This article is brought to you by Solink.

There’s nothing more powerful than being in a store that you operate. It’s all about visibility—seeing what’s happening with customers and employees, how the foodservice area looks, whether the shelves are well-stocked and tidy.

But operators can’t be in all their stores all day, every day. There’s a twofold solution: Use your cameras for visibility and use AI to understand what the cameras are capturing.

Cameras are a store security staple, but they can do much more than just record footage in case there is an incident. According to Chris Sisto, VP of Product, Solink, “There’s a very important change happening in how retailers think about their cameras. Cameras are a business’ most powerful sensor, which can be leveraged to solve many operational challenges across departments.”

Solink is a video security and analytics platform that works to give operators enhanced visibility into their stores by connecting their existing cameras and POS system. This technology enables a shift in thinking, from cameras being about security to cameras being about visibility.

“Solink’s AI-powered Sidekick feature allows retailers to stay informed about various critical aspects of their business without manual oversight,” said Sisto. “The software works with the camera system to run scheduled audits across all of a retailer’s locations. Operators can access the results and security footage from anywhere, allowing them to follow up on the locations that need intervention.”

For specific use cases, think of an automated check to see if shelves are well-stocked, aisles are blocked or doors are left open. Retailers can determine what sort of checks are most valuable to their business and simply ask the AI to check the cameras at scheduled intervals, such as checking every hour to make sure the coffee area is clean. If there is a mess, the software sees the problem and alerts the retailer.

“Visibility at the store level is powerful,” Sisto said. “Sidekick AI allows you to ask any questions through the lens of your cameras. The result makes the stores safer, but also helps you across all your operations.” Enhanced visibility isn’t just useful for operational problems. It also provides insight into merchandising and consumer behavior in your stores—which lets operators make choices that drive sales.

Solink’s video AI tools “can also monitor store traffic and occupancy. When combined with your integrated POS data, this allows operators to track things like conversion rates,” Sisto noted. “And with zone tracking, the software can tell you, for example, whether people are lingering in front of a new display or walking right past it. This data gives you insights to help you make better merchandising decisions for your store.”

This is the first in a two-part series from Solink. Check back Thursday to discover how camera applications are increasing the speed of business.