POS transactions and surveillance cameras provide a lot of information that can be used for investigating a potential theft, spot re-training needs, or to improve your business.
The problem is that these are two completely separate data systems and video surveillance footage needs to be manually scrubbed to find the right video clip. As a result, gathering evidence for a particular transaction or employee can take hours, and few business owners have the time to do that.
Using a video text inserter box is one way to integrate point-of-sale (POS) systems with your business security camera system. However, text overlay is not an ideal solution for several reasons:
- Text inserter boxes block the video screen, making it difficult to see what’s happening.
- POS transactions can only be linked to a single surveillance camera, so you can’t get multiple angles with a traditional text overlay system.
- Text inserter boxes can set you back hundreds of dollars, especially if you have multiple business locations.
- They provide limited options to search the video surveillance footage, which makes spotting a shoplifter difficult.
Using a modern cloud video surveillance platform like Solink, you can easily match your transactions to surveillance video for less than the cost of a single text inserter. Not only is it cost effective, but it will help you to significantly reduce the time it takes to detect and investigate a theft in your business.
Take a look at our article on POS security for even more information on this important topic.
Match your POS systems to security camera footage with a text inserter box
Video and transaction matching (sometimes called transaction integration) is a system that allows POS transactions to be automatically matched with your surveillance video footage.
Essentially, the video surveillance footage is “bookmarked” at the time when an event or transaction occurred. Events can then be searched, shared, and you can even set up alerts for certain types of transactions.
Unlike traditional text overlay, transaction matching allows for more advanced search and analytics capabilities in addition to connecting multiple POS cameras to a single event so you can get a better view.
Rapid investigations across multiple stores
Another benefit of using cloud video surveillance software for transaction matching instead of a text inserter box is that it brings all your data together so you can search for evidence across multiple POS systems, security cameras, and store locations simultaneously.
You can quickly find similar or related transactions using a combination of filters, including date/time, employee number, product names, payment methods, transaction types, etc. A traditional text overlay system does not offer these benefits.
Here’s an example of matching POS transaction data and security camera footage:
A step beyond text overlay: proactive loss prevention
The ability to search through transactions and see matching video clips is extremely useful for when you are trying to find information around a specific transaction or group of transactions. But, the Solink platform can take this a step further.
In addition to exception-based reporting, Solink can look for signs of theft among all the transactional and video data coming in based on pre-established parameters. For instance, the Solink platform can monitor voids and employee discounts and send an alert when a void is above your comfort zone.
This is a game changer for small business owners and franchise operators as it allows them to focus on more pressing areas of the business, while Solink is running 24/7, looking out for potential theft. Text inserter boxes are a reactive technology, making them far less valuable.
Employee theft is the leading cause of both retail shrinkage and restaurant industry losses. Luckily, business owners are able to turn to affordable software solutions to help them mitigate this risk. If you haven’t integrated your POS systems and security cameras, ask us how you can get started (hint: it’s easier than you think).
Text inserter FAQ
What are the benefits of integrating POS systems with surveillance video for businesses?
Integrating POS systems with surveillance video offers benefits such as enhanced loss prevention, streamlined investigations, and improved operational efficiency by enabling automatic matching of transactions with corresponding video footage.
How does modern cloud video surveillance technology streamline the process of matching transactions with video footage?
Modern cloud video surveillance technologies streamline this process through advanced search capabilities, analytics, and the ability to monitor multiple cameras and locations simultaneously, thus eliminating the need for manual matching of transactions to video clips.
What challenges do businesses face when integrating POS systems with surveillance video without using a text inserter box, and how do modern solutions overcome these challenges?
Businesses face challenges like data synchronization and the complexity of manual review when integrating POS systems with surveillance without a text inserter box. Modern solutions address these by automating data matching and providing intuitive platforms for easy monitoring and analysis.
