The recent installation of tailor made video surveillance systems at 51 Ryman Stationery stores perfectly illustrates how Open Platform technology can elevate video surveillance from just being a security system, to a smart solution that can deliver so much more.

The Client

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Ryman was established in October 1893 when a young Henry Ryman flipped over the ‘Open’ sign to his brand new shop on Great Portland Street, London. Since its conception, Ryman has been a specialist stationery store. Over the years, it has grown and extended what it sells to include office supplies, technology and office furniture as well as stationery, and a typical store’s inventory has 5,500 different types of products. The company, which is now chaired by Theo Paphitis, one of the UK’s most high profile businessmen, has over 220 stores throughout the UK.

The Challenge

Seeking a cost-effective solution, Ryman wanted to replace old CCTV systems at 51 of its stores and replace them with a video surveillance solution that could help them achieve a number of objectives.

In addition to deterring and detecting shoplifters, Ryman required a solution that could help them better understand the buying patterns of their customers and the effect of advertising and other promotions activities. Ryman also wanted authorised staff such as marketing and merchandising personnel, as well as regional Loss Prevention Managers, to be able to access live or recorded images of any activity at the stores.

Design Process

Axminster, Devon based Selec Systems, one of the UK’s leading specialist providers of integrated retail security solutions, was awarded the contract to install the new systems. “The key to the success of any video surveillance installation if of course the careful selection of the most appropriate camera for each element of the project,” said Ray Self of Selec Systems. “With such a wide range of models to choose from, including both analogue and Open Platform IP network cameras, Hanwha Techwin Europe were ideally placed to support us on this type of intricate project. Although we had to design a solution which would help Ryman achieve all its objectives within a limited budget, the keen pricing of the Samsung cameras meant that we did not have to compromise on quality.”

The Solution

Depending on shape and size of each store and in order to deter, detect and record any incidents of theft, the 51 stores have been equipped with a number of Beyond Series SCV-5083 1280H dome cameras together with a four channel SRD-476D or eight channel SRD-876D DVR.

Footfall Analysis

In addition, a WiseNetIII SND-6084 Open Platform dome camera with the FoxCounter people counting Application from Foxstream on board, has also been installed at each store to provide Ryman’s management with an accurate analysis of customer footfall.

The SND-6084 perfectly supports the FoxCounter Application, as do many of the other cameras in the WiseNetIII range, as it features P-Iris which optimizes the iris function when multiple lighting conditions exist in a single scene. This results in images with better contrast, clarity, resolution and depth of field, making it easier for FoxCounter to recognise customer flow direction. Plus, thanks to the SND-6084’s WDR, image quality is enhanced and motion blur is reduced, enabling FoxCounter to provide accurate counting data even when several people simultaneously cross the counting area threshold.

Close-Up Detail

A SCP-2270 PTZ dome has also been installed at each store. This enables Ryman’s Loss Prevention Managers and marketing personnel member to remotely view any activity via the iPOLiS Mobile app. The SCP-2270 PTZ has a 27x optical zoom capability which can provide authorised users with the option to view close up detail of people and objects.

The images captured by the SCP-2270 and SND-6084s are recorded locally onto DVRs via the dome cameras’ analogue outputs.

Remote Access

In order to fulfil the requirements of this project, a bespoke firmware upgrade version of the iPOLiS Mobile app was developed specifically for Ryman. The upgrade allows for a large number of sites to be remotely monitored by a smartphone or tablet. Hanwha Techwin Europe’s design engineering colleagues in Korea were able to respond quickly to this requirement to the complete satisfaction of Ryman and the award of the contract to supply the cameras and recorders was not delayed.

The Future is Out-Of-Box

Following the successful completion of the installations at the 51 stores by Selec Systems, who sourced the cameras and recorders from Akess, a Hanwha Techwin Europe distribution partner, an order has been received to provide a further 132 Ryman stores with the same tailor made solution.

Discussions with the client are at an advanced stage in respect of supplying WiseNetIII Open Platform cameras with a number of pre-loaded Applications which, in addition to people counting, will help them identify other opportunities to increase sales and productivity. Providing Applications out-of-box will reduce installation time, and because Hanwha Techwin Europe has worked very closely with the respective developers of the Applications, Ryman can be assured of a seamless integrated solution that is easy to configure.