CCTV Services Provide More Than Just Shrinkage Control

By Ben Sparks

Many small business owners feel that they can not afford to install CCTV services. The reality is that CCTV services, when used in a manner that exploits all of their advantages, provide a valuable asset to any business. When all of the advantages of CCTV services are utilized, the CCTV system will pay for itself in a very short time.

Even the most unsophisticated of customers can recognize areas of a store that have CCTV coverage. The black dome in the ceiling can have a camera inside of it that is monitoring a set of shelves or merchandise cases. The simple fact that the black dome is there is an indication that a CCTV camera may or may not be inside. If there is a camera inside, "big brother" is watching. The mere existence of the dome serves as a deterrent to shrinkage.

How many businesses actually know what their busiest days and hours are on the store floor? Through the use of CCTV services the customer traffic flow can be monitored and charted. Through the use of this monitoring and charting, staffing in the store can be optimized to provide the most staff at the busiest times. This leads to greater customer satisfaction and repeat customers.

When owners and management are on the sales floor or in the stock areas, employees are always "on their best behavior" knowing that the boss is out and watching what is going on. When the owner or management return to the office, they have no idea of what the employees actually are engaged in. Just as CCTV services monitor customers, the same system can monitor the actions of employees when management is out of sight. Through the use of a CCTV system, owners and managers can monitor the employees at any time without the employee being aware of the monitoring. This assists in identifying productive employees and non-productive employees.

Nuisance lawsuits are unfortunately a fact of life. If a business hasn't been subjected to one, the owners and management know of a business that has suffered a loss to a nuisance lawsuit. Nuisance lawsuits often involve purported slips and falls. Properly placed CCTV cameras can and do record the actual happenings in potential areas of slips and falls. The documented footage of the area at the time of the purported slip or fall can often prove that the nuisance lawsuit is invalid to both attorneys and the courts.

CCTV services do provide a measure of shrinkage control, the business owner should not ignore however the additional benefits of CCTV services. The ability to monitor staff and customers, the ability to negate nuisance lawsuits is both valid and in actual use today. CCTV services for a modest investment provide an invaluable asset for any company. - 30201

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