While online shopping and take-out orders rage on, Google’s Popular Times feature invites the busy consumer back into the brick and mortar shops and to enjoy dining out by allowing us to see when businesses are busy.
While online shopping and take-out orders rage on, Google’s Popular Times feature invites the busy consumer back into the brick and mortar shops and to enjoy dining out by allowing us to see when businesses are busy. When you search the name of a specific business in Google the Popular Times feature appears in the Google listing underneath the Hours of Operation. The busy times are displayed in a bar graph, broken up by the hours and days of operation. The bar graphs are populated by data gathered from users who permit Google to track their location, such as allowing Google Maps to track the phone’s GPS.
What does this mean for you, the consumer?
From the point of view of people who grew up watching The Jetsons, and now spend our days immersed in the latest technology, the concept of using marketing data for the knowledge of the consumer is a natural one. You have opted to let Google improve their services by accessing your location information, and Google rewards you with new features designed to save you time and frustration. The data collected isn’t shown in real-time, and business owners can’t access any data beyond what is shown in the bar graphs.
You use this gift to plan ahead. Now you and your coworkers can easily choose which restaurant to go to for lunch on Friday without rushing through your meal. Now you see which day of the week is the best to book off and finish your holiday shopping. Now you can see when to take your mother for coffee at that tiny place on the corner that only has 3 tables. Now you can better plan your next grocery store adventure.
What does this mean for you, the entrepreneur?
It could mean that you see more regulars during off-peak hours. It could also mean that your regulars are going to the competitor because they need their stuff now, and Google tells them that now is your busiest time, and they don’t have time to wait in line. What the consumer may not take into account is that you know exactly when your peak times are, and that you arrange for staff coverage accordingly, making the wait time similar or the same as off-peak times.
Isn’t that why seasonal employment exists? But we are a society of Busy, where consumers don’t wait to get home and look things up online anymore, they’re searching from their phone in the parking lot as the thought hits them.
It’s a pretty good bet that as holiday shopping intensifies the consumer will take a hard Popular Times to plan the rest of their shopping because they display right in the usual Google Search. Examine the data Google provides to be sure that your busiest times are appropriately staffed, and shelves or kitchens are stocked. This might also be the time to have another look at providing e-commerce services. Consider upgrading your customers’ experience with ways to pass the time should they come in when it’s busy. Do what you can to cater to the client so that if they check Popular Times and see they’re about to head your way at a busy time, they won’t be tempted to check out your competitor.
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