Video Analytics for Cannabis Businesses

Most cannabis businesses are already equipped with video surveillance cameras, either for regulatory compliance or added security. Surveillance cameras are great for deterring crime, monitoring facilities, and investigating incidences, but their use is even more beneficial when combined with video analytics. Video analytics for cannabis businesses provide valuable insights that lead to smarter business decisions and increased security, all while making use of hardware already in place.

How Does Video Analytics Work?

Think of video analytics as a complement to existing or new camera networks. Video analytics can help businesses make sense of the valuable data found in hours of recorded surveillance footage. Using deep learning and artificial intelligence (AI), video analytics extract the most valuable data from immense amounts of video and saves this information, rather than the terabytes of video recordings. The data is then automatically analyzed to serve certain functions and meet specific needs.

There are many options when it comes to deploying video analytics for cannabis businesses. Third-party video analytics software can be integrated with existing, compatible camera systems specifically for the management and deployment of analytics. This software is often available as an add-on or feature of other video management software (VMS) that also allows for the capturing, recording, and viewing of video footage in tandem with video analytics. Alternatively, there are surveillance cameras available with both the analytics and software pre-installed on the camera itself.

Video Analytics for Retail Operations

With hundreds, if not thousands, of analytics available on the market, it can be hard to know where to start. Each analytic is designed to complete a specific function, meaning the best combination of analytics will vary widely from business to business. For example, retail operations can make use of analytics such as sentiment detection, hotspot tracking, and demographic recognition to increase profits and customer satisfaction. Conversely, non-retail environments can employ analytics to measure manufacturing output or monitor for employee health and safety compliance.

For cannabis dispensaries and similar high-risk retail environments, video analytics are a great way to guide decision making or support proof of concept. Various data points, tracked over time via analytics, provide valuable information such as how, when, and where customers are spending their time inside the store. Businesses can then make informed decisions regarding a change in business layout or effective product placement based on these findings. Other analytics may measure demographics, such as age and gender, that can then be used to build a successful marketing strategy. The ability to make decisions and develop strategies based on facts gathered from video analytics would otherwise be impossible manually.

Video Analytics for Security

Another big advantage of video analytics is the ability to expand a facility’s health, safety, and security capabilities. Video analytics can be configured to trigger real time alerts when a pre-defined behavior is detected to ensure immediate intervention. A great example of this can be seen with object detection and motion tracking analytics, wherein an alarm sounds if motion is detected or an item is removed from store shelves after-hours. Analytics can also be used to detect and alert to prohibited objects, such as weapons, so immediate action can be taken to prevent incident.

Beyond preventing future incidents and real-time alerting, video analytics can also be used to investigate past crimes. Using AI and deep analytics, video content analysis processes video to identify and classify objects in recorded video footage. People, vehicles, and objects can all be indexed for easy and quick video search, saving businesses valuable time in critical situations. Video analytics are an easy-to-integrate solution and are one of the best ways for cannabis businesses to deter, stop, and investigate incidents.

How Can Sapphire Risk Help?

Tony Gallo and the team of application writers and consultants at Sapphire Risk Advisory Group have written hundreds of video surveillance plans that incorporate video analytics for cannabis business applications. Follow us on social media to stay up to date with more security best practices and cannabis industry updates!