Intro: The Staffing Challenge
Staffing is one of the biggest cost centers for retailers. Get it wrong, and you risk either overspending on idle staff or, worse, frustrating customers with long wait times and poor service.
The reality is that many retail operations still rely on intuition or rough estimates to build staff rosters. But customer behavior has changed – and so has the way we measure it.
The Common Problem: Guesswork Doesn’t Work
Without reliable data, retail managers often face tough trade-offs:
· Too few staff during peak hours → frustrated customers, missed sales, lower conversion rates.
· Too many staff during slow hours → inflated labor costs with little return.
Both scenarios hurt the bottom line. And when stores operate across multiple locations or malls, the challenge only multiplies.
The Skywave Solution: Data-Driven Rostering
This is where people counting data changes the game.
By analyzing footfall trends by hour, day, and week, retailers gain a clear picture of when their stores are busiest. With this insight, they can:
· Align staffing schedules with actual demand.
· Identify seasonal and promotional traffic spikes.
· Forecast future staffing needs with precision.
Global and regional brands such as PUMA, GAP, and JD Sports already leverage this approach to ensure staff are on the floor exactly when customers need them most.
The Benefits: Service + Savings
When staffing matches foot traffic, everyone wins:
· Better customer service: Shoppers are greeted faster, queues shrink, and staff are available to upsell.
· Higher productivity: Employees are engaged during peak times rather than idle during quiet hours.
· Cost efficiency: Stores spend smarter, allocating labor budgets where they matter most.
· Improved conversion: With enough staff available, browsers are more likely to become buyers.
In short: staffing goes from being a guessing game to a strategic advantage.
Real-World Example
A fashion retailer operating in multiple malls across Singapore used people counting to analyze footfall trends across its top 10 outlets.
The data revealed that certain suburban malls peaked earlier in the day, while city-center stores experienced evening surges. By tailoring rosters to each store’s unique traffic curve, the retailer reduced idle staff hours by 15% and improved weekend conversion rates by 12%.
Conclusion
Retail is about being ready when the customer walks in. With people counting insights, staffing can finally move beyond guesswork and become a driver of growth.
👉 See your store’s real staffing needs – start with footfall data.
Talk to Skywave today: Contact – Skywave
