An IP Camera Can Be a Manager's Best Friend

In our last post, IP Cameras and Customer Service, we explored how IP cameras can allow a department store manager to make shopping a smooth, satisfying experience for his customers. Since IP cameras can be accessed from any network computer, he can  monitor every department from any PC in the store to gather real-time business intelligence. If cashier lines are growing long or shelves bare, he can summon help right then and there.  But did you know these same cameras can be used to train and manage employees?

Orientation

The first day at a new job is often spent in orientation where the new hire is introduced to the ins and outs of the store. After filling out assorted forms and being apprised of particulars like clocking in, breaks and lunch schedules, sick day and time-off policy, the newbie is often assigned to a fellow employee to observe and learn. But using IP cameras can add a valuable step here.

Before going down to shadow at the returns desk, the employee can view actual video to see what will be expected of her.

Reviews

No one likes annual reviews. Employees are nervous and supervisors feel uncomfortable. It's never fun being “under the microscopic”. Although it will never put the annual review on a level with the company picnic, exchanging the “microscope” lens for an IP camera lens might make for a more objective review. A cashier, witnessing her own actions in dealing with a difficult customer on saved video, is less likely to be defensive, and together, she and the supervisor might share a critique ------ or a pat on the back.

Cashier Compliance

Although the major portion of real time store crime  is shoplifting, internal retail loss can occur at the cash register. There are a number of ways a cashier can manipulate the system to steal or grant “favors” to friends or relatives. These can be lumped together under the heading Point of Sale (POS) Exceptions, and a wise manager should be on the look-out.

POS Exceptions

 Manually Entered Values

 When a disproportionate amount of manually-entered values like credit card numbers, article numbers or prices appears in the POS system it can be a sign that a cashier is manipulating the system.

Ghost Returns

 Returns entered when no  item has been surrendered or no customer present can be a way of transferring money from the cash register to the cashier or a friend.

Sweet Hearting 

When a cashier gives unauthorized discounts to a friend, family member or customer it is known as sweet-hearting and can add up to significant loss over time.

Voids

Voiding a sold items after a customer’s purchase can result in a cashier pocketing the surrendered cash.

The proper placement of a HDTV surveillancecamera in the checkout area can identify and isolate such manipulations. And when the IP camera system is integrated with the store’s POS system, it is easy to generate and view exception reports with accompanying high resolution video from any camera on the network. In this way, managers can stay one step ahead when it comes to cutting down on internal loss.

But integrating video with POS systems need not set a Gotcha! climate in a store. The video can be used as a training tool to insure all employees have a common understanding of approved practices. And when there is a perceived situation, archived video can bring clarity to a questionable transaction or situation. In a best case scenario, such a pairing can help create a safe, secure workplace where employees are free of false accusations. 

So when you see the sign,

it doesn't mean only  Shoplifters beware.
But if you are a shoplifter, don’t complain when an IP camera captures you in the act.
Them’s the breaks!

If you'd like to find out more about the AxisM2014 or any other IP cameras, you can visit www.Kintronics.com  or call 914-944-3425 to talk to a Kintronics sales engineer. If you prefer you can fill out a request information form. 

               

  

IP Cameras and Customer Service

Let’s say you walk into your local J.C. Penney's or Target  and you spot a sign,

What comes to mind? If you think "they’re trying to catch shoplifters", the majority of shoppers share your thought. 

And you’re probably right.  99% of retailers purchase IP cameras to prevent and deter shoplifting. And sometimes just the sign is enough to make a teenager intending to pocket a tube of mascara give it a second thought.

But increasingly retailers are adding other duties to an IP camera’s job description. And they all come under the heading………

Customer Service

Wikipedia defines customer service as

 “The provision of service to customers before, during, and after a purchase”

Wise Geek words it this way:

 “Customer Service refers to the practice of providing people with a positive, helpful experience before, during, or after buying something.”

Installing IP cameras aids a store manager in improving her customer’s experience. With the intelligence afforded by a video managementsystem, she can put herself in a customer’s shoes as he travels down every aisle and turns every corner of the store. 

She can monitor the length of the lines at the cashier counters and customer service areas,check for bottlenecks at the escalator, 

even check on the maintenance of  the parking lot on a snowy day. 

Real time viewing will reveal patterns in customer traffic. And like all traffic, foot traffic does not flow uniformly. It can benefit from ………….

Traffic Control

Just as air traffic controllers in their towers rely on radar to keep track of arriving and departing plane , a wise management team utilizes IP cameras to keep abreast of the good, the bad, and the potential for improvement in their store.

Real Time Viewing

·         If the lines at the checkout counter are getting long, additional cashiers can be summoned to open more cash registers.

·       

 When the stock in the electronics department is getting low, a stocker can be alerted to come replenish the shelves.Using real-time viewing allows retailers to keep up on operational details so they can make decisions and improvements based on daily observations. 

Stored video from those same cameras,  on the other hand, can make use of  weekly, monthly or even annual data to determine the effectiveness of those decisions.

Analyzing Stored Video

Video Management Software ( VMS) and stored video.

Using  Video Management Software, such as ONSSI, retail business managers can view multiple cameras, record and retrieve video, and monitor alarms. There is a variety of video management software on the market, each with its own particular capabilities, that users can adapt to their particular specifications. For example, retail managers can study a compilation of day-to-day traffic to determine if their store’s layout needs revamping.

Dwell Time

What area attracts the most customers? Do they pause there? For how long? This is called dwell time. Dwell analysis can be used to measure the results of advertising campaigns. What age group is prevalent? Is it mostly men? 

Is it mostly women? All this information is valuable in determining product placement and the positioning of promotional displays.  

Zone Counter

IP camera management software can automatically count  the number of people who pass through different areas or departments throughout the day. It can keep track of how many people use various check out areas. Analysis of the resulting patterns can aid department heads with personnel scheduling and best allocation of staff throughout the store.

Browsers vs Buyers

People counting can also be used to determine conversion rates. What is the ratio of a day’s total visitors to the number of sales transactions recorded that day. This can also result in changes in displays or product placement to help convert browsers to buyers..

And so next time you see a surveillance camera remember as law-abiding as you are, you may be one its targeted subjects.     

      For more information on IP cameras or Video Management Systems, call Kintronics at 1-800-431-1658 to speak to one of our Sales Engineers or visit our website,  www.kintronics.com . If you prefer you can fill out an information request form and a sales engineer will get back to you.