Using innovative security to improve retail service
The way customers interact with products and the way they want to experience shopping has changed. Gone are the days of a few security personnel out the front of the store checking your bags as you leave. Security is evolving and becoming less overt, while technology advances become a central consideration for businesses that wish to stay protected. This shift has created a security scene that is now home to innovation rather than purely man power. The challenge within the security industry is to not only to alter the way retail shoppers view security but also how businesses interact and utilise their protective services.
A shifting perception
The retail scene has always needed to employ individuals to help protect against theft. With items being small enough to put in your pockets, security personnel were needed to help guard a business’s property. This service from security was based on obvious physical deterrants which went directly against a positive customer experience. As companies have focused more on customer experience and interaction, security has had to change to be more sophisticated and targeted. This shift has led to the innovation of concierge security, which aims to provide a more complete experience to a business. Highly trained and mobile, they can help a business by being on the move and visible. This also helps to create a shopping experience where customers feel safer as security is present should they feel threatened or unsafe.
A more versatile role
The role of security as merely a means of checking customers as they leave the store is outdated. Modern security and loss prevention officers should know about the businesses they are protecting. This is not just so they can better protect where they work but also to help aid customers. Adopting more of a hybrid role, security personnel may also act as a greeter or point of contact for customers looking for information. These responsibilities and interactions with the public can help to create a relationship between customer and business as well as an added level or personality that can help grow a brand’s reputation.
The increased use of technology
Despite the obvious benefits of a physical security force being able to protect products and customers, there are alternatives. Remote security creates a seamless shopping experience and may be an option for your business. Without loss prevention officers present, shoppers may feel less watched and more relaxed during their shopping experience, which may increase their time in store and willingness to buy. The technology that makes this happen is video camera surveillance which can aid in monitoring those who enter and exit the store. It can also record what they do while they are inside which can help to identify any potential threats.
Another way businesses with high value products can protect their stock is RFID tagging. This technology allows the products to be tracked when they are moved, even within the store. RFID tagging allows a store to immediately know if a product has left the store without being paid for and an alert is raised. This sophisticated protection is the future, and stands to benefit both consumer and business alike.
Security of the future
No matter what security overlay is right for your business the use of technology and a more adaptable, personable security force can help to revolutionise your business. Whether you stock high end items or just need protection to help deter theft, security is changing to fit within your individual business’s needs. Security is a requirement rather than option as time goes by, that’s why securing the right security company for your business is imperative to its continued protection.
For more information about how we can help with your retail security solution, contact us and speak to one of our consultants.
View our blog terms and conditions here.
