Kiosk Solutions Dec-Jan 2016-17 | Page 23

retail security
Self-service kiosks can make a retail environment run more smoothly with the added bonus of helping to combat theft
By Acante , www . acante . co . uk
Are you looking for ways to improve security in retail ? Kiosks may be the solution you need and not only can they help to improve security , they provide a whole range of advantages for retailers and customers alike . Here are four ways you can use kiosks to improve security in the retail environment :
1 . Prevent counterfeit money Counterfeit money can be a problem for retail businesses . Around 430,000 counterfeit Bank of England banknotes were removed from circulation during 2014 alone . The staff operating your tills should hopefully be able to identify obvious forgeries , but counterfeit money can sometimes be difficult to identify so use self-service kiosks to fight back . Every banknote and coin used during transactions will be scanned for authentication .
2 . Perform inventory checks One of the best things about using selfservice point of sale systems is being able to quickly and easily check on inventory . If you purchased 50 chocolate bars and the machine shows that 20 have been sold , you should obviously have 30 left . Since stock information is so readily available , it makes sense to perform regular checks . From this you ’ ll be able to see which items are stolen most frequently , meaning safeguards can be put in place . Staff members will also be less likely to try stealing stock if they know regular checks are taking place .
3 . Integrate with video security Self-service kiosks make it more difficult for employees to steal from you since they provide an accurate readout of all money taken during a given period . You ’ ll be able to compare that amount with the
" Around 430,000 counterfeit Bank of England banknotes were removed from circulation during 2014 alone " money in the machine at the end of the day to check for any signs of foul play . Of course , some staff members may still try to pocket some of the money and try to pass the blame . To combat this , aim a security camera at the kiosk to see exactly who has been interacting with the machine at any given time .
4 . Check for supplier theft Business owners often forget about the risk of supplier theft . Research indicates that 27 % of retail theft is down to suppliers , contractors and admin errors . This can occur when a supplier delivers fewer products than you ordered , but tells you they ’ ve provided the full order . You might then assume the missing items were stolen by a member of the public , or a staff member .
Self-service kiosks can help improve security in retail by tracking items from when they ’ re delivered to when they leave the store . If any items are missing , you ’ ll be able to track them and see if they lead back to the same supplier each time .
If you want to improve security in retail , kiosks may be the perfect way to do it . Automating certain systems reduces the possibility of human error , which may in turn help to reduce theft . n
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