According to a recent survey by Banfield Pet Hospital, pandemic pet owners are worried about returning to the workplace. In fact, 71 percent of Gen Zers and 48 percent of millennials want to bring their pets with them when they return to the workplace but only half of employers intend to make that a reality.
So how can pet owners keep an eye on their pets when they are away from their pets — whether that is returning to work or boarding them on vacation? How can employers help employees cope with post-pandemic pet separation anxiety? Further, how can pet businesses add more value to their services and increase revenue?
Vision artificial intelligence holds the promise of supporting pet owners and pet businesses by informing their owners of activities and health changes when they can’t be physically present. Vision AI allows computer systems to learn how to perform specific tasks, identify objects and take action like sending alerts. With this capability, we can create models that both identify pets captured in an AI-based camera and better understand and predict how pets will behave.
For pandemic pet owners, AI and video monitoring enables them to keep track of their furry friend in and around their home or at a boarding location. Owners can receive real-time alerts anytime their pet passes by an AI enabled camera. And if there is a concern that the pet may be ill, owners can monitor remotely and act quickly when alerted.
For pet business owners — a $100 billion industry in the US — AI can be incorporated into an end-to-end video solution that can help improve conversion, provide customer insights and create customized product offerings. This means pet businesses can offer customers greater peace of mind which translates to higher customer retention and increased inbound customers. Even big companies like PetSmart are offering video monitoring to their boarding clients to add value to their services.
Given that Americans spent about $69.4 billion on their pets in 2016 (up from $65.6 billion in 2015), there is an appetite for advanced pet technology solutions. For more information about how vision AI can keep your pet safe or increase revenue and customer retention at your pet business, please contact us for a demo.
