FRANCE. Intelligent Track Systems (ITS) and Nice Côte d’Azur Airport have signed an agreement for the use of the Danish company’s “intelligent” shopping trolleys. The collaboration marks a first in the travel retail industry at a European airport.
At least 30 of the trolleys will be parked behind the security check in Terminal 2 from July and give departing passengers – including delegates and visitors to this year’s TFWA World Exhibition – the opportunity to use their numerous services free of charge.
As reported, ITS trolleys use digital screens to interact with the user and provide information on access routes, departure times, departure gates, product promotions, tax-free shopping policies and other relevant airport information in their preferred language. They also provide heat mapping data for operators.
Smart solution: The ITS trolleys offer real-time access to the shopping behavior of airport visitors
The trolleys were introduced at San Diego International Airport late last year.
Morten Pankoke, CEO of ITS, said: “The commercial team at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is very forward thinking. They immediately see the tremendous benefits that this type of personalized travel companion brings to passengers while increasing the number of shopping transactions.”
Valérie Chuong, Head of Commercial Activities & Services at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, commented, “We’re always looking for new and exciting ways to enhance the passenger experience, and we believe these smart trolleys will do just that.
“We also expect an advantage in terms of additional sales as well as data like heat mapping so we can optimize our spaces.”
ITS is marketed and distributed in travel retail by the Blueprint business development agency.
Bluepoint pointed out that a survey of users at San Diego International last year yielded positive feedback:
- 90% said the shopping cart made their shopping experience easier
- 22% activated the “Show me the way to a concession” function and landed in the right place
- 70% activated the “Show route to gate” function and arrived
- 29% said shopping cart ads convinced them to buy products
- 94% stated that they would use the carts the next time they visited the airport
- Passengers rated the cars 4.73 out of 5 for the helpfulness of the features on their interactive screens.
Pankoke added, “Smart trolleys can increase passenger satisfaction by allowing them to relax and let the digital screens do the thinking and searching for them. It can make the journey in the terminal less stressful, which is known to encourage purchases.”
ITS hopes to match or exceed these results at Nice Airport.
Blueprint Partner Thomas Kaneko Henningsen commented, “By leveraging the built-in wayfinding services and displays on the tablets, we are confident that these intuitive smart trolleys will drive more visitors to retail and F&B concessions.
“We also expect them to get passengers to their gates on time. It’s a quadruple win for passengers, Nice Airport, concessionaires and airlines.”
Henningsen said the industry “needs tools like these to enable seamless airport shopping and an immersive travel experience.”
He added: “In these unprecedented times, every expense counts and ITS is a breath of fresh air to do just that. We work with Nice Airport because they are a very dedicated team who are passionate about being best in class and always wanting the best for their passengers.”
“We welcome ITS and the opportunity to positively impact the shopping experience and the overall passenger experience” – Valérie Chuong, Head of Commercial Activities & Services at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport
Nice Côte d’Azur Airport will also be able to use the data collected from the trolleys to determine which shops passengers visit most – and least – and where the “shortages” lie in terms of traffic. The airport can review layouts and concessions and continue to improve the passenger experience.
“We welcome ITS and the opportunity to positively impact the shopping experience and overall passenger experience. As a progressive airport, we are excited to be the industry first in Europe,” concluded Chuong.
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