On the casino floor, theft, overdrinking, and disorderly conduct are frequent occurrences. In this notoriously incident-prone environment, casino security and surveillance teams may consider loss prevention one of their biggest challenges.
Even with budgets shrinking and resources stretching thinner, workloads and expectations continue to increase. So how do you do more with less?
We’ve outlined a few key tactics for optimizing surveillance efforts and resources.
1) Look for trends and patterns
Occasionally there may be more—and rowdier—patrons than usual at certain times, places, or events. If you’re aware that incidents are more likely to occur during these times or at specific locations, you can plan ahead and staff appropriately.
Keeping track of this level of information with traditional pen-and-paper reporting methods is nearly impossible, though. Digging through various sources of supporting documents to compile and analyze information wastes hours of valuable time.
With a comprehensive, integrated reporting system, you can focus on the data, and easily spot trends in incidents. A digital platform enables you to analyze what’s happening and proactively investigate as needed.
2) Write consistent, detailed reports
Spotting trends and patterns in incident data requires a proper recordkeeping system. Relying on outdated systems and practices results in records that are inconsistent, incomplete, and insecure.
By implementing a consistent, centralized, and reliable reporting method, surveillance teams can minimize human error and compile stronger reports. A streamlined reporting system can be used across multiple departments and properties to manage and document a broad range of incidents, increasing accountability and credibility.
3) Keep an eye on internal issues
Don’t turn a blind eye to casino personnel; in some cases, internal theft is more common than external theft. In fact, recent surveys have shown that about 50% of casino theft is committed by employees.
Even if this type of theft seems minimal, it can add up, and surveillance teams need to keep an eye on it. With consistent, detailed reports, you can document an employee’s suspicious activity and use those records as future evidence.
This due diligence can prevent revenue loss from lawsuits, as well. If an employee is terminated due to criminal activity and they later file a lawsuit against the casino, having accurate documents, media files, and evidence to support your decision can save the casino a lot of money.
4) Spend more time surveying and less time reporting
For effective loss prevention, it’s imperative to ensure your team’s time is spent actively monitoring the floor, preventing incidents, and dealing with issues as they come up – not at their desk writing reports.
Robust, automated reporting systems help increase efficiency, so loss prevention personnel can return to the floor as soon as possible. The best solutions can also help you ensure your reports are compliant with state regulations and gaming commission requirements.
5) Communicate between individuals and departments
Traditionally, security and surveillance teams have operated mostly independently of each other, using separate systems to keep track of different areas of the casino. But to ensure effective loss prevention efforts, teams shouldn’t operate in silos.
Clear, open communication between departments broadens the bandwidth of loss prevention teams and enables better visibility, reporting, awareness, and prevention of incidents.
6) Focus on prevention
Ultimately, the goal of security and surveillance teams should be to prevent loss and ensure the safety of casino guests and personnel. Staying ahead of potential threats is the only way to effectively protect casino assets.
By sharing information across departments, writing consistent reports using a centralized system, and watching for trends and patterns, your team can boost its prevention efforts.
TEAM, TACTICS, and TECHNOLOGY
Bottom line: traditional surveillance procedures and reporting systems aren’t capable of keeping pace with today’s loss prevention needs. Loss prevention personnel do everything possible with limited resources to keep a watchful eye over the casino floor, maintain game integrity, and protect assets.
The only way to effectively protect patrons, employees, and assets is to utilize the right combination of teamwork, tactics, and technology. A centralized reporting system eliminates errors and improves efficiency with automated data, flexible reporting, and exploratory analytics, enabling surveillance teams to proactively identify trends key to preventing loss and ensuring safety.