News

Information delivery continues to be vital

Throughout 2020, and even pre-dating the unforeseen COVID-19 pandemic, leading Intelligent Transport Systems provider MVIS was working diligently on bringing new solutions to long standing challenges.

As MVIS broached new markets, little did the company realise how truly vital its solutions would be in a year that we all could not quite believe what we were experiencing at times. With several clients in the retail sector turning to MVIS for portable VMS solutions in 2020, the early parts of the year were very much deployments for some rather ‘regular’ reasons.

Whether it be delivering information to shopping centre visitors about overflow car parks or directing delivery drivers to the correct unit on an industrial park, the VMS deployed by MVIS were serving the purpose they always anticipated their solutions would serve.

From late March however, MVIS found itself deploying units for scenarios that it – like us all – never quite imagined.

Messages like ‘Stay Home, Save Lives’ and ‘Protect the NHS’ had never before been seen, or needed to be seen across the UK’s highways in addition to our towns and cities.

The MVIS deployment of such messages, and indeed the units that display them, follows the same crowd control model more regularly seen by the company when providing portable VMS for events. The adaptable nature of both company and product alike provided a smooth transition into this realm of public notice, wayfinding and assistance for retailers.

One example of application comes in the form of queue management systems both in, and out of vehicles, which have both been implemented for public safety and delivery of customer information, as it has become of more paramount importance than ever.

VMS signs displaying reminders about wearing a mask and social distancing have become common parts of our lives, and the time between the UK’s first lockdown in March 2020, as well as the current one that we are all experiencing sees ever changing guidelines dependent on geographical region – as well as sector of industry.

The COVID-19 pandemic has displayed the adaptability of these VMS solutions, and certainly increased the demand for them, as MVIS has added 70 new VMS units to its hire fleet, as well as 30 new Solar IP units over the last 12 months.

With the ability to control all units nationwide from its control room, MVIS has been able to respond to regional areas moving up or down the nation’s COVID-19 tier system with ease, carrying out the required notices in any particular area of the UK.

As we remain indoors, MVIS’ solutions continue to deliver vital information daily, and as we take hope from the news of vaccination from COVID-19, the company is now prepared to once more respond to regional requirements, as well as assist the retail sector as it hopefully gets back on its feet after another national lockdown.

Anne Ashman, MVIS’ UK Group Commercial and Operations Director told us:

“The situation we all find ourselves in is less than ideal to say the very least, but as a business we have actively put our minds to responding strongly, making the correct adaptations and serving our clients the only way we know how – with full energy and care.

“This has been in accordance with additional safety measures for our own team, ensuring we take every preventative measure we can think of, mitigating any workplace safety concerns to protect both the physical and mental wellbeing of our workforce.

“As we enter 2021 with hope due to the vaccine we are here, as ever, ready to deliver for our clients regardless of their need. Whether it be further COVID-19 safety bulletins or operational assistance, MVIS will be ready.”