9 Benefits of security camera monitoring in retail stores

Retail stores are places where shoplifters are most active. Research suggests that retail stores lose items to theft and negligence on an everyday basis, cumulatively adding up to a significant loss of money over time. That’s why it is necessary to have surveillance cameras fitted within and outside retail stores. Not only does it prevent theft, but constant observation also prevents anti-social elements from harassing people. This is true especially in large retail stores that have many floors, many parts of which are potentially not covered by human security or guards.

Benefits of security cameras in retail stores

Prevention is always better than cure – so let’s take a look at the many benefits of automated surveillance.

Crime prevention

Criminologists and law enforcement agencies vehemently agree and encourage the use of surveillance cameras. Security camera monitoring, as per them, reduces crime to a large extent. Most criminals understand what a security camera is. The very presence of a security camera in the vicinity deters their criminal behavior. Criminals are uneasy when targeting retail stores fortified with security cameras because they understand that the risks of being caught increases, with massive fines and even jail time enough of an incentive to keep your store safe.

Monitor employee behavior

In a retail store, that employs scores or even hundreds of employees, it is difficult to keep track of their activities. At the end of the day, employees are people. They are prone to different behaviors, habits, and patterns. They may resort to criminal behavior or less severe problems such as not discharging their duties. And they may not be operating or using the store’s facilities properly. An employer or operations manager can easily catch such behavior via a surveillance camera. This can help you improve your productivity and business operations.

Prevents shoplifting

Shoplifters operate most when there are plenty of goods to choose from. Shoplifting is not restricted to stealing items without the knowledge of the staff. It also refers to robbing staff and the public at gunpoint in retail stores. There are many instances of robberies caught on tape – These criminals were promptly caught because their faces, body movements, and actions were hard evidence and data for law enforcement agencies to catch them. The use of surveillance cameras improves people’s confidence when purchasing from that store. Remember that the CCTV monitor should cover every nook and corner of the store.

Employee theft & safety

As much as shoplifting by outsiders is a problem, shoplifting by insiders is an even bigger problem. A retail store’s activities are not just on the retail floor alone. There are many areas such as storage areas, warehouses, etc. where retail goods are stored, unpacked, packed, dispatched, labeled, etc. All of these areas need surveillance cameras too. Without this, it will be difficult to stop internal employees from pocketing or siphoning off goods, valuable items. Keeping all areas of a retail store, including its non-retail areas under surveillance vastly improves vigilance and aids law enforcement in the event of any untoward incident.

Minimize insurance cost

Large stores are never without incident. By it, an intruder, criminal, or just innocent mistakes that lead to damages, retail stores must capture all evidence to claim insurance and minimize costs. If it goes undetected or uncaptured, the store would be required to pay damages caused to the shopper in case of accidents or would have to bear the price of damaged goods. On the other hand, if there was a camera that caught the act, the retail store management could point to the negligent individual, or point out those responsible for the damage. Thus, the retail store is spared from all the hassle of paying compensation.

Reduce the need for hiring additional security personnel

Using surveillance cameras is a good alternative to security personnel. Moving past the reduced cost of labor alone, cameras deter criminals and make customers feel safer. Even just the knowledge that a retail store has security camera monitoring, or a sign stating the same, will deter the thief from entering the store. Security personnel can only physically protect the premises and can’t stop expert criminals from shoplifting, or damaging goods when not under their watchful eyes.

Monitor customer behavior

Surveillance cameras can also help spot trends. A simple replay of a week’s activities will show how many people entered the store on average per day. It can help the retail store management to arrange for supplies adequately. There could be a trend that people are visiting the store more before holidays, or before a festival, or during specific days. All of these trends can be easily spotted. The retail store can also spot specific customers, their purchasing behavior, and so on. They can use CCTV monitors to improve the quality of their customer service and observe transactions.

Digital storage

A Digital Video Recorder (DVR) is connected to all surveillance cameras. The DVR records all activities from the camera and stores them for a fixed number of days. After this, the recordings can be transferred to an external storage device or a data center depending on the business’ needs. The fact that recordings are available and can be replayed is a huge advantage. Even if uncaught by the retail owners on camera, an event that elapsed within the store can always be replayed back and seen, simply because it was caught on camera.

Remote monitoring

Security camera monitoring makes it possible to oversee activities within and outside the store. Irrespective of the number of stores managed, views from across stores can be unified and shown on a central dashboard. It allows for one-view monitoring. A central management unit can oversee all of its business’ activities regardless of the geographical location of its branches or sub-units.

With remote monitoring, it is possible to issue instructions to the staff at a particular location without needing to manually be present at the location. It allows for easy decentralized management, without loss of money due to transport, time, effort, fuel, and messaging. A simple networked setup of cameras across all branches and locations of the retail store is all that is required. Not only does it make it easy for the retail managers to better control their properties, but it helps protect the interests of the public too.

Setup advice for installing cameras

A simple networked setup of cameras across all branches and locations of the retail store is all that is required. Not only does it make it easy for retail managers to better control their properties, but it helps protect the interests of the public too.

Never hide cameras

Camera hiding may not deter a criminal from entering the premises. Most crimes are prevented just for the fact that there is a camera looking out.

The front door is only half the story

Criminals don’t use the front door. They use all other entries that could be unprotected. So ensure to cover these areas with surveillance as well.

Set up motion detection

You may not have time to keep checking for activities caught by the cameras. Instead, set up motion detection to alert you whenever there is an activity in a particular space.

All of the above-mentioned points will help give owners the much-needed 24/7 peace of mind, remote monitoring, reduce false compensation claims, and so on. However, make sure to keep in mind the installation of such cameras doesn’t deter employee privacy and vandalism.

Conclusion

Pick a trusted vendor and invest in security. The reasons above are why enterprises turn to agencies like Maxicus e-surveillance solutions. Maxicus offers industry-leading enterprise solutions for remote monitoring, e-surveillance, and security camera monitoring. With the revolutionary Internet of Things (IoT) based on surveillance technology, businesses can implement these solutions to realize immediate benefits.