TRAFFIC TRAX

April 2008

                        Doc-To-Help Standard Manual

Traffic Trax

Installation

The following instructions outline the installation process for a standard doorway.

Inventory

1.       AC Adapter Output: 7.5 Volt 300mA

2.      9 Pin Serial Cable 6 ft.  Or USB connection.

3.      Serial Interface MUX Box.  Reduced to about the size of a cell phone.   

4.      Software (installed by TRAX online) before or during installation

5.      125 ft. CAT 5 (three pair) Cable Terminated 

7.      Beam Unit 

Included is an accessory packet containing the following.  (Items  Not Pictured)

1.      4 #10 x 1 3/16 Screws with Plastic Anchors

2.      1 Allen Wrench 6 - 32

3.      1 Reflective Strip Sticker 2 x 3 1/4 

4.      9 Pin Serial Loop Back Tester

Note:  The Serial Interface has three inputs.  This device is designed to connect three individual entrances to the same system.  Each port performs the same function and are not beam unit specific.  In a standard one entry configuration the cable may be plugged into any of the three.

Sample Installation.  Please note that the CAT5 line will be completely hidden from view in the door frame.

·        Traffic Counter Initial Layout and getting prepared before you install.

·          Please read and make sure you understand before you begin this installation.  Please call (713) 532-1106 if you have any questions.

• Make sure the box is installed horizontally and the red and green lights are pointed into the store and the plastic lens is pointing across the entry towards the reflective material or for wider entrances over 10 feet the included second black box. 

• The top of the counter and the top of the reflective material should be installed at 60 inches to remove counts from small children running back and forth.)  This will put the actual beams at 58 and ½ inches and catches most adults and insures accuracy.
• The traffic counter should be mounted on the hinge side of the doorframe and part of the back of the counter should be exposed so you can easily adjust the alignment screw with the provided 1/16 inch Allen wrench.  Please notice the picture above displays the counter and is mounted so that part of the device is exposed so you will have access to the alignment adjusting set screw and the RJ-12 port and can easily plug in the communication cable.  Sometimes a metal door frame has less than one inch of metal to mount the device and this is fine as long as you can securely tighten the top and bottom screws through the mounting bracket into the door frame securing the device.   This is a line of sight device and the only requirement is that the reflector and the counter maintain clear visibility of one another.
• The wiring should be hidden inside the door frame above the ceiling (if possible) or through wire mold or conduit, and run to the customers existing designated TRAX PC.   Do not run the wire over any lighting boxes or electrical ballast boxes.  And we have found that using push rods for laying the cable makes this job very easy (these are available at Home Depot for around 30-40 dollars and are a good investment for any ceiling or cable running issue.
• The counter has a very good door chime located in the Mux Box) that only goes off when a customer enters (not when they leave).  The Mux box should be installed on a PC in the sales area.  The closer to the sales area the better, and the easier the installation will be for you.  We do not recommend that you install the Mux Box in a server area because the salespeople will not hear the chime and the server area is problematic because techs have been know to disconnect the equipment not knowing what it was.  Also many times a server has a timeout function which stops counts from getting to your web site.
• The CAT5 line is then connected with the pre-terminated RJ-12 connection which plugs into any port on the Mux box (black the size of a square cell phone). 

• This also provides power to the counter at the front door and a serial connection to the existing customers PC (Standard RS-232 Serial Connection). 
• When completed always leave the loop back tester and Allen wrench at the store in a TRAX file with the manuals so they can be referred to in the future.  Leave with store manager and ask that they save in a safe permanent location.
• The standard traffic counter (installations at entrances of 10 feet widths or less will have a reflective tape with a peel off back.  The top of this tape and the top of the counter should be placed at exactly 60 inches from the floor.  The 2" reflective tape can be cut so it conforms to any entrance.  IE: an entrance with a one inch step frame at different levels.  A good tip is to not permanently secure the tape until the counter has been aligned.  Use a piece of scotch tape first then peel off back of tape after you see the red light and two solid green lights and have heard a beep when you pass your hand in front of the counter.
• If you must install the counter on a wall please know that you will need to align the counter after the unit is installed.  This can easily be accomplished by shimming the angle to the proper alignment so that you have two green lights and one red light.
• The system has the ability to have a four second delay (counts a family of five as one count) or can count each person separately.  Most customers have us program the four second delay before we send the unit.  To test proper alignment after installation is complete hold you hand in front of the counter so the two green lights go out.  Then slowly move your hand into the store.  You will see the green lights flicker back on then the red light will go off for four seconds then turn back on.  You will also hear the beeper make a short beep.  This means that your counter has counted one entry.  The beep can be turned off and let the customer know that the beeper only goes off when people enter, not when they exit.
• Please note that the counter can be either a USB or RS-232 (9 Pin Serial) connection to the customers PC.  We normally will ship a 9 pin serial unit unless the customer has specified only a USB is available on their PC.  Then the counter is programmed accordingly before it is sent to you.
• The final test to insure that the counter is perfect is to #1 place your hand in front of the counter for two seconds (green lights will turn off.  #2.  Move your hand slowly into the store (in the direction of a customer entering).  You will notice the green lights flickering back on then the red light will go off for 4 seconds and turn back on.  You will also hear the beep from the Mux box.  Your counter is now aligned properly and will begin counting customers.

Please call 713-466-7177 or 713-466-4148 if you have any questions.

THANK YOU

First of all, thank you for the opportunity to work with you and your company.  Our goal is to create the finest products of their kind in the world.  If you ever have a question or comment, please don’t hesitate to contact us immediately.  Toll free (888) 646-5462 In Texas (713) 532-1106 in Texas or by e-mail at Dave@TRAXsales.com

I want to begin this manual with the intention of explaining why the owner of your company purchased this traffic counter system.

Do you know your company's true potential?

Measure Customer Traffic and Closing Ratios

You must learn how many customers are visiting your company every day and how many customers each salesperson is talking with or you cannot be an effective manager and are missing a critical ingredient to running your operation.  Without knowing your accurate closing ratio you are missing a tremendous opportunity.  Bill Gates says in his book, Business at the Speed of Thought  “The most meaningful way to differentiate your company from the competition, the best way to put distance between you and the crowd, is to do an outstanding job with information.  How you gather, manage and use information will determine whether you win or lose.”  These are strong words and highly recommended reading.

The clear meaning here is measuring everything you do, especially the information on the sales you don't make...Southwest Airlines is by far the most profitable airline in that industry today.  There is one simple reason.  They benchmark and measure everything.  They know for example exactly how many customers it takes to pay for the fuel to fly from one destination to another.  They know how many customers it takes to pay for their crew and how many more customers it takes to pay for the gate.  They can tell you their exact cost per air mile per seat.  By knowing this single number on every flight, they are able to learn if they are improving or falling behind each day.   This number is basically like the Revenue Per Opportunity number you are about to learn with TRAX.

This type of measurement is what it takes to be successful today and the only way to get it is to measure your customer traffic manually and tracking consistently over time or by installing a traffic counter.

Revenue Per Up…This acronym really says it all regarding the investment retailers put into every new customer who walks into their store or showroom.  RPU automatically analyzes how well each store does regarding closing ratios compared to overall opportunities.  Long ago I owned a seven store chain with 50 salespeople and would gauge my success by dollar volume alone, as most of us do.  The problem with this short sighted measurement is that you don’t learn the big picture which provides the true potential your company has every day.  The Revenue Per Up is simply the total dollar volume divided by the number of sales opportunities that visit your company every day.  There are only two ways to improve this number:  #1. Increase the average sale amount.  #2.  Improve the closing ratio. 

If you don't know your RPU accurately, you don't know if you are really improving or getting worse.  John F. Lawhon says in his best selling book, The Selling Bible, "If you can measure something, you can improve it".  "If you don't accurately measure it, it will not improve".   “You can’t change what you don’t measure.”

What is your biggest challenge as a retailer?  Have you ever been on the sales floor for a couple hours during a busy traffic day, and then had to go somewhere else?  You assumed the day would be great or at least good, because traffic was consistent and the sales seemed like they were rolling in.  Later you were told that traffic died immediately after you left.  You then naturally ask yourself what the day would have been like if you had stayed.  The real question is…did traffic really drop off after you left or did the level of attention to the details drop when you walked out the door?  I am sure the reason you purchased this traffic counter was to see what is going on in your stores when you are not there.

How many times have you asked...Why are sales so far off?  The reply from your salespeople is that traffic is down; they also tell you they are closing almost every possible opportunity walking in the door.  The problem is that currently you have to believe them because…you are not measuring traffic. 

What is really going on with the sales floor?  You say to yourself...we are advertising, the merchandise looks great, our prices are competitive, I spend lots of time and money on sales training.  So what is the real problem?  If a salesperson could stand in your shoes for five minutes, they would understand how you feel about their activity and work habits and how frustrated you are regarding below average sales productivity.

We believe that the most important thing you could ever learn to improve your business is your traffic count and accurate number of opportunities per salesperson.  If you don't know this simple incredible number, you don't know your companies true potential.  This number is the key ingredient to long term and perpetual improvement of profits, the heart of motivation and creating sustained enthusiasm on the floor.  It will immediately open your eyes.

Contents

Thank You……………………………………………………………2     

Contents………………………………………………………………4     

Installation……………………………………………………………5     

     Overview                                                                           6

     Serial Interface                                                                   7

     Beams                                                                               9

     Cabling                                                                              10

     Alignment                                                                           11

Software Installation………………………………………………..12

TT Web………………………………………………………………13    

30’ Counter Installation…………………………………………….16     

Operation…………………………………………………………….17    

     Icons                                                                                 17

     Back up                                                                             19

     Task Scheduler                                                                  21

Reports………………………………………………………..………23  

     Hourly Analysis                                                                  24

     Staffing Analysis                                                                 24

     Revenue Per Up/Opportunity                                             25

     Graphical Analysis                                                  26

 Maintenance…………………………………………………………..26

     Traffic Counter                                                                   27

     Store Hours                                                                       28

     Mail Man Factor                                                                29

     Additional Report Examples                                               29

Manual Traffic Count Instructions…………………………………35

Traffic Tracking and Your Return On Investment………………..37

                 Loop Back Testing Device and How To Use It…………………………...38

              How To Terminate Communication Cable……………………………….38

              Additional Products………………………………………………………...41

Traffic Trax

Installation

The following instructions outline the installation process for a standard doorway.

Inventory

1.               AC Adapter Output: 7.5 Volt 300mA

2.               9 Pin M-M Serial Cable 6 ft.

3.               Serial Interface/Multiprocessor (Mux Box)

4.               Software CD or interface on line

5.               125 ft. CAT 5 Cable Terminated RJ-12 connections

6.               Triple Lens Beam Unit 

 Accessory Packet containing the following:

-4 #10 x 1 3/16 Screws with Plastic Anchors

-1 Allen Wrench 1/16”

-1 Reflective Strip Sticker 2 x 3 1/4 

-9 Pin Serial Loop Back Plug

Each System Includes:

·                  Complete customized traffic counter software system and a one-year warranty and technology   guarantee.  (Extended Warranty Available)

·                  Triple Lens Infrared Beam Front Door Sensor System

·                  125' CAT 5 communication cable.  Please let us know if you need more than 125' per location. 

·                  Backup Battery, Serial Port Interface, Door Chime with on/off switch, Multiprocessor

·                  All hardware

·                  Instruction manuals

·                  Installation requires 2-3 hours per normal location with one non-computer literate delivery or warehouse person and a ladder.   Of course some installations are more complex depending on your floor plan and entry configuration.  (If you want TRAX to install the system we will be delighted at a reasonable fee and per diem costs.)

·                  Program CD.  This system requires a PC with CD ROM running on Windows 2000 or XP. 

·                  Networking CD

Please note that with the (TT-30) wide entrance configuration you will receive two front door units and the cabling (pigtail) that connects them together above the entrance.

Note:  The Serial Interface has three inputs.  This device is designed to connect up to three individual entrances to the same system.  Each port performs the same function and is not beam unit specific.  In a standard one entry configuration the cable may be plugged into any of the three.

Overview

This diagram is a basic layout of a standard wiring configuration for a single entry with a beam to reflector distance less than 10ft.  Measuring 60 inches from the top of the reflector to the ground and the top of the beam box to the ground will insure the beam is centered on the reflector.

Note:  The reflector should be vertical in nature when setup.  Initially do not peal the back off the reflector.  The reflector should be held with clear scotch tape until the system is setup and working.  The reflector has strong adhesive and will be damaged if installed then removed.   

Serial Interface

Because the configuration of your locations may vary, adjustments to this procedure may be necessary. 

q       The serial interface needs to be located no further than 6 ft. from the computer that will house the Traffic Trax software and near a power source.

q       The serial cable connects from the onboard 9 pin serial input on the computer to the serial input on the Serial Interface.  (If you do not have a nine pin serial connection you will need a USB conversion kit available at most computer and electronics stores.

q       The CAT 5 Cable run from the front door will connect to one of the three  RJ-12  inputs located on the side of the Serial Interface cap.  The Serial Interface is designed to handle three separate doors. The RJ-12 ports are not specific.  The CAT 5 cable can be plugged into any of the three.

q       The switch on the side of the Interface is an On-Off switch that controls the audible beep that occurs when a customer walks in. When the switch is flipped towards the power input the beep is turned off.  This is a clever door chime, and will only be heard when someone enters, not when they are exiting your showroom.

Note:  When a customer passes inbound the alarm will beep.  This represents one count.   The Interface will not beep when a customer passes outbound.

Note: Do not apply power until hardware is completely installed.

The diagram below represents the Beam box as viewed inside the building when the door counter is mounted directly to the door frame.

INSTALLATION

q                The (serial interface) needs to be located near the computer and near a power source.     Note: Do not apply power until hardware is completely installed.

q                Connect the serial interface to your computer at com-port 1 using the nine-pin serial cable provided.

q                The top of the beam box should be mounted 60 inches from the floor (to not count children) on the hinge side of the doorframe.  Note: This may be on the left or the right, the box is can be mounted on either side.  Please insure the two green and center red LED’s are facing inside the showroom and the black lens is aiming across the entry.

q                Situate the box so that the side of the box with the (telephone type) connector is on the inside of the doorframe. 

q                Mark a temporary mark for alignment within the slots on the top and the bottom of the box.

q                Drill ¼ inch pilot holes using the drill bit provided. 

q                Place box back on the door and insert screws.  Do not over tighten.

q                Survey the path of the wire run to establish a plan for the installation.  The wire

will run from the multiprocessor/MUX box (serial interface), up the wall, across the sealing  tile squares to a point directly above the doorframe, then down to were the beams will be located.

q                Place the spool at the location determined for entry to the sealing tiles.

q                In order to cover a greater distance tie some string to an object (i.e. A tennis ball or something that can be tossed across ceiling tiles or over rafters).

q                Tape the string to the end of the wire. Note: Fold wire over at the end so you don’t strain the end connections.    (Se careful not to damage the terminations at each end of the cable while pulling through the ceiling)                  

q                For Acoustic Ceiling Tiles, Select a reasonable distance.  Four to five tile square’s recommended.

q                Remove the target square.

q                Toss the object across to your target

q                Insure that the wire is in a position that will allow it to flow easily when pulled.              Again please make sure the end connection is protected from being snagged and pulled off.

q                Pull the string taped/secured to the wire. 

q                Repeat this process until the desired destination is reached.

Note: Do not cross over light fixtures or power boxes as this may create undue interference.

Again please do not peel back of reflective material off until proper alignment is made.  Use a piece of scotch tape to temporarily attach the reflective tape until you are positive the alignment is correct.

q                Plug in connectors at both sides.

q                Apply power to the multiprocessor (mux) box (serial interface).

q                Before applying the reflective tape to the door, hold it in front of the beams at             

          arms length and move it from side to side so as to see how the green LED’s react.

q                Place the strip on the doorframe first with a peace of scotch tape.  This will allow

          you to make all necessary adjustments before actually sticking the reflector to the       

          doorframe.

q                On the back of the beams is the setscrew, which will adjust the beams.  Turn the     

           setscrew to the left first until the LED’s react.  Never over turn (force) the setscrew.         

           Then turn the setscrew to the right.  By doing this you will be able to determine where  

           the exact center of alignment is.

q                 When the beams are lined up properly both green lights will turn on equally.  The red      

           light is a power indicator but will turn off when the beam is broken.

q               

Once the traffic clears the path between the reflector and the beams, the

           LED’s will return to the original setting configuration.

There are three different types of software provided by TRAX

1. Traffic TRAX (counter only which has a database that resides on youir PC)
2. Traffic TRAX with The TRAX UpBoard that resides on your PC
3. TT Web which is a fully web based product that we will set up for you on line after the TT Web module is installed.

q                Traffic Trax CD Install

Installing TT Web

TRAXweb is designed to work with your front door traffic counter and to provide an auto print feature for the eTRAXsales reports.  It also is designed to scale down the amount of space that TRAX occupies on your system by removing the need for a local storage database and deliver your information directly to database hosted on the web.  The location of the website is: 

                                             www.eTRAXsales.com                                                                 

The information stored at this location is password secure by an administrator appointed by you and all information is accessible from anywhere you have internet access. 

• Customer must have an existing location on the eTRAXSALES website.
• TRAXweb only needs 9.8 MB of hard drive space.
• 256 MB RAM
• Windows 2000 or better
• 9 Pin Serial Port
• Internet Access

To install the TTweb program for TRAXsales go our website at www.traxsales.com go to "My Account" scroll to the bottom of the page and find the hyperlink TTweb. Single click hyperlink and save to your desktop. Once it has finished downloading double click the icon and bring up a "Traxsales" folder.  Single click on the folder, right click and select "Copy."  Open "My Computer" double click "Local Disk C" double click "Program Files" , go to "Edit"   When you select there will be a drop down.  Please single click "Paste." Once this is completed find the "Traxsales" folder in that screen, double click and find the TTdetail.exe file and double click. Follow directions below...

There are five fields in this window.  Only the first four need to be configured.  The field entries are the same as the eTRAXsales configuration setting and this information can be obtained from the eTRAXsales administrator.

It is important for this information be exact and correct in order for Global Networking to perform correctly.

The First Field:

Once the Dealer ID number is entered the Dealer Name will automatically appear to verify the store name.

The Second Field:

This field identifies the location and will automatically display the showroom name.

The Third Field:

The User ID is a set login password in the eTRAX

The Fourth Field:

This field identifies the number of door counters installed at the location.

The Fifth Field:

This field is not used.

The configuration is now complete and will now gather door count information and push that data to the web.

1. TRAXweb.exe       

When selected this executable launches the communication program that calls the door count information from the device installed at the door and transmit that data to the database on the web.  This will not interrupt the operation of the system.  It will run in the background.  The only indication will be on the task bar and takes approximately 30 seconds to complete.

2. Taxprnt.exe

When selected this executable initiates the default printer to print the reports selected by the eTRAX administrator.  Below is an example of the options available in the eTRAX.

   For 30’ installations only

Traffic Counter Extended Configuration

The green LED’s should work in relation to each other.  When one is lit the corresponding light on the opposite box should light. 

                                                   Receive (RCV)                      Transmit (XMT)

When the units are close together the receive side will only see on one side.  The green LED’s are connected to the RCV sensors and will get brighter as the RCV value.  The green LED’s are also connected from unit to unit.  If one green LED illuminates, the corresponding LED on the opposite side will light. All four LED’s, two on each side, will be illuminated. 

OPERATION

TOOL BAR

q                Close- Closes the program.

q                Retrieve or F2- Brings up specific information requested from the memory.

q                Print or Ctrl+P- Activates the printer to print the chart or graph that is currently on display.

q                Print Setup- Display’s which printer is currently in line.

q                Change Password-Enables the ability to change the default to a password of

                                             your choosing.

q                Properties- Offers two tabs. Database- Traffic Counter.

                Database-  This window allows you to select destination locations for                             

                                    auto-backup files and restoration of the data base.                 

Backup

TRAXsales provides an automatic backup, which is saved each evening at 2:00 AM to your desktop.  You should copy and save your Trax.backup to a separate folder every day.   Unless you are networked and your backup is saved each evening by your server system, you should insure that the automatic backup is in a safe place away from the UpBoard computer.  This should be zipped and put on a separate Memory Stick/CD or floppy at least to start.  Eventually the data will surpass the size of a floppy (1.44 Megs) and will need to be placed on a zip disc or tape backup.  The ideal configuration is to be networked and simply direct the auto backup to another computer for safekeeping.  This way it is unlikely that you will lose two machines at the same time.  It is very important that you make sure this backup file is also copied and dragged to a separate folder and hidden from the system.  In other words if someone accidentally un-installs the TRAX system this next habit will insure you do not lose valuable data and protect you.  To insure you don’t lose your data, take an extra precaution and copy, then paste the Trax.backup file (which refreshes each morning automatically) to a separate folder.  (We suggest you call it “hidden TRAX backup” or 2^nd TRAX backup.

May we also suggest that you purchase a Memory Stick from Best Buy or Radio Shack ($20-$50) so you may easily transfer these backup files on a regular basis to a separate and safe place.  A Memory Stick is very easy to use and does not have the limitations of a floppy disc

This screen permits you to customize Traffic TRAX to fit your organization perfectly.

Auto Login Permits you to open the system on a networked computer while maintaining security at the store or showroom level.

Number of Entrances allows you to add additional entrances if necessary.

Staffing Average Time allows you to select the average amount of time a customer spends in your company and permits the staffing report to compare the number of employees to the number of guests visiting each hour.

System Refresh Time allows you to select the time of day you want to send Global Networking.

Traffic TRAX Auto Refresh allows you to insure you are retrieving your data properly.

Print Options allows you to select the reports that you want to auto print at 2:00 AM.

Print Paper Source Tray for Auto Printed Reports allows you to select the printer tray you need.  If you have a printer with a single tray TRAX defaults to that tray.

Refresh Traffic TRAX Data For Past Few Days allows you to initially clear the counts for testing and installation.

Clear all Traffic TRAX Data is to be only used when you first install the system if necessary to initially clear the counts for testing.

TASK SCHEDULER

1. Click this hyperlink Task Scheduler then Open or Save (if you would like to save and install on other TRAX machines), and agree to the terms for Win Zip.  If you do not have Win Zip you may copy this free version from our CD or the website. www.TRAXsales.com

2. Install the task scheduler then select Action (top left) then select New Event.

3.  From the Application line select the Browse button at the end of this line and go to Look in and select your C drive (Local Disk C) then please select (double click) Program Files then Select TRAXsales then Ttload.exe.  This is a green icon.  

4.  To insure accuracy in the title line please cut and paste the title Ttload from the Application line.  In other words the title should perfectly match the description at the end of your link.  Please make sure you remove the letters .exe when you cut and paste.

5.  Select the Schedule tab on the top left of this screen.  and Select Every Hour / Selected Minutes 

6. Change Selected Minutes at the bottom and change from 0 to 5 then please select the Add button.

7.  Please save by selecting the floppy disc located on the top left of this screen.

       Hourly Analysis- This chart shows the week from Monday to Sunday plus hourly        

                                      totals for both the day and the hour.

 Staffing Analysis- This chart gives an accurate analysis of the number of  

                                        salespeople you had on the floor all day as compared to the              

                                        number of opportunities you had each hour.  A total of all

                                        missed opportunities as well as hours short handed is calculated

                                        for you.

Revenue Per Opportunity - Once the number of invoices and total dollar amount for each day is entered, Traffic Trax will automatically calculate Average Sales Amount, Closing Ratios, and the Performance Indicator Number.

Graphic Analysis-     This window offers a several exciting reports.  Each report is provided in two different                       formats.

                      Pie Chart                                                                            Bar Graph       

There are six reports to choose from and they provide instant weekly analysis of:

1.               Number of Customers Per Day

2.               Average Sales Per Day

3.               Number of Invoices Per Day

4.               Closing Ratios Per Day

5.               Dollar Volume Per Day

6.               RPO “Revenue Per Opportunity” Per Day

The three areas that provide the options for customizing your reports are as follows:

1.               Drop Down Calendar This allows for the selection of a time frame for the report.

2.               Report Titles Allows selection of actual report.

3.               Format Option  Allows the selection of chart format.  This option will function with 

                                   all reports.

Traffic Counter- This widow shows the traffic count for a specific day to include time   

of day,  Actual Count,  Mailman Factor,  and Traffic count automatically subtracting the Mail Man Factor.

Information can be in this window by selecting from the following options:

1.                 Drop Down Calendars-  The two drop down calendars allow you to select a time

                                                frame of dates for viewing.  Once time frame is selected

                                                click on the running man for retrieval of information.

2.     Refresh- This button will update existing information and functions the same as the running man.  You may also choose to type F2 on the top of your keyboard for more efficiency.

3.     New- On selecting a date no info appears or the traffic counter area remains blank.

                 This button will give you a complete chart and will provide zero’s in traffic count

                 Column and allow editing.

4.     Remove- Delete day that is currently showing.

5.     Save- Should editing be needed on the chart, this will save all change’s.

6.     First- Once a time frame is selected in the drop down calendar, only one day can

                  be viewed at a time.  Clicking this button will bring up the first day of this

                  time frame.         

7.     Previous- When viewing a specified time frame and have gone beyond the first day,

                         this button will take you back one day at a time.

8.     Next- When selected time frame is greater than one day, this button takes you to the

                   next day.

9.     Last- When selected time frame is greater than one day, this button will take you

                  directly to the last day.

10.   Erase Lost Data- Should for any reason you lose one hour or more of data, it

                                     will appear in this wiondow as a minus one for that hour.  Once

                                     this information has been analyzed, the chart can be corrected

                                     manually.  When completed this window can be cleared by

                                     clicking this button.

Store Hours- This widow enables you to set the hours of operation for every day at each location and permits you to only view traffic counts during business hours if  desired.

Clicking on a day will move the red dot to that day.  The hour can be typed in . 

In order to change from AM to PM,  click on that field then click arrow up or down.

The time entered will be reflected in all traffic count charts.  The counter will not count

traffic before or after the specified time

Mail Man Factor- This widow enables you to set estimated number of non-customer

                                Traffic counts for each hour of the day.  This is the consideration of

                                employee’s,  the mail man, or any other non-customer traffic that

                                you are aware of on an hourly bases.  This number will be subtracted

                                from the actual count.

Additional Report Examples

Each day of the week and each hour of the day can be easily analyzed to determine your staffing effectiveness and level of opportunity for performance enhancement.

Two following reports showing the daily line graph and actual details.  Each different colored line represents a different day of the week.  This showroom has a total of seven available salespeople and between the hours of 12:00 and 5:00 PM the showroom averaged over 30 new customers per hour.  Please keep in mind that these numbers do not include non-customer and employee activity coming into the store.

Clearly this showroom is understaffed and probably lost money during this example.

The next major benefit to an accurate traffic count is that it immediately addresses staffing and lets you know if your customer service or sales coverage is adequate. Many of us are understaffed; some know it... some don't.

Traffic Trax will provide you a staffing ratio, which will inform you and your sales team if you have good coverage or not.

The Red numbers indicate an understaffing issue for that hour.  In these examples the store was ok.  If the numbers were consistently red and very high, there is a potential problem.

In the staffing report, we estimate that 30 minutes per customer presentation is the approximate minimum amount of time a sales person needs to provide a thorough high quality presentation.  The system can be customized for your company and can be set at 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, etc. This new report gives you a tool, which guarantees better staffing.

Again...how many times have you wondered what was really going on when you were not there?

Learn your accurate incoming traffic count.  

Learn your true closing ratios. 

Traffic TRAX subtracts the non-customer traffic and gives you an accurate closing ratio for the first time in retail history.

Revenue Per Up "RPU"

With this new device you will also learn the average dollar value (Revenue Per Up) "RPU" of each prospective opportunity to visit your company.  This new number is simply your closing ratio multiplied by your average sale. You can also get this number by dividing your total sales dollar volume divided by your total customer traffic.  It will take one week for you to learn this number. Once you do, there are only two ways to improve it.

Increase your closing ratios

Improve your average sale.

It makes no difference what retail business you are in.  If you don't know your RPU “Revenue Per Up" you are possibly not operating at peak performance.  It is also possible that your customer service not as good as it could be and your profits are not being maximized.

We are proud to announce a major change in our traffic
counter technology that will improve the performance of your system.

The new features are:

Feature-Better Optics that focus on a tighter frequency.
Benefit...eliminates outside interference such as high beam headlight distortion or
direct sunlight (Sunsets).

Feature-Solid Alignment Programming
Benefit...Very easy installation and solid beam connectivity insuring the
highest accuracy possible.

Feature-Automatic gain control, the pre-existing counter was affected by ambient
lighting changes.
Benefit-Your new counter will automatically adjust to any lighting changes you could possibly throw at it including high beam head lights and sunsets.

Feature-More efficient power management so the beams are stronger using less
electricity.
Benefit...Better performance and more money in your pocket.

Feature-Diagnostic capability
Benefit-If something does go wrong we are able to identify the problem and
fix it without touching the hardware.

We have also developed a new camera system (optional) that takes a picture when the beam is tripped and saves it to your TRAX server.  This eliminates the possibility
that you have bad counts and guarantees 100% accuracy by instantly comparing
counts of pictures to traffic count reports.  We can now guarantee 100%
accuracy of your closing ratios with this new technology.

Here are some of the specific details from the engineers regarding the differences in the new system compared to the old.

1.      IR detector is a diode rather than an opto-transistor and less prone to saturation and with a higher frequency response.

2.      The higher frequency operation allows signal modulation at a rate more than seven times higher, with an additional secondary modulation at 1.2 KHz.

3.      The signal undergoes an electronic automatic gain circuit to compensate for detector variations.

4.      The received signal is demodulated through a very narrow band pass filter, allowing a small fraction of noise signal through to the measuring system compared to the previous circuit.

5.      A more sophisticated algorithm reduces false counts by correlating both the entry and the exit from the beam network to authorize a valid count.

oIncrease your closing ratios

oImprove your average ticket size

oIt makes no difference what retail business you are in.  If you don't know your PPO "Performance Per Opportunity" you are probably not operating at peak performance, thus your customer service is not as good as it could be and your profits are not being maximized.

Increase your closing ratios

oImprove your average ticket size

oIt makes no difference what retail business you are in.  If you don't know your PPO "Performance Per Opportunity" you are probably not operating at peak performance, thus your customer service is not as good as it could be and your profits are not being maximized.

Weekly Traffic Comparison

This report is a great indicator to determine if your traffic is getting better or is declining.  It displays the last six weeks with the actual count for each day and a total for the week.  It also displays the corresponding percentage for each day and week presented.

Use this report to compare the effectiveness of specific advertising campaigns, against the long-term residual effect.  How does weekly traffic relate to specific campaigns?  What about specific advertising mediums?   If you run one type then another, how do they compare.

Opportunity Comparison

The following report is only available with the CRM UpBoard System and automatically compares the difference between the information your salespeople provide you and the front door traffic comparisons.

Manual Traffic Count Instructions

1.       Provide the person doing the counting a timer with an alarm that lets them know when each hour ends.

2.       Count a minimum of a couple hours?  If possible a full day is ideal.

3.       Count a family as one buying opportunity and put them in the left list during that hour.

4.       Count all non-customer counts and put them on the right list during that hour.

5.       You may want to track what type of non-customer activity you receive throughout the day by using abbreviations instead of hash marks.  IE: SP for Salesperson, MM for Mail Man, O for Office Personnel, W for Warehouse Employee, Fed Ex, UPS etc.

6.       Make sure your salespeople do not interact too much with the person counting and that each opportunity is counted accurately. 

Grand Total Non Traffic Count For Day      ______

Grand Total Traffic Count For Day              ______

Number of Invoices Written                         ______

Total Dollar Volume (No Tax)                     $______

Total Dollar Volume Divided By Traffic Count Equals Your Revenue Per Up “RPU” $ _______

Final note from Dave

TRAX provides a tremendous amount of incredible and insightful data regarding the profitability and performance of your operation.

I can assure you that these reporting tools and benchmark indicators will improve your performance.

The real question is…now that you have all this new exciting data, exactly what should you do with it and how do you maximize this opportunity?

Please call my office anytime.  I would love to discuss these with you.

(888) 646-5462

Thank you again for your business.

Our commitment is to exceed your expectations and help you measure with near 100% accuracy your traffic counts and closing ratios and dramatically improve your business.  We will provide a level of service that will earn your referrals.  Our goal is to assist you in maximizing all customer follow-up, improve sales management and to help you break new sales records...CONTINUALLY.  We know that our success depends on your desire to tell others about us.

Traffic Tracking (TT) Return on Investment & Benefits

·         Hourly Traffic Counts.

o        Shows traffic patterns and trends. Once the traffic patterns are known, analysis and planning can be done to use that information to identify performance issues, staffing issues, and advertising effectiveness.

o        Based on this analysis, retail management can identify and make the changes necessary to grow revenues and improve overall chain and individual store/location performance and profitability.

·         Staffing Analysis.

o        Illustrates traffic patterns in comparison to staffing. Better staffing helps reduce customer wait time and improve associate availability to assist customers which ultimately leads to increased revenues and improved customer satisfaction.

·         Weekly Traffic Trends.

o        Shows 8 weeks of traffic counts. Traffic trends help to isolate peaks & valleys. This information, when aligned with advertising campaigns and sales statistics for the same weeks, helps to illustrate which ad campaigns are working and which are not.

·         Closing/Capture/Conversion Ratios.

o        Compares the number of sales to the number of opportunities based on the traffic counts.

o        The flip side of this is that once you know your conversion ratio, you also have identified your unsold opportunities. Initiatives and Goals can then be put in place to tap the unsold opportunities in an effort to increase conversion ratio and revenues.

·         Revenue per Opportunity.

o        Knowing the revenue generated by each opportunity is critical in setting revenue goals, by store/location, based on their individual traffic patterns. The only way to increase Revenue per opportunity is to improve closing ratio or increase average sale dollars.

o        Quite often the average sales for two stores/locations reflect equal performance, however, without knowing the traffic and associated closing ratio and RPO, it is difficult to identify stores/locations that are under performing or are showing excellent performance.

o        While both stores/locations appear to be equal in performance, when traffic counts are taken into consideration, the results show that Store/Location B out performs Store/Location A.

o        For example:

§         Store/Location A and B both have sales volumes of $10,000 in a given day.

§         Store/ Location A and B both have 10 sales with at an average of $1000 per sale.

·         Store A –    Traffic Count was 100 therefore:

Close/Capture Ratio 20%

RPO = $200

·         Store B –    Traffic Count was 50 therefore

Close/Capture Ratio 40%

RPO = $400 per customer

o        Once store/location performance issues are identified, operations can then delve into the issues that contribute to that and work on a plan to improve their performance.

·         

Loop Back Tester                                                                                                 Mux Box

TRAX Tester Tool User Guide

The TRAX tester tool easily troubleshoots 3 different devices to see what needs to be fixed and/or replaced.

Testing the Counter

• Close and reopen getter4.exe
• Disconnect the cat5 cable connecting to the counter
• Insert pigtail of the tester tool into the counter
• Take the disconnected cat5 cable and plug it into the back of the tester tool that has an open port
• Press Loopback Test, if the getter says sent a echo a all the way through p , then your cat5 cable and counter are good.

Note: If at any point getter4 does not run through most of the alphabet, the termination or the counter has an issue.

Testing the MUX Box

• Close and reopen getter4.exe
• Plug the pigtail of the tester tool into any of the 3 RJ-12 Female jacks on the MUX
• Press Loopback Test, if the getter says sent an echo (from letter a all the way through p) , than your MUX is good.

Testing Serial Cable

• Unplug the end of the serial cable that plugs into the MUX (black  box that everything connects to)
• Open C:\Program Files\TRAXSALES, find and open getter4.exe
• Plug the end of that serial cable into the side of the tester tool that will accept the serial cable.
• Press Loopback Test, if the getter says sent an echo (from letter a all the way through p), than your com port and serial cable are good.

(Just in case)

How to terminate a CAT5 Cable.

Additional TRAX Products

TRAX Visual Proof takes a photo for each customer or family that enters your store. Each photo is time stamped with date and time. 

You account for every penny in revenue that comes into your company and if you are off by one cent you pay your accountant to find it.  You will search high and low for an item that is missing from your inventory.  So the question is, why would you not want 100% accuracy regarding your total customer traffic counts.  Because...As John F. Lawhon says...That's where the money comes from.

Total number of photos for this period was 87