Surprised? What Video Can Reveal About Your Business

Online Exclusive: Surprised? What Video Can Reveal About Your Business

  • By Douglas Wong
  • Apr 21, 2016

It’s estimated that 60% of new restaurants will close or change ownership within the first three years of operation. That’s a scary statistic, especially for anyone just starting out in the business.

Restaurant owners and managers face long hours, stiff competition, and high staff turnover rates. Any way you look at it, the restaurant business is tough, so the more help you have, the better!

While some restaurant owners may see video surveillance as a “nice-to-have,” to improve security and deter theft, more owners are seeing their investment in surveillance pay off in surprising ways.

One New York City restaurant used its video surveillance to investigate criticism about its slow service. The restaurant had video surveillance in place for a number of years, so after a sudden spike in customer complaints, it decided to look into the situation. What it found was incredible.

After comparing video footage captured on a busy day in July 2004 (thanks to the discovery of an old CCTV tape) with similar video recorded in July 2014, the restaurant concluded that smartphone use by customers was slowing down its dinner service by an additional 50 minutes on average. Unlike in 2004, when customers spent just over one hour in the restaurant, in 2014 the video surveillance showed that customers were too busy on their phones to look at the menu, and many were distracted by taking photos of their food or by texting. A few examples the restaurant noted:

  • In 2004, customers took roughly 8 minutes to review the menu before they were ready to order. That jumped to 21 minutes on average by 2014.
  • Nine customers sent their food back for reheating in 2014, after spending time on their phones after the food was brought to their tables.
  • In 2014, it took an additional 20 minutes for customers to ask for the check after they’d finished eating, again because they were distracted by their phones.

Video gave this business valuable insight into the source of its problem, in a way that a firm hired to investigate the issue could not!

But restaurants aren’t the only ones capitalizing on their surveillance. Many other businesses are extending the value of their video beyond security and loss prevention and using it to improve operational efficiency and customer service.

The Kultaranta Resort Marina in Finland, for example, uses its video surveillance to allow boat owners to check the weather at the marina before deciding whether or not to go for a sail. The resort uses a browser-based software solution, enabling remote access to video so anyone with secure permissions can login at any time from their smartphone or tablet.

FirstBank & Trust represents another example. The Texas financial institution uses its video solution primarily for security, but also provides secure access to its internal auditor. Viewing live video from each branch makes it easy for the auditor to verify that the bank’s tellers are complying with the its dual control policy when handling large checks, and identify where further training might be needed.

We often hear about organizations using their video systems in new and innovative ways to solve a challenge or make it easier to perform a task. Other examples include: verifying that packaging is correct or that shipments were sent; ensuring merchandise is properly displayed; monitoring their business’ operating hours; and ensuring employee compliance with health and safety procedures.

And now with the growing use of intelligent video analytics, organizations can go even further to extract relevant information from their video. This ranges from calculating conversion rates, to analyzing customer wait times and evaluating the success of marketing and promotional campaigns. The opportunities are almost endless.

If you’re still thinking about video surveillance as merely a security or loss prevention tool, think again. There are many different ways to leverage your video investment and improve your business performance in the process.

Featured

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

  • AI Used as Part of Sophisticated Espionage Campaign

    A cybersecurity inflection point has been reached in which AI models has become genuinely useful in cybersecurity operation. But to no surprise, they can used for both good works and ill will. Systemic evaluations show cyber capabilities double in six months, and they have been tracking real-world cyberattacks showing how malicious actors were using AI capabilities. These capabilities were predicted and are expected to evolve, but what stood out for researchers was how quickly they have done so, at scale. Read Now

  • Why the Future of Video Security Is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reasons. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. Read Now

  • UL Solutions Launches Artificial Intelligence Safety Certification Services

    UL Solutions Inc., a global leader in safety science, today announced the launch of artificial intelligence (AI) safety certification services, enabling comprehensive assessments for evaluating the safety of AI-powered products. Read Now

  • ESA Announces Initiative to Introduce the SECURE Act in State Legislatures

    The Electronic Security Association (ESA), the national voice for the electronic security and life safety industry, has announced plans to introduce the SECURE Act in state legislatures across the country beginning in 2025. The proposal, known as Safeguarding Election Candidates Using Reasonable Expenditures, provides a clear framework that allows candidates and elected officials to use campaign funds for professional security services. Read Now

    • Guard Services
Most   Popular

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.