RETAIL ENVIRONMENT
The challenge of loss prevention and staff safety in a tighter health and safety environment
Body cameras in retail settings are becoming increasingly popular. Not only are they being used by security staff, but increasingly by staff who are customer facing within retail stores, such as at the check-out.
Body cameras can be a valuable asset to a retailer's safety toolkit, and be used for a variety of functions; ensuring social distancing in all areas is being observed, helping to deter aggression towards staff and other customers, and reducing the risk of theft.
There are unique challenges facing retailers currently where body cameras may be of use to help improve or maintain health and safety of customers and staff within stores.
1. Changing customer behaviour. Shoppers in general have become more cautious of entering stores, touching items, and avoiding people (including shop assistants). Potential new behavioural challenges may need to be overcome, for example, heightened anxiety amongst the public. People may become more aggressive towards one another if they feel that one party is not sticking to “the rules”. The presence of body cameras on staff can help de-escalate potentially tense situations between customers, as it will be providing an accurate record of any exchange.
2. New types of complaints might occur that would not typically have been seen pre-lockdown. Some of the situations that might emerge include customers experiencing restrictions on movement; complaints lodged around a limit of product choice and availability, and verbal and physical aggression towards other customers. As one food shop worker explained: "customers were complaining there was nothing on the shelves and people feel they do not have to be social distancing in a supermarket.” Body cameras can be used as tools for learning what measures in store should be emphasised, as well as evidence gathering of incidents.
3. Aggression. Some customers might not agree with the measures put in place by stores. Pushing in line and not wanting to wait in queues are some of the issues that might emerge. In Bolton, for instance, staff have been challenging shoppers breaking the 2m social distancing rules. There have been incidents where security and staff have been threatened by customers, including some instances where staff have been deliberately coughed and spat at. Injuries, sick leave, and mortalities under these conditions can create backlash from the press, unions and potential lawsuits that put retailers in very difficult financial positions.
The presence of a body camera has been shown to deter aggression, by de-escalating the seriousness of the incident. Once a person knows they are being recorded they are more likely to modify their behaviour. Good quality, unbiased evidence of an incident protects the wearer of the camera and the person being recorded, avoiding the variation of written witness statements. Video evidence can help in faster prosecution, as you save the police time in their investigations. You are more likely to deter troublemakers from the stores too once it is known that body cameras are present.
Body cameras can be used as part of your short term or long term safety strategy, and can be rolled out in a variety of ways; such as targeting high risk stores, or placing them on key staff within a store with the aim of profit loss prevention and enhancing safety.
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