Day: August 26, 2023

Rahat Jain, Managing Director, IDIS India Video surveillance has long been an essential weapon in the war against shrink. But recent technological advances and better implementation options are redefining the way systems are designed and used. Key developments include the rise of AI-powered analytics; improvements in camera performance; the availability of easier POS and video integration; the emergence of end-to-end solutions; fairer video management software license fees and lower lifecycle costs; customers moving to NDAA-compliant equipment, and more trustworthy and ethical technology supply chains. This eBook outlines the most noteworthy developments and will be helpful for anyone planning, installing, upgrading, or using video in the context of retail profit protection. Addressing threats to profitability In the retail sector, camera systems are relied on almost universally for deterrence and detection, prevention, and investigation. Thieves remain ever-inventive in their search for new ways to exploit loopholes in security, lapses in vigilance – even brief ones, and gaps in operational oversight. Would-be thieves typically use sleight of hand, movement between aisles and displays, distraction, and speed. The video systems put in place to stop them must be effective against multiple threats, including opportunist shoplifting, organized thefts-to-order, robbery, internal fraud, bogus slip-trip-fall scams, stock room pilfering, and crime centered around checkouts and returns counters. And increasingly, in a highly competitive trading landscape, cameras are being used for powerful business intelligence functions, as well. 1. Don’t cut corners with cameras You may need to keep a close eye on budgets, but don’t be deceived by low upfront camera costs – there’s usually a catch. Beware of higher costs further down the line and avoid quality and performance shortcuts. HD and ultra-HD cameras aren’t expensive – or they don’t have to be – and saving marginal costs by installing low-quality and low-resolution models is a false economy. Crisp, clear image capture is the foundation of your security system. From the quality of real-time viewing and video evidence to the effectiveness of money-saving AI analytics, a lot is riding on camera performance. In retail settings, achieving complete visibility of all areas, without blind spots, is essential – because any gaps in surveillance will quickly be identified by criminals and dishonest staff. Experience shows that gaps in fields of view are always exploited, which is why risk assessments, both internally and externally, are essential. Even within the same retail chain, stores don’t necessarily share the same threats and risks, so it’s important that a range of cameras that will mitigate the risk profile of each facility – without impacting the shopping experience – is specified. Cutting costs and boosting system performance with the right cameras Low profile HD and ultra-HD internal cameras will give you the image quality operators need to detect suspicious behavior, especially near high-risk areas such as checkouts, outside fitting rooms, and storage areas. Quality cameras with excellent true WDR performance and IR are essential for dealing with the challenging light conditions often found in stores and storage areas, including low light, variable light, and back-lighting. Consider fisheyes that provide wide area coverage and domain awareness of entire shop floors and aisles more affordably and allow you to replace multiple fixed lens models. 2. Reliable, affordable, and easy to retrieve video evidence A robust retail video system will ensure that footage can be retained for extended periods, if necessary, without excessive storage costs. NVR-based systems remain popular for retailers as they are highly scalable, allowing for the addition of multiple cameras without the need for extensive cabling or infrastructure upgrades. This makes it easier to expand the system as needed. NVRs also make it easy to integrate with other security and safety systems, such as access control and intruder systems. This integration enhances overall security and presents an affordable yet comprehensive security infrastructure. To prevent potentially costly gaps in footage, SD card failover is now essential on cameras to guarantee continuous recording in the event of network instability or outages (a common vulnerability in retail environments such as strip malls, where bandwidth is often constrained). In addition, recordings should be fast and simple to review and export to support internal investigations or legal action. VMS controls should be intuitive and easy to use to make retrieving evidence a straightforward task, even for inexperienced users, including local retail managers. To save time and improve accuracy, retailers are taking advantage of the powerful meta-data search tools, which are now available with AI video solutions and devices. Pitfalls to avoid with HD video data handling Systems often disappoint because problems arise around video data storage and retrieval. HD video increases storage requirements, and cost can mount with extended retention periods over 30 days. To prevent this, look for solutions that support H.265 in addition to advanced compression technologies. Where video footage is mission critical, consider NVRs that offer features including RAID 1, 5, 10, and redundancy to prevent data loss in case of hardware failure or damage. With tampering becoming an increasing concern, the integrity of footage should be assured with ‘fingerprint’ technologies that make undetected tampering impossible. 3. Centralized, local, and remote monitoring Video systems should always be designed around the requirements of users. In the case of retail, this can include security officers, loss prevention managers, store and branch managers, business owners, control room operators, and head-off profit protection teams. For example, for independent businesses and convenience stores, the objective of the surveillance system may be to use real-time monitoring to support intervention at the moment of attempted theft or immediately after. To enable this, controls should be intuitive and straightforward so that non-specialist staff quickly become confident using the system. For retailers with centrally monitored large stores or branch networks, control room staff will need to be able to multitask. For example, operators will want to be able to configure notifications and alerts and relay events, including video pop-ups, to security officers and managers on the ground. Store staff will want easy-to-use client software that gives them the tools they need to manage day-to-day…