Multiplexes, Megaplexes, Twin Cinemas, even the last remaining drive-ins, Cinema Complexes can be very busy places.
Since the Lumiere Brothers first pioneered the first public movie theatre in 1895, people have flocked to see films on the big screen as a favourite way to spend leisure time with friends and family.
Regardless of the debate at which point a multiplex becomes a megaplex (is it 14, or is it 20 screens?) modern cinema facilities are getting very large indeed.
Across the world many complexes are now housing upwards of 25, even 30 individual theatres.
Guinness World Records credits Kinépolis Movie City, Madrid, with the world’s largest capacity – a grand total seating for 9,200 patrons across its 25 screens.
Now that is BIG.
Cinema owners and managers host BIG crowds.
They show BIG pictures.
But do they really see the BIG picture themselves?
That is, do they really understand the intricacies of the how, why, who, what, where and when in the behaviour patterns of their patrons?
Do they really see the BIG picture when it comes learning these patterns over time to improve customer experiences, maximise revenue opportunities and increase profitability?
Sure, macro insights can be gleaned from measures such as overall ticket sales and peak demand times but smaller details are rarely recognised, often ignored, and never collected and collated.
Now, technology has evolved to a point where micro insight data is available across the modern cinema complex setting - fast, efficient and cost effective.
Foresense Technologies is an industry leader in the collection of visitor presence data and the analysis of how people act – and interact – on-site in real world settings to provide real-time analytics of foot traffic inside and around any physical location.
In a similar way to how behavioural data is utilised online through careful analysis of aspects such as dwell time, session duration, and unique and return visitations the Foresense platform collects data through a network of sensors integrating with visitors’ smartphones allowing accessibility in real time so highly-informed, proactive decisions can be executed as trends are actually emerging.
The Foresense platform offers an AI powered solution to gain an unprecedented level of insight into patron flow and density and how they utilise and interact with cinema complex facilities.
Because the platform is accessible in real-time, additional staff can be deployed when and where they are needed most to reduce waiting times at entrance, ticketing and security points to keep movement flowing and alleviate congestion.
As a complete journey mapping solution, individual patron data such as total time spent on site, and the breakdown of time spent seated and at different areas such as food, restroom, and lobby facilities is collected.
This offers a revolutionary new way to guide commercially based decisions with more detailed, quantifiable data to improve operational KPIs and efficiencies. Optimise facility location, layout and design, service provision outlets, signage and staffing levels across peak demand periods.
Detailed individual profiles can be built to identify casual, frequent and infrequent visitors – and with a direct avenue of communication via push notification technology, offer incentivisation to increase visit frequency and expenditure at the cinema itself or at other hospitality and retail vendors within the complex.
In this way, ensure that every visitor is encouraged to visit snack facilities with real-time proximity discounts – or encourage ticketing purchases for future releases.
The technology is so comprehensive, time points in each individual film can be correlated with other data including snack or restroom visits - or even walkouts!
And because the technology only interacts with individual smartphone identifiers, personal anonymity is completely retained to alleviate any privacy concerns.
For VIP customers, Foresense can take loyalty and rewards programs to a whole new level.