Due to the recent Covid-19 pandemic, social distancing has become an important and necessary adoption in order to prevent the spread of infection. Access control can automate manual checks and systems at the entrance; permitting a safe, secure and contactless admittance to customers to ensure social distancing efforts operate seamlessly.
As retail adapts to the new normal, it is vital to mitigate the risk of infection where people congregate in large numbers. The OccuLinq software app combined with Gunnebo’s entrance control gates offer a multifaceted approach to social distancing and infection control strategies.
Maintaining social distancing
By adhering to a maximum number of people permitted inside the store, entrance control gates are synced with the OccuLinq app to lock once maximum capacity has been reached. This automatic system prevents more people from entering into the store than the safe capacity allows, negating the need to place a man guard at the entrance to monitor social distancing protocols.
Infection prevention
Limiting the number of people in a space limits the risks of infection by allowing social distancing to take place and reducing the chances of person to person contact. Furthermore, dedicated infection control solutions such as Gunnebo’s H-Sense can be installed, providing specialist temperature checking and mask wearing detection to allow a higher tier of infection control standard.
Theft shrinkage
Not only can entrance gates automatically ensure adherence to occupancy levels and enforce safe social distancing, but they can also reduce the occurrences and volume of inventory and profitability shrinkage. Entrance control gates firstly act as a deterrent to potential shoplifters as a visible sign of actions taken against losses from theft. Secondly, access gates enforce a one-way traffic flow entering into the store. This one-way flow is made possible from wrong-way detection within the gates, and prevents opportunists from walking into a store, picking up goods and leaving through the same way that they entered.
The OccuLinq family of products provides a safe shopping experience for customers, employees and owners alike – safeguarding stakeholders as well as protecting inventory and reinforcing profitability for the store. The automation of access control ensures human error is reduced and possibility for confrontation is minimised. 
More information on social distancing and safe shopping theory for physical retail stores can be found within our new White Paper. The OccuLinq software app, along with the range of products to support safe shopping automation, can be found on our dedicated web page
We are proud to be supporting our retail customers worldwide at this difficult time. To reach out, please use our contact form to get in touch.