As the UK eases out of lockdown and retail premises gear up to re-open, online scheduling and customer engagement platform Appointedd, has added ‘Capacity Flex', a new capacity management tool,  to their services - enabling shops and pubs to accurately calculate the number of customers permitted on their premises at any one time.  Capacity Flex instantly adapts to changes in government social distancing regulations (is it 1 metre or 2?) ensuring retail outlets are able to optimise the number of customers permitted as advice evolves.

Online booking and scheduling solution, Appointedd, has been working closely with high street retailers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic developing digital solutions that allow customers to shop safely both online and in-store.  With the imminent re-opening of retail premises, Capacity Flex ensures that no matter how many services a retailer offers, with whatever capacity they have on those services, Appointedd will never let them book in any more than the max capacity. This enables frictionless adherence to the government regulations, and if guidelines change, retailers simply update their max occupancy in Appointedd and they will be instantly compliant.

The solution also enables businesses to track data around who has been in their premises at what time, giving them the ability to comply with government requirements to support the NHS Test and Trace programme. The software enables customers to pre-book or register on entry via QR code in a GDPR compliant way, similar to the system introduced in New Zealand following challenges with the misuse of data that led one woman to be stalked following a trip to Subway Sandwiches.

Appointedd's Full Covid Shop Safely Services Include;

-          Capacity Flex - automatic capacity limits that can flex as government legislation changes

-          Retail by Appointment - online scheduling for social distancing

-          Zero Touch Personal Shop - safe, personalised shopping experiences

-          Up close & virtual - shopping experience from the comfort of customers homes

-          Click & Collect Plus - guaranteed pick up slots for instore collection.

-          Buffer Up - automatic buffers for cleaning and sanitisation 

The company has also canvassed public opinion, conducting a poll to discover what concerns the public have re the re-opening of our high streets, finding that 79% of people are more likely to visit retail outlets that limit the number of people in store while the availability of hand sanitiser (84%) and capacity management (71.5%) are shoppers main requirements to feeling safe in store.

 While 65% of people polled expected the shops to be quieter than normal - 75% of shoppers would rather book a guaranteed entry time rather than join a virtual queuing system.

Appointedd Founder and CEO Leah Hutcheon, said, "It's an extremely stressful time for businesses just now. Whether it's a pub or a shop reopening, there's so much to think about to ensure you're Covid Secure - all of a sudden businesses are being asked to become data controllers and are required to enforce regulation around social distancing and capacity management. The legislation is varied across the UK and is changing all the time. Appointedd is delighted to be able to help businesses simplify their operations by managing their capacity and the need to record and store customer data. Our system calculates and limits capacity, and provides a digital audit trail of who was in the premises and when. All of this can be entered securely by the customer in a GDPR compliant manner, avoiding the horror stories we've already seen in other countries when the data has been misused. "

Visit www.appointedd.com