High-street retailer introduces Motorola Solutions VT100 body cameras in-store
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High-street retailer Poundland introduces Motorola Solutions VT100 body cameras in-store
Poundland significantly reduces antisocial behaviour, aggression and shoplifting with Motorola Solutions VT100 body cameras
Pepco Group N.V.
The Poundland, Dealz and Pepco retail brands are owned by the fast-growing, pan-European discount variety retailer, Pepco Group N.V. Listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, the Group was established in 2015 and now has over 4,800 stores in 20 countries across Europe, serving 57 million shoppers each month. Poundland opened its first store in Burton-upon-Trent, UK, in 1990 and has since built a network of over 800 outlets across the UK and the Republic of Ireland (trading in Ireland under the Dealz name). Poundland has recently invested £45 million in the business, opening new stores and refurbishing existing ones. All three retail brands sell a wide range of products, including good quality own brand items, and aim to provide their customers with excellent value for money, whilst driving a culture focused on employee engagement and sustainability.
The Challenge
Like many UK retailers, Poundland has seen a sharp rise in theft and aggression towards colleagues over recent years. Therefore, it wanted to improve both employee and customer safety and reduce in-store theft. Aware that other retail businesses, especially in high-risk areas, had started equipping their store colleagues with body cameras to help address these challenges, Poundland was interested in finding out more and was introduced to CSE Crosscom via one of its incumbent partners.
CSE has over 30 years’ experience in providing two-way radio and body camera video solutions and prides itself on its ability to identify the most suitable technology for every client; and, having analysed Poundland’s requirements, CSE organised a detailed presentation showing the technology in action (including the option of an on-premises or cloud deployment), which resulted in the Motorola Solutions VT100 body camera being chosen to be deployed in a pilot store in Merry Hill in Dudley.
“We have three main business goals: love our customers, care for our colleagues and protect the pounds. Our body cameras allow us to achieve all of these. They are helping us create a safer in-store environment, gather vital evidence and reduce shop theft and fraud.”
– Dan Hayward, National Profit Protection Manager
The Solution
Following this successful trial, the Motorola Solutions VT100 body cameras have now been deployed in 177 of the highest risk stores across Poundland and Dealz, with teams in several Pepco stores also equipped with the cameras. Stores across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were selected based on their incident and shrinkage data. CSE branded the cameras with bespoke logo labels for each store and engineers based throughout the UK went into each store to manage and test the installation; the deployment is on premises, so the cameras needed to be paired with the stores’ IP networks.
CSE also provided documentation and training on the system, whilst Poundland delivered its own in-house coaching regarding General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Currently, each store has been equipped with six cameras, although this may change to reflect store size moving forward, and retail colleagues wear the body cameras, with usually 2–6 body cameras being utilised every shift. Typically, in busier stores, a few incidents will be recorded each day; in quieter stores, a few each week.
Every evening the cameras are charged on the port docks and, via the dock controller, footage is uploaded to Poundland’s central servers and automatically stored for 30 days. If any of the footage needs to be used as evidence, or is of particular interest, this is reported, and Poundland’s loss prevention and investigations team, based at its HQ, downloads the relevant recordings. The team uses VideoManager to prepare, process and share the videos, tagging them (for example, as a theft, colleagues abuse or assault), associating them with incidents internally and matching them with CCTV footage and other data relating to incidents. This information is saved on Poundland’s central database for three years and is, when needed, escalated to Poundland management teams or the relevant law enforcement or legal agencies.
The Result
The deployment of the VT100 body cameras has been deemed a great success. Having analysed data from the six months before and after installation, the stores where body cameras have been deployed have seen an average of an 11 per cent decrease in incidents reported, specifically violence towards colleagues, whereas stores without the body cameras have seen a significant increase, especially in violent, weaponised crime. A high number of spotlight stores (high shrinkage outlets) have benefited from a significant decrease in shoplifting or have dropped off the spotlight list entirely.
Adam Starkey, Investigations Manager comments: “Body cameras are a great visual deterrent. Since installation of the body cameras, we have seen a significant reduction in serious incidents. Colleagues have commented that the cameras support their confidence in dealing with anti-social behaviour and they feel protected in the working environment. As a company we are focused on listening to our colleagues’ safety concerns and to help them with the issues they face in stores. We hold regular listening groups to encourage utilisation and share best practice. From an evidential point of view, the footage is of great quality and easy to manage. This gives further reassurance to our teams when we use the footage for successful prosecutions.”
Feedback has been excellent, with teams praising the ease of use and breadth of capability of both the cameras and VideoManager, as well as the clarity of both the audio and the video; the latter has a wide panoramic range and can capture video in areas not covered by CCTV. Operators have also been impressed with the high level of detail, so viewers can identify critical scars, marks or stains, for example, which may prove invaluable when giving evidence.
Finally, the working relationship with CSE – from initial planning and design, through to installation and ongoing support – has been exceptionally positive. Poundland considers the levels of support and service provided as being instrumental in the success of the project.
Benefits of the VT100 Cameras in Poundland stores
- The deployment is helping to create a safer working and store environment for both employees and shoppers: stores have seen an 11% decrease in incidents reported (violence towards staff).
- The loss prevention and investigations team uses VideoManager to prepare, process and share any important footage; the flexible solution has an intuitive user interface and streamlined workflows for data protection.
- Shrinkage (shoplifting and theft) has significantly reduced, with many stores removed from the high-risk list.
- The high-quality video and audio recordings give more context and a first-person perspective of incidents, for vital evidence for the loss prevention and investigations team, as well as for the police, if escalated.
- The cameras – which are customised to each brand – are easy to use, have a long battery life and a customer friendly appearance.