In our August 2016 print issue of Professional Security we feature loss prevention and the Yankee Candle brand.
On a visit to a security company’s offices in rural Cambridgeshire we find very well known American candles in the meeting room – but it’s not purely because they like their odour. It’s because Amberstone have developed a sales enhancement-loss prevention product for the candles. Our hosts are Simon Speight (Business Development Manager) and Matt Allen (Commercial Director).
The concept is detecting when the product has been removed from the shelf. The purpose is to provide customer service, by alerting staff that someone is interacting with the product, the ideal outcome is that a sale can be secured, but also with the staff member interacting with the ‘potential’ customer losses are reduced as the risk of theft is averted. Many retailers are enjoying the additional sales and risk reduction this solution offers to them.
Amberstone also support more traditional security devices in stores – CCTV, intruder alarms and electronic article surveillance pedestals, however Amberstone integrate these with video analytics to provide data for better service generally, besides loss prevention. For instance, typically retailers look at data of poorly-performing stores; but this latest generation of software enables Amberstone’s customers to review their estate as a whole to establish performance patterns across the country via smart interactive dashboards.
Another service for retailers offered by the company’s ‘intelligence centre’ at Shepreth is for better false alarm management. If a store alarm is activated, Amberstone reviews the CCTV remotely to ascertain what has caused the activation. Many times it’s as simple as signage moving or insecure stock that has caused the alarm to go off; no need for a key-holder to attend, called out of bed, waiting for the alarm engineer – also a lone worker safety issue, which is another field Amberstone is looking to develop; as is system ‘health checks’ and penetration testing.
The firm has opened an office in Mansfield to cover the north; and has invested into a European operation based in Germany (Amberstone GmbH), whereby it’s looking to work with UK/US retailers that have stores on the Continent. “Our customers have a requirement to have the same excellent service they receive in the UK across Europe, Amberstone’s investment now makes this possible through one integrator partner,” Matt said. Amberstone assists customers in other market sectors, including gaming and leisure, and retail banking.
Visit https://amberstone.co.uk/.
