Video surveillance helps Middle East retailers with smart intelligence

Axis Communications, the global market leader in the network video surveillance market, said that network video solutions are increasingly being used to optimise retail environments across the Middle East. Given its global experience with retail chains and their specific needs, Axis network video solutions are being used to not only secure retail environments but also maximise retail processes and improve business efficiency. Axis Communications is the global market leader in network video, driving the ongoing shift from analogue to digital video surveillance.

Network video can revolutionise the way retail professionals work with loss prevention, store optimisation, fraud detection, security and customer service. Axis Communications retail customers in the region include Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Galleries Lafayette, Marina mall – Abu Dhabi, Al Ain Mall and Al Muhairy center, among others.

According to the Global Retail Theft Barometer Survey for 2010, theft reduced by 5.6 per cent suggesting a strong correlation between increased security spending and reduced theft.  The survey also reveals that retail theft in Middle East & Africa region was US$ .772 billion in 2010. The Middle East retail sector has been recording unprecedented growth over the past few years making the region one of the fastest growing retail environments in the world with anticipated CAGR of around 10 per cent during 2011-2014. (Source-RNCOS research).

“Retailers in the region are becoming more aware of the security benefits of network video surveillance as well as operational benefits. By taking advantage of a large variety of intelligent applications compatible with network cameras, retailers can benefit from more than just security; including insights into customers’ behavior that help design better shopping experiences.” said Gilles Ortega, Regional Director, Middle East & Africa, Axis Communications. “I think there is a real opportunity for retailers to maximise their investment in their surveillance system so that it can be used as more than just a loss prevention tool.” 

In terms of optimized merchandising and operations, Axis solutions provide a shortcut in the time-consuming task of gathering data from multiple systems and sites to give a real boost in store performance.

Understand customer behavior

Strategically placed cameras can be used to record and measure consumer activity and understand buying behavior, so retailers can identify the most popular areas and optimize their store and display layouts accordingly. The addition of built-in people-counting and integration with POS (Point of sale) systems can generate valuable information about customers.

Ensure customer satisfaction

Network cameras can identify empty shelves and alert staff that they need to be restocked. They can also let staff know when a queue is too long, so more cash registers can be opened. Network video thus enables retailers to place staff where they are most needed, and to optimize staff shifts to meet customer demands.

Improve marketing efforts

Network video enables immediate evaluation of marketing and promotion campaigns. Retailers can quickly find out whether their in-store signage, and display windows really attract customers. Their  customer and POS (Point of sale) metrics are only a mouse click away, enabling strategic marketing decisions to boost sales. All of this can be done in real-time and remotely, for single or multiple stores.

Network cameras also offer lower costs of ownership over the lifecycle of the system through  lower installation costs by using standard IT based cabling. Maintenance is simpler, as network video uses a standard Ethernet network which is widely used and understood by IT specialists and adheres to IT network standards. A network video system is accessed through standard PC-based equipment and software browsers making systems easy to use. Adding additional cameras to an existing network is as easy as adding another desktop to the local IT network.