Page 26 - Security Today, November/December 2021

Post Pandemic Environment Consumers are embracing benefits of Omni channel retailing
By Sean Foley
Over the last year and a half, the retail industry has undergone massive changes. Retailers of all sizes have shown extraordinary resilience and creativity by reshaping their business models and operations. They have evolved from a high- touch, personal environment to new service models that include online ordering, home delivery, and curbside pickup. Consumers are eagerly embracing the benefits of Omni-channel retailing, a convenience they will come to expect long after the established health crisis.
A MORE VOLATILE ENVIRONMENT
However, the pandemic has significantly affected the retailers’ security landscape. The recently published 2021 NRF Retail Security Survey revealed that almost seven in 10 (69%) retail loss prevention and asset protection professionals said the pandemic has resulted in an increase in overall risk for their organization.
Reports of customers abusing retail employees also increased during this crisis with 61 % of respondents reporting workplace violence. The physical distancing measures introduced in stores, the requirements for face coverings and proof of vaccination, and restrictions on some products to deter panic buying have contributed to this increase in retail worker abuse.
As the uncertainty of the health crisis continues to hang over the retail industry, loss prevention and security professionals are reporting that organized retail crime (ORC) and, in some places, opportunistic looting is on the rise. Almost four in 10 (39%) respondents in the NRF Survey said they saw the greatest increase in fraud in Omni channel sales channels such as buy- online-pick-up-in-store (BOPIS), up from 19% the year before. Almost two-thirds of respondents (65%) agree that organized retail crime gangs are exhibiting higher levels of aggression and violence than they did the year before.
TECHNOLOGY TO THE RESCUE
To combat these trends, more than half (53%) of the retailers who participated in the NRF survey said their companies are allocating additional technology resources, and another 50% said they are allocating additional capital specific to loss prevention equipment.
Many retailers are working closely with managed service providers as an extension of their own in-house teams. They are looking to employ the best and most effective technology solutions that will help them secure and scale their operations.
Interactive remote video monitoring. One of the most powerful layers of security for a retail business is an interactive monitoring solution. With live video and two-way audio capabilities, these systems allow trained security staff to see, hear and communicate with employees 24/7. This solution guarantees personnel safety and ensures the premises remain secure.
Virtual guard services allow remote operators to connect
to live audio and video feeds and scan the location proactively for any potential threat day or night — just as an on-premises security guard might do. This keeps eyes on retail locations, day and night, warning potential bad actors that there is always a security presence on hand. If there is a threat, a trained, live professional will immediately respond by assessing the situation and intervening with live audio. Where necessary, calls may be made to law enforcement.
Automated and customized voice down message services can be used to address some of the most pressing matters. They scheduled meetings throughout the day through an organization’s existing speaker system to remind customers and employees about proper social distancing and/or food safety practices.
Video verified alarms. Video verified alarms, which integrate a basic alarm system with video, is another effective solution that can make a huge difference for retailers. During this current crisis, law enforcement has been focused on critical, health-related issues and can’t as easily respond to commercial burglar alarm signals going into a 911 center.
Even in normal times, it takes about 26 minutes for law enforcement to respond to a commercial burglar alarm. However, a video-verified alarm system that clearly demonstrates an imminent situation will prompt law enforcement to move more quickly to the location. It can save businesses thousands of dollars in false alarm fees.
Point-of-sale exception reporting. Another security concern all retailers face is cash and inventory loss or shrink. Solutions like point-of-sale (POS) exception reporting integrated with video surveillance systems enable loss prevention professionals to identify quickly anomalies in order to detect and prevent shrink. The solution can identify suspicious transactions among millions of POS transactions.
Remote retail audits. Remote auditing is another powerful way to ensure that operations are running as they should be and that employees are following proper procedures. Here, audit specialists leverage video surveillance solutions to review cash handling, employee productivity and, especially in times like these, safety compliance and cleanliness.
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