Why retailers should consider unifying POS and surveillance

Using video technology to influence loss metrics at a point of sale (POS) is not a new concept for loss prevention. Cash theft, intentional voids, sweet-hearting, fraudulent use of credit cards, and unintentional mistakes are examples of losses that occur at POS that video can ultimately help identify.

Exception reports and video review

Many of these incidents can be identified with reporting generated from POS. Exception reports that identify suspicious transactions are good indicators of people or processes that are contributing to loss. The reports can be researched and video of the transactions can be reviewed to validate suspicious activity. Sifting through exception reports and reviewing transactions on video, however, can be quite tedious and time-consuming.

Synchronizing POS data with video is a rather common feature that many video systems possess. Some, which are enabled with timing features, are rather basic and show the POS transaction script next to the video of that transaction. This feature has been a popular tool in the loss prevention arsenal for several years.

Unification of Video and POS

Modern IP VMS’s have the ability to bring much richer capabilities to the end user, saving time and impacting loss at a much higher rate. True unification of video and POS data can unlock advanced features that allow for easy and fast identification of issues that are being researched.

One example is the ability to conduct metadata searches on POS. By conducting a smart metadata search, the VMS can often replicate exception reports within the video system for quick identification. For example, a search for transactions that have multiple voids can be conducted within a metadata search, and the VMS would return video clips of all the transactions that matched that search within seconds. Instead of waiting for reports to run, the unification of POS and video can bring exception reports right into the video system, impacting loss while increasing staff productivity.

Not just for loss prevention, but also a customer service tool

While the benefits that having advanced POS search capabilities for loss prevention may be clear, it also is a great customer service tool. Use cases for customer service can include researching items left behind after purchase, identifying a person using a customer’s stolen credit card, and correcting scanning errors.

For example, a customer returns to the store with their receipt and claims they were over-charged during a transaction that occurred earlier in the day. Many of these errors result in minor differences that a retailer may be willing to accept. Larger differences, however, can quickly be located by leveraging a search that would identify the transaction and return the associated video. Searching by the customer’s last name, credit card number, or items purchased would be examples of searchable data or fields. The store’s video system can assist in the incident being quickly resolved.

Save time and money with POS unification

Unifying the in-store video with POS data allows for quick resolution of issues through advanced search capabilities, helping retailers reduce loss, improve customer service, and save employees time.

To learn more about the benefits of POS and video unification, read our post on "How IP Security Technology Fights Theft at the Cash Register". For details on how Security Center integrates with POS systems, click here.