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The evolution of retail solutions beyond surveillance

The success of surveillance systems in the retail sector depends increasingly on the ability of integrators and equipment providers to look beyond historical one-size-fits-all surveillance installations.

Given the sophistication of the surveillance industry and the high expectations of the market, there is no longer a single solution for the retail (or any other) sector. Solutions providers must customise their applications to meet ever more finely tuned and widely diversified requirements. The degree to which this customisation is successful depends on a thorough understanding of the retail sector. For example, solutions providers must clearly appreciate the difference between a Checkers or Spar and a Woolworths, Tesco or Sainsbury store, in terms of operational process, value of goods, basket value and basket volumes.

Increasing integration

Solutions providers must also offer elegant integration with POS, access control, time and attendance, EAS and other building management systems. With the addition of a people counter for trends analysis, the retail solution is no longer a surveillance system, but a management tool that very evidently increases profitability.

Sophisticated systems add value throughout the enterprise

When one looks holistically at a retail operation one can quickly see how the more sophisticated digital systems add value throughout the retail enterprise, to not just its security, but also to its operations, marketing, personnel and training divisions.

Hybrid systems enable retention of current technology

Many stores that made the early leap to camera surveillance have a significant investment in equipment that can still be utilised by a 'hybrid' surveillance system. For example, a hybrid system enables a store to retain its current cameras and cabling, but to still add IP cameras and/or encoders as necessary into the future. Also, for PTZ cameras, there is still no substitute for a live analogue video feed, for both quality and latency reasons.

Technical health monitoring is crucial in ensuring 'up-time'

Apart from the functionality and features of the systems, it is important that the systems are able to provide realtime information relating to the 'health' of the systems. If the systems can warn integrators and/or end-users of any shift of the vital-signs of the system, it can improve system integrity and the effectiveness of the support of the system. The Cathexis system checks voltages, temperatures, hard drive S.M.A.R.T. information, communication networks and many other parameters, and will automatically send an alarm via LAN, WAN, cellphone and/or e-mail to selected support centres.

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