STORES Magazine - February 2009 - (Page 61)

CONSIDER THIS / POINT OF VIEW Network Video Can Help Combat Economic Squeeze BY JUMBI EDULBEHRAM With the economic downturn, retailers are being challenged to find new ways to do more with less – without compromising their bottom line. One often overlooked resource for helping stores curb expenses is their video surveillance (CCTV) system. By moving away from outdated analog secure access to in-store video covering camera-based systems to network cameratheir particular product shelves to help them based systems, retailers can save precious better stock and merchandise their items. capital by sharing servers, storage modules Offering this valuable insight to the supply and bandwidth with other data communicachain can strengthen relationships and postions activity. But network video can do so sibly lead to better contract terms. It could much more to help retailers squeeze addialso provide retailers with a potential revtional value from their investment in video enue stream, as vendors might be willing to surveillance. pay for such direct business intelligence. Downsizing without upsizing risk. ReUsing cost-effective, best-of-breed tailers can augment lean in-store loss precomponents. Network video systems are vention staffing with eyes at a central monibuilt from best-of-breed components, which toring station. Because the technology is offers many advantages, including the ability networked, regional or central station staff to easily take advantage of newer technology can monitor network cameras remotely to (like higher megapixel cameras for greater track activity in high-risk areas. So even with coverage) or to move quickly to benefit from fewer LP personnel in the store, retailers can price drops for any system component. still keep a close eye on aisles and checkout Jumbi Edulbehram is director Smaller retailers can leverage the technolstations, on stockrooms and even securityogy by allowing cameras to perform sensorof strategic channel for tagged merchandise passing through doorspecific tasks. For example, they can tie netAxis Communications. ways. work cameras with onboard intelligence into Centralized monitoring provides additional benefits such fire, alarm and burglary systems for more comprehensive as ease of training, coverage for personnel taking time off store safety and security. and reduced turnover. Retailers can also assign these surLeveraging the breadth of products. Network video veillance system experts special monitoring duties, such as systems offer many choices for retailers transitioning from keeping a closer watch on specific high-risk products or analog systems. Retailers can tie their existing analog preventing organized retail crime. cameras to network video encoders to reap the advanTightening store operations. Large retail chains that tages of network video in stores equipped with older techare rolling out network video technology are already reportnology. Encoders enable the retail chain to bring all store ing added value in the millions of dollars by using surveilsystems – those with newer network cameras and those lance video to check on merchandising compliance and with legacy analog cameras – onto the same network infraother activity. Instead of corporate or regional representastructure, which greatly simplifies system management and tives traveling to the stores or requiring store managers to operator training. walk the aisles, staff at a central monitoring station can reThese “hybrid” systems provide a logical transition to netview live video to make sure locations are adequately work cameras as older analog counterparts fail or when staffed, correctly stocking shelves and displaying time-senmanagement decides it needs enhanced image quality. sitive signage on schedule. As retailers deal with tightening budgets in this economic Corporate can also use surveillance video to remotely climate, making prudent investments that allow them to do detect if employees are leaving customers unattended more with less is imperative. Network video offers the opwhen they could be converting sales. portunity to upgrade existing infrastructure, while at the Adding a revenue stream from vendors. A number of same time increasing the effectiveness of loss prevention forward-thinking retailers are giving some of their suppliers and making store operations more efficient. WWW.STORES.ORG STORES / FEBRUARY 2009 61 http://WWW.STORES.ORG

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of STORES Magazine - February 2009

STORES Magazine - February 2009 Contents Executive Editor's Page President's Page Are You a Pusher or a Puller? What Shoppers Think Online Retail Satisfaction 10 Things You May Have Missed Numbers Worth Counting Full Price/Markdown Retail People Cover Story - Something’s Got to Give First Look Concept2Watch Online Partners Merchandising Sustainability Inventory Systems Drug Store Systems Business Intelligence Inventory Managment Online Marketing Supply Chain - Better Data, Better Decisions Returns Management - Identifying Fraud Data Security - Securing Intimate Data Anti-Shoplifting - Mall of Shame? Risk Management - Securing Consumer Confidence Loeb Retail letter ARTS Update Point of View NRF News Retail Crossword Retail Industry Calendar End Cap

STORES Magazine - February 2009

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