At its core ATU Duty Free stores are all about creating an outstanding retail experience for travelers, who expect more than just a usual duty free shop.
Client
At its core ATU Duty Free stores are all about creating an outstanding retail experience for travelers, who expect more than just a usual duty free shop. Founded in 2000, operating an 80 sq.m store ATU has managed to grow its business substantially. Since they stayed true to their ideals ATU operates in 83 shops covering 166,000 sq. ft. of retail space at the moment. Being in 19 airports in 7 countries proves that ATU is providing a global customer satisfaction while focusing on its operations locally. One of the most important aspects of their success is their dedication to constantly incorporating technological improvements into their operations, to firmly understand their customers’ behavior.
Business situation
ATU Duty Free Store in Ataturk International Airport/ Istanbul is one of its leading branches with its 14.000 sq. m commercial area. 65 Million passengers visit the airport annually. The branch has no doors in order to have that modern design. Instead it has 3 big entrances. Although this is very convenient for customers, it really complicates the people counting process. Since ATU is an innovative company, they want to be better informed about their customers so they can hold a high level of customer service and improve their operations. As a result, they faced a dilemma: either build something similar to doors (which would change a critical part of the experience), or find the right approach to count the traffic without a trade off.
Solution and benefits
We were mindful of the fact that ATU Duty Free stores had to maintain their visual appearance as it was to be consistent, so we took the necessary measures. We went out of our usual ways and sent our engineering team to the site. To cover that much ground, we calculated the ideal number of cameras and the specific height they should be mounted at to solve this issue. After meticulous calculations we decided to install 27 cameras side-by-side for each entrance. Optimum calibration is always the core of maximizing accuracy rates. We tested them for a month to be precise about the calibrations. In addition, we offered engineering expertise in solving design issues. We also had to authorize a project manager to serve as a bridge between our firms. Our project manager combined with our engineering team on site enabled us to respond to ATU’s every demand very fast and take the right actions for the duration of the work and after the installation.
Results
The ATU Duty Free project was a huge success. Not only because this unusual project had been implemented without any setbacks, but also for the benefits ATU Duty Free enjoyed ever since. ATU now knows their exact footfall per hour, day, month and year. Key Performance Indicators they obtained through our devices enabled them to make decisions based on facts and not intuition.
- Optimizing the staff according to occupancy rates enabled ATU to increase its conversion rate by 18.2% in the first year.
- Changing displays and product offerings based on conversion rates allowed them to react faster.
- They made significant changes in their customer service policy. Attentive staff has increased average basket size.
Product Adopted:Retail