Every cannabis dispensary and cultivator must have video security cameras on site. It is part of the regulatory licensing process. However, not all cannabis companies are getting the most out of their systems. With advanced video analytics platforms, cannabis remote surveillance is now possible. This saves you time and money.
This article is part of Solink’s ongoing series on cannabis security.
Why do you need cannabis remote surveillance?
Regulators in every jurisdiction require you to submit a security plan to receive a cannabis license. This is true for both cannabis cultivators and dispensaries. One piece of a solid cannabis security plan is your video surveillance system.
To get the most out of your required commercial security camera system, you should ensure that you have remote surveillance capabilities. A cannabis remote surveillance system will provide you with a higher level of control over your business operations and superior security capabilities.
Remote surveillance allows you to monitor your business from anywhere in the world on your mobile device or laptop. The benefits range from improved loss prevention management to better training for your staff.
The remote surveillance capabilities provided by Solink’s VSaaS solution will give you unparalleled insight into the security and operation of your cannabis enterprise.
What should you look for in your cannabis remote surveillance system?
There are several features and characteristics you should look for in a remote surveillance system. Let’s take a look at them.
Hardware agnostic
Cannabis licensing requires a security plan. Your security plan must include video cameras. These cameras can be very expensive, and the last thing you want to do is replace them with new cameras because your remote surveillance solution requires proprietary hardware.
Solink is “hardware agnostic,” which means that it is compatible with almost every camera available on the market. Solink also integrates with most point-of-sale (POS) systems. Compatibility and integrations are “must have” features when you are looking to add remote surveillance capabilities to your existing equipment.
Multiple app options
No remote video surveillance is complete if you can’t control and monitor the system from any device. Tablets and smartphones, laptops, even Apple TV, can run the Solink app.
Smart video playback
Smart video playback allows users to view only the video footage they need to see while skipping the rest. Solink has loads of features in this space. First, motion search enables you to only view the footage showing movement in a particular area of your business while skipping the times when nothing is happening.
Second, events-based reporting allows you to see what’s happening when certain conditions are met on your POS. For example, you can watch all voids or transactions with a discount greater than 50%.
Alarm verification
Alarm verification is a growing concern for businesses. False alarms can cost you money, so being able to see alarms in real time on your smartphone is a needed feature. Then, you can cancel false alarms and forward true threats to law enforcement.
What are some benefits of smart cannabis remote surveillance?
Remote surveillance has huge benefits to your cannabis dispensary or cultivation operation. Many of them are obvious, but they only scratch the surface on how video analytics can improve your business operations.
The obvious benefits of remote surveillance for your cannabis company
Enabling your camera system with the remote surveillance capabilities offered by Solink brings about several benefits to the security of your cannabis enterprise. First, you can better manage access to different parts of your operation. Limiting access to certain times of the day is even possible by receiving real-time notifications where someone enters sensitive locations outside of permitted business hours.
Second, by integrating video surveillance and your POS, you achieve better loss prevention management. Not only can you watch out for shoplifting, but you can also find instances of employees abusing their discounts or running void scams. These are just two of the types of employee theft Solink can help you prevent.
Third, the regulations for cannabis security are complex and can include specific fields of view and video footage storage requirements. A blocked camera could put your license in jeopardy. Solink automatically notifies you when cameras are obstructed or go offline so you can maintain your regulatory compliance. To find out the current state of cannabis regulations in your market, consider attending a cannabis event in 2024.
Fourth, Solink’s video analytics allows you to perform investigations quickly, which saves you time. Critically, it also gives you the ability to find, save, and send evidence of wrongdoing.
The not so obvious benefits of remote surveillance for your cannabis company
We recently sat down with the owner of Canada Buds to see how Solink is helping his cannabis dispensaries. He shared with us several examples of how Solink provides less obvious benefits to his business.
The heat map function can help you organize your stores. By placing the best products where the most customers gravitate, you can improve your sales.
If you advertise special deals online, then you can watch customer behavior to attribute revenue to those campaigns. If you see customers are entering, going straight to the POS, and asking for the advertised products, then you know your online promos are reaching your clientele.
Finally, you can use video analytics to aid in ongoing employee training. From time theft to an overly passive salesforce, customers being underserved hurts your bottom line. You can keep an eye on how your employees are behaving when you aren’t there with cannabis remote surveillance by Solink.
Cannabis companies need 24/7 remote video surveillance videos
Cannabis licensing regulations require video cameras onsite. Adding functionality to this expensive hardware setup will lead to a greater ROI on your security system.
Reducing shoplifting, discount abuse, time theft, and more decreases your monthly expenses. Better employee training, smarter store layouts, and improved advertising through better revenue attribution increases revenue. It’s no wonder many cannabis enterprises are choosing Solink.
