Airport_Business_December2019-January2020 - 29

TECHNOLOGY
is most likely to help a passenger like
her. In this scenario, that might mean an
ad for an airport bar that's near a large
bank of windows, suggesting that she can
enjoy a beverage with the sun streaming
in while she waits for her plane.
The sensors work like this: A traveler
stops in front of a camera that is mounted
Digital signage already
pervades most airports,
guiding travelers to their
gates, to shops where they
can pick up last-minute
souvenirs and places where
they can charge their
phones.
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As you gather more data, you'll
start to find interesting patterns and
can craft content tailored toward those
audiences. You might discover that more
women f ly on Tuesdays, for example,
or that men are more likely to travel
together on Thursdays. You can start
to understand and predict heavy traffic
patterns throughout the airport, pinpoint
where certain demographics of people
linger and discover new opportunities to
use your space and provide more useful
information. Then, you can use the
signage to redistribute traffic so people
are consistently moving through the
airport, while you're advertising services
that apply to them, whether they're
frequent flyers or people who probably
need a little extra assistance.
If 40 people are gathering on one side
of the gate, signage can help disperse that.
Sensors will identify that there's a crowd
and populate content in the signage
You can pair digital
signage with a business
intelligence platform
equipped with
anonymized mobile
device sensors, video
sensors and RFID tracking
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unobtrusively above. They look at the
digital signage in front of them and the
camera captures the geometry of their
face - not a photo, but just enough
demographic information to f low into
an algorithm that will calculate whether
that person is male or female, offer a
rough estimate of their age range and
note how long they stood in front of the
sign. The camera does not capture any
personal details - so it does not know
precisely who that person is, nor does it
collect any data that allows you to follow
a specific person's path throughout the
airport. The information is sent to a
server on the premises and deleted within
256 milliseconds.

that suggests they head to an
area with more open seating.
During inclement weather or
when many flights are otherwise
delayed, gate agents can quickly
become overwhelmed. The
platform can integrate f light
data with the traveler demographics and
then trigger content that updates them
on the status, freeing the gate agent from
answering dozens of similar questions.
From the moment travelers walk into the
airport, both inside and outside the gate,
you're creating a much better experience.
The platform also gets smarter and
more accurate over time. After delivering
content, the platform gathers impressions
by aggregating demographic data and
time spent engaging with content.
For example, an ad for an airline club
advertising a $10 discount might be
triggered 22 times a day. This can then
be cross-referenced from data on the
club about the mix of age and gender

among the customers who came in,
as well as what time they arrived and
how long they stayed. You can then
inform your digital content strategy
using artificial intelligence that gives
you precise answers instead of making
assumptions. Ultimately, you'll also be
increasing revenue by delivering not just
marketing messages to all customers, but
exactly the right marketing message for
individual customers.

Meeting your goals
If you're considering such a platform,
it's important to look for a partner who
provides wrap-around support not
just during the installation, but on an
ongoing basis through the technology's
useful life. Every installation should start
with a site survey to determine where
to place sensors and how to angle them
so that you're able to capture the right
data for your needs. You'll also want a
partner who's willing to sit down with
you, train you on the dashboard and help
you develop plans to meet your goals.
On that note, you also must always
think about what your goal is for that
data and how it will inform a longterm strategy to grow your business.
As your environment evolves, those
goals will likely change, so schedule
regular check ins to make sure that the
data you're gathering still moves your
business forward - and, if necessary, be
ready to adapt. That doesn't have to be
overwhelming, though. Often, airports
will start with just one or two goals and
then grow from there as the platform
gains traction and they learn how to
make it work for them.
The bottom line is that knowledge
is power. This technology allows you to
gather virtually any data point you want
and coordinate it into insights - who
is in your environment, where they're
going and where they're spending their
time - at a customizable, granular level.
Once you understand who your audience
is, you can do anything. And when
the thousands of travelers who stream
through your airport every day leave
feeling like they had a more streamlined,
inviting experience than usual, they'll
feel empowered too. All they need is a
little nudge. 

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 \ AVIATIONPROS.COM / 29
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