For as long as video cameras have been around, retailers have utilized them as tools to keep their businesses, employees and livelihoods safe. Like most technology, video cameras have evolved over the years — gone are the grainy images recorded to VHS tapes, replaced by high-definition videos equipped with edge analytics capable of real-time action and the ability to send metadata for analysis in the cloud. Beyond the obvious improvements in image quality, the hardware itself is also more accessible and modern chipsets feature significantly improved processing power, enabling businesses to run advanced new analytics that offer operational efficiencies and clear ROI. These factors have combined to push video surveillance into a new era, and the potential benefit for retail businesses is immense. 

It’s first important to consider surveillance from a security perspective. Modern video analytics can help enhance the value of existing video surveillance systems, keeping businesses safer than ever. Analytics can track anomalies like loitering, late-night trespassers and unidentified objects, as well as suspicious behavior such as the same person approaching a store repeatedly without entering. Upon detection, the system can automatically send a notification to the appropriate security personnel, letting them know that a potential security incident is in progress and allowing them to take preventative action. They can even trigger an automatic alert to a speaker which can play a prerecorded message that deters potential threats. Cameras can also detect and alert on things like smoke and fire, keeping businesses safe from disaster even when people aren’t around.