RocketBoots & Covid-19
RocketBoots helps customers use real-world activity data to understand what’s happening in their physical environments. The data is typically used to help businesses make decisions related to their real estate footprint or staffing. Still, soon, it could help them, and other organizations like schools manage social distancing in response to COVID-19.
Maintaining adequate space between everyone onsite is a concern for organisations as they think about how to operate while keeping customers and employees safe. It is not as simple as recalculating occupancy levels and employing someone to close the door when full. Organizations have to carefully think about how people will flow through and interact across various spaces.
Larger organizations, like banks and retailers, also have to think about how they manage compliance across different locations. Leaders have a duty of care to ensure regulations are followed, and this can be difficult without visibility into what’s happening at each site.
With RocketBoots already in the business of analyzing how physical space is used, it saw an opportunity to pivot and help organizations to address some of these challenges. While the company is just starting to have conversations with universities and others who could benefit, it has built out new data modelling and reporting, which could be used to manage social distancing proactively.
The solution is an extension of the RocketBoot’s BeeHive product which collects and analyzes data from sources like CCTV and PIR sensors. The resulting insights—visualized using Tableau— are typically used to optimize staff scheduling and maximize space utilization. However, the same data can be used to help organizations understand how to implement social distancing effectively. In addition, RocketBoots can provide all of the reporting that leaders need to identify and manage non-compliance.
"We are fortunate to be in a position to assist others to create safer spaces. As the economic conditions of COVID-19 continue, we also look forward to also helping businesses identify opportunities to reduce their costs."
RocketBoots has created three specific visualisations to help businesses manage through COVID-19. The first shows visualisation shows businesses their social distancing compliance score across all sites and zones so they can identify areas of risk. The second helps businesses identify what times their sites are at most risk. The third can be used by those who want to re-baseline their property needs based on current use. For example, if the data shows that a particular building is underutilised, the business can look at options to reduce their footprint and property costs.
RocketBoots quickly developed the COVID-19 visualisations in late April, working alongside Tableau partner DataSpark. They then began testing in May with major banks, universities and workplace operators. Joel Rappolt, CEO of RocketBoots, said the response has been positive and there are several trials ongoing.