Loss Prevention Spending Priorities In 2012

By Lee Pernice, ADT Security Services, Inc.

There are a number of issues facing retailers as we continue our economic recovery. Consumers' buying behavior remains cautious. As a result, retailers continue to be challenged to keep their costs down while asking more from their staff. This can create a gap for even greater losses.

Technology can help to bridge that gap. The security infrastructure for LP can do much more than help protect merchandise. It can also help with management, staffing, marketing, and overall operations.

As evidenced by Integrated Solutions For Retailers' recent survey findings, video surveillance remains one of the most popular and effective loss prevention tools. While video surveillance has been a cornerstone in LP strategies for many years, we are finding that more retailers are using video images that can not only help deter shoplifting and employee theft, but also alert management to safety, customer service, and product placement issues. The use of smart cameras adds a layer of intelligence to help gather analytic data on foot traffic, dwell time, products sales, and out-of-stocks.