Video Systems as Intelligence Tools

“Security cameras are now multi-purpose security sensors, as well as business intelligence tools,” said Geoff Kohl, Senior Director of Marketing at the Security Industry Association. While cameras still record video for security reviews and evidentiary purposes, “What we are seeing now is cameras featuring functions like motion detection and a wide range of video analytics that can make them much more useful to operations.”

Today’s video analytics systems rely on a number of cameras that feed into video management software. This software interprets and reports on collected images in different ways, providing valuable insights into customer behavior by helping retailers understand how people are moving around their facilities. These sophisticated camera systems can also help companies track employee attendance and even reduce heating and cooling costs.

The Benefits of Linking In

Tying a video surveillance system to other systems – access control, alarm, lighting and HVAC – can provide some additional benefits. For example, an intelligent video system connected to access control systems can monitor employee attendance by providing records of when and where employees log in or log out. Employers could also verify that the person who is supposed to be opening and/or closing the store is the one actually doing it. Managers may even be able to track where an employee is working within a store. 

Intelligent surveillance systems can save retailers money by monitoring human activity at warehouse and storage facilities. If cameras detect people present, an intelligent control system can turn on lights or boost the temperature to make the space comfortable for them. Once the camera sees the workers have left, the systems turns the lights off and automatically readjusts the heating or cooling system to more energy efficient settings. 

Kohl said integration of such systems is much easier than it used to be. In the past, FMs might have had to buy alarms, monitoring and attendance systems from the same vendor for them to work together. Now, however, companies are much more likely to have platforms that allow different products to talk with each other.

“There’s a general trend in the industry to be more open,” Kohl added. “You simply have to do your due diligence in product selection to determine who has partnered on product integrations.”

With these new capabilities, intelligent video surveillance systems have become much more than facilities maintenance and security tools. When C-suite executives and operations staff understand the valuable business metrics such systems can provide, they may be more likely to support budget requests for upgrades, Kohl said.

Improvements in Clarity and Storage

The cost of camera systems has been declining even as their usefulness and image quality improves. In the past, someone reviewing a security video might be able to show an unauthorized person in a store or back room, but the image wasn’t clear enough to determine their identity.

“Cameras now provide greater resolution, which means sharper images and a better ability to identify people on the videos,” Kohl said.

Cameras also have more dynamic ranges, meaning they can provide clearer recordings in a variety of different lighting conditions like sun, shade and darkness.

“That is really important when it comes to areas that are not deep inside stores or near windows or entrances, because you have changing lighting conditions there,” Kohl noted. In parking lots, too, a camera has to handle lighting changes from nighttime to daytime, where the brightness varies with time of day and with sunny or cloudy conditions.

Storage capabilities for video have also changed.

“More and more systems are being connected to the cloud and allow for remote access and management,” Kohl said. FMs gain visibility into their security system’s data because they no longer have to be on-site to check on a store or to work with the data the camera systems have collected. Cloud storage also provides retailers the opportunity to retain data for longer periods of times if that’s helpful.

The upgrades in security tech have secured it a new role in retail store operations.

“Retail security is no longer just about loss prevention; it’s a way to ensure your business operates at optimal efficiency,” Kohl said. 

By: Mary Lou Jay