Sensormatic Analytics Web Application Provides Next Generation Video Integration to NaviStor Exception Reporting Platform to Help Retailers Address Store IT Bandwidth Challenges in Accessing Surveillance Video

"Having an application that gives us the ability to do that would enhance our business intelligence efforts as we strive to be as efficient and as effective as possible," - Tim Bartkowiak, director of loss prevention and security

Now retailers can take advantage of NaviView, an integrated video analytics tool tied to the Sensormatic Analytics NaviStor Point of Sale (POS) solution, which will be available in spring 2010. Integrating video with POS transaction monitoring helps reduce the investigative timeline associated with internal theft by leveraging the power of statistically based exception reporting and digital video. Exception reporting includes a video component to speed up resolution of investigations, and digital video obtains smart data triggers that help find the exception video faster while minimizing transmission of video over corporate networks.

Sensormatic Analytics provides comprehensive store business intelligence across multiple data sets; including integration with video surveillance to help retailers improve store operations and meet their profit margin goals. Designed to integrate video events with NaviStor exception reporting, NaviView is a web based application for the Intellex Digital Video Recorder (DVR) to provide greater visibility to transaction details side-by-side with video clips, in a single viewer application. With the flexibility to schedule and upload selected video clips, NaviView streamlines the review process to enable retailers with store bandwidth challenges to gain access to video clips, which were previously unavailable due to IT network restrictions. Also the ability to retrieve corresponding video clips streamlines the investigative process and improves validation of the investigator's suspicions around questionable transactions.

According to the 2009 Global Retail Theft Barometer, retailers worldwide lost more than $114 billion from shrink and inefficiencies, with over $40 billion resulting from employee theft. To help retailers address this significant form of loss, NaviView communicates directly with the Intellex DVR allowing loss prevention, asset protection and operations staff to pull video from the DVR without requiring a separate video retrieval program.

Better managing and organizing POS surveillance video linked with POS Key Performance Indicators can provide potential benefits in the investigative process, according to Tim Bartkowiak, director of loss prevention and security for Spartan Stores, a combined grocery retailer-wholesaler based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. "Having an application that gives us the ability to do that would enhance our business intelligence efforts as we strive to be as efficient and as effective as possible," he said.

NaviView offers retailers three options for video retrievals which are used for investigating transactions. First, the "In box" contains transactions requested by the user for immediate viewing. Second, the "Scheduled" folder contains transactions that are scheduled to be downloaded during off peak hours to preserve bandwidth on the store's network. Scheduling video downloads also helps to avoid traffic backup on DVR servers. Third, the "Archived" folder contains transactions the user wants to save for later review, and more importantly, cannot be altered to protect the integrity of the transaction video to aid in prosecuting criminal activity.

Another feature is the ability to retrieve additional video before and after the actual transaction, selected by number of minutes, which may be useful in identifying possible crimes such as sweethearting. Previously, investigators had to run another application and sift through significant amounts of video footage to find the desired video clip in order to view what occurred before and after a transaction.

NaviView is part of the feature-rich NaviStor POS exception based reporting system. NaviStor is the flagship product of the Sensormatic business intelligence solution suite that helps retailers collect data on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across the store, district, region and chain.

Retailers can use that information to make operational improvements to limit losses and increase productivity. This new software application strengthens ADT's already robust product offerings by integrating business intelligence with in-store investments in solutions such as EAS and video surveillance. These enhancements will help retailers realize their ultimate goal of controlling internal theft and enhancing profitability with a more precise exception reporting tool for POS monitoring.

For more information on Sensormatic Analytics powered by Retail Expert visit www.sensormatic.com/Products/StoreBusinessIntelligence2/SBI_home.aspx.