Cash registers, open back doors, slip and falls - stores can pose several retail security threats and issues. The good news is that there is great technology and several precautions you can take to protect your business, product, and customers.
Here are five of the biggest issues in retail security and how new technology in access control, point of sale integration and door monitoring can help you protect your business.
1. Shrink and theft at the point of sale
Preventing shoplifting has been one of the primary concerns – if not the primary concern – for retail security since shops opened. Whether it’s taking cash from the register, too many invalid or voided transactions, or product slipping through the front or back doors, theft and shoplifting are threats store owners are accustomed to facing.
Solution: Video surveillance at the point of sale
One of the best things you can do to combat theft and shoplifting at the point of sale is by putting cameras at the point of sale to verify transactions. With newer technology, there are several alerts you can set to bring your attention to abnormalities, such as an excessive number of voided transactions. Surveillance at the point of sale can help deter shoplifting and theft, as well as other shrink from employees.
2. Theft after hours
When the store is closed and no one is there to watch your merchandise or back room – even if you have cameras in place - some people consider that as an invitation. A big opportunity for crime and theft is after hours, when the lights are out and no one is in your store.
Solution: Door monitoring and access control
There are several customized alarms and control settings you can have with door monitoring and access control technology. For example, it can alert you if a door is opened when it shouldn’t be. Or you can utilize access control and select certain doors that only employees can open, and only during certain hours.
3. Theft from the back door during business hours
Even during business hours – especially during business hours – your back door is always at risk. Whether it’s employees taking breaks and leaving the door open, thinking it’s an easy and unmonitored way to sneak some product out, or just the assumption that the back door is unlocked if the business is open, your back door is typically a big risk. When integrated to video, a picture of the incident can be sent to a mobile device alerting you to the event.
Solution: Door monitoring
Analytics and alerts are helpful tools for monitoring your back door, in particular. Set alerts when doors are propped open for any length of time. Another good alert is when a door is opened at all during a specific timeframe – for example, when you close to when you open.
4. Slip and fall lawsuits
Liability claims such as slip and falls are still one of the biggest issues in safety and security in retail.
Solution: Video surveillance at entryways and public drinking fountains
Having video footage of an accident can make the biggest difference. In the case of an accident, video footage can help the authorities identify the event, the people involved, and handle the situation accordingly. It’s relatively simple to put cameras at the front and back of your store – just make sure they’re recording enough time so you can grab the saved footage when you need it.
While these security issues are present in nearly every retail store, they can be addressed. With new technology such as trends analysis, you can get better insight into the data that matters and make a bigger difference in your store’s security.
Retail Crime
