateurs de centres commerciaux, dont un des principaux objectifs aujourd’hui est de mieux « engager » leurs visiteurs, en leur offrant des services supplémentaires inédits qui facilitent leurs achats et améliorent leur expérience utilisateur.

Révolutionnaire, elle combine à la fois une fonction de navigation très précise et une technologie de réalité augmentée, sans utiliser ni le GPS du mobile ni une connexion WiFi, dont l’accessibilité est souvent aléatoire au sein des centres commerciaux.

Pour y parvenir, Reveal Systems cartographie très précisément dans un premier temps toutes les surfaces du centre commercial en trois dimensions, parking compris, en y paramétrant des points fixes à intervalles réguliers. Une fois cette cartographie réalisée, l’utilisateur de l’application n’a plus qu’à indiquer la destination souhaitée. En ouvrant la fonction photo de son mobile et en le braquant à la verticale, AR Navigation identifie instantanément sa position et lui indique en surimpression sur l’écran le chemin à suivre pour arriver à destination.

En outre, à chaque fois qu’il passe devant une enseigne au sein du centre commercial, une fenêtre s’affiche en réalité augmentée, avec les éventuelles promotions et opérations marketing en cours dans la boutique.

D’autres avantages de l’application comprennent une fonction de retour à un point fixe tel qu’une place de parking (fonction « find my car »), et une analyse des moyens de transport empruntés par les visiteurs pour se rendre au centre commercial (voiture, transport en commun, à pied, etc.).

“Jusqu’à présent, les centres commerciaux disposaient de solutions leur permettant d’établir des statistiques de fréquentation. Ces informations sont essentielles, mais ne sont plus suffisantes. Pour se démarquer de la concurrence, l’important pour eux est désormais de mieux engager leurs visiteurs, en les fidélisant et en améliorant leur expérience d’achat, » indique Russel Edwards, CEO de Reveal Systems. « Notre solution AR Navigation répond à ce besoin. L’application peut être facilement intégrée par exemple à un programme de fidélisation, et peut être rentabilisée via une contribution des enseignes sur le volet réalité augmentée. “

A propos de Reveal Systems

Depuis plus de 15 ans, Reveal Systems propose des Solutions et Outils de Gestion de Performances pour aider les secteurs des Centres Commerciaux et du Retail à mieux gérer et contrôler le rendement de leurs locaux. Avec des déploiements autant en Europe de l’Ouest qu’en Europe de l’Est et Centre-Europe, leurs systèmes aident leurs partenaires dans la collection très critique et précise de données tels que les flux intérieurs et extérieurs, la collecte de données financières, le profil des visiteurs ou encore la gestion des parkings. L’ensemble est parfaitement intégré au sein d’un seul et même outil de gestion de performance.

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admin 17th décembre 2019 0 Comments

Transvulcania Ultramarathon 2019

Transvulcania Ultramarathon est une course de longue distance qui se déroule sur l’île de La Palma et est considérée comme l’ultramarathon de montagne le plus difficile des Canaries. Grand bravo Miet pour avoir fini cette course…74,3 kms en 15h45 !

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admin 17th décembre 2019 0 Comments

L’équipe de Pologne a déménagé dans de nouveaux et plus grands bureaux à Opole

Nous avons déménagé

Nous sommes fiers d’annoncer que nous venons d’emménager dans de nouveaux locaux au Technology Park d’Opole, en Pologne, pour soutenir nos plans de développement futurs. Notre nouvelle adresse en Pologne est : Reveal Polska Sp.z o.o., Technologiczna 2, 45-839 Opole, Poland. L’espace accru nous permet de travailler à un niveau d’efficacité supérieur. Le numéro de téléphone de notre bureau reste le même au +48 608921108. N’hésitez pas à nous contacter si vous nécessitez de plus amples informations.

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admin 16th août 2019 0 Comments

Les serveurs de Reveal Systems sont à Opole en Pologne

Les serveurs hautement sécurisés de Reveal Systems fonctionnent à partir du Data of Science and Technology Park à Opole (CPD PNT). Nous sommes heureux d’annoncer que, dans le cadre de notre récente relocalisation, les serveurs hautement sécurisés de Reveal Systems fonctionnent à partir du Data of Science and Technology Park dans la ville d’Opole en Pologne.

 

Science & Technology Park d’Opole est le seul établissement du pays à avoir obtenu la certification 3 Ansi / TIA-942. La certification est résultat d’un audit de l’installation complète et de la documentation associée. Les serveurs sont situés dans deux cabinets montés sur rack 48U séparés et sécurisés avec une alimentation redondante capable de fournir une allocation de puissance garantie.

 

Avec l’accès à des liaisons de données symétriques redondantes de 20/20 Mb / s (de deux opérateurs indépendants utilisant deux fibres optiques indépendantes), la transmission de données peut être déplacée sur une variété de canaux. Tous les câbles et terminaisons de réseau internes sont conformes aux dernières normes Category7.

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admin 16th août 2019 0 Comments

Reveal Systems sera présent au MAPIC 2018

Reveal Systems aura un stand à Mapic, Cannes – France du 14 au 16 novembre 2018. MAPIC est le principal événement international de l’immobilier commercial destiné aux acteurs clés de l’immobilier. Rendez-vous à notre stand P-1.J70. Venez rencontrer notre charmante équipe ou envoyez un e-mail à notre directrice marketing Slavica Smith qui sera présente sur notre stand () Rendez-vous le 14 novembre!

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admin 17th juin 2019 0 Comments