Safer Stores initiative

Challenge

Tesco needed to address the issue of keeping their shop staff safe, primarily focussing on how technology can be used to help reduce the amount of in-store incidents.
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To help reduce the industry-wide problem with keeping in store staff safe, as they are being physically assaulted and verbally threatened in both large format and convenience stores.
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The need to reduce such incidents was paramount to Tesco.

Our approach

We carried out Discovery and Research to explore how technology and other non-digital measures, such as shop and security staff training would reduce the potential for in-store incidents.

We examined the physical topology, layout and ergonomics of the stores, including the security layer. We identified where issues occur and where potential improvements could be made to make shop staff feel safer in stores.

We looked at data from previous and in-flight technology trials. We studied video camera footage that lead to an incident where staff safety was a factor. We looked for thematic insights in both staff and customer behaviour.

We visited high profile stores where incidents occurred and carried out interviews with staff. We identified user types, primary use cases and potential solution technologies for evaluation.

Outcomes

We established that incidents occur around shoplifting and that there are many factors involved in keeping staff safer in stores, such  as geographical placement of convenience stores near pubs, the physical design of shops and placement and visibility of security devices such as monitors in isles.

Body worn cameras and headsets were the most effective means to making staff feel safer, reducing incidents up to 40% where trials took place.

We established that communication and awareness is the key factor in making staff aware of any potential or actual incident.

Benefits

Headsets reduced incidents, where trials took place, by up to 40%.

OTHER RETAIL & MANUFACTURING CASE STUDIES

Luxury Yacht Experience
& Configurator (Sales Tool)

Architect a solution that allowed potential luxury yacht purchasers or their assistants, to easily view the range, understand the specs and arrange to view them based contextually on their needs. Sunseeker wanted to increase the number of enquiries they closed and reduce drop off from their site.