Axis cameras deliver loss prevention benefits to global retailer Paul Smith
1 Jul 2017
“Today the new system is only used if there is a security incident. But in the future we expect managers in specialist areas like visual merchandising to access cameras to assess whether agreed store layouts for new lines are being observed and whether these are working for store visitors.” Lee Bingham, Head of IT, Paul Smith.
Mission
Fast-growing retailer and fashion designer Paul Smith
needed to replace an ageing, failing legacy analoguebased
CCTV camera estate located in its 45 stores
around the world. Paul Smith’s IT department therefore
took over the management of the legacy cameras with
a view to upgrading the whole system to IP video, over
a three year period. To meet its targets Paul Smith
needed a system that was capable of lasting at least 10
years. Therefore it required a network camera manufacturer
which had global support capability, as well as
retail sector expertise and a strong focus on research
and development to future-proof the new investment.
Solution
After a painstaking evaluation process, Paul Smith
selected Axis network cameras. The company specified
AXIS M3014 Network Cameras in all stores, as part of the
complete IP video upgrade, with most stores fitted with
8-12 cameras. Additionally, store rooms of some outlets
were equipped with AXIS M3005-V Network Cameras. A
total of over 550 cameras will have been installed by the
end of the 3-year IP video upgrade programme in 2015.
Six stores with known loss prevention issues were earmarked
for a hybrid CCTV-IP solution to help deliver
rapid results. In these stores AXIS Q7406 Video Encoder
Blades were fitted into existing local CCTV servers,
enabling current CCTV cameras to be integrated into
Paul Smith’s new IP-based video surveillance system.
64 analogue cameras have so far been brought onto the
network in this way.
Result
Paul Smith is replacing an ageing and unmanageable
CCTV estate with a state-of-the-art IP video system. This
provides 100% store-wide coverage and HDTV 720p images
in all its fully owned stores globally. AXIS M3014 is
designed to fit into the same size ceiling void as a standard
spotlight and is so discreet that it is often mistaken
for a spotlight rather than a powerful HDTV network
camera. Paul Smith is able to gather high quality images
capable of use as evidence in a court of law. In the future
it will also provide a platform to integrate video analytics
software for dwell-time analysis, heat mapping, people
counting, facial recognition and even CRM and Point of
Sale systems integration.
Centrally managed and future-proofed
global network video
Paul Smith is one of the UK’s leading retail and fashion
success stories with major offices and showrooms in the
key fashion centres of the world, including London,
Milan, New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Düsseldorf,
Sydney and a significant retail presence in 35
countries worldwide. It currently has 24 stores in the
UK. The company’s growth in the US and across Europe
is accelerating with plans to open at least five new
stores every year for the next five years. The business
has annual sales exceeding £400m today. Founder Sir
Paul Smith opened his first shop in his native Nottingham
at the age of 24 in 1970 and has now established
himself as the pre-eminent British fashion designer.
Paul Smith’s Head of IT, Lee Bingham, looks for IP -based
solutions which are capable of scaling quickly and effectively
and can be managed within the corporate network.
To simplify management and bring down costs he
only specifies new IT devices and services which will
last at least 10 years.
Paul Smith’s legacy CCTV estate had grown organically
as the group expanded around the world. When the IT
department was asked to take over the running of the
CCTV systems, Lee Bingham insisted that it must be
moved to IP, “If it’s not IP then it’s not IT, and therefore
it made no sense to move its management from our Facilities
Management team over to the IT department unless
images were going to be accessible on the network
by authorised managers from their desktops.”
Paul Smith’s IT department researched the market, looking
for robust, scalable IP video hardware and software.
After a comprehensive evaluation Paul Smith chose Axis
network cameras, together with Axis video encoders to
integrate some of those existing CCTV cameras not being
immediately replaced. Axis network cameras deliver images
which are recorded on new local servers using Milestone
XProtect® Corporate Video Management Software.
The installation and networking of the new IP video system
in 45 stores globally will take three years and is being
carried out by Axis Partner A1 Data Comms.
Lee Bingham, Head of IT, Paul Smith, said, “Just days after
the Axis cameras were installed in Paul Smith’s new store
in Beak Street, London, someone bought goods there
with a fraudulent US-based credit card. Because the card
wasn’t ‘Chip and Pin’ that person was able to complete
the transaction but when we were alerted by the bank
that this was fraudulent we were able to refer to the new
system’s HDTV quality images to identify the suspect,
show the fraudulent transaction in progress and then
hand the evidence to the authorities.
“Our objective, as soon as the new IP video system has
been rolled out globally, will be to build on this investment
by extending its value beyond loss prevention. We
will work closely with our retail management team to
explore the power of the new system - potentially
deploying techniques such as facial recognition, heat
mapping and dwell-time analytics that enable us to
better understand and serve our customers.”
The new IP video system provides a cost effective platform
for integrating facial recognition capabilities.
Applications can be uploaded to local cameras, enabling
managers to measure the time customers are spending
interacting with a new line of clothing or getting advice
from staff. Facial recognition can also be used to detect
and alert store managers if known shoplifters or fraudsters
enter the store.
Lee Bingham continues, “We see specific value in knowing
our best customers wherever we are serving them.
We want our best online customers to be recognised as
such when they come into store. There would be some
logic in being able to integrate our CRM system with an
IP video-based facial recognition system to ensure high
value customers have the best possible experience instore.
Additionally, we know video analytics can be
used to study how customers walk through a store. Heat
mapping and dwell-time analytics software could be
used to analyse which displays are working best to attract
and retain shoppers. Managers can use this business
intelligence to investigate further and make improvements.
It is this sort of capability that we will be
looking to offer to managers in the coming years.”
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Axis cameras deliver loss prevention benefits to global retailer Paul Smith
Axis Communications (UK Ltd)
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