INNOVATION
INVASION OF THE RETAIL ROBOTS
As staffing and security woes become increasingly difficult for retailers, the promise of autonomous solutions becomes more compelling. By Courtney Wolfe
C
ameras, access control, RFID, etc. are all crucial parts of any loss prevention program. These technologies are tried and true, and will likely always be essential. However, as retail crime continues to evolve, so should the available security solutions. Today’s retailer must worry about organized retail crime, staffing shortages, curbside pickup, violence against both customers and employees, flash mob robberies, supply chain issues, and more. Thankfully, solution providers have been hard at work developing
products tailored specifically for these issues. With artificial intelligence and machine learning finally living up to the potential promised for decades, there is a new kind of LP technology growing in popularity that can help with everything from guarding to inventory control and curbside delivery: robots. If you’ve been to an LP conference in the past few years, you’ve likely seen a robot or two wandering around the show floor. You may have pulled out your phone and taken a picture but quickly excused it as something the C-suite would never
