Maximizing ROI On Your Closed Circuit (CCTV) Investment
Recent improvements in the cost and quality of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Systems have made them an affordable and effective tool against shoplifting and internal theft. Increasingly companies are discovering that their CCTV investment provides a continuous return well beyond their original ROI expectations. However, these returns can vary significantly depending upon the effort put into maximizing the system’s performance and effectiveness.
While CCTV systems can have many uses as a deterrent to criminal activity, for the purposes of this discussion we will focus on reducing losses related to shoplifting.
The road to maximizing the benefits of CCTV is not simple but it does result in a superior performance. Begin by remembering that individuals inclined toward theft want to go about their business unnoticed and certainly without the embarrassment and accountability of being caught. This understanding is critical to any “best practice” analysis of camera and monitor placement within your environment.
With that in mind, let’s look at several considerations that should help you get the most out of your CCTV budget.
- Communicate that the system exists and is real: I am a proponent of monitors placed at entryways that display a clear shot of customers coming through that area. It is a subtle message that your honest customers may not even notice. However, if my intention is to steal, I will be looking for these measures, and when I see them, I may reevaluate my comfort level and decide to go somewhere else.
- Cameras hidden in domes are superior to exposed cameras as a deterrent: Using domes provides an opportunity to give the appearance of a larger system without the added cost of additional equipment. It also does not allow someone to know exactly what area the camera is covering.
- Evaluate camera placement: In placing cameras within your location, the following factors can greatly impact their effectiveness:
- What specific items are being taken?
- Where within the facility is the concealment taking place?
- Should improvements in item packaging or selling location be instituted?
- Are your sales associates trained to acknowledge and offer service to the customers in their area? This can also be a deterrent to theft.
- Are false security calls being made via the intercom system?
These are the basic considerations that I feel are important with regard to CCTV. If you have specific questions that I can address for you, feel free to go to the Ask Dave portion of this Web site and send me a message.