The benefits of Time-of-Flight people counting in washroom management
With Time-of-Flight technology, facilities managers can analyze totally anonymous visitor traffic data in real-time, to optimize their services and improve visitor experience.
This includes better planning for cleaning services, energy efficiencies, and staff allocation, which ultimately leads to a more enjoyable user experience and more efficient use of resources as well as potential savings.
How does Time-of-Flight People Counting technology work?
In Time-of-Flight people counting technology, infrared sensors measure the time it takes for a light signal to bounce off an object and return to the sensor. This information is used to determine the distance and movement of individuals in a given space. The data is then processed and analyzed to provide useful insights into user behavior, including foot traffic patterns, peak hours, and occupancy levels.
Why Time-of-Flight technology? Anonymous, non-intrusive data
One of the key benefits of Time-of-Flight-based people counters for restrooms or public toilets management is that this is non-intrusive and does not gather any personal data. Unlike some traditional methods of people counting, such as CCTV or facial recognition, ToF technology does not rely on cameras or other sensors that may capture identifiable information.
In contrast, people counting technology, such as the Terabee People Counting M and People Counting L-XL solutions simply measure the distance between objects and use this information to determine the number of individuals passing through a specific area. No personal data is ever collected or stored. The data gathered by Terabee people counters does not measure the height, age or gender of the person coming into the area. It relies on seeing points for the head and shoulders to indicate a person has passed into or out of the area.
This means that as a tool for better management of washrooms and public toilets, the fully anonymous data from Terabee Time-of-Flight people counters, can help the facilities manager make informed decisions based on real-time and historical foot traffic. While the number of individuals passing through a specific area can be accurately determined, no personal information or identifying details are ever captured.
Greater comfort, high customer satisfaction
Maintaining public restrooms can be a challenging task, especially when it comes to ensuring that they remain clean and well-stocked.
Clean washrooms are important for customer satisfaction, with more than 60% of shoppers making a conscious choice to visit businesses that have well-maintained and cleaner restrooms. (1) Many customers are unlikely to visit a business again after a bad bathroom experience, such as dirty conditions and a lack of supplies. (2) By using the accurate data from Terabee people counters, building managers can better plan cleaning services, replenishment of supplies, to ensure that public restrooms remain clean, well-stocked, and safe. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
People counting technology also allows you to monitor the number of occupants in a public restroom at any time. Installing occupancy counters in restrooms eliminates the need for your company to hire an individual to serve as a bathroom monitor.
Guaranteed privacy protection and GDPR compliance
For public institutions where privacy of images and data relating to both staff and visitors is an absolute requirement, a people counting solution based on Time-of-Flight technology guarantees users’ and visitors’ anonymity, privacy protection and GDPR compliance. This is even more important when considering washroom or public toilets management.
The People Counting M device from Terabee is suitable for standard doors and narrow corridors, which makes it an ideal solution for management of restrooms or public toilets. The People Counting L-XL LoRa device utilises LoRaWAN technology, which eliminates the need to install Power over Ethernet (PoE) cables, so it is suitable in older or historic buildings.
Tailor your people counting solution for facilities management according to your requirements. We are able to help you scope out your public washroom management people counting needs. Contact us to speak to an expert about your project’s challenges and requirements.
If you would like to learn how to deploy people counting solutions in your facility, contact a member of the Terabee team today.
References and further reading
- Bradley Corporation, media release “Most Consumers Will Spend More at Businesses with Clean Restrooms” 20 March 2019. https://www.bradleycorp.com/news/most-consumers-will-spend-more-at-businesses-with-clean-restrooms (accessed April 2023)
- Examining customer perceptions of restaurant restroom cleanliness and their impact on satisfaction and intent to return, March 2019. Journal of Foodservice Business Research 22(2):191-208
